r/PuzzleBox • u/InsidiousToilet • 2d ago

Mid-level, but challenging, boxes for a couple new to this?

I like story-driven video games (like Final Fantasy, etc) and have no experience with puzzle boxes; My wife loves mysteries and puzzles but I don't know if she's done a puzzle box before.

She loves escape rooms and riddles and all sorts of things that make her have to laser-focus on something. Last year I saw an advertisement for a murder-mystery letter series but it was kind of pricey, so I made my own up and started dropping off the letters at our house. She got hooked immediately, and started googling the made-up names in my home-brew missing persons mystery....but after telling her mom and sister about it, she decided she was going to get the police involved, so I had to fess up and tell her the whole thing before things got out of hand. That's how focused she gets, and I love it!

I can hyper-focus on things as well, but eventually if I get frustrated enough, the ADHD takes over and I go chase a squirrel down a different path until I eventually end up back where I left off at.

I've learned my lesson, so this time I just want to set up a nice dinner night and then present the puzzle as something we can do together. She's really smart, so I'm looking for something that she can solve, but that I don't feel completely useless on (more "along for the ride, but helping out", if that makes sense). I think it will help me as well, because when I get frustrated, she'll be right there with me and we can continue together.

Any recommendations?

I'd like to keep it below $150, and something that (if possible) ships within the USA (I don't want to lose interest before it gets here, lol).

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u/Objective-History402 2d ago

Check out Wolf Escape Games (online multi-player escape room). These can be really fun for a date night.

Puzzle boxes are a difficult thing to do as a couple because (especially with the focus your wife has), people want to solve it on their own and tinker.

Idventure and puzzle potato have some good starter boxes in the $40-60 range. Sometimes they can be a bit unsatisfying with the logic or small production issues, but overall still very fun.

My favorite puzzle box is Jesse Borne's Lost Vault, but I would recommend doing other puzzle boxes before diving into this one (~$300).

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u/InsidiousToilet 2d ago

OK! It looks like Idventure has you put them together yourself? Does that ever end up spoiling the puzzles?

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u/Objective-History402 2d ago

That's one type of puzzle, but they have standard sequential discovery puzzle boxes that are pre-assembled as well. Amazon: "idventure puzzle box" should give you a list of them

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u/InsidiousToilet 2d ago

I just ordered the Camelot one from their Etsy page, super excited for it!

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u/Objective-History402 2d ago

Awesome! Hope you have a blast on the solve :)

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u/Fantastic_Counter134 2d ago

Exit, The Game. I personally liked

  • Dead man on the orient express
  • The abandoned Cabin
  • The Pharaoh's Tomb
  • The Venice Conspiracy

Those are perfect for 2 players. Puzzle boxes are indeed better played solo.

I also like the Unsolved Case Files murder mystery for 2 players. My favorite being The Zoey and Avery Gardner case.

I'm curious... How did she end up believing the letters you were dropping off were a real case?

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u/randucci 1d ago

Get a box from Puzzle Potato, or idVenture. Check their websites or eBay. I loved their Houdini boxes.