Make it belong
Why would this character own this object? Why would its information appear in this form?
The Bureau’s reference archive
The Clue Library.
Find your next idea.
Start with a prop, an action, or a spark of an idea. Find a technique, then make it belong to your story.
The full collection
No techniques here yet.
Try fewer filters or a different search.
See the move
A few ways into a puzzle.
Simple diagrams to spark a version of your own. These are illustrative examples, not tested game props.
From technique to puzzle
Give the idea a job.
Use these prompts when an idea becomes a candidate. Leave unknowns open while you brainstorm.
01 / NOTICE
What catches their eye?
A phrase, an odd mark, a missing piece. Subtle is fine; the connection must be inferable.
02 / DO
What do they do?
Read, align, sort, measure, compare. Include the information or key they need inside the game.
03 / OBTAIN
What changes?
A word, a code, a location, or an opened compartment. Make the reading order and destination clear.
Check the next envelope
Does the final answer have 4–5 characters supported by this adventure’s symbol key? Check that it identifies one envelope, and that plausible wrong answers cannot open a later step. Intermediate discoveries can be words, locations or instructions.
Write the hints early
Point toward the material, explain the connection, then show the solving steps. Keep the final answer separate.
Test the actual object
Print at final size. Check legibility, alignment and lighting. A browser preview cannot establish physical reliability.
Plan the reset
What goes where? What needs replacing? Can the next group start without evidence left by the previous players?
Record what happened
Keep observations separate from interpretation: what players tried, where they stalled, which hint helped, and what to change.
Build variety into the envelope adventure
Start with this selection pool, then give each mechanism a reason to exist in the story. These are promising candidates, not a required checklist.
| Player action | Existing techniques to explore |
|---|---|
| Arrange | Constraint ordering · Edge-matching tiles · Document reassembly |
| Compare | Spot-the-difference · Historic / modern comparison |
| Layer and reveal | Cardan grille · Map overlays · Hold-to-light |
| Deduce | Cross-document assembly · Elimination · Attribute triangulation |
| Navigate | Route diagrams · Routes as shapes |
| Manipulate | Rotating overlays · Fold to join · Negative space |
| Collaborate | Parallel subtasks · Distributed information · Convergence |
New briefs: paper sliders, paper weaving, multiple views and story timelines.
Choose by action. Morse, runes and substitution alphabets can all feel like the same lookup task. Alternate comparing, arranging, revealing, deducing, manipulating and navigating; use short decoding tasks as one ingredient.
Compare → arrange → reveal → deduce → manipulate → navigate → combine
This is an example mix, not a fixed recipe or puzzle count. Vary quick wins and deeper tasks, shared work and individual handling, new props and surprising reuse. The shortlist check groups similar actions; it does not assess your game’s actual order or difficulty.
Several discoveries can lead to one envelope. A clue names a tool, the tool reveals evidence, and the evidence produces the next answer. Use burst structure, pointers and instruments. Keep the final symbol lookup brief: it routes players to the envelope rather than adding another decoding puzzle.
Make opening feel earned. Use an assembled image, a uniquely matched record or an independent check before the envelope is opened. A digit sum cannot check digit order. Give decoys no required content, avoid labels that reveal the sequence, and provide a clear recovery instruction for accidental openings.
Keep the kit reusable. Supply pre-cut pieces. Prototype sleeves, folds and overlays at print size; inspect wear after resets. Prefer a reusable reveal to scratching, tearing or wetting the original. UV and colour filters need tests with the supplied materials and lighting. Required digital tasks and bulky mechanisms are specialist options.
Test participation. Allow useful parallel work without making every task depend on one small tool. Offer a solo route for communication puzzles. Record what players actually did and enjoyed; variety tags do not prove enjoyment.
About the library, tags and evidence
Existing game examples are retained as design notes; their current implementation and playtest status have not been verified. New examples are illustrative proposals. Difficulty ratings on older entries are inherited estimates; new entries remain unrated.
Each technique has either a specific design brief or a clearly labelled family checklist. These are design guidance, not proof of a successful build. Action, material and output tags are editorial suggestions.
Selected primary references were reviewed on September 28, 2026 and are labelled on the relevant cards. Other links remain unverified. A checked mechanism reference does not validate our adaptation.
Create a puzzle with the kit's new command, then paste the copied brief into its body. The library holds reusable mechanisms; each backpack's records hold actual decisions and evidence. The Coverage view shows where further detail is still needed.
Sources & further reading
Breadth and depth
What’s covered. What still needs work.
No catalogue is exhaustive. Counts show coverage, not the number of proven or production-ready puzzles.
Next depth priorities
Build and test physical samples; replace imported game examples with links to current records; add specific briefs where only family guidance exists; then add production files and measured tolerances only when tested.
Electronic sensors, scent/taste, phone-dependent tasks and effects needing precise optics require more context than this general catalogue provides. Treat them as specialist prototypes. No entry currently claims a verified physical playtest.