FAQ

You receive: - an electronic folder with the details for each character to make it easy to send these out in advance - a physical pack sent to you containing your host guide, clues and character envelopes which will be used during the event. These envelopes will provide the details for each person to use when playing their character, outline the clues and puzzles to unravel, and instructions to guide you through your event. - If you have chosen to add in a premade video, you will receive this as an electronic file, or if you have chosen to record a video yourself in advance, you will receive a character profile, and script to enable you or someone you choose to record this.

We recommend the mysteries are for older children (12+) and adults only, due to the themes involved, and the nature of gameplay. If you are comfortable with your child/ren hearing the details (including murder, crime, espionage, violence, etc) and are confident they are able to read their parts, follow the discussions, and take part in the mystery, then we are happy to provide characters for them. Please let us know when ordering how old they are, and how involved you want them to be. Please be aware that we cannot remove all references to violence, infidelity or criminal activity from our mysteries, and you are responsible for confirming the nature of the mystery is suitable for any children present. We are however happy to remove overly graphic materials from mysteries where this is possible (note: 'Death at the Manor' necessitates inclusion of some specifics around a death).

Each of the 'standard' mysteries has a core storyline, with additional clues, character details, and plot specifics tailored to your request. You receive an electronic folder with the details for each character to make it easy to send these out in advance, plus a pack will be sent to you containing your host guide, clue and character envelopes which will be used during the event and any other elements for your specific mystery. These envelopes will provide the details for each person to use when playing their character, outline the clues and puzzles to unravel, and instructions to guide you through your event. You can also add videos if you wish- these can even be provided as a script to enable an absent friend to prerecord so they can almost be with you on the day. You can read more about the specific mysteries available on the mysteries pages.

There will be an 'opening statement' in your pack for you to read to begin, then 3 'rounds' of gameplay. Each 'round' has a set of Character Envelopes for each guest to open. These contain instructions to guide you on what to ask or discuss during the 'round', and when to bring in specific clues or other materials. This should mean the event moves along with all your guests bringing details and clues in as instructed, so as host, you only need to prompt occasionally to move on if you feel it is needed. You can move onto the next round when everyone is happy they have covered everything. Our mysteries have 'Clue Envelopes' and some mysteries also have 'Special Envelopes' or other additional items- these are all for a specified guest to open and share when they are prompted (in their 'Character Envelope'). At the end of the 3rd 'round', you read the 'closing statement' and are prompted to note and then share your suspicions before uncovering the solution together.

When ordering, you can specify 'dispatch as soon as possible', or 'dispatch on a specified date'. If you choose 'dispatch as soon as possible', you will only have 24 hours (one day) from the point when you finalise your order to add more details. If you select 'dispatch on a specified date', you can provide more details after ordering until one week before dispatch. After the cutoff point, we can only amend or add anything if you purchase the 'late additions' pack- the timeline for delivery will be provided after this late additions pack is accepted. Usually within 1 or 2 days for minor amendments or an additional character, or 3 to 4 days for more significant changes. Please note that delivery will be later than the dispatch date, and is reliant on the delivery schedules of a third party. For more questions on timing for your specific event, please get in touch with us, providing as much detail as you can about your event. We will do everything we can to make sure we get your mystery to you when you need it, but we cannot guarantee specific dates for delivery.

Absolutely. We will assume that you will be involved, and write you a character and clues so you can join in as much as your guests (make sure you include yourself when providing details for us to use in tailoring). If however, you do not wish to be included, or want a smaller role, you can specify this when ordering and we'll make sure you get a level of involvement you are happy with.

For the mysteries summarized on our mysteries pages, the core of the story and some clues will be the same, however the characters, detailed clues, additional parts of the mystery and even the length and location can be tailored to your needs. We can only tailor based on the details you provide us, so do make sure you give us as much detail as you can.

We can write you a brand new mystery covering exactly what you want. Please be aware that we need more details for this, so we can provide what you are looking for, and this therefore has a longer time for us to deliver. The timing and cost for this will depend on the nature of what you need. You can get more of an idea about this on our 'Just for you' page, or get in touch for more details.

When you have selected the 'base storyline' for your mystery, you will be prompted with options to select as you wish, and textboxes for you to add in as much detail as you want to. We will use these details to make it as specific as possible, but please note that we need to ensure the base storyline still works for this so cannot guarantee everything can be included. You can also send us more details separately (within the set out timeframes), if there is more you want to add. When providing details, some helpful questions to ask yourself and include the answer in the details are: Where do I want to run my event? (indoors, outside, across several spaces etc). Is there a specific purpose for the event, and do you want us to include this? For example, if its a birthday for one of the guests, if its going to be a surprise, if its for a family get together, or a team event. Roughly how long do I want my event to be? (we recommend 3-5 hours of gameplay for our standard mysteries) How do I want the event to run? For example, during a meal, in small pieces across a day or a few days, before and after a meal etc. Is there anyone who cannot make it who I'd like to include? You can do this through the Cameo Video add on. We can script a video cameo for one or more people to record themselves, and send to you ahead of the event. You can watch this as part of the event, and it will be part of the overall story and mystery (perhaps they provide you a clue, perhaps they can help you move through the story, perhaps they could even be the victim!) Who do I want to invite, and for each guest: How involved would they want to be? (we can make quieter or smaller roles for people who prefer to spend more time watching, or bigger 'centre of attention' parts for those who... well... want to be the centre of attention) What type of character would they want to play (or would be funny to watch them play)? Tell us a little bit about them (their job, hobbies, name, personality traits etc) Are there any specifics we should be aware of? If there are certain things you want us to cater to, or cover, or any specifics to avoid, then let us know.