Simple dungeon puzzles

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.frp.dnd (More info?)

We often discuss complex/interesting traps and puzzles, but how
about some simple ones? I am running a game for my kids, and
want a few simple, fun puzzles for them to solve. I was thinking
of starting out with non-threatening puzzles (not a room filling
with water-hurry up and solve it!).

Here is the kind of thing I had in mind.

A door that opens when three levers are pulled in the
correct order. There are markings on the levers that indicate
the order in a kind of cryptic way ( maybe roman numerals ).

Any other simple ideas?

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.frp.dnd (More info?)

decalod85 wrote:
> We often discuss complex/interesting traps and puzzles, but how
> about some simple ones? I am running a game for my kids, and
> want a few simple, fun puzzles for them to solve. I was thinking
> of starting out with non-threatening puzzles (not a room filling
> with water-hurry up and solve it!).
>
> Here is the kind of thing I had in mind.
>
> A door that opens when three levers are pulled in the
> correct order. There are markings on the levers that indicate
> the order in a kind of cryptic way ( maybe roman numerals ).
>
> Any other simple ideas?

Er, no, actually, but you might want to consider something like the
food chain instead of roman numerals.

Aaron "The Mad Whitaker" Bourque; unless your kids watched Square One
Television . . .

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.frp.dnd (More info?)

"Aaron F. Bourque" <aaronbourque@aol.com> wrote in message
news:1118523816.043921.229680@g14g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
> decalod85 wrote:
>> We often discuss complex/interesting traps and puzzles, but how
>> about some simple ones? I am running a game for my kids, and
>> want a few simple, fun puzzles for them to solve. I was thinking
>> of starting out with non-threatening puzzles (not a room filling
>> with water-hurry up and solve it!).
>>
>> Here is the kind of thing I had in mind.
>>
>> A door that opens when three levers are pulled in the
>> correct order. There are markings on the levers that indicate
>> the order in a kind of cryptic way ( maybe roman numerals ).
>>
>> Any other simple ideas?
>
> Er, no, actually, but you might want to consider something like the
> food chain instead of roman numerals.
>
> Aaron "The Mad Whitaker" Bourque; unless your kids watched Square
> One
> Television . . .

A lot of Kids know what Roy G. Biv is. Perhaps a simple puzzle might
be harvesting
small colored tiles that are dumped into a pile of normal tiles. A
small table sits in
the middle of the room. The table has tile spots open for enough small
tiles.

Red
Orange
Yellow
Green
Blue
Indigo
Violet

If the tiles are placed in the right away, a pattern on the table
shows a rainbow. The door
beyond opens, and inside well the rest is up to you.

Also another idea is.

There is a shelf of wooden toys. Amongst the wooden toys is a wooden
plant, a wooden mouse,
and a wooden wolf. The three pieces need to be placed in a scene setup
next to the door.
There is a stand for each piece and the scene plays out like this.

The tree goes off to the left, the mouse between the tree, and the
wolf on the otherside. ONce the
pieces are in place, they move to show a small scene of the mouse
running to the tree as the wolf
chases it. A small door opens in the wooden tree, and the PCs hear the
lock to the door they can't
enter click as it unlocks.

Couple of ideas... Nothing much really.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.frp.dnd (More info?)

Decaying Atheist wrote:
> "Aaron F. Bourque" <aaronbourque@aol.com> wrote in message
> news:1118523816.043921.229680@g14g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
>
>>decalod85 wrote:
>>
>>>We often discuss complex/interesting traps and puzzles, but how
>>>about some simple ones? I am running a game for my kids, and
>>>want a few simple, fun puzzles for them to solve. I was thinking
>>>of starting out with non-threatening puzzles (not a room filling
>>>with water-hurry up and solve it!).

> [colour puzzle & animal puzzles]

Music puzzles are also ideal, musical scales, chord progressions and so
on. You could have them play it on a children's xilophone, recorder,
guitar or piano.

You could draw actual puzzles and give them pieces as they move through
the game, then at one point they have all the pieces and they can put
together an actual map or clue-- good handout.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.frp.dnd (More info?)

"Shawn Roske" <shawn_roske@sympatico.ca> wrote in message
news:twVqe.749$Qr3.12847@news20.bellglobal.com...
> Decaying Atheist wrote:
>> "Aaron F. Bourque" <aaronbourque@aol.com> wrote in message
>> news:1118523816.043921.229680@g14g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
>>
>>>decalod85 wrote:
>>>
>>>>We often discuss complex/interesting traps and puzzles, but how
>>>>about some simple ones? I am running a game for my kids, and
>>>>want a few simple, fun puzzles for them to solve. I was thinking
>>>>of starting out with non-threatening puzzles (not a room filling
>>>>with water-hurry up and solve it!).
>
> > [colour puzzle & animal puzzles]
>
> Music puzzles are also ideal, musical scales, chord progressions and
> so on. You could have them play it on a children's xilophone,
> recorder, guitar or piano.
>
> You could draw actual puzzles and give them pieces as they move
> through the game, then at one point they have all the pieces and
> they can put together an actual map or clue-- good handout.

Totally agree there.

We had a very simple puzzle one day. Well not really much of a puzzle,
but
an interesting means of opening a door.

If you ever saw the movie Who Framed Roger Rabbit, you'll have a good
understanding of how this door opening went.

We knocked on a solid wall after the Elf detected a secret door. We
were only
knocking on it to see if it seemed hollow or how much force would be
needed to open it. From behind the door came a small voice, "That's
not the right
knock."

Our bard, went up to the door, and knocked the "Shave and a Haircut"
spiel.
The door opened with a small halfling jumping out, sliding across the
floor
on his knees and shouting at the top of his lungs...."TWO BITS!!!!"

As we all stood there dumbfounded, the halfling got up brushed the
dust from his
pants, and went into a long speech about how he had been waiting for
somebody
just anybody to knock in that particular way.

He offered us tea, and freshly baked cakes, and told us how he was a
bard
in training that ended up stuffed in the broom closet when Orcs
invaded the
small Stone Fortress. He also explained he wasn't a very good bard as
he
only learned to play two songs, couldn't remember lines in jokes, and
was only ever good at memorizing the daily specials at the local
greasyspoon.

 

[foz]

Archived from groups: rec.games.frp.dnd (More info?)

"decalod85" <decalod85@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:1118503281.759830.263520@g49g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
> We often discuss complex/interesting traps and puzzles, but how
> about some simple ones? I am running a game for my kids, and
> want a few simple, fun puzzles for them to solve. I was thinking
> of starting out with non-threatening puzzles (not a room filling
> with water-hurry up and solve it!).
>
> Here is the kind of thing I had in mind.
>
> A door that opens when three levers are pulled in the
> correct order. There are markings on the levers that indicate
> the order in a kind of cryptic way ( maybe roman numerals ).
>
> Any other simple ideas?
>

Patterns are also good, such as 1,2,4,8... or red, blue, red, blue, blue,
red, blue, blue, blue, red, ... Obviously, the older they are, the more
complicated the pattern can be.

Look in their math school books for similar non-routine problems. Also, a
bookstore might have a kids book of puzzles.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.frp.dnd (More info?)

Foz <tfoster01@alltel.net@alltel.net> wrote:

>Look in their math school books for similar non-routine problems.

Don't let them know you're doing it, though. I shudder to think
how they'd react if they thought you were tricking them into
doing homework.

Pete

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.frp.dnd (More info?)

A pit trap opens and deposits you in a pit of honey. You can exit
either by the route past the stone ropers in giant bee costumes or the
"anty- room" which has lots ants

mmmnnaarrrrrr

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.frp.dnd (More info?)

Peter Meilinger wrote:
> Foz <tfoster01@alltel.net@alltel.net> wrote:
>
> >Look in their math school books for similar non-routine problems.
>
> Don't let them know you're doing it, though. I shudder to think
> how they'd react if they thought you were tricking them into
> doing homework.

Hah! I got them reading, writing and doing lots and lots of math
during summer vacation. I'll point that out to them when they are
a little older....