The Hardcover Hoodlum A noir mystery at your table
In this game, you're on the trail of a local author who has been self-publishing crime novels. You have reason to believe that one of these books is actually a description of the next crime he's going to commit! There are 26 books. One is a manifesto. Your job is to figure out: which one?
“None of us had done any sort of event like this before. I think all of us were hooked after solving our first puzzle. We were cheering and high-fiving like little kids. The puzzles were smart, creative and fun in a way that made us feel smart, creative and clever.”
More testimonials →
What is it?
You can think of the game as an entire escape room, played at a table. We deliver all the supplies and set it up at your workplace or location of choice. We lead the game and hand out hints to teams as needed. We make sure that everyone is having a good time and properly (but not frustratingly) challenged.
It can work for groups as small as 5 and as large as 1000.
Players are broken up into teams of 5-8. A team of 6 people can usually solve this game in two hours. (Fewer people = longer game.) Best of all, every team will get to play the entire game.
How it works
- You gather your people together. Whether it's in your office, at your favorite restaurant or in a fancy ballroom, we come to you. No need to waste time getting your staff through traffic.
- We take over. We introduce the game and run a short team-finding exercise. It's a fun way to get everyone in the mood to solve puzzles and build some quick camaraderie.
- You play. Your brain gets a workout. Unlike traditional escape rooms, where everyone spreads out, our tabletop games require everyone to face each other, and work out each puzzle together. No splitting off to solve in a bubble.
- You leave feeling energized, smarter, happier, and more creative. Your teammates get to witness problem-solving chops they never knew you had. And everyone has new respect for each other.
“I've participated in solving several of The Mystery League's puzzle hunts. Every time, the experience was fun, exciting, and just the right level of difficulty to invite teamwork - even though our groups were mostly strangers. His puzzles are visually appealing, well designed, and clever without having any tricks or gotchas.”
More testimonials →
Values
We build our games to cultivate:
- Teamwork. Success requires combining different strengths. Some teammates might excel at codes while others spot visual patterns or are skilled at organizing information.
- Communication. Open communication helps teams uncover patterns and connections that might seem impossible at first glance.
- Leadership. A designated leader who can oversee the big picture and coordinate the team's efforts is often the difference between success and struggle.
- Pattern recognition. Behind every puzzle lies a clever pattern that, once spotted, transforms seemingly random elements into clear solutions.
“A total delight! I hired The Mystery League to run a game during our all-company meetup. Afterwards, everyone told me they had a blast and wanted to know how I found The Mystery League. They were really blown away by the thoughtfulness and beautiful design of the puzzles.”
37signals
More testimonials →
The Commissioner
Sandy Weisz runs and designs all the puzzles at The Mystery League. He has been making puzzles and games since he was a teenager. He's a member of the National Puzzlers' League. He writes puzzles any chance he can get, which can be found in the Signals newsletter, on Raddle, or occasionally on the NPR Sunday puzzle. He lives in Chicago with his wife, two kids, and dog.
Let’s talk
Email hello@mysteryleague.com with any useful info about your event — or use this form — and we'll get back to you within a couple of days.
We also have a newsletter. Sign up here →