Trapped Puzzle Rooms
Trapped Puzzle Rooms is a Minneapolis–St. Paul-based operator of in-house-designed escape rooms, digital puzzle adventures, and take-home puzzle products, serving families, corporate teams, and remote customers since 2015 across two physical locations and one narrative venue.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2015
- HeadquartersSaint Paul, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Trapped Puzzle Rooms does
Trapped Puzzle Rooms is a privately held, family-operated escape room and puzzle entertainment business founded in 2015 in the Minneapolis–St. Paul metropolitan area by Karen and Jamie Fassett-Carman. The company designs, constructs, and operates themed puzzle experiences across two physical retail locations (a North Loop Minneapolis venue with four rooms and a St. Paul venue with five rooms) plus a third narrative-format venue called The Lodge of Lazarus Crowe, which pairs interconnected escape experiences with a thematic cafe and bar (Hourglass Cafe & Bar). In total, Trapped has created 14 unique in-house escape rooms, including themed experiences such as Witchcraft Alley, Dragon's Keep, Eternity Battle, Nutcracker Nightmare, Robot Rampage, The Heist, Video Game Mayhem, and Wizard's Tower, most offering dual-difficulty levels for accessibility.
The company's technology stack centers on the Telescape platform for digital adventures (e.g., Furlock Holmes: The Museum Mystery), which integrates 360-degree animated environments, puzzles, audio clips, and hints into a browser-based self-guided experience. Complementary product lines include Trapped Takeout (physical take-home puzzle boxes such as Taco TWOsday at $35.90 and Confectionary Countdown at $29.95), Audio Escapes (live-narrated virtual rooms), and branded merchandise through Threadless and RedBubble. Trapped distributes primarily through a self-serve online booking system with direct consumer reservations, supplemented by phone bookings for corporate and same-day events.
Trapped monetizes through per-person session pricing ($28.99–$36.99 with group discounts), one-time digital adventure licenses ($19.95 per team), physical puzzle box sales, gift vouchers via Bookeo, merchandise margins, and corporate team-building packages (20% discount for groups of 20+). Its customer base spans families, friend groups, tourists, corporate teams, and educational institutions, served through organic social media (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram), Tripadvisor, SEO, blog content, and local event partnerships. The business has earned multiple industry awards, including Room Escape Artist Golden Lock Awards, TERPECA nominations, and ESCAPETHEROOMers recognitions, and maintains a 4.9+ star average across more than 1,100 Google Reviews.
Trapped Puzzle Rooms firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Trapped Puzzle Rooms
- Legal name
- Trapped Puzzle Rooms
- Website
- https://trappedpuzzlerooms.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2015
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Trapped Puzzle Rooms is a Minneapolis–St. Paul-based operator of in-house-designed escape rooms, digital puzzle adventures, and take-home puzzle products, serving families, corporate teams, and remote customers since 2015 across two physical locations and one narrative venue.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Trapped Puzzle Rooms industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Live Entertainment / Escape Room Experiences
- NAICS
- Amusement Parks and Arcades (7131)
- SIC
- Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Retail-Hobby, Toy & Game Shops (5945), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Escape Room Games & Mystery Puzzle Boxes Retail (CRALALAM)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Coin-Operated Entertainment (Pinball, Crane/Claw, Jukebox, Darts/Billiards) (MPAEAJAF)
Keywords
Where Trapped Puzzle Rooms is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Saint Paul
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Trapped Puzzle Rooms business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- In-Person Escape Room Sessions: Per-person pricing for escape room experiences at two physical locations. Group pricing tiers with discounts for larger groups. Private bookings only.
- Digital Remote Experiences: One-time purchase pricing for self-guided digital adventures like Furlock Holmes, playable via web browser with up to 8 players
- Trapped Takeout (Physical Puzzles): Physical puzzle box products available for pickup or delivery, including Taco TWOsday ($35.90) and Confectionary Countdown ($29.95)
- Merchandise: Branded merchandise sold through Threadless (shirts, mugs, buttons) and RedBubble (facemasks, stickers, clothes)
- Corporate Events & Team Building: Private group bookings for corporate team building with 20% discount for groups of 20 or more puzzlers
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Wizard's Tower - Per Person (60 min, 2-10 players) |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Furlock Holmes Digital - Per Team |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Taco TWOsday Takeout - Per Box |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Confectionary Countdown Takeout - Per Box |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels7 records
Marketing channels7 records
Trapped Puzzle Rooms product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Trapped Puzzle Rooms designs and operates themed physical escape rooms at two Twin Cities locations (Minneapolis and St. Paul) totaling 9 unique in-house-designed rooms, plus a third narrative venue at The Lodge of Lazarus Crowe. Beyond the physical locations, the company sells self-guided digital adventures via the Telescape platform, physical take-home puzzle boxes under the Trapped Takeout brand, live-narrated Audio Escapes, and branded merchandise through third-party print-on-demand storefronts. The company also books private corporate team-building events with group discounts.
Product overview
Trapped Puzzle Rooms operates physical escape rooms across two Twin Cities locations (Minneapolis and St. Paul) plus a third narrative experience venue (The Lodge of Lazarus Crowe). The Minneapolis location has 4 escape rooms (Witchcraft Alley, Dragon's Keep, It's All Fun and Games, Eternity Battle) and St. Paul has 5 rooms (Nutcracker Nightmare, Robot Rampage, The Heist, Video Game Mayhem, Wizard's Tower). Remote offerings include Furlock Holmes: The Museum Mystery (self-guided browser-based digital adventure), Trapped Takeout (physical take-home puzzles like Confectionary Countdown and Taco TWOsday), and Audio Escapes (live-narrated virtual experiences). The company also sells merchandise through Threadless and RedBubble, and offers gift vouchers for booking.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- The Lodge Of Lazarus Crowe: Interconnected narrative escape experiences with a thematic cafe and bar located at 560 7th St W, St. Paul, MN 55102.
- Trapped Takeout
- Furlock Holmes
- Ruff Bluff
- Audio Escapes
Products and services
- Trapped Minneapolis Escape Rooms Physical escape room venue in the Minneapolis North Loop featuring 4 themed puzzle rooms (Witchcraft Alley, Dragon's Keep, It's All Fun and Games, and Eternity Battle) for private group bookings of up to 10 players.
- Trapped St Paul Escape Rooms Physical escape room venue in St. Paul featuring 5 themed puzzle rooms (Nutcracker Nightmare, Robot Rampage, The Heist, Video Game Mayhem, and Wizard's Tower) for private group bookings.
- The Lodge of Lazarus Crowe Interconnected narrative-driven escape experience venue at 560 7th St W, St. Paul, with an on-site thematic cafe and bar operated by founders Karen and Jamie Fassett-Carman.
- Witchcraft Alley Escape Room Fantasy-themed escape room at Minneapolis where players must find and purge six cursed artifacts hidden by the Nameless Wizard to save the wizarding world. Supports up to 10 players.
- Dragon's Keep Escape Room Medieval-themed escape room at Minneapolis where players help a queen in exile save her kingdom from dragons. Supports up to 8 players.
- It's All Fun and Games Escape Room Detective-themed escape room at Minneapolis where players infiltrate a toy shop mafia operation. Available in beginner and standard difficulty versions.
- Eternity Battle Escape Room Superhero-themed 75-minute escape room at Minneapolis where players retrieve Eternity Gems to reverse a villain's universe-destroying actions. Supports up to 8 players.
- Nutcracker Nightmare Escape Room Seasonal-themed escape room at St. Paul alternating between Christmas and Halloween themes with different puzzle configurations. Players under 16 must be accompanied by an adult.
- Robot Rampage Escape Room Sci-fi escape room at St. Paul where players prove humanity's intelligence against a rebellious AI. Available in beginner and standard difficulty.
- The Heist Escape Room Heist-themed escape room at St. Paul where players infiltrate an art gallery to steal back a stolen painting. Traditional 'lock-and-key' style room.
- Video Game Mayhem Escape Room Arcade-themed escape room at St. Paul where players debug a video game and save the arcade. Features screens, buttons, and physical props. Available in beginner and standard difficulty.
- Wizard's Tower Escape Room School of witchcraft and wizardry-themed escape room at St. Paul where players must retrieve a powerful wand before a new regime takes over. Some areas require short staircase access.
- Furlock Holmes: The Museum Mystery Digital Adventure Self-guided digital adventure played over a web browser using the Telescape platform, with 360-degree environments, puzzles, audio clips, and hints. Recommended for up to 4 players (max 8); priced at $19.95 per team with 120 hours to complete once started.
- Taco TWOsday Take-Home Puzzle Take-home communication puzzle game designed for two people or teams. Includes both CIA and FBI packets for a full playable experience. Priced at $35.90.
- Confectionary Countdown Take-Home Puzzle Take-home puzzle product with 29 puzzles, designed to build excitement for special events. Can be played one puzzle a day or as a marathon session. Priced at $29.95.
- Ruff Bluff Take-Home Puzzle Take-home puzzle product in the Trapped Takeout series where players join the Barker Street Detectives through four distinct acts, uncovering puzzles and identifying the culprit.
- Audio Escapes Virtual Escape Rooms Virtual escape rooms featuring a live narrator and images, playable from anywhere in the world.
- Corporate Team-Building Events Private group bookings of escape room experiences for corporate team-building, with a 20% discount for groups of 20 or more. Coordinated via a dedicated corporate events email channel.
- Gift Vouchers Gift vouchers that never expire, redeemable at either St. Paul or Minneapolis locations via the Bookeo platform. Cannot be used at The Lodge of Lazarus Crowe.
- Trapped Branded Merchandise Branded merchandise (shirts, mugs, buttons, stickers, facemasks, clothing) sold through Threadless and RedBubble third-party print-on-demand storefronts.
Companies that use Trapped Puzzle Rooms
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Trapped Puzzle Rooms technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Trapped Puzzle Rooms partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Hourglass Cafe & BarminorThematic cocktail bar and restaurant located within The Lodge Of Lazarus Crowe, operated by the same founders Karen and Jamie Fassett-Carman. Provides post-escape entertainment and dining options for customers.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Trapped Puzzle Rooms competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Escapology: Globally franchised escape room brand with themed rooms, private bookings, and corporate team-building offerings. Closely comparable to Trapped's premium, themed, private-booking model and corporate group discount structure.
- The Escape Game: Largest escape room chain in the United States with multiple locations across major cities. Highly comparable to Trapped as a premium, themed in-person escape room operator serving families, friends, and corporate groups — though at significantly larger scale.
- Breakout Games: Multi-location US escape room franchise featuring themed rooms, beginner-friendly options, and corporate events. Comparable to Trapped's dual-difficulty rooms, family/first-timer accessibility, and corporate team-building emphasis.
- 60out Escape Rooms: Multi-location escape room operator in Los Angeles and other markets with in-house designed rooms and group/corporate offerings. Directly comparable to Trapped's business model of award-winning themed rooms plus remote/take-home digital products.
- Escape the Room: National escape room chain with locations across multiple US cities offering themed puzzle rooms for groups. Compares to Trapped on product format, target audience, and corporate event use case, though operating at much larger scale.
Direct peers
- Palace Games: Independent San Francisco-based escape room operator with multiple themed rooms, narrative-driven experiences, and high customer ratings. Directly comparable to Trapped's award-winning, narrative-heavy, premium-positioned model.
- Tick Tock Escape Games: Independent escape room operator with in-house designed themed rooms, recognized for high production value and beginner-friendly difficulty options. Closely comparable to Trapped on content depth, customer reviews focus, and in-house design ethos.
- Mystery Escape Room: Independent escape room operator focused on themed puzzle experiences with strong production value. Comparable to Trapped on independent-operator positioning, themed in-house rooms, and group/corporate bookings.
- Mastermind Escape Games: Independent multi-room escape room operator with strong review scores, themed rooms, and group bookings. Comparable to Trapped on in-house design, premium positioning via TripAdvisor/Google Reviews, and SMB/corporate group focus.
- Audio Escape Adventures: Live-narrated virtual escape room experience playable from anywhere — directly comparable to Trapped's Audio Escapes sub-brand offering, which targets distributed teams and at-home entertainment globally.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Trapped Puzzle Rooms social profiles
Digital presenceTrapped Puzzle Rooms financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Trapped Puzzle Rooms leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Trapped Puzzle Rooms funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Trapped Puzzle Rooms M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Trapped Puzzle Rooms
What does Trapped Puzzle Rooms do?
Trapped Puzzle Rooms designs and operates themed physical escape rooms at two Twin Cities locations (Minneapolis and St. Paul) totaling 9 unique in-house-designed rooms, plus a third narrative venue at The Lodge of Lazarus Crowe. Beyond the physical locations, the company sells self-guided digital adventures via the Telescape platform, physical take-home puzzle boxes under the Trapped Takeout brand, live-narrated Audio Escapes, and branded merchandise through third-party print-on-demand storefronts. The company also books private corporate team-building events with group discounts.
Is Trapped Puzzle Rooms a public or private company?
Trapped Puzzle Rooms is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Trapped Puzzle Rooms founded?
Trapped Puzzle Rooms was founded in 2015. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Trapped Puzzle Rooms based?
Trapped Puzzle Rooms is headquartered in Saint Paul, United States, in the North America region.
How does Trapped Puzzle Rooms make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. In-Person Escape Room Sessions are the primary driver. The others are digital Remote Experiences, trapped Takeout (Physical Puzzles), merchandise and corporate Events & Team Building.
Who are Trapped Puzzle Rooms's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Escapology, The Escape Game, Breakout Games, 60out Escape Rooms and Escape the Room. Direct peers are Palace Games, Tick Tock Escape Games, Mystery Escape Room, Mastermind Escape Games and Audio Escape Adventures.
Does Trapped Puzzle Rooms have an API?
No public API is recorded for Trapped Puzzle Rooms.
What industry is Trapped Puzzle Rooms in?
Trapped Puzzle Rooms's product category is Live Entertainment / Escape Room Experiences. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRALALAM, Escape Room Games & Mystery Puzzle Boxes Retail, with a secondary code of MPAEAJAF, Coin-Operated Entertainment (Pinball, Crane/Claw, Jukebox, Darts/Billiards). Its NAICS code is 7131 and its SIC code is 7900.