Here are the most common questions you have asked us. Contact us if you have any other questions.
Start your game within the time slot, as indicated within the listing. (eg. if the game listing states, 'Start time: Sun 12pm-3pm' then send the start message after 12pm, and by 3pm.) Certain games have limited availability to avoid overwhelming locations en route. For these game you'll be asked to pick a date and time when booking. Other games can be started within the time slot stated on their booking page any day within 30 days.
The latest start time assumes you take no longer than the maximum duration. 90% of players complete the game within the maximum duration. If you want to play at a more leisurely pace, then start at least an hour before the latest start time.
Reply to the SMS (welcome text) sent to your team 1 captain by HiddenCity at registration. If you don’t receive a welcome text, sign in to your game on our website to check that your mobile number is correct. If it’s definitely correct, give us a call.
Your welcome text will include your game number and password. On our website you will find the ‘sign in’ tab in the top right corner.
Yes - you can change your team captains and mobile numbers any time before you start the game, by signing in to your game on our website. If you want to add an additional players or numbers, see FAQ 5.
If you’ve booked for the right number of players, but want to add other players' mobile numbers to receive clues too, just text the number you want to add in a reply to your welcome text. Send the number itself only without any text (e.g. “07900 123 123” instead of “my mate Jenny wants to play too and her number is 07900 123 123”).
If you need to add an additional player onto an existing team, you will need to give us a call and pay over the phone. There’s a maximum of 5 players per team.
To add an additional team, you'll need to quit your current game and book a new game with the correct number of teams. Contact us once you've done this and we'll refund your unused game.
The guidelines for fair play are as follows:
Good luck!
Generally not - teams usually separate as they solve clues at different speeds. The first clue of most games is specifically designed to stagger teams. If you have 3 or more teams see FAQ 8.
If you're running an event for three or more teams, or it's just really important to you that you understand how everything works, then here are some top tips to get the best out of your game:
Prepare: Read the 'How to play' page. Send the link to all team captains to read before you play.
Put yourself down as Team 1 captain: Only Team 1 can start the hunt, so you’ll be in control.
Keep it a secret, if you want: If your event is a surprise, don’t worry – you don’t have to let all your captains know. If you have two or more teams, you’ll see an ‘It’s a secret’ tickbox - tick this so that teams 2+ will not receive emails or texts until the game has started. Double-check that you’ve got the mobile number right for all team captains before you play - you can’t edit these once the game has started.
If you’re playing with multiple teams, you may want to try staggering them setting off by 5-10 minutes. Make a note of the time each team sets off - then get in touch if you’d like us to adjust the timer for each team to reflect this.
We can take bookings of 30+ players, for private and corporate events, on any of our ‘priced per person’ games. As these have bookable dates, we can reserve your chosen date exclusively for your group.These are: The Enchanted Mirror, Moriarty's Game and Mind of the Maker (all £19pp) and The Hunt for the Cheshire cat (£25pp). The minimum group size for an exclusive booking is 30 people on weekdays, and 50 at the weekend. We will assign a dedicated customer support agent to your group who will be able to deal with all enquiries in the lead up to the event as well as on the day itself.
None of our games will be ending for good in the near future. If you see ‘runs until…’ listed on the game info, that’s the latest date currently available to buy. We release new blocks of dates every few weeks or so, so if the date you want isn’t available yet, check back in a few weeks and follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter to be the first to hear.
In the majority of cases, players using non-UK mobiles will experience significant delays in receiving messages and this can be frustrating when you're trying to play a game and immerse yourself in a narrative. Don't worry though. If nobody in your party has a UK mobile, you can acquire a UK Pay-As-You-Go SIM card before beginning the game. These are free with a minimum top up amount and some mobile phone shops will even give you a free 'burner' phone.
You should receive most replies within a few seconds. If you are in an area with poor mobile phone reception, you can resend your answer or try adding another teammate's mobile number. See How to Play for more details.
Unless stated otherwise, then supervised children can be brought along. Check individual game listings for when you need to finish by if you have under 18s in your party. For most games, under 18s will need to reach the final venue by 5pm to be certain of entry. If the game is marked 'over 18s only' then even attended children, however big or small, cannot be taken on the game at any time, due to licensing restrictions by venues on the game.
Under 10s can come along for free. If children are over 10 years old they count as a team member and pay full price.
In London we have two step-free games:
Cryptic Covent Caper and City Lights Evening Game.
None of our other games are currently approved as step-free, but if you’re a wheelchair user interested in having a go at one of our other games for free, in return for feedback on your experience, get in touch!
If you plan to bring a buggy, do consider the length of time you will be playing - walking distances are listed on each game’s description.
Yes - none of our games require local knowledge.
Our games are written with native English speakers in mind, and we often use British idioms, slang and cultural references. Examples of slang include: tipple (alcoholic drink), wee (small) and pissing it down (raining).
You can always request help should you come across language you find particularly tricky - text ‘LOST for directions to the next location in plain English, or ‘STUCK’ for help working out the answer.
Most games involve heading into pubs to obtain clues, and most break and end locations are pubs, though we choose places where you can get coffees or teas too wherever possible. You can minimise the time spent in pubs by either skipping the breaks, taking your breaks in a nearby cafe and/or leaving the end location once you've solved the final clue. For those looking to play a game with the fewest pubs, we recommend Cryptic Covent Caper, or City Lights Evening Game.
No - we select venues on the basis of their contribution to the overall experience.
Each game involves venues with specific opening and closing times. Some clues can only be solved by entering these places. The start time windows listed on The Games ensure players can access these venues within the time it takes to complete the game. If you choose to take your own breaks from playing, bear in mind you risk being unable to complete the game. Each game is designed with in-built breaks to avoid this happening.
At least one fully charged phone for each team, and optionally every team member, so they can follow the progress of game.
Wear comfortable shoes and weather-appropriate clothes, as most of your game will take place outdoors.
You can pay on our website using Visa, Mastercard or American Express. All payments are up front. From when you start making a booking, you'll have 24 hours to complete payment.
We can create large-scale bespoke experiences tailored for brands, designed for 10,000+ people to take part in. Get in touch if you're a brand and are interested in working with us. Brands that we've worked with include The Guardian, Time Out, the City of London and Eastpak.
Text messages that you send are charged at your standard rate, or may be free if you have 'bundled texts' with your phone package. There is no charge to receive messages.
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