tabletop puzzles
A team working through a series of puzzles sitting around a table. Whether that’s at home, seated around a conference table, or during a night out at your local pub, tabletop puzzles blend teamwork, problem solving, and creativity into a fun and challenging experience. I’ve created a number of these events and know how to expertly balance difficulty with accessibility to ensure every group has a marvelous time.
Ministry of Lost Things
The first in a line of tabletop puzzle games, Ministry of Lost Things: Lint Condition invites players in to the Elusiverse, the mysterious place where lost objects go. However, sometimes those objects are taken to the Elusiverse by mistake and need to be returned to their owners.
I was approached by PostCurious in 2024 to help create the world and design puzzles for Lint Condition. Rita and Chelsea wanted something they could quickly turn around for Kickstarter and delivery, and wanted to aim at a more approachable line of games to add to their already impressive catalog. It’s a whimsical, yet moving, tale of childhood friendship and loss that I’m immensely proud to have help create.
“An excellent start for what I hope to be a long and vibrant series.” -The Cardboard Herald
“Ministry of Lost Things: Lint Condition represents an expansion of the PostCurious style and tone and is a worthy addition to their incredible catalogue.” -Lisa Spira, Room Escape Artist
World building and puzzle design, along with Rita Orlov and Chelsea Stark.
Art by Nicole Gustaffson.
Produced by PostCurious.
Ruff Bluff: A Furlock Holmes Mystery
Released via Kickstarter by Trapped Puzzle Rooms in fall 2022, Ruff Bluff: A Furlock Holmes Mystery takes players through the story of Ms. Barbara Fetcher’s missing ruby bone. I led the design and development of this product, which takes players 6-10 hours to finish the experience’s four acts.
This was the first tabletop experience Trapped did not manufacture in house, instead sourcing components for the product from over a dozen domestic manufacturers. I oversaw the production and manufacturing, sourcing components, organizing and submitting file work, and ensuring we received everything in a timely manner.
“This game is smart and it’s fun and it’s clearly made with so much passion.” -Dani Siller & Bill Sunderland, Escape This Podcast
“ A worthy addition to any puzzle lover’s collection.” -Sarah Willson, Room Escape Artist
“The puzzles were delightful. It never felt too impossibly hard or too simple.” -Anne and Chris Lukeman, Solve our Shirts
Lead designer and production coordinator.
Additional design work by Amy Pirkl and Gabe Gomez. Art by Gabe Gomez.
Produced by Trapped Puzzle Rooms.
Mystery Night
Mystery Night is a series of 7 “escape rooms in a box” designed to be played at restaurants and breweries around the Twin Cities. Over two years, I led the design and development on these experiences, including early brainstorming, puzzle design and refinement, narrative writing, and execution of all 7 experiences. I developed these experiences at Trapped Puzzle Rooms in 2018 and 2019.
Mystery Night focused on telling coherent stories through engaging and innovative puzzles with memorable moments of interactive play. Each box provided 2-3 hours of gameplay. and were played by hundreds of teams each.
Lead designer and event coordinator.
Additional design work by Jamie Fassett-Carman and Tyler Mahony. Produced by Trapped Puzzle Rooms.