A cyber escape room for teens and adults: decode binary, a Caesar cipher and a Mastermind code to free a locked server. A real brain test.
👥 Teens 13+ and adults
⭐ Hard
⏱️ 35–45 minutes
🧩 5 story stations
The story
A mysterious hacker locked the school server just before the grades were sent out. He left a trail of puzzles and claimed nobody could solve them. Prove him wrong and free the server.
It turns out the “hacker” is actually the caretaker’s robot vacuum, which connected to the network by mistake.
An old laptop or a box with a code lock for the end
Tips for the facilitator
Print the binary chart large and stick it on the wall.
At the Caesar station, lay out a paper strip with the alphabet so it’s easy to count back.
At the code station, let each team member check a different clue; it’s great for teamwork.
Difficulty level
The story clues stay the same on every level; harder levels add more locks in between. You can ask for a hint at every stage.
0 of 6 stages solved · Easy · 15–25 minutes
Stage 1: Binary screen
1/6
The number 101101 is flashing on the screen. It’s a binary number: each digit stands for a value, from right to left: 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32. To turn it into an ordinary number, add up the values of every place that has a 1. For example: 110 in binary = 4+2 = 6.
1 0 1 1 0 1
Run it in real life too
Print a facilitator kit for the easy level: a sheet with the opening story, the setup and every answer, plus a big card for each of the 6 stages.
💻 The Hacker Who Locked the Server: facilitator kit
Opening story: A mysterious hacker locked the school server just before the grades were sent out. He left a trail of puzzles and claimed nobody could solve them. Prove him wrong and free the server. It turns out the “hacker” is actually the caretaker’s robot vacuum, which connected to the network by mistake.
An old laptop or a box with a code lock for the end
Print the 6 stage cards and put them in order, or hide each card around the room so every answer leads to the next one.
Read the opening story to the group and start a timer.
When the group gets stuck, give one hint from the table, one at a time.
Print the binary chart large and stick it on the wall.
At the Caesar station, lay out a paper strip with the alphabet so it’s easy to count back.
At the code station, let each team member check a different clue; it’s great for teamwork.
Answers and hints (facilitator only)
Stage
Answer / code
Hints
1. Binary screen
45
There is a 1 in the places worth 32, 8, 4 and 1.
2. Caesar cipher
key
N shifted back 3 places is K.
3. A three-digit code
042
Start with 738: 7, 3 and 8 are not in the code. · What does that tell you about 780? And can 6 be in the code, given 614?
4. The login log
65
Try doubling each number and see what you need to fix.
5. Warm-up route · The symbols on the lock
4
Every symbol is a number. What is one symbol worth? · Add: 2 plus 2.
6. Freeing the server
1101110
The total is 110. · Which of 64, 32, 16, 8, 4, 2, 1 add up to 110?
Read at the end: The server is back to life! And in the corridor the “hacker” is unmasked: the caretaker’s robot vacuum, which logged on and tried to order itself more dust bags. The grades are sent, and the robot is off to rehab.
💻 The Hacker Who Locked the Server · Stage 1 of 6
Binary screen
The number 101101 is flashing on the screen. It’s a binary number: each digit stands for a value, from right to left: 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32. To turn it into an ordinary number, add up the values of every place that has a 1. For example: 110 in binary = 4+2 = 6.
1 0 1 1 0 1
Which ordinary number is hiding in 101101?
✍️ Our answer:
💻 The Hacker Who Locked the Server · Stage 2 of 6
Caesar cipher
The hacker left a word: NHB. Every letter was shifted 3 places forward in the alphabet (A became D, B became E, and so on). To decode it, shift each letter 3 places back. The alphabet: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z.
N H B
What is the original word?
✍️ Our answer:
💻 The Hacker Who Locked the Server · Stage 3 of 6
A three-digit code
The password is 3 digits. The hacker left clues: 682 – one digit is right and in the right place. 614 – one digit is right but in the wrong place. 206 – two digits are right, both in the wrong place. 738 – nothing is right. 780 – one digit is right but in the wrong place.
682 · 614 · 206 · 738 · 780
What is the password? (3 digits)
✍️ Our answer:
💻 The Hacker Who Locked the Server · Stage 4 of 6
The login log
The server log lists the hacker’s login attempts: 2, 3, 5, 9, 17, 33, … Each number comes from the one before it by the same fixed rule.
2 → 3 → 5 → 9 → 17 → 33 → ?
What is the next number?
✍️ Our answer:
💻 The Hacker Who Locked the Server · Stage 5 of 6
Warm-up route · The symbols on the lock
On the way to the last clue of “The Hacker Who Locked the Server” you find another corridor of locks. Every 💻 is worth 2. Add two symbols.
💻 + 💻 = ?
Which number opens the lock?
✍️ Our answer:
💻 The Hacker Who Locked the Server · Stage 6 of 6
Freeing the server
To free the server: add the answer from station 1 to the answer from station 4, and convert the result to binary. The place values from right to left: 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64. For example, 13 in binary is 1101 (8+4+1).
What is the binary code?
✍️ Our answer:
Facilitator guide: 💻 The Hacker Who Locked the Server
What the room practices
Binary, the Caesar cipher, Mastermind logic and number sequences.
The 5 stations (without the answers)
Binary screen: Which ordinary number is hiding in 101101?
Caesar cipher: What is the original word?
A three-digit code: What is the password? (3 digits)
The login log: What is the next number?
Freeing the server: What is the binary code?
Age and group size
Best with teams of 4–6 players. With more people, split into two teams racing the clock, each with its own kit.
Giving hints in this room
Online the hints open one at a time; in the printed kit they sit in the facilitator table next to each answer. Give the first hint after a couple of minutes of silence, not at the first wrong guess.
Questions and answers
What age is “The Hacker Who Locked the Server” for, and how long does it take?
It was written for teens 13+ and adults, at hard difficulty, and usually takes 35–45 minutes. It has 5 story stations, and online you can choose between three difficulty levels that add more locks.
What do I need to run “The Hacker Who Locked the Server”?
A printer and these props: Printed station sheets; A binary place-value chart (1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64); Pens and scrap paper; An old laptop or a box with a code lock for the end. The printable kit includes a facilitator sheet with every answer and a card for each stage.
What if the players get stuck?
Every stage has graded hints. Online they open one at a time; in the printed kit they sit next to each answer on the facilitator sheet. The first hint never gives the answer away.
More free pages like this at thinkabara.com Scan to open this page online · thinkabara.com/play/escape-rooms/cyber-hacker
🦫 Thinkabara stores only what the site needs on your device (like your favorites and AI tool files) plus anonymous visit counts. No ads, no tracking cookies. Cookie policy · Privacy