Boxed Locks Subscription Box Review – Box 1 Treasure Chest

Boxed Locks is a UK subscription box for people who love solving puzzles. Each box contains a mixture of clues and props for you to navigate and discover the final code to unlock your chest. Hints and solutions are included. It’s suitable for adults and children aged 10+ when supervised by an adult. Subscriptions start at $35.53 per month.

Each monthly box includes a locked chest.

The puzzles take 1 – 2.5 hours to solve.

I tried out Box 1 Treasure Chest, which is a pirate-themed puzzle.

The Explorers’ Handbook is the first port of call in this journey, setting out how to begin to solve the puzzle.

Without giving anything away, you must use clue cards and envelopes, along with a few other objects, to uncover codes. Entering a correct code into the decoder tool will indicate the next clue. Sometimes you need to refer to multiple previous clues in order to find the next code in the sequence, so you really need to keep your wits about you.

If you get stuck, there is a booklet of hints, which you can scratch to reveal helpful hints.

I went into this thinking it would be quite easy. I imagined a series of riddles and puzzles akin to what you might see on the Crystal Maze, i.e., pretty straightforward. Instead, I found this to be surprisingly challenging. The clues are definitely cryptic and there is little to no indication of which tools you must use to solve each clue.

Now, with the exception of Sudoku and the occasional jigsaw around the holidays (which is really not the same thing at all!), I am not a frequent puzzle player, so perhaps I’m just rusty and this would be easier for people who are used to thinking in this way.  However, I was confused at the start and wondered if I was misunderstanding something fundamental about how to solve the clues.

Whilst I went into this with no intention of using the hints provided, I certainly needed them. Once I got the hang of things it became a bit easier, but I’m not going to lie, this was tough for me!

I think these puzzles are best solved in pairs or with a small group of friends. It’s really not about the final treasure itself, but about the journey of unlocking it. I worked on this alone and I know it would have been more fun, and less confusing, to have others around to talk through the clues. This box is great for a game night, or a family activity for older children. If you like solving puzzles, and you like a challenge, give it a try.

What do you think of this puzzle subscription?

Visit Boxed Locks to subscribe or find out more!