Puzzle clues as chat messages
A clue that arrives as a message feels like part of the world. Write fictional characters, hide one solvable puzzle per chat, and print or project the result.
Try it: start from this sample
Found the logbook. Page 7 is torn out.
What is on the pages around it?
Tide times: 4, 9, 1, 6. Why would anyone note those?
Count the steps to the lamp. I think they match.
Hide one puzzle inside the conversation
The best chat clues are conversations where the answer is in plain sight. In the sample, the numbers are the tide times and the instruction is to count steps. Players who read carefully can link the two. Start from the solution, such as a four digit code, then write the chat backwards so that every number is traceable. Give the characters a reason to share the clue. People in the story would not announce a password without a motive.
Plan the order in which players meet the chats. A first clue should be solvable alone, a middle clue should need two earlier ones, and the last should combine everything. Number the chats quietly in the title so you can track which were found.
Control difficulty
Add one red herring at most, and make sure the real clue has two pointers to it. Test with someone who has not seen the answer, and time them. If they stall for several minutes, add a nudge such as a follow-up message in the next chat. Print copies if players need to mark them up, or project the image for the whole room. A dark scheme is easier to read on a screen in a dim room.
Keep it fictional and fair
Use invented characters and places only. Do not build clues around real people, real phone numbers or a real emergency, and do not make it look like a message from an authority. Tell players at the start that the messages are part of the game. In a classroom, keep the content suitable for the age group.
Tips
- Draw the solution path on paper before writing any dialogue.
- Number each chat so players can sort a stack of printed clues.
- Give every clue an unmistakable starting point for players.
- Run a playtest with a stranger and note where they get stuck.
- Make a spare chat that offers a hint without giving the answer.
Questions
Can I print the clues?
Yes. Export an image and print it. Higher resolution exports on paid plans give a sharper print. Free exports are PNG images at 720p with a visible watermark.
Can clues be in other languages?
The chat text can be in any language you can type, which is handy for language classes and international groups.
How many clues can one chat hold?
The Free plan allows four messages per chat, which suits a single clue. Paid plans allow more, but a tight clue is usually better than a long one.
Should players know it is simulated?
Yes. Tell them the messages belong to the game and use fictional people, so nobody takes a clue for a real message.
Use it for simulated, labelled content. ChatsRat makes mock-ups and fictional conversations for creators, designers and teachers. Do not use it to pass off a made-up conversation as a real one, to impersonate a real person, or as proof of anything. See the Acceptable Use policy.
About the watermark. Exports on the Free plan carry a visible ChatsRat watermark, and every export carries an invisible mark that the verify page can read. Plans list what changes on paid plans.
ChatsRat is not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by any messaging app. App names on this page describe a style only.