Choose a clear kind of challenge
ClueCraft produces local, rule-based puzzle cards for a clue hunt or table activity. Choose Mixed, Arithmetic, Cipher or Sequence, then set a count and difficulty. It is useful when you need compact, testable tasks rather than trivia that depends on guests bringing the same outside knowledge.
Each card contains a question, answer, hint and explanation. The theme text is a label added to the question, not a request for an external system to compose a complete original mystery. A good host still checks whether the wording, typography and required reasoning suit the intended group.
Set the fields with the solvers in mind
Enter Original clue theme, a puzzle type, a whole number of clues from 1–20 and difficulty from 1–5. Arithmetic counts shelves and cards; Sequence asks for a constant-step continuation; Cipher uses a stated backward Caesar shift with alphabet wrapping. Mixed cycles through those types rather than choosing them randomly.
Difficulty changes arithmetic/sequence quantities and the cipher shift. It does not assess age, reading level, language confidence or accessibility. Start with a small batch and solve it aloud with someone who has not seen the answer key. A larger count increases material and host checking, not necessarily variety of underlying reasoning.
Read and reveal the cards deliberately
The result first shows one card. Reveal next clue exposes successive cards; this is a host action, not a lock that verifies a previous answer. Hints and host answers have expandable sections. Keep the full result on the host’s screen if answers should remain private.
Arithmetic and sequences derive answers from the displayed numbers. Cipher answers come from the local word list and the stated shift. The cards do not place themselves in a venue, collect player responses or record team progress. Use EscapeWeave or RealmQuest when you need a separate dependency graph with verified answers, and plan physical placement yourself.
Fictional example: three lantern-library cards
Choose Mixed, three clues, difficulty two and Lantern library as the theme. The first card uses three shelves and four cards per shelf: 3 × 4 = 12. The second asks for a backward shift of two on ICVG, giving GATE. The third shows 5, 9, 13, ?; the constant gap is four, so the next value is 17.
The host tests all three solutions before printing. For the cipher, I becomes G, C becomes A, V becomes T and G becomes E. There is no need to guess a direction because it is stated. For the sequence, the explicit instruction to add the same amount rules out the countless alternative patterns that an unexplained number list could permit.
At the event, show the arithmetic card, accept the answer on a paper sheet, then reveal the cipher when ready. That acceptance is a host procedure; ClueCraft does not mark it complete automatically. A hint can preserve momentum without turning the session into a test of who is willing to ask for help.
Improve the experience beyond the calculation
Print letters clearly, distinguish numerals from similar characters and keep the rule visible. Separate host solutions from participant material. Avoid clues that require opening private bags, moving heavy furniture or approaching electrical equipment. Use labelled event props in permitted locations.
Decide in advance whether hints affect recognition and how long a stuck group should wait. The tool has no built-in penalty policy. Increasing difficulty may produce bigger numbers or a longer shift, but clear instructions matter more than making guests struggle. Save the batch you intend to use; copying or exporting the full result can include the answer key, and browser printing should always be checked before distribution.
Questions before you begin
Are the questions generated by an online AI service?
No. A local rule engine builds the cards from numbers, instructions and a fixed word list. No external writing request is made.
Does revealing the next clue check the previous answer?
No. It only changes what is visible. The host verifies responses or uses a separate verified-node tool.
Can a Caesar shift wrap past A?
Yes. The instruction specifies wrapping through the alphabet. Apply the stated backward shift to every letter.
Will a different theme produce different puzzle logic?
The theme prefixes the question text. The selected type, count and difficulty determine the underlying rule-based cards.