Hints: Houdini Box
137 hints, revealed one at a time
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General Hints
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Tip
For some puzzles, pen and paper will be helpful to note down your progress.
Hint 1
Harry Houdini was most famous for his escape tricks: lock picking, breaking free from chains, escaping prisons, and clever card tricks.
Hint 2
Each step is inspired by one of Houdini’s performances or magic tricks.
Hint 3
The goal is to open the box and find its secret compartment.
Chapter I – Applause to the Magician
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Hint 1
Is the Houdini Box switched on? (Click here for instructions on how to turn it on)
Hint 2
Watch the lights carefully.
Hint 3
What makes the white light (and sometimes the red light) turn on?
Hint 4
On top of the box there is a clue. Can you see it?
Hint 5
It’s a rhythm.
Hint 6
Try clapping or knocking the rhythm.
Hint 7
Red lights mean you are too fast.
Hint 8
Clap steadily. The pause should be one beat long.
Solution
Clap the rhythm shown on top of the box:
3 claps – pause – 2 claps.
Clap steadily, not too fast. The pause should be one beat long. When done correctly, a magic wand will be released.
Chapter II – Houdini’s Secret Tool
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Hint 1
Only continue if you found the magic wand.
Hint 2
Look at the markings around the hole, where the magic wand came out. Where else do you see them on the box?
Hint 3
Look closely at Side A.
Hint 4
Did you find the symbols next to a small hole? Use the magic wand to extract the object inside the hole.
Solution
On the bottom of Side A, below the playing card panel, there is a small hole. Inside is a hair clip. Use the magnet tip of the wand to pull it out.
Chapter III – The Chain Escape
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Hint 1
Only continue if you found the hair clip.
Hint 2
Remember what Houdini was famous for? Escaping chains and locks.
Hint 3
He often hid a pin or clip on his body, which then played a vital role in his escape tricks.
Hint 4
Can you use the hair clip like Houdini would?
Hint 5
Houdini was one of the best lock pickers of his time.
Solution
On Side A, push the round tip of the hair clip into the padlock keyhole. Push it left to move the lever inside. The lock opens, and you can remove the chain. Pull out the chain completely to unlock the next puzzle.
Chapter IV – Jail Break
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Hint 1
Only continue if you removed the chains.
Hint 2
Look at Side D.
Hint 3
Check the engraving below the top slider. What should be done first?
Hint 4
Two prisoners are escaping. What do they represent?
Hint 5
The goal is to help the two prisoners (metal balls) break out.
Hint 6
One prison bar is loose, but not always. How can you use it?
Hint 7
On the engraving below the slider, between the two people running and the prison bars, there is an arrow pointing up. Does this arrow correspond to the loose prison bar?
Hint 8
Can you make one prisoner (metal ball) disappear?
Hint 9
When one prisoner has been moved to the back, the other can escape.
Hint 10
Can you lift the prison bar high enough so that its bottom tip can be moved to the side?
Hint 11
Can you bring the second prisoner back to the front?
Solution
On Side D, look at the engraving below the slider at the top. It shows prison bars and two prisoners escaping. Between the prisoners and the bars there is an arrow pointing up. Move the slider to this arrow. Now push the middle prison bar up while moving the slider back to the far-right position. This will allow the left ball to drop into the hole behind it.
Next, release the prison bar and move the slider to the arrow above the two escaping prisoners. Push the middle prison bar up once more. This time it will move up even further, so that the bottom tip can be shifted to the side (note: the bar cannot be pulled out completely). Take out the right ball.
After that, make sure the slider is still aligned with the arrow above the two escaping prisoners. Move the prison bar down slightly, just enough so that the second metal ball becomes visible in its hole. Tilt the puzzle box forward so the ball rolls to the front by gravity. Then push the prison bar up and to the side again. This will free the second ball.
Chapter V – Houdini’s Torture Cell
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Hint 1
Only continue if you freed both balls.
Hint 2
At the moment the slider on Side D won’t go fully left. On its left side there’s a hexagon with an unlock symbol inside. Have you seen it elsewhere?
Hint 3
Look at Side C through the window.
Hint 4
Can you push the metal bar upwards inside the window?
Hint 5
Maybe the two escaped prisoners can help?
Hint 6
Look at all the tools you retrieved. Which one can you use to place the balls inside?
Hint 7
On Side B, use the hair clip to push the slider to the side, opening the hole to Houdini’s Torture Cell. Place both metal balls inside.
Hint 8
Look at all the tools you retrieved. Which tool can you use to move the metal balls around inside the cell?
Hint 9
Correct! it is the magic wand with the magnetic tip.
Hint 10
One ball is not enough.
Hint 11
I assure you, it is possible to place two balls between both tips ;-)
Hint 12
Really! ;-)
Hint 13
Did you notice something else magnetic on the Torture Cell?
Hint 14
At the top of the cell there is a black pin. What happens if you magnetize this pin?
Hint 15
Can you hang one ball from the top metal bar inside the cell?
Hint 16
After placing both balls between the two tips, you can push the top metal pin upwards by turning the screw inwards. What is now unlocked?
Hint 17
Look at Side D again.
Hint 18
Make sure the middle prison bar is back in its original position. Vertically.
Hint 19
Can you move the slider all the way to the left now?
Solution
First, place both metal balls you retrieved from the prison break puzzle into Houdini’s Torture Cell on Side C. To do this, use the hair clip on Side B to move the slider (which blocks the hole) to the side, then put both balls inside.
Next, turn the screw all the way out. Use the magic wand with the magnetic tip to attract both balls and place them in the middle on the two wooden fingers: one ball should rest on the screw, and the other should rest on the two wooden fingers. Then turn the screw all the way back in until the metal ball touches the top metal bar. The other ball should still remain on the two wooden fingers.
Now place the magnet of the magic wand onto the black metal pin at the top of the Torture Cell. This magnetizes the pin and the metal bar inside. With the bar magnetized, you can turn the screw back down and the ball will stick magnetically to the top bar. Be careful not to drop the second ball from its position on the wooden fingers.
Gently tilt the puzzle box a few degrees backward so the second ball rolls onto the screw. Turn the screw back up again. This will push the top metal bar upwards, unlocking the final step of the prison break puzzle on Side D. Make sure the middle prison bar is in its original position (vertically). Now you can move the slider all the way to the left.
Chapter VI – The Hidden Rules of Cards
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Hint 1
Only continue here if you were able to move the slider of the prison break puzzle all the way to the left.
Hint 2
What did this action set free?
Hint 3
On Side A, are there playing cards visible?
Hint 4
Take them out by pulling on the right side of the top card and sliding it to the side. Do this card by card.
Hint 5
Look at both sides of the cards.
Hint 6
First, only look at the back side of the cards.
Hint 7
Did you spot the clue written on the wood where the cards came out of?
Hint 8
Can you arrange the cards like in this diagram?
Hint 9
What clues might help you decide which card goes where?
Hint 10
Colors.
Hint 11
Look at the edges of the cards.
Hint 12
Align the cards according to their edge colors so that only the same colors are touching. Make sure you place them in the arrangement shown on the wooden panel where the cards came out of.
Hint 13
Did you find the correct arrangement? What do the circles with arrows mean?
Hint 14
Look at the bottom of the puzzle box (Side E).
Hint 15
Did you spot the same Roman numerals on Side E?
Hint 16
What could each numeral represent?
Hint 17
There is a grid of rows and columns.
Hint 18
Each numeral represents the header of a row or column.
Hint 19
Can you translate each numeral into a card rule?
Hint 20
Look closely at the directions of the arrows in the circles on the cards. There should be unique pairs of card rules and Roman numerals.
Hint 21
Use pen and paper to note down which card rule corresponds to which row or column.
Hint 22
What can you logically derive from the card rules on each column and row?
Hint 23
It’s Card Sudoku! ;-)
Hint 24
On side E, on the right, each card is depicted. But why are there stacks of cards? How many cards are there in total?
Hint 25
On the right, there are 16 cards made from 6 different cards. In the middle, there is a representation of a grid made of 4x4 cards.
Hint 26
Did you spot that each card in the grid is either black or red?
Hint 27
By using all the clues, can you derive each card in the 4x4 grid?
Hint 28
Did you spot the path from the lock to unlock symbol?
Hint 29
On the bottom of the grid, there is an additional clue showing the magic wand. What could it mean?
Hint 30
On this clue, look closely at the middle of the card. There are 4 stars. Can you find a drawing of a card with 4 stars somewhere else on the puzzle box?
Hint 31
Take a card in one hand and the magic wand in the other. Try to imitate what you see in the bottom clue.
Hint 32
The solution can be entered on Side F. Can you figure out how?
Hint 33
Place a card in the middle of Side F.
Hint 34
Use the magic wand.
Hint 35
Tap the card in the middle with the magnetic tip of the magic wand. A light and a sound should appear if the puzzle recognized the card.
Hint 36
After placing all 16 cards from the sequence, a drawer should pop out from the side.
Solution
First, take out the cards by pulling on the right side of the top card and sliding it out, card by card. Then place the cards on the table with the back side facing up. On the wooden panel where the cards came from, there is a diagram of a card arrangement. Place the cards in the same arrangement, aligning the edges so that the colors match. This will give you 8 pairs of Roman numerals and card rules. Each circle has an arrow pointing to its pair. Note down all the pairs.
Continue by looking at the bottom of the Houdini Box. There is a grid of cards. The Roman numerals represent the headers of the rows and columns. Copy this grid onto paper and replace the Roman numerals with the card rules you just derived from the backs of the playing cards. Now it is time for Card Sudoku!
There are three more clues: first, each grid cell is colored black or red, representing the color of the card. Second, two cells are marked as diamond cards. And third, on the right side of the grid, it shows how often each card must appear in the grid. Using all these rules, the Card Sudoku can be solved.
When you have found the correct card placements, the solution sequence is shown by the black line that runs from the lock symbol to the unlock symbol. Enter this sequence into the puzzle by placing each card, one by one, in the middle of Side F and tapping it with the magnetic tip of the magic wand. If the card is registered, the box will respond with a light and sound. After placing all 16 cards in the correct sequence, a drawer will pop out from the side.
Chapter VII – The Handkerchief Trick
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Hint 1
Only continue here if a drawer has opened.
Hint 2
In the drawer there is a magical handkerchief and a wooden tool. Search the Houdini Box for similarities of the shapes and symbols you can see on these two new objects.
Hint 3
Push the drawer inwards until you feel magnets hold it. This position is the neutral position of the drawer and will unlock something.
Hint 4
On Side C, three sliders are free to move, but only if the drawer is in its neutral position.
Hint 5
Look at the symbols on the three sliders. Where do you see them again?
Hint 6
What can you do with the sequence of symbols on each slider?
Hint 7
Did you see the four shapes on Side A? Each shape has a dice number.
Hint 8
What might the shapes represent?
Hint 9
What can you do with the handkerchief to replicate these shapes?
Hint 10
Handkerchief Origami!
Hint 11
By folding the handkerchief in a specific way, you can replicate each of the four shapes.
Hint 12
Can you translate the symbol sequence on each slider into a folding sequence?
Hint 13
Did you find a corresponding shape for each slider? Then you should also have found a number between 1–4 for each slider. Can you use the wooden tool you found in the drawer to help you?
Hint 14
Can the wooden tool be used to set the correct slider positions?
Hint 15
Did you set all sliders to the correct positions? Pull on the drawer.
Hint 16
Did you find the key hidden in the secret compartment of the drawer?
Solution
From the drawer, take out the magical handkerchief and the wooden tool. Push the drawer inwards until you feel the magnets holding it in place. This is the neutral position. Now pull out all three sliders on Side C. Each slider has a sequence of three symbols. Each of these symbols can also be found on the handkerchief. Fold the handkerchief according to the sequence: first place the first symbol on top of the second to create a fold line. Then place the second symbol on top of the third to create another fold line. The result should be a 2D shape that matches one of the four shapes shown on Side A. Find the matching shape and note down its dice number. Repeat this process for each slider. In the end, you should have a number for each slider. Look at the wooden tool you took from the drawer. It is marked with dice numbers 1 to 4. Use this tool to measure how far each slider should be pushed in, according to the numbers you found for each slider. If the correct slider positions are set, the drawer can be pulled out even further than before, revealing a key.
Chapter VIII – The Key to Misdirection
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Hint 1
Only continue here if you have found the key.
Hint 2
You probably already found the keyhole on side A. Can you turn the key inside the keyhole? If not, look for clues in the previous puzzle.
Hint 3
Did you find a clue inside the drawer? What does it mean?
Hint 4
Pull the drawer out completely. Only then can the key be used to turn the lock.
Hint 5
Turning the key anti-clockwise will unlock something. Can you find what it has unlocked?
Hint 6
Look at the shape of the key. Did you see it anywhere else engraved on the Houdini Box?
Hint 7
Look at Side C.
Hint 8
Focus on the area where the key is engraved. Make sure the key is still in the keyhole and turned fully anti-clockwise.
Hint 9
Try pushing.
Hint 10
Can you slide something over?
Hint 11
The panel with the key engraving can be pushed to the right.
Hint 12
What does it unlock?
Hint 13
Open the lid of the box.
Solution
Insert the key into the keyhole on Side A. Make sure the drawer is pulled out completely, so that the compartment where the key was hidden is showing. Then turn the key once anti-clockwise. This will unlock, on Side C, the horizontal panel to which the two hinges are attached. By sliding this panel to the right, the hinges are released and the lid of the box can be opened.
Chapter IX – The Secret Pathway
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Hint 1
Only continue here if you have opened the lid of the Houdini Box.
Hint 2
Can you figure out how the magic wand can be used here?
Hint 3
There are 6 cards on the acrylic panels, the same playing cards you found before. Look at the cards again. Do you notice a detail you haven’t used yet?
Hint 4
Can you find the secret path?
Hint 5
Houdini, his wife, his mother, his brother, and the others will guide you along the way.
Hint 6
Arrange the cards in the same order as they appear on the panels.
Hint 7
Do you see the directions?
Hint 8
Each card is pointing in a direction, except for one. What does this mean?
Hint 9
The card with no direction on it is NOT the starting point.
Hint 10
This card will be the final point along the path.
Hint 11
Use the magic wand to input the sequence.
Hint 12
When the path sequence is correct, the final vault door will open, revealing Houdini’s secret compartment.
Solution
There are 6 cards on the acrylic panels, the same playing cards you found earlier. Arrange the 6 cards in the same order as they appear on the panels. Look at the hands: each card points in a direction, except for the Ace of Spades. The Ace of Spades is the end of the path. Trace the path backwards until you identify the starting point. Then take the magic wand and tap on each panel in the correct sequence, guided by the directional pointers on the cards.
When the path sequence is correct, the final vault door will open, revealing Houdini’s secret compartment.
🎉 Congratulations on solving the Houdini Box!
Video instructions
A good hint doesn't give you the answer. It gives you back the moment you almost had. Take one nudge at a time, and the victory stays yours.