Crafting Puzzles using a Deck of Cards
Making an adventure shouldn't be expensive; you can use what you already have in your house! One of the things that can be found in almost any household is a deck of cards. If you don’t want to mess up your beloved and worn deck of cards though, you can easily get them at the dollar store.
Here are some fun ways to incorporate playing cards into your next adventure!
Use Missing Cards to give the Players a Combination
Everyone knows there are 52 cards and 4 suits in a deck of cards. One of the things you can do is spread out the cards and then take out one numbered card from each suit. Be sure to make a clue that tells them the order of the suits (you can do a UV puzzle showing order of the symbols, or even have the order at the bottom of the clue leading them to the cards), and this can be used as a combination code to unlock a box!
Mark Important Cards with a UV Marker
Something you can do that is similar to the first idea is instead of leaving out the important cards, you can mark each with UV marker and instruct your players to use the black light on the cards! Here's another fun gambit idea that can fit any theme:
Set up a random poker game, where you have four poker hands with four cards each. Leave a clue telling the players to use a black light on the cards, and when they do, they will see that a treasure map has been drawn on the cards. They will need to assemble the cards into a 4x4 grid. Once the map is assembled, they will see that there are landmarks around the room they are in (leather chair, clock, etc.), and if they follow the map, it will lead them to the next clue which is found at the X. If you don't want to go the jigsaw route, you can give them a story that tells them where to put each card in the grid (be sure to have a grid on the table somewhere). When they are finished, tell them to use the black light to reveal the map!
Write a Secret Message on the Side of the Deck
This is one of my favorites! For this gambit, you first put the cards in a specific order. It can be as easy (like going up from Ace to King for each suit) or as complicated as you would like! Once you have done that, you write your secret message on the side of the deck, and then shuffle the cards thoroughly, making sure to keep the marked edges facing the same direction. The message should disappear, as seen in the picture below. For the players to solve the puzzle, you give them the order to put the cards in, and a message will reveal itself! It's such a simple way to give a clue, but it's always big hit as a “Wow! Factor”.
Level it up! To make this puzzle even harder, you can divide the message into four parts, write it on each of the 4 sides of the deck, and have a different card order for each part!
Make a Secret Compartment in a Deck of Cards
For the final gambit, you will need a deck of cards that you don't care about getting destroyed. You will also need some clear glue, an X-Acto knife, utility knife or a pair of scissors, and a surface you can cut on (I used a cutting mat).
Take the first 10-11 cards and leave them to the side; these will be your loose cards to cover the secret compartment.
Take 2 cards and put those to the side as well; they will act as the bottom.
Glue the two bottom cards together, (making sure to line up the edges) to make the bottom of your secret compartment.
Take the rest of the cards, and using your X-Acto knife or utility knife, CAREFULLY cut out the inside image on the back on the cards, leaving just the white border for each card. I found that it really helped to use painters tape to hold the card down while I cut.
If you don’t have an X-Acto knife or utility knife, you can always bend the cards slightly in the middle, and use your scissors to cut them out. You will just need to be sure to use extra weight when weighing down your cards while gluing.
Take one of your card borders and glue it on top of the bottom two cards, weighing it down between layers to make sure it will fit in it’s box. Continue doing this until you have a hollow box.
Here’s a tip: While gluing your cards together, try to keep the glue on the INSIDE edges, that will prevent glue from squeezing out and possibly making shiny spots on the side.
If desired, you can line the bottom and sides of your compartment with your choice of material (I really like the look of the unlined version, so I left it be).
Congratulations! You now have a secret compartment playing card deck that you can use for your adventures! You can hide the deck in it's box in a locked chest, or leave it on the table to wait for the players to discover what’s inside!
Well I hope you have found some great ideas and inspiration for your own adventures using a deck of cards! Have you made a puzzle using a deck of cards that I haven't discussed here? Tell us all about it on the Constructed Adventures Subreddit, or on our Instagram page! We'd love to hear about all of your adventures and puzzles (even if they don't use cards!). If you ever want some help with your adventures or puzzles, want to join in a puzzle hunt, or just wanna chat, join us on the Constructed Adventures Discord Channel! We hope to hear from you soon!
Until next time,
Happy Adventuring!