This guide provides all puzzle solutions for Escape From Crimson Manor: Trapped Together, walking you through every step from the entryway to the final secret lab and securing the true ending. Because the game separates players into different wings of the manor, this walkthrough specifies which player needs to act and what information they must communicate to their partner. The core mechanic is the dumbwaiter, used to trade items between players.
Your primary goal is to solve the asymmetrical puzzles in each act to unlock new areas of the manor, eventually leading to your escape. Success hinges entirely on clear communication and observation.
Act I: The Separated Wings & The Grand Hall
The first act establishes the core gameplay loop: players are in separate areas and must use the dumbwaiter and their wits to make progress. One player typically finds a locked object or puzzle, while the other finds the key or the clue.
Unlocking the Initial Doors
- Player 1 (West Wing): You will find a locked trunk. Inside are several drawers containing tickets.
- Player 2 (East Wing): You will find a note or journal entry that provides the correct order for the tickets. Communicate this sequence to Player 1.
- Player 1 (West Wing): Using the sequence from Player 2, interact with the tickets in the correct order. This will reveal a Guest Room Key. Send this key to Player 2 via the dumbwaiter.
- Player 2 (East Wing): Use the Guest Room Key to unlock a new room. Inside, you'll find a telephone and a piece of paper with a phone number on it. The number is 4289. Call this number.
- Coordinated Action: The phone call triggers a mechanism that unlocks a door for Player 1, allowing both players to access the central Grand Hall, albeit still on different sides.
The Grandfather Clock Puzzle
Once in the Grand Hall, the most prominent puzzle is the large grandfather clock. The solution requires pieces from both sides of the manor.
- Player 1's Side: You need to find two Clock Gears. One is often located in the family room, inside a small music box. The other is typically in a desk drawer that requires a Tiny Golden Key, which Player 2 must find and send over.
- Player 2's Side: You will find a note stating the time the clock stopped: 3:45. You will also find the aforementioned Tiny Golden Key. Send the key to Player 1.
- Solving: Player 1 receives the key, gets the second gear, and places both gears into the clock mechanism. Player 1 must then set the hands of the clock to 3:45 as per Player 2's information. This opens a secret compartment containing the Library Key.
Escape From Crimson Manor: Trapped Together in-game screenshot
Act II: The Library and Study Secrets
With the Library Key, one player can now access a new, critical area. This act is defined by a series of interconnected cipher and symbol puzzles that require constant back-and-forth communication.
The Bookshelf Cryptex Puzzle
The main puzzle in the library involves a bookshelf with a cryptex-style lock that requires a five-letter word. The clues are split between the players.
- Player in Library: Finds the bookshelf puzzle. On the spines of several books are strange symbols (e.g., a raven, a skull, a crown, an eye). You must describe these symbols to your partner.
- Player Elsewhere: In a different room, such as the Twins' Room or the Study, your partner will find a cipher key. This key matches the symbols to letters. For example, a note might read "The raven watches over A, the crown belongs to G," and so on.
- Solving: The player with the cipher key deciphers the symbols described by the library player. The most common solution word is AGATHA. The library player inputs this word into the cryptex, revealing a hidden compartment.
The Mechanical Figure Automaton
Inside the hidden compartment is a Quill and a Bronze Medallion. The Quill is for a mechanical automaton figure found in the Study, but it's missing other parts.
- Player 1: Needs to find the Inkwell. This is often in the Music Room, which is unlocked using the Harp Key found by Player 2.
- Player 2: Needs to find the Parchment Paper. This is usually in a locked drawer near the fireplace. The key is sent over by Player 1.
- Assembly: One player must gather the Quill, Inkwell, and Parchment. Once the automaton has all three items, it will write out a sequence of numbers. This is the code to the safe in the main hall.
Escape From Crimson Manor: Trapped Together in-game screenshot
Act III: The Laboratory and The Final Escape
The final act takes you from the main manor into a hidden laboratory. The puzzles become more complex, often involving chemical mixing and pressure regulation based on notes found in separate locations.
Accessing the Secret Laboratory
The safe in the main hall, opened with the code from the automaton, contains a Monocle. This special monocle reveals hidden symbols when looking at specific paintings in the manor. One player must equip the monocle and describe the symbols they see on a portrait in the Grand Hall to their partner, who finds a corresponding decoder key in the library. This reveals the correct sequence to pull several candelabras, opening the secret passage to the laboratory.
The Alchemical Synthesis Puzzle
This is the game's final major puzzle, requiring precise teamwork.
- Player 1 (Lab - Synthesis Station): You are at a chemical station with various flasks and a burner. You can see slots for ingredients and pressure gauges.
- Player 2 (Lab - Observation Room): You are in a separate room with the recipe book. The book contains the formula, for example: "Combine 2 parts Aconite with 1 part Belladonna, heat to 150 degrees, then add Quicksilver." You cannot see the station.
- Communication is Key: Player 2 must read the instructions step-by-step to Player 1. Player 1 must report the current pressure and temperature readings so Player 2 can give the next instruction. The ingredients (Aconite, Belladonna, etc.) are found in cabinets around the lab and must be collected first.
- Execution: Player 1 follows the recipe precisely. Any deviation in amount, temperature, or order will reset the puzzle. Successfully creating the compound yields the Master Key, which unlocks the final door to the manor's exit.
Escape From Crimson Manor: Trapped Together in-game screenshot
Achieving the True Ending
To get the true ending, you must not only escape but also uncover the manor's full story. This requires finding three specific Family Heirlooms scattered throughout the game and placing them in a display case in a hidden room before you leave. Simply escaping without them results in the standard ending.
| Heirloom | Act Found | General Location & Puzzle | Player Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hadley's Pocket Watch | Act I | Inside the Grandfather Clock's secret compartment, alongside the Library Key. | The player who sets the clock time will find it. |
| Agatha's Locket | Act II | Hidden inside a music box in the Twins' Room. Requires solving a separate slider puzzle on the box. | One player finds the box, the other finds the slider solution in a journal. |
| Nicholas's Medallion | Act III | In a locked chest in the Secret Laboratory's observation room. The key is a Volumetric Key obtained from a gem box puzzle. | Both players must coordinate to solve the gem box puzzle to get the key. |
To trigger the true ending, you must find the hidden display case behind a false wall in the Study. Place all three heirlooms in their designated slots. When you then use the Master Key to escape, you will get an extended cutscene revealing the family's complete history.
Escape From Crimson Manor: Trapped Together in-game screenshot
Frequently Asked Questions
How does the dumbwaiter work? The dumbwaiter is the central mechanic for trading items. One player places an item inside, closes the door, and pulls a lever. It then travels to the other player, who can open their side to retrieve it. You must coordinate what to send and when.
What if we get stuck on a puzzle? Most puzzles are based on information asymmetry. If you're stuck, the solution is almost always a piece of information your partner has but hasn't communicated clearly yet. Re-examine every note, journal, and environmental detail your partner can see.
Can you die in Trapped Together? In the main cooperative puzzle campaign, you cannot die. The game is focused on logic and deduction in a stress-free environment. A separate, asymmetrical 3v1 mode does feature a hunting Alchemist and survivor death.
Is puzzle progress saved if we quit? Yes, if you rejoin the same session with the same partner, your inventory, solved puzzles, and overall progress are saved, allowing you to continue where you left off.
Final Thoughts
Escape From Crimson Manor: Trapped Together is less about reflexes and more about methodical problem-solving and, above all, communication. Every puzzle is designed so that neither player has the full picture. By following these solutions and focusing on describing your surroundings accurately to your partner, you can overcome every challenge the manor throws at you and uncover its darkest secrets.