Overview

Exit: The Game – Dead Man on the Orient Express is a cooperative puzzle/escape-room game. The year is 1905 and you are traveling on the Orient Express when the body of passenger Edgar Ratchington is discovered. Master detective Achilles Pussot has vanished, leaving behind only his notebook. Players work together to solve riddles, crack codes, and identify the culprit before the train reaches Constantinople. The game is played once — materials are written on, folded, and torn during play.

Difficulty level: Advanced

Components

• 1 Decoder disk
• 86 Cards:
  • 24 Riddle Cards
  • 30 Answer Cards
  • 32 Help Cards
• 2 Strange items
• 3 Sealed sheets
• 1 Book
• 1 Rulebook

Additional required materials (not included): Pens/pencils, paper, stopwatch/watch, scissors (optional but helpful).

Setup

1. Place the book and decoder disk on the table.
2. Leave strange items and sealed sheets in the box.
3. Sort cards into three face-down piles by their back sides: Riddle Cards, Answer Cards, Help Cards.
4. Arrange Riddle Cards and Answer Cards in ascending order by letter/number.
5. Sort Help Cards by symbol; stack each set so “1st CLUE” is on top of “2nd CLUE,” which is on top of “SOLUTION.”
6. Do NOT look at the front of any card until the game tells you to.

Turn Structure

There are no individual turns. All players collaborate simultaneously in real time. The flow is:

1. Explore — Examine the book and any revealed Riddle Cards for clues, symbols, and hidden codes.
2. Discover — When an illustration or text references a Riddle Card number/letter, pull that card from the pile and examine it.
3. Solve — When you believe you have cracked a three-digit code for a specific symbol, enter the code on the decoder disk under that symbol.
4. Verify — Read the number shown in the decoder disk viewing window; pull the corresponding Answer Card.
5. Progress or Retry — If correct, the Answer Card reveals new cards/instructions. If incorrect, return the card and keep working.

Actions

Solving a Riddle

• Identify a locked object in the book or on a Riddle Card (marked with a symbol matching the decoder disk edge).
• Determine the three-digit code through logical deduction from the available clues.
• Enter the code under the matching symbol on the decoder disk.
• Check the viewing window for an Answer Card number.
• Pull and read that Answer Card.

Using Help Cards

For each riddle symbol, three Help Cards are available:

• 1st Clue — Tells you which Riddle Cards you need and gives an initial hint.
• 2nd Clue — Provides more concrete guidance toward the solution.
• Solution — Reveals the answer outright.

After use, place Help Cards on a discard pile. Only count Help Cards that gave you genuinely new information when scoring.

Manipulating Materials

You may write on, fold, tear, or cut (with scissors) any game materials. This is allowed and sometimes required to solve riddles.

Using Strange Items and Sealed Sheets

Only retrieve these from the box when explicitly instructed to by the game. Do not open them prematurely.

Scoring / Victory Conditions

The game ends when you solve the final riddle and identify the culprit. A card will tell you the game is over.

Scoring is based on time and Help Cards used:

Time	0 Help Cards	1-2 Help Cards	3-5 Help Cards	6-10 Help Cards	>10 Help Cards
< 60 min	10 stars	8 stars	—	—	—
< 90 min	9 stars	6 stars	3 stars	—	—
< 120 min	8 stars	6 stars	3 stars	2 stars	—
> 120 min	—	2 stars	—	1 star	—

If you correctly solve the murder case, add +2 bonus stars.

Special Rules & Edge Cases

• One-time play: The game can only be played once since materials are permanently altered.
• Logical solutions only: All codes can be solved logically; do not brute-force combinations on the disk.
• Card management: Always return Answer Cards to the pile after checking them, whether the code was correct or incorrect.
• Progressive discovery: Some riddles require Riddle Cards that have not yet been revealed. If stuck, work on a different riddle first.
• Set aside used materials: Keep successfully used materials visible (not put away) for reference, but do not mix them with unsolved puzzles.
• Room illustrations (train cars and compartments) may be needed for multiple riddles.
• You must find an object before opening it — you cannot enter a code for a symbol if you have not yet seen that symbol on a Riddle Card or in the book.

Player Reference

Item	Details
Players	1-4
Age	12+
Difficulty	Advanced
Code format	Three-digit number or color code
Decoder disk symbols	10 symbols total
Help Cards per riddle	3 (1st Clue, 2nd Clue, Solution)
Required extras	Pen, paper, stopwatch, scissors (optional)

Quick Flow:

1. Read book / examine Riddle Cards
2. Find symbol on locked object
3. Deduce three-digit code
4. Enter code on decoder disk under matching symbol
5. Pull Answer Card shown in viewing window
6. Follow instructions (correct) or retry (incorrect)
7. Use Help Cards if stuck