Party Puzzle Parcel
← All games

Ages 8–10 · Est. 30–45 minutes · 2–6 players

Amber Lab Dispatch

Recover the dispatch route for the amber sample cards.

Six clues, three hint levels each, and a paper-only finish. No locks, apps or cutting required.

Get your printable packPlay on screen
Amber Lab Dispatch: Note desk: Decode all shapes in message order. Repeated shapes repeat their letter. Convert the full word using the table.

Your mission

The amber lab has a scrambled sample note, a stock correction and three courier assignments. Match the printed records to the final dispatch route. Collect five named badge digits and use the final sheet. Every clue is on the table; ask the host for one hint at a time.

Set up in one room

  1. Print one player pack and two record sheets per team. Keep the host answers and all three hint levels with the adult.
  2. Keep every clue as a full sheet at one table. Put the final sheet face down until all five results are recorded. Nothing needs cutting, folding or hiding.
  3. Give each child a pencil. Choose a reader, recorder and checker, and swap jobs after each clue. Use one team for 2–4 children or two teams for 5–6.

Materials

  • 6 player sheets and 2 prop sheets per team
  • One pencil per child
  • One adult host with the answer and hint pages

Designed ages and estimated time have not yet been calibrated in a live child playtest.

See all six player clues

These are the actual figures from the printable player pack.

1. Note

Note desk: Decode all shapes in message order. Repeated shapes repeat their letter. Convert the full word using the table.

Amber Lab Dispatch: Note desk: Decode all shapes in message order. Repeated shapes repeat their letter. Convert the full word using the table.
Read this clue in text

Key: triangle means A; square means M; circle means B; star means E; diamond means R. Message: triangle, square, circle, star, diamond. Conversion: AMBER means 6; EGGS means 9; BONE means 2.

2. Stock

Stock desk: A return entry lost its amount. Use the opening and closing stock to find the missing return. Apply DONE entries; ignore the CANCELLED plan.

Amber Lab Dispatch: Stock desk: A return entry lost its amount. Use the opening and closing stock to find the missing return. Apply DONE entries; ignore the CANCELLED plan.
Read this clue in text

Opening stock: 10. Closing stock: 19. Received: +2 DONE Planned: +7 CANCELLED Issued: -2 DONE Returned: ? DONE Missing return = ? units. Ignore cancelled plans.

3. Courier

Courier desk: Each person has ONE different item. Use all four NOT rules. Find Otto's item and copy its digit.

Amber Lab Dispatch: Courier desk: Each person has ONE different item. Use all four NOT rules. Find Otto's item and copy its digit.
Read this clue in text

Case digit 3 Tray digit 6 Box digit 9 People: Nell, Otto, Tia Nell does NOT have Box. Otto does NOT have Case. Otto does NOT have Tray. Tia does NOT have Case. Find Otto's item. Each item is used once.

4. Drawer

Drawer desk: Read the letter at each coordinate, in order. Letter = column; number = row. Convert the complete word using the printed table.

Amber Lab Dispatch: Drawer desk: Read the letter at each coordinate, in order. Letter = column; number = row. Convert the complete word using the printed table.
Read this clue in text

Columns: A, B, C, D. Rows: 1, 2, 3. 1 J M Q T 2 R S B Y 3 A X A E AMBER = 6 EGGS = 9 BONE = 2 READ COORDINATES IN ORDER: A3 > B1 > C2 > D3 > A2

5. Order

Order desk: Combine every BEFORE rule to order the four actions. Write positions on the whole-sheet cards. Read position 4.

Amber Lab Dispatch: Order desk: Combine every BEFORE rule to order the four actions. Write positions on the whole-sheet cards. Read position 4.
Read this clue in text

Cards: Seal case [3]; Read sample [9]; Send case [5]; Check stock [1]. Rules: Read sample BEFORE Seal case; Check stock BEFORE Send case; Seal case BEFORE Send case; Read sample BEFORE Check stock; Check stock BEFORE Seal case. Read card position 4.

6. Final

Find the route from Start to Finish visiting Stop 1–5. Reject branches that cannot finish. Join the badge digits in route order.

Amber Lab Dispatch: Find the route from Start to Finish visiting Stop 1–5. Reject branches that cannot finish. Join the badge digits in route order.
Read this clue in text

Start goes to Stop 1 or Dead end. Stop 1 (Order) goes to Stop 2. Stop 2 (Stock) goes to Stop 3 or Dead end. Stop 3 (Courier) goes to Stop 4. Stop 4 (Note) goes to Stop 5. Stop 5 (Drawer) goes to Finish. Finish goes to no further stop. Dead end goes to no further stop. Required stops: Stop 1, Stop 2, Stop 3, Stop 4, Stop 5.

Your next adventure