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

Balloon Railway Switch

Select the railway switch record that routes the paper train home.

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

Your mission

Six railway switch records disagree with the control desk checks. Recover the route, crew, station, stock and signal evidence. Every check rules out one incorrect switch. 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

Print one player pack and two record sheets per team. Keep the host answers and all three hint levels with the adult.
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.
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. Track

Track desk: Start at S. Follow EVERY arrow one square, including revisited cells. Record only the endpoint digit.

Read this clue in text

Grid rows: 9, 1, 3, 5 / 2, 4, 6, 8 / 5, 7, 9, 1. Start row 1, column 1. Moves: down, right, right, up, left, down, right, down; one square per move.

2. Crew

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

Read this clue in text

Bell digit 5 Map digit 8 Flag digit 1 People: Juno, Otis, Zed Juno does NOT have Map. Otis does NOT have Flag. Otis does NOT have Bell. Zed does NOT have Flag. Find Zed's item. Each item is used once.

3. Station

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

Balloon Railway Switch: Station 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 O Y B E 2 A M G H 3 F J E Q HOME = 8 GEAR = 1 RAIL = 4 READ COORDINATES IN ORDER: D2 > A1 > B2 > C3

4. 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.

Balloon Railway Switch: 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: 12. Closing stock: 18. Received: +5 DONE Planned: +7 CANCELLED Issued: -1 DONE Returned: ? DONE Missing return = ? units. Ignore cancelled plans.

5. Signal

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

Balloon Railway Switch: Signal 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: star means H; diamond means O; heart means M; cross means E. Message: star, diamond, heart, cross. Conversion: HOME means 5; GEAR means 8; RAIL means 1.

6. Final

Compare each record with ALL five badge results. Find the one record matching every column. Copy its complete code, including the first zero.

Read this clue in text

C1=Track / C2=Crew / C3=Station C4=Stock / C5=Signal Switch A: 01907 C1=0 C2=5 C3=8 C4=2 C5=5 Switch B: 01917 C1=9 C2=5 C3=8 C4=2 C5=5 Switch C: 01927 C1=9 C2=6 C3=8 C4=2 C5=5 Switch D: 01937 C1=9 C2=5 C3=9 C4=2 C5=5 Switch E: 01947 C1=9 C2=5 C3=8 C4=3 C5=5 Switch F: 01957 C1=9 C2=5 C3=8 C4=2 C5=6