5 Questions
Eric the Puzzler
Eric The Puzzler is a Philly-based experience designer who creates puzzle-focused events and adventures. From real-world escape rooms and puzzle hunts to public space activations and online challenges, Eric helps curious people explore the world using teamwork and their powers of observation. He has designed puzzle experiences for Philadelphia International Airport, Mural Arts Philadelphia, Delaware River Waterfront Corporation, South Street Headhouse District, and now, Meg Saligman Studio! His goal with every project is to push the boundaries of what a puzzle can be and to create experiences that can only be described if you were there.
Why do you make puzzles?
I don't know if I have a good answer. It's certainly fun, but that's not why I do it. I've found some measure of success making puzzles, and that allows me to keep spending time doing this, but that's also not why I do it. I think the answer lies somewhere in the combination of goals I laid out for myself while designing my first puzzle experience in early 2021: give people a fun and safe way to connect in person after a long pandemic winter, get people outside to explore, get people to look at the world in a different way, support local artists, and do something different.
What makes a good puzzle?
This is a terrific question. I think the best puzzles look like impenetrable gibberish upon first glance. Then, after sufficient poking and prodding—sometimes physical and sometimes mental—they reveal their true nature in a way that creates a new neural pathway in your brain. Then, upon reflection, they look completely straightforward and logical.
If you were a puzzle, what type of puzzle would you be?
I would probably be one of the few types of puzzles I actually don't design: a jigsaw puzzle. I'm visually oriented, I'm very consistent, and what you see is pretty much what you get. Also I may have a few pieces missing.
What's the most puzzling thing you've experienced while collaborating with us? .
Many of the objects in the studio are quite mystifying. Why is there a canoe by the stairs? Why is there a safe that nobody knows the combination to? One time when I was there, a Drexel student mentioned seeing a creepy baby somewhere; two different people went and grabbed two different creepy babies—and somehow neither of them was the one the student had seen before. Another thing that sticks with me is when I was going through the archives to find things to build puzzles around. Someone pointed to a box and said "those are film negatives Meg took in high school and college. There might be some good stuff in there. But there's probably nudes, too, so be careful." There's just a lot of strange stuff in the studio, but that made great fodder for puzzle designs.
Anything else you want the people to know?
I think a big part of what makes Philly so special is our don't-wait-for-permission attitude. Meg exemplified that attitude when she painted Common Threads, and she continues to exemplify it with the Ministry of Awe. As for me, I don't know if I would—or if I could—be Eric The Puzzler in another city. Philly feels like it has a unique combination of something that allows regular people to just go "I'm going to start designing puzzle adventures built into the real world, and people are going to love it." I love living here because I love that that's possible here.
Eric is currently developing his next city-wide treasure hunt, which will launch in June. Team registration is available now on his website. Commissions and sponsorships are always available. From marriage proposals to team-building events and custom activations, puzzles are the perfect way to bring people together for a memorable experience. Keep Eric in mind!
Meg Saligman and Eric the Puzzler invite you to explore her real, working studio space and go behind the scenes to see how Philadelphia's most iconic murals were created. By piecing together archival materials from Meg’s most influential projects, you’ll discover clues that guide you throughout her studio in the historic SugarMom's bar in Old City, Philadelphia.
