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Escape Academy 2: Back 2 School does not waste any time before testing your wits. Very close to the beginning of the game, the To-Do objective A Surprising Start tasks you with getting on the roof of the Headmaster's Tower, and the way up is blocked by a door fitted with a letter combination lock. The lock has two groups of four rotating letter wheels, which means you need a two-word phrase made of two four-letter words. The answer is spread across four plaques mounted on the walls around the tower's landings, and one of them hides a clever bit of wordplay that is easy to take too literally. Here is how to solve it.
1. Find the Four Clue Plaques
Before you start spinning the wheels, explore the landings around the locked door and read every plaque on the walls. There are four of them, and each one gives you a single rule about the secret phrase:
- The secret phrase STarts STrong.
- The second word has a 'U'. No wait... double that!
- The secret phrase contains 3 'A's.
- Both words end with the same letter.
None of the clues gives you the answer on its own, so you will need all four to narrow it down.
2. Work Out How the Phrase Starts
Take a close look at the plaque that says the phrase STarts STrong. The letters S and T are underlined in both STarts and STrong, which is the game's way of telling you that the first word begins with ST. Since the first word has four letters, you are only looking for two more letters to complete it.
3. Decode the Double U Clue
This is the clue that trips most players up. Reading it literally, you would assume the second word contains two U's, but very few four-letter words fit that description, and none of them work with the other clues. The trick is to think about what a doubled U actually is: a W. Say "double U" out loud and the solution becomes obvious. The second word contains a W.
4. Combine the Remaining Clues
Now put everything together. The phrase must contain three A's in total, and both words need to end with the same letter. A four-letter word containing a W and two A's points straight to AWAY, which ends in Y. That means the first word must also end in Y, and the only fitting four-letter word starting with ST is STAY. Count the A's to double-check: one in STAY and two in AWAY, for a total of three.
5. Enter the Code and Open the Door
Rotate the letter wheels on the lock to spell out the following phrase:
STAY AWAY
Once the phrase is set, use the door handle to open the door and continue your climb towards the roof of the Headmaster's Tower.
Quick Tip
Escape Academy 2: Back 2 School loves wordplay, so whenever a clue seems impossible when read literally, try saying it out loud. Hints like the double U one are often designed to be heard rather than read. If you are completely stuck, you can also use the Hint option, but this puzzle is far more satisfying to crack on your own.
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