How to play
A Latchkey game is a small stack of locks. Read the clues, open each lock, and collect what’s behind it — the rewards you earn go into your inventory and often help with later locks. No account is needed to play; your progress is saved on your device.
The basics
- Open a game and pick a lock that’s available.
- Read the clues and anything already in your inventory.
- Solve the lock in whatever way its type asks for (below).
- Stuck? Use a hint if one is offered — it won’t spoil the answer.
The lock types
Every lock is one of four kinds. Here’s how each one works.
Photo lock
Arrange real objects to match a hidden target, then take a photo. The lock compares your shot to the key.
- Read the clues, then set up the real-world arrangement they describe.
- Tap “Take / choose photo” and frame the whole arrangement.
- Submit. You’ll see how many checks passed — adjust and re-shoot until it opens.
Framing and lighting are where most photo locks go wrong. Before you submit:
- Fill the frame: get the objects large and centred, not lost in the background.
- Light it evenly and from the front — avoid harsh shadows, glare and backlight.
- Shoot straight on, roughly the same angle as the clue image, and hold steady.
- Use a plain, uncluttered surface so the important objects stand out.
Combination lock
A keypad. Work out the code from the clues and enter it — no camera needed.
- Read the clues to deduce the code.
- Enter it on the keypad in order.
- Submit to try the lock. Wrong codes just let you try again.
Directional lock
Enter the right sequence of moves.
- Figure out the move sequence the clues point to.
- Enter the moves in order to build your sequence.
- Submit to try it. You can clear and re-enter freely.
Cipher lock
A riddle or code. Type your answer — it’s matched leniently, so don’t sweat exact spelling.
- Solve the riddle or decode the message from the clues.
- Type your answer in the box.
- Submit. Close answers count, so try variations if the first misses.
External lock
The puzzle lives on the creator’s own site. You play it there, then come back and the lock opens.
- Play the linked experience — it opens inside the game, or in a new tab if the creator chose that.
- Finish it. Their service tells Latchkey you did, using a one-time pass we hand over for you.
- Come back here and press “I’ve finished” to open the lock.
Framing and lighting are where most photo locks go wrong. Before you submit:
- You need to be signed in — the pass is tied to your account so nobody else can claim your solve.
- We pass along the one-time pass and nothing else. Not your name, your email, or your progress.
- Never type your Latchkey password anywhere but latchkey itself, however convincing the page looks.
- If the creator’s service is down you’ll be told, and the creator’s backup plan takes over.
Hints and inventory
Some locks offer a hint — a nudge, never the solution. Anything you unlock is added to your inventory (the bag icon), so you can refer back to it on later locks.
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