WRI Online Escape Room: Stop the Press!

Welcome to the WRI Online Escape Room ‘Stop the Press’ Event Homepage.

Thank you for participating in our National Science Week 2023 event, the Waite Research Institute Online Escape Room: Stop the Press! This page will provide you with key event details plus access to the online escape room and preliminary scoreboard.

This event is now over, but you can still access the room if you would like to do so.

Click on the ‘Escape Room Link’ tab below to access the online escape room.

Click on the ‘Preliminary scoreboard/rankings’ tab below to access the preliminary scoreboard/rankings.

Key details

In newsrooms across Australia, scientific misinformation is on the rise! You, our Science Myth Busters, have been tasked with scrutinising headlines, separating fact from fiction, and piecing together clues from Waite researchers to uncover true scientific findings. The deadline is approaching. With only 30 minutes until the news goes live, will you be able to correct the mistakes before time runs out?

In our online escape room you will be asked to do a deep dive through scientific publications from Waite Research Institute researchers and try to get the answers as quick as possible – a leader board will show your time and prizes are available for the fastest participant.

The online event will support students in understanding scientific rigour and media coverage of new science, as well as evoke an interest in agricultural research and how it touches on sustainability, development of food and fibre and the natural environment. Students can participate individually or as a group of up to 3 people.

Year 7-10 students can register as an individual or team (max three students per team). Registrations have now closed.

The escape room will be accessible between 12:30PM – 2:30PM AEST (12:00PM – 2:00PM ACST) on Monday 14th August. Students will require computer access for one hour during this period.

A scoreboard will be accessible during the event, allowing participants to keep track of their school’s standing. After completing the escape room, the participant will be redirected to the scoreboard.

The prizes to be won are:

Individual category: 1x $30 Zero Latency voucher
Team category: 1x $30 Zero Latency voucher per participant
School category: 1x 12 month Double Helix subscription

The competition will start on August 14th 2023 at 12:00PM (ACST) when the escape room link will become available via the ‘Escape room link’ tab. The escape room will be open between 12:00PM – 2:00PM ACST (unless you are a participant from a school requiring an altered start time). Once participants begin the escape room they will have up to 60 minutes to escape. We therefore recommend that participants start by 1:00PM (ACST) at the latest. If you are competing in the teams category, your team will share one computer to access and complete the online escape room.

Before entering the online escape room…

1. Make sure that you have the Participant Information Booklet easily accessible.

The Participant Information Booklet was shared with registered teams via email before the event. The booklet contains a) the password required to access the online escape room, and b) participant resources required to complete the online escape room.

If you do not have the booklet, please email ishka.bless@adelaide.edu.au.

2. Make sure that you have a method set-up to record the local time when you finish.

After completing the escape room, you will need to take a screenshot or photo of the finish page which includes the local time. For example, if it is 12:45pm when you or your team finishes, you will need to take a screen shot including the local time or a photo of the screen with the local time shown on a watch, phone, or similar device (see examples pictured below). We kindly ask that the student/s or teacher email the screenshot or image along with the student or team name to ishka.bless@adelaide.edu.au by 5PM on Tuesday 15^th August. We will then be able to cross-check results before announcing the winners on Monday 21^st August.

Click here to view a completion screenshot example, with the local time in the top right of the computer screen.

Click here to view a completion image example, with the local time shown on a watch.

If you have technical issues during the event (such as your computer crashing or internet dropping out)…

Please take a screenshot or an image of your game window, including the timer/countdown clock and local time. As soon as possible, send an email to ishka.bless@adelaide.edu.au with:

the screenshot or image of your game window, including the timer/countdown clock and local time.
details about where you were up to in the game.
details about the technical issue that you are experiencing.

Click on this link to access the online escape room: https://roomescapemaker.com/u/waiteresearch/stopthepress

Once you have opened the link, enter the password provided in your Participant Information Booklet. You will then be asked to enter your Player Name (Team Name).

If you are competing in the teams category, your team will share one computer to access and complete the online escape room together.

When you complete the escape room, don’t forget to take a screenshot or image of the finish page with the local time! You will then need to email this to the event team in order to finalise your finish time. Click on the ‘Participant information’ tab for further information.

Want to see how you ranked? The preliminary scoreboard will be updated every 5 minutes during the event.

If you don’t see your name or team name listed after completing the escape room, please keep refreshing every minute. If you don’t see your name or team name listed more than 10 minutes after completing the escape room, please email ishka.bless@adelaide.edu.au.

Individual, team, and school category winners will be finalised following review of finish time screenshots/images (provided by all participants via email after the event). The winning school will be calculated as the school with the lowest average finish time. Winners for each category will be announced on Monday 21^st August 2023.

Please note, only your first escape time counts. If you played several times, only the first attempt is listed. Unknown players that did not provide their school or category before the 18th August 2023 were removed from the scoreboard.

Overall results

Rank	Player name	School	Category	Finish time
1	Funky Owl	WA Homeschool	Team	48s
2	Team 140 – Urrbrae High School	Urrbrae High School	Team	49s
3	Team 2 – Willunga	Willunga High School	Team	52s
4	Team 17 – Urrbrae High School	Urrbrae High School	Team	1m 18s
5	Jordan Lucas	Westminster School	Individual	1m 19s
6	Amy W	Scotch College	Individual	1m 20s
7	TBD (2)	Clare High School	Team	1m 21s
8	Janet Wang	Westminster School	Individual	1m 29s
9	Pulteney 02	Pulteney Grammar School	Team	1m 34s
10	BOB	Girton Grammar School	Team	1m 49s
11	Team 3 – Willunga	Willunga High School	Team	2m 23s
12	Astra	Girton Grammar School	Team	2m 28s
13	Lyly	Urrbrae High School	Individual	2m 37s
14	Vanilla Gs	Clare High School	Team	2m 39s
15	Epic Bubbles	Morialta Secondary College	Team	2m 43s
16	Code Crackers	Woodcroft College	Team	2m 50s
17	Kate Daniel	Westminster School	Individual	3m 11s
18	Peregrine 3	Peregrine School	Team	3m 18s
19	Jordan Lucas	Westminster School	Individual	3m 20s
20	Kaitlyn Pereira	Westminster School	Individual	3m 23s
21	Pulteney 04	Pulteney Grammar School	Team	3m 32s
22	Schunke’s Monkeys	Clare High School	Team	3m 39s
23	Geometry Ponies	Morialta Secondary College	Team	3m 59s
24	Anna Goad	Westminster School	Individual	4m 4s
25	Pulteney 01	Pulteney Grammar School	Team	4m 30s
26	Natalie von Bore	Westminster School	Individual	4m 38s
27	Team 114 – Urrbrae High School	Urrbrae High School	Team	4m 42s
28	The Warriers	Clare High School	Team	4m 48s
29	Team 148 – Urrbrae High School	Urrbrae High School	Team	5m 4s
30	Bailey	Urrbrae High School	Individual	5m 13s
31	Olivia Sterrey	Westminster School	Individual	5m 17s
32	Team 23 – Urrbrae High School / Scott	Urrbrae High School	Team	5m 21s
33	Uranium 235	Morialta Secondary College	Team	5m 29s
34	Nithika Vivek	Westminster School	Individual	5m 42s
35	Tiger	Clare High School	Team	5m 43s
36	Team 111 – Urrbrae High School	Urrbrae High School	Team	5m 50s
37	BATMANlovers	Clare High School	Team	5m 53s
38	Codfish	Clare High School	Team	5m 55s
39	Team Foot	Willunga High School	Team	5m 56s
40	Team 145 – Urrbrae High School	Urrbrae High School	Team	6m 17s
41	Busters	Clare High School	Team	6m 19s
42	TBD2	Clare High School	Team	6m 22s
43	Emma	Urrbrae High School	Individual	6m 42s
44	Adelle Parkinson	Westminster School	Individual	6m 43s
45	Team 120 – Urrbrae High School	Urrbrae High School	Team	6m 48s
46	Snickerdoodles	Clare High School	Team	6m 52s
47	Cynthia Zhang	Westminster School	Individual	7m 1s
48	IDK	Clare High School	Team	7m 12s
49	Jacob Bratkovic	Westminster School	Individual	7m 16s
50	Badinkajangles	Clare High School	Team	7m 17s
51	TEC	Clare High School	Team	7m 29s
52	Team 102 – Urrbrae High School	Urrbrae High School	Team	7m 36s
53	Biscuits	Clare High School	Team	7m 44s
54	Blackwood 2	Blackwood High School	Team	7m 53s
55	We Love M and M’s	Clare High School	Team	7m 54s
56	The B Brothers	Clare High School	Team	8m 1s
57	Amaze Rats Unite	Girton Grammar School	Team	8m 13s
58	Elementals	Morialta Secondary College	Team	8m 53s
59	Science besties	Morialta Secondary College	Team	9m 52s
60	Monkey Men	Morialta Secondary College	Team	10m 0s
61	Magnificent Maniacs	Morialta Secondary College	Team	10m 9s
62	Blackwood 1	Blackwood High School	Team	11m 9s
66	Team 148 – Urrbrae High School	Urrbrae High School	Team	11m 20s
63	Jedd – Team 143 – Urrbae High School	Urrbrae High School	Team	11m 21s
67	VR Bob Gods	Morialta Secondary College	Team	11m 31s
64	Team 17 – Urrbrae High School	Urrbrae High School	Team	11m 38s
65	We Love Fruit Chocs	Clare High School	Team	11m 48s
68	Bradley	Urrbrae High School	Individual	11m 56s
69	A and M	Clare High School	Team	12m 5s
70	Bunsen Burner Boys	Morialta Secondary College	Team	12m 16s
72	PMH	Peregrine School	Team	12m 23s
71	Talulah Kovacic	Westminster School	Individual	12m 28s
73	R and S	Morialta Secondary College	Team	12m 33s
74	Lucia Fernandez	Westminster School	Individual	12m 59s
75	Team 109 – Urrbrae High School	Urrbrae High School	Team	13m 1s
76	Team 113 – Urrbrae High School	Urrbrae High School	Team	13m 44s
77	Peregrine Falcon	Peregrine School	Team	14m 15s
78	What’s your favourite bird?	Morialta Secondary College	Team	14m 15s
79	Team 141 – Urrbrae High School	Urrbrae High School	Team	14m 26s
80	Pulteney 11	Pulteney Grammar School	Team	14m 31s
81	Child prodigies	Morialta Secondary College	Team	15m 14s
82	Team 37 – Urrbrae High School	Urrbrae High School	Team	15m 22s
83	Atoms	Morialta Secondary College	Team	15m 57s
84	Team 152 – Urrbrae High School	Urrbrae High School	Team	17m 23s
85	Billy Rowan – Pulteney 07	Pulteney Grammar School	Individual	17m 58s
86	Epic Bubbles	Morialta Secondary College	Team	18m 4s
87	KCD	Morialta Secondary College	Team	18m 16s
88	Asian Duos	Morialta Secondary College	Team	18m 22s
89	Annoying culicidae	Morialta Secondary College	Team	18m 23s
91	LandC	Clare High School	Team	21m 28s
92	Lab Rats	Morialta Secondary College	Team	22m 23s
90	The Lonely Atoms	Morialta Secondary College	Team	23m 4s
93	Neller	Urrbrae High School	Individual	24m 26s
94	The Rats	Clare High School	Team	25m 26s
95	The Ledgens	Morialta Secondary College	Team	27m 48s
96	Heather H	Clare High School	Individual	32m 38s
97	Hiya	Morialta Secondary College	Team	39m 33s
98	The G.O.A.T.S	Morialta Secondary College	Team	42m 24s
99	Lily	Urrbrae High School	Individual	44m 47s
100	Willunga 1	Willunga High School	Team	DNF
101	SUSHI GURRLS	Morialta Secondary College	Team	DNF

Individual category

Rank	Player name	School	Finish time
1	Jordan Lucas	Westminster School	1m 19s
2	Amy W	Scotch College	1m 20s
3	Janet Wang	Westminster School	1m 29s
4	Lyly	Urrbrae High School	2m 37s
5	Kate Daniel	Westminster School	3m 11s
6	Jordan Lucas	Westminster School	3m 20s
7	Kaitlyn Pereira	Westminster School	3m 23s
8	Anna Goad	Westminster School	4m 4s
9	Natalie von Bore	Westminster School	4m 38s
10	Bailey	Urrbrae High School	5m 13s
11	Olivia Sterrey	Westminster School	5m 17s
12	Nithika Vivek	Westminster School	5m 42s
13	Emma	Urrbrae High School	6m 42s
14	Adelle Parkinson	Westminster School	6m 43s
15	Cynthia Zhang	Westminster School	7m 1s
16	Jacob Bratkovic	Westminster School	7m 16s
17	Bradley	Urrbrae High School	11m 56s
18	Talulah Kovacic	Westminster School	12m 28s
19	Lucia Fernandez	Westminster School	12m 59s
20	Billy Rowan – Pulteney 07	Pulteney Grammar School	17m 58s
21	Neller	Urrbrae High School	24m 26s
22	Heather H	Clare High School	32m 38s
23	Lily	Urrbrae High School	44m 47s

Team category

Rank	Player name	School	Finish time
1	Funky Owl	WA Homeschool	48s
2	Team 140 – Urrbrae High School	Urrbrae High School	49s
3	Team 2 – Willunga	Willunga High School	52s
4	Team 17 – Urrbrae High School	Urrbrae High School	1m 18s
5	TBD (2)	Clare High School	1m 21s
6	Pulteney 02	Pulteney Grammar School	1m 34s
7	BOB	Girton Grammar School	1m 49s
8	Team 3 – Willunga	Willunga High School	2m 23s
9	Astra	Girton Grammar School	2m 28s
10	Vanilla Gs	Clare High School	2m 39s
11	Epic Bubbles	Morialta Secondary College	2m 43s
12	Code Crackers	Woodcroft College	2m 50s
13	Peregrine 3	Peregrine School	3m 18s
14	Pulteney 04	Pulteney Grammar School	3m 32s
15	Schunke’s Monkeys	Clare High School	3m 39s
16	Geometry Ponies	Morialta Secondary College	3m 59s
17	Pulteney 01	Pulteney Grammar School	4m 30s
18	Team 114 – Urrbrae High School	Urrbrae High School	4m 42s
19	The Warriers	Clare High School	4m 48s
20	Team 148 – Urrbrae High School	Urrbrae High School	5m 4s
21	Team 23 – Urrbrae High School / Scott	Urrbrae High School	5m 21s
22	Uranium 235	Morialta Secondary College	5m 29s
23	Tiger	Clare High School	5m 43s
24	Team 111 – Urrbrae High School	Urrbrae High School	5m 50s
25	BATMANlovers	Clare High School	5m 53s
26	Codfish	Clare High School	5m 55s
27	Team Foot	Willunga High School	5m 56s
28	Team 145 – Urrbrae High School	Urrbrae High School	6m 17s
29	Busters	Clare High School	6m 19s
30	TBD2	Clare High School	6m 22s
31	Team 120 – Urrbrae High School	Urrbrae High School	6m 48s
32	Snickerdoodles	Clare High School	6m 52s
33	IDK	Clare High School	7m 12s
34	Badinkajangles	Clare High School	7m 17s
35	TEC	Clare High School	7m 29s
36	Team 102 – Urrbrae High School	Urrbrae High School	7m 36s
37	Biscuits	Clare High School	7m 44s
38	Blackwood 2	Blackwood High School	7m 53s
39	We Love M and M’s	Clare High School	7m 54s
40	The B Brothers	Clare High School	8m 1s
41	Amaze Rats Unite	Girton Grammar School	8m 13s
42	Elementals	Morialta Secondary College	8m 53s
43	Science besties	Morialta Secondary College	9m 52s
44	Monkey Men	Morialta Secondary College	10m 0s
45	Magnificent Maniacs	Morialta Secondary College	10m 9s
46	Blackwood 1	Blackwood High School	11m 9s
47	Team 148 – Urrbrae High School	Urrbrae High School	11m 20s
48	Jedd – Team 143 – Urrbae High School	Urrbrae High School	11m 21s
49	VR Bob Gods	Morialta Secondary College	11m 31s
50	Team 17 – Urrbrae High School	Urrbrae High School	11m 38s
51	We Love Fruit Chocs	Clare High School	11m 48s
52	A and M	Clare High School	12m 5s
53	Bunsen Burner Boys	Morialta Secondary College	12m 16s
54	PMH	Peregrine School	12m 23s
55	R and S	Morialta Secondary College	12m 33s
56	Team 109 – Urrbrae High School	Urrbrae High School	13m 1s
57	Team 113 – Urrbrae High School	Urrbrae High School	13m 44s
58	Peregrine Falcon	Peregrine School	14m 15s
59	What’s your favourite bird?	Morialta Secondary College	14m 15s
60	Team 141 – Urrbrae High School	Urrbrae High School	14m 26s
61	Pulteney 11	Pulteney Grammar School	14m 31s
62	Child prodigies	Morialta Secondary College	15m 14s
63	Team 37 – Urrbrae High School	Urrbrae High School	15m 22s
64	Atoms	Morialta Secondary College	15m 57s
65	Team 152 – Urrbrae High School	Urrbrae High School	17m 23s
66	Epic Bubbles	Morialta Secondary College	18m 4s
67	KCD	Morialta Secondary College	18m 16s
68	Asian Duos	Morialta Secondary College	18m 22s
69	Annoying culicidae	Morialta Secondary College	18m 23s
70	LandC	Clare High School	21m 28s
71	Lab Rats	Morialta Secondary College	22m 23s
72	The Lonely Atoms	Morialta Secondary College	23m 4s
73	The Rats	Clare High School	25m 26s
74	The Ledgens	Morialta Secondary College	27m 48s
75	Hiya	Morialta Secondary College	39m 33s
76	The G.O.A.T.S	Morialta Secondary College	42m 24s
77	Willunga 1	Willunga High School	DNF
78	SUSHI GURRLS	Morialta Secondary College	DNF

School category*

Rank	School	Average finish time (s)
1	Willunga High School	184
2	Girton Grammar School	250
3	Westminster	338
4	Pulteney Grammar School	505
5	Blackwood High School	571
6	Clare High School	567
7	Peregrine School	599
8	Urrbrae High School	646
9	Morialta Secondary College	985

*Only schools with more than one player were included in this category.

Frequently asked questions

What is an online escape room?

An online, or virtual, escape room is a game where players have to uncover clues or solve puzzles in a room with the objective of completing a specified goal in a restricted period of time. The main goal is to ‘escape’ the room in that time period.

In the WRI escape room students have to identify mistakes in a journal article, based on an actual scientific article – the corrections will lead to being able to escape the room.

When is the event?

The event will run on August 14th 2023, between 12:00pm – 2:00pm (ACST). Students can start the online escape room at any time during this period, but will only have one hour to finish. We therefore recommend starting by 1:00pm ACST at the latest.

Where is the event?

This event will be held online. The online escape room link will be available on this page from 12:00PM ACST on Monday August 14th 2023.

How do we participate?

Students need to sign up through the school, either as individual or team (max 3 students per team) and will only need a computer with internet access. No further items are required.

How do students access the event on the day?

1. Go to the event homepage

To participate, your students will need to visit
https:// www.thewaite.org/ waite-research-institute-national-science-week-events/ .

2. Click on the escape room link between 12:00PM and 1:00PM (ACST)

At 12:00PM (ACST) on August 14th 2023, a link to the online escape room will become available on event homepage. Your students will need to click on this link between 12:00PM and 1:00PM (ACST) to access the escape room. They will have up to 60 minutes to complete the escape room.

3. Enter the password

The escape room password can be found in the Participant Information Booklet. This booklet was emailed to all registered participants the week prior to the event. If you have not received your booklet, please contact ishka.bless@adelaide.edu.au.

Will students need to prepare beforehand?

To improve their chances of escaping, we recommend that students do the following:

Save and/ or print off the Participant Information Booklet. All participants will need access to this booklet on the day.
Review the ‘Participant resources’ section in the Participant Information Booklet.
Get familiar with solving online escape rooms. You can practice free online rooms via https:// roomescapemaker.com.
Make sure that they have access to a computer or tablet on the day.
Make sure that they have stable internet access on the day.

What should students do if they have technical issues during the event (such as a computer crashing or internet dropping out)?

Please take a screenshot or an image of your game window, including the timer/countdown clock and local time. As soon as possible, send an email to ishka.bless@adelaide.edu.au with:

the screenshot or image of your game window, including the timer/countdown clock and local time.
details about where you were up to in the game.
details about the technical issue that you are experiencing.

Do teams complete the online escape room together?

Teams will need to use one computer or tablet to access the online escape room. They will share the computer or tablet to problem solve and complete the online escape room together.

What will students do in the escape room?

In the WRI escape room students have to identify mistakes in a journal article, based on an actual scientific article – the corrections will lead to being able to escape the room.

The room will present the students with hints, tips and questions to consider to correct a news article about a scientific paper. Finding one answer will lead to the next hint. Students will need to read bits of the paper to find the corrections for the article, providing a great way to introduce and familiarise students with scientific literature.

The topic of the paper is food science and health, but is interesting and broad enough for any students with science in their curriculum to understand and enjoy.

How much time is required for the event?

The escape room will be open from 12:30 – 2:30 pm AEST (12:00 – 2:00 pm ACST) on Monday 14 August. We are expecting students to finish the room within an hour, so if you are scheduling this for your students you only need to allot one hour (within the two-hour frame).

What input is required from the teacher and school?

We require teachers to sign up students/student teams as the competition involves prizes for both the students and the school. You can sign up students by sending an e-mail to wri@adelaide.edu.au with the following information:

Name of school
Team name (this can be something fun, it will come up on our leader board so make sure students keep it clean)
Name of student(s)
Contact details (e-mail) and name of teacher

How do students view their score?

To view your score, make sure to enter your registered name or team name when requested at the start of the game. After finishing the escape room, you will be taken back to the event homepage where you can view the preliminary scoreboard.

What about prizes?