13 Indoor Scavenger Hunt Lists for Adults

You found our list of indoor scavenger hunt lists for adults.

Indoor scavenger hunt lists for adults are collections of items you can use during fun worksite search games with your team. Examples of these lists include items around the office as well as clues and riddles that add puzzle solving to the activity. The purpose of indoor scavenger hunt lists for adults is to give players a challenging selection of objects to search for.

Indoor scavenger hunt lists for adults are great for incorporating creative ideas like photo scavenger hunts, which require players to snap pictures on their phones instead of collecting physical items. You can adapt these lists to use for virtual scavenger hunts for remote teams as well.

This list includes:

• funny scavenger hunt ideas for adults
• indoor scavenger hunt clues
• indoor scavenger hunt riddles for adults with answers
• birthday indoor scavenger hunt for adults

Here we go!

List of indoor scavenger hunt lists for adults

Whether your selection includes items with a color theme or searching for objects with common qualities, here are some lists to make your indoor scavenger hunt for adults an inspired event.

1. Set them off on a color quest

You can get your searchers in a hued mood by creating a list of colorful items for them to find. Listing specific items in particular colors will add a challenging twist.

Some items you can use on your list include:

• Red pencil
• Black staple remover
• Blue highlighter
• Orange sticky note
• Purple filing label
• Yellow coffee cup
• Pink eraser
• White paper clip
• Brown dry-erase marker
• Green notepad
• Silver thumbtack
• Red rubber band
• Orange-handled scissors
• Blue marker
• Silver box cutter
• Gold paper fastener
• Amber ruler
• Gray tape dispenser
• Tan envelope
• Black pencil cup

You can expand your list to include multiple targets, such as a red pencil and a yellow pencil, a green notepad and a yellow notepad, and a blue permanent marker and a red permanent marker. This format will allow each player to decide on the item they like best.

2. Send them searching by size

To add an element of deduction to the game, choose objects in an array of sizes. By specifying scale only, you can test player creativity to see what treasures they come up with.

Some possibilities for a size-oriented search include:

• Smaller than a credit card but larger than a nickel
• Larger than a smartphone but smaller than a lunchbox
• Wider than a magazine but thinner than a dictionary
• Taller than a keyboard but shorter than a computer monitor
• Thinner than a pencil but thicker than a toothpick
• Shorter than a desk chair but taller than a tennis shoe
• Smaller than a ketchup packet but larger than a peanut
• Longer than a fork but shorter than a ruler
• Larger than a thumb but smaller than a hand
• Thicker than a crepe but thinner than a hamburger
• Smaller than a mouse but larger than a thumb drive
• Taller than a coffee mug but shorter than a Hydro Flask
• Larger than a paper clip but smaller than a desktop picture frame
• Longer than a business card but shorter than an index card

Players may find many items that qualify for each size description. To help teams keep their choices straight, provide space on the list for seekers to write the object next to each clue.

3. Get them seeking by shape

With so many possible items to find on an indoor scavenger hunt, you can organize a collection that uses shape as a key feature.

Some shapes and shape descriptions you can use for your selections include:

• Circle
• Square
• Rectangle
• Triangle
• Sphere
• Diamond
• Heart
• Star
• Oval
• Cylinder
• Cube
• Long and skinny
• Short and round
• Cone
• Dome
• Abstract
• Ring
• Bowl
• Jagged
• Folded in half

In addition to general shapes, you can include specific shapes of items around your workspace. For example, if your hunt occurs in a manufacturing facility, you can use descriptions of tools and mechanical elements on your list.

4. Coordinate items by their use

A search for items that have particular uses will put players’ imaginations to use. If you keep your descriptions broad, then your workers can interpret the clues differently and bring back fun surprises!

Some objects you can add to your selections include objects that:

• keep time
• humans can eat
• smell nice
• taste sweet
• help you see
• connect other things
• keep two things separate
• keep spaces clean
• make noise
• require batteries
• shine or reflect
• give off light
• make your work easier
• make your work harder
• cost less than $1
• cost more than $10
• can fit in a pocket
• can roll on a flat surface
• are virtually unbreakable
• require refills

These qualities provide an exciting challenge for the game maker as well as for the players. By using broad descriptions, you can expand the range of possible objects for teams to retrieve.

5. Have them look by location

Arranging your hunt by locations around the workspace lets you create a voyage of discovery, complete with a treasure map! You can choose places to plant the items players are searching for to ensure an object is in every location on the list.

Some ideas for locations include:

• On a shelf above your head
• On a shelf below your knee
• Hanging vertically on a wall or cabinet
• In a room on the west, east, north, or south side
• In a cabinet
• In a drawer
• In a closet
• On a desktop
• In a room with food
• Under a folder
• Beneath a desk
• On a computer screen
• Near the refrigerator
• Behind a closed door
• On a paper document
• In an envelope
• In a flowerpot

For an added challenge, you can create clues for each item explaining what items from the mapped locations players should be looking for. Because the places you select may make it difficult for players to retrieve the items they find, try making this search a photo-based hunt instead of a physical hunt.

6. Let them find items alphabetically

You can help your hunters organize their thoughts with an alphabetical search. Your list can feature one or more items per letter for as many as you can fill.

Some items you might add to your alphabetical search include:

• Android phone
• Bathroom soap dispenser
• Clock face
• Dollar bill
• Exit sign
• First-aid kit
• Garage door
• HD screen
• Index cards
• Junior executive
• Keyboard keys
• Leadership
• Messenger bag
• Notebook
• Order form
• Price tag
• Quartz crystal
• Rolodex
• Stationery
• Telephone
• Umbrella
• Vault door
• Window
• Yellow pencil
• Zebra pen

If your list includes items players cannot retrieve, then a photo hunt will allow them to fill in the gaps with photos. Mixing photos with real items in a hybrid hunt gives your team a variety of tasks to enjoy.

7. Have them collect items by quantity

Requesting different quantities of items adds a fun challenge to the game.

• One book
• Two pens
• Three rolls of tape
• Four business cards
• Five hard candies
• Six document clips
• Seven erasers
• Eight lunch receipts
• Nine rubber bands
• Ten thumb tacks
• Eleven staples
• Twelve manila envelopes
• Thirteen mechanical lead inserts
• Fourteen pennies
• Fifteen paperclips

Requesting higher quantities of smaller items will allow you to add fun twists to your list. You can ask players to find twenty or more rice grains, M&Ms, or sunflower seeds! To ensure players can carry what they find, hand out bags or paper cups to store their objects.

8. Challenge them to pursue physical properties

You can take a cue from the classic game I Spy and organize a hunt based on physical properties. Thinking about the range of objects in your workspace will help you visualize properties that are distinct but not too obvious.

You can identify items by the following physical properties:

• Heavy
• Light
• Shiny
• Dull
• Natural
• Synthetic
• Edible
• Toxic
• Sharp
• Rounded
• Soft
• Rough
• Pointed
• Blunt
• Straight edged
• Curvy
• Colorful
• Muted
• Fragrant

When you put your cleverness to work on this scavenger hunt, you find nearly unlimited properties you can use. Some options will describe more than one possible target item, making for fun judgment calls from the game runner when the hunters return!

9. Encourage them to maneuver by materials

Using objects made of various materials for your list lets you put the power of choice in players’ hands. Each material has multiple possibilities, some of which the hunters may only develop when the pressure is on.

Some materials you can use on your list include:

• Steel
• Plastic
• Paper
• Rubber
• Cotton
• Wood
• Graphite
• Felt
• Canvas
• Cardboard
• Ceramic
• Glass
• Styrofoam
• Liquid
• Bamboo
• Yarn
• Nylon
• Clay
• Copper
• Crystal

Players may opt to include items that belong to their fellow employees as part of their loot. If so, then consider adding a photo search element to prevent confusion and avoid removing objects from their permanent locations.

10. Ask them to forage by feel

To coordinate a funny scavenger hunt ideas for adults, try choosing items that have a variety of physical textures. The tactile nature of this game will have players racking their brains to identify items that are specific to each description.

Some sensations you can use when compiling your selections include:

• Hard
• Soft
• Smooth
• Squishy
• Rough
• Feathery
• Bumpy
• Sticky
• Crinkly
• Silky
• Fluffy
• Scratchy
• Pokey
• Bouncy
• Cool
• Warm
• Slippery
• Grainy
• Powdery
• Bendable

Creating an item list chosen by touch qualities gets players thinking about the many bits and bobs around the workspace that contain different textures. Whether you provide specific targets or let your team choose their own, have players explain their logic for the objects they collect.

11. Instruct them to investigate using initials

For a brain-teasing twist on a birthday indoor scavenger hunt for adults, try creating a list of objects with initials that spell out the guest of honor’s name. You can also assemble a variety of items that begin with letters spelling “Happy Birthday.”

Some items you can include in your initial-based list include:

• Hair tie
• Adhesive tape
• Pen cap
• Pencil
• Yellow folder
• Binder clip
• Ink cartridge
• Rubber stamp
• Towel
• Hole punch
• Dime
• AA battery
• Yardstick

This initial trick will work with practically any subject. You can even use it with other list themes for a special coordinated scavenger hunt.

Indoor scavenger hunt clues

Coming up with creative indoor scavenger hunt clues allows players to seek a variety of objects. Each clue may have several target items, making the game slightly different for each hunter.

A few examples of scavenger hunt clues include:

1. It adds light to the world.

The item could be a lamp, a flashlight, a candle, or a photo of a window.

2. It helps you put your thoughts on paper.

​The item could be a pen, a pencil, a sticky note, or a notepad.

3. It keeps your documents from flying away.

​The item could be a stapler, a paperclip, a folder, or a paperweight.

4. It makes your day a little bit sweeter.

​The item could be a piece of candy, a sugar packet, or a thank-you note.

5. It gives you a clearer view.

​The item could be a pair of glasses, a screen cleaning cloth, a tube of eye drops, or a bottle of glass cleaner.

6. It helps you make up for your mistakes.

​The item could be an eraser, a bottle of white-out, or a roll of correction tape.

7. It makes things squeak, shine, and smell divine.

​The item could be hand sanitizer, a soap bar, or a small shampoo bottle.

8. It keeps its hands over its face at all times.

​The item could be an analog watch or alarm clock.

9. It gets things all mixed up.

​The item could be a coffee stir, a spoon, or a hand blender.

10. It helps freshen up the workplace.

​The item could be a fan, a can of air freshener, an essential oil diffuser, or a photo of an air conditioner or an open window.

11. It holds secrets untold and treasures unseen.

​The item could be a locked filing cabinet, an Authorized Personnel Only sign, or a photo of the log-in screen from a smartphone or computer monitor.

12. It gets people from here to there.

​The item could be a transit pass, a plane ticket, a screenshot of an Uber or Lyft reservation, or a photo of a door.

13. It might be shocking to feel the power this item holds.

​This item could be a phone charger, a surge protector, or a photo of an electrical socket.

14. It handles openings and closings remarkably well.

​This item could be a door knob, a zipper, a button, or a photo of a drawer handle.

Indoor scavenger hunt riddles for adults with answers

When you add riddles to your searchable selections, you give players a chance to take their hunting in thoughtful new directions.

Here are a few simple riddles that have multiple answers:

1. Q: What helps you hold things together but only until the time is right to separate?

A: A staple, a paper clip, or a metal fastener

2. Q: What has no voice of its own but makes sounds all day long?

A: A phone, a computer speaker, or an intercom.

3. Q: What has no kingdom but rules with great precision?

A: A ruler, a yardstick, a tape measure, or a laser level.

4. Q: What makes you fuller the emptier it gets?

A: A water bottle, a refrigerator, a lunch box, or a photo of a vending machine.

5. Q: What can give a musical performance without playing an instrument?

A: Earbuds, a music app, a sound system, or a smart speaker.

6. Q: What holds letters that never require stamps?

A: A computer keyboard, a screenshot of an email inbox, a marquee sign, or an interoffice envelope.

7. Q: What sees its fair share of ups and downs, even though it never leaves the building?

A: A photo of a staircase, an elevator, a cabinet lid, or a light switch.

8. Q: What always keeps you in the right place no matter how far forward or backward you move?

A: A bookmark, a spacebar on a computer keyboard, or a photo of a cursor.

9. Q: What tells you all you need to know but never says a word?

A: A business card, a training manual, or a brochure.

10. Q: What makes the time stand still no matter how quickly the day passes?

A: A stopwatch or stopwatch app, an unplugged clock, or a countdown clock that has reached its target date.

Conclusion

By using indoor scavenger hunt lists for adults, you can coordinate intriguing searches for unexpected objects common to your workplace. These games are great for promoting collaboration when played in small teams. Opportunities abound for you to make the activity more intriguing and add varying degrees of difficulty. With a workplace filled with items to choose from and an array of ideas for adding twists and turns, creating indoor scavenger hunt lists provides boundless fun for the game maker and the players!

For more scavenger hunt inspiration, check out these scavenger hunt ideas and treasure hunt ideas.