[Reed

A character who finds themselves in a jail cell and explores a suspicious underground chamber in Escape Academy 2: Back 2 School.

Verification: Human verified

Reed is a student or participant at the Academy in Escape Academy 2: Back 2 School, first encountered in a jail cell during the school's opening events [src-d382bce65e]. Later in the story, Reed accompanies the player to investigate a suspicious underground chamber hidden beneath the Arts Campus [src-d382bce65e]. This guide covers where to find Reed, what to take from him, and how he factors into the puzzles around him.

Who Reed Is

Reed is one of the Academy's students or participants. In the launch trailer, Reed reacts to waking up in a cell with the line "This is not how I imagined my first jail cell," and later exclaims "OK suspicious, underground chamber. Let's see those secrets!" [src-d382bce65e]. These two moments mark his two main appearances: the jail-cell escape early in the game and the underground-chamber investigation later on.

Finding Reed in the Jail Cell

During the opening jail sequence, Reed is locked in one of the cells in the corridor alongside the player and other students. You cannot free anyone immediately — you need to gather items from each prisoner first.

1. Work through the corridor's puzzles until you reach the locker on the far side. Solve the "Giving Spoilers" tile puzzle by arranging the tiles to read the largest possible number, 9542, then enter that code on the locker and take the UV Light [src-0dc02cf791].
2. Approach Reed's cell and talk to Reed to take the yarn from him [src-0dc02cf791]. You will also need the gum from Gillian and the hook from Kira.
3. Combine the yarn, hook, and chewed gum in your cell to craft a fishing rod [src-0dc02cf791].
4. Use the fishing rod on the pit in the middle of the corridor to fish out the Warden's Key [src-0dc02cf791].
5. Use the Warden's Key on each of your friends' doors — including Reed's — to release them [src-0dc02cf791].

Reed's yarn is a mandatory component of the fishing rod, so you cannot complete the jail escape without visiting his cell.

Reed and the Underground Chamber

Later, in the "A Monumental Discovery" section of the game, head to the top of the Arts Campus and open the locked '40' gate. Talk to Reed and Gillian by the statue, then choose "Let's find that chamber" to switch the area to night time [src-0dc02cf791]. From there, the chamber sequence proceeds:

1. Open the door requiring 40 puzzle pieces.
2. Solve the five-colour door lock by matching the lock positions on the wall of names to the coloured names: OLIVE, RUBY, BROWNstone, VIOLETte, and WHYTE [src-0dc02cf791].
3. Follow the footsteps away from the door, noting each symbol: a handprint near a right-angle symbol, a sideways envelope, a diamond within a square, then a right angle, a box with a sideways 'T', and a sideways envelope missing its bottom line [src-0dc02cf791].
4. Use the cipher to decode the symbols — they spell UNMASK [src-0dc02cf791].
5. Return to the statue, wear the glasses, and input UNMASK into the lock. Climb down the revealed ladder and open the door at the bottom [src-0dc02cf791].

Tips

• Don't skip talking to Reed in the jail — the yarn is required, and there is no alternative source for it in that sequence [src-0dc02cf791].
• Keep the UV Light equipped after the jail escape; you will need it again for the blackboard clue in the cells (rotating the lights to match the arrows) and later for the statue lock [src-0dc02cf791].
• When you reach the chamber, pick up the spectacles and equip them immediately — the UNMASK input requires wearing the glasses [src-0dc02cf791].
• Before descending, grab the key from the skeleton's hand, plus the Oil Bottle, Jar of Ink, Wine Bottle, and Jar of Honey from the shelves in the first chamber [src-0dc02cf791].

Rewards

Freeing Reed and the other prisoners with the Warden's Key opens the path through the main door. In the chamber sequence, decoding UNMASK and descending the ladder grants access to the First Chamber, where the Skeleton Key opens the bone-marked chest containing a Photograph and Duster Brush [src-0dc02cf791].

Details

status

Student or participant

Sources

• Escape Academy 2: Back 2 School walkthrough - Full guide and puzzle ...
• Escape Academy 2: Back 2 School - Launch Trailer