[Lab Rat

An escape room challenge featured under the Winter Term section of the Escape Academy walkthrough.

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"Lab Rat" is an escape room challenge that appears under the Winter Term section of the Escape Academy walkthrough. It is a fairly straightforward puzzle room — one walkthrough calls it "a pretty fun puzzle with not a terribly complicated solution" [src-cc415a0c9f]. Completing the escape unlocks the "Machine Learning" achievement/trophy [src-f825a4961b].

Overview

After skipping the opening dialogue, you spawn into the lab area. The room is built around gathering a handful of items — spare change, a donut, a rat named Turmeric, and three pipe pieces — and then using them to repair a pipe system near your spawn point. Everything you need is within the room, so there is no need to backtrack or hunt for hidden items elsewhere.

Note that the room can also be played in co-op: per the achievement guide, "Lab Rat" is one of the escapes used for the "Groovin', Baby!" co-op achievement, which requires solving Quanty's Disco Fever with a partner [src-f825a4961b].

Step-by-Step Walkthrough

1. Grab the spare change. Go to the left and down the small steps into the side room. On the desk in the middle of that room you'll find spare change — pick it up, since you'll need it for the vending machine later [src-cc415a0c9f].
2. Collect the newspaper. In front of you, next to the TV on the right, is a newspaper stand. Grab the newspaper; make sure "The Escape is Times" appears on screen so you know you've collected it. This counts toward the "Extra, Extra!" achievement for reading 10 different editions of "The Escapist Times" [src-cc415a0c9f]. The newspaper itself is located in the corner of the room with the rat, between the TV and the vending machine [src-f825a4961b].
3. Use the vending machine. Next to the newspaper stand is a vending machine. Insert the change first, then type in C4 to dispense the donut. Pick up the donut once it comes out [src-cc415a0c9f]. The code C4 is confirmed in the achievement guide's solution list for the room [src-f825a4961b].
4. Lure and catch the rat. Carry the donut across the small room to a plate on the ground with a rat next to some food. The rat runs away when you approach, so place the donut on the plate to lure it out, then grab the rat from the floor. This is Turmeric, and you'll need him for the puzzle [src-cc415a0c9f].
5. Gather the three pipe pieces. All three pieces are identical:
   • One is on the couch directly next to where you picked up the rat [src-cc415a0c9f].
   • Go up the stairs and turn left at the top. On the workbench directly to your left, there is another pipe piece on the wall [src-cc415a0c9f].
   • A third piece sits next to that on the couch [src-cc415a0c9f].
6. Repair the pipe system. Walk back to near where you spawned. You'll notice a pipe system with three missing pieces. Insert the three pipe pieces into the three holes so the pipes are all connected — this is simple since all the pieces are the same [src-cc415a0c9f].

Tips

• Don't skip the change. The vending machine requires the spare change to be inserted before the C4 code will work, so grab it from the side room desk first [src-cc415a0c9f].
• Watch for the newspaper confirmation. The on-screen "The Escape is Times" message is your cue that the newspaper was successfully collected [src-cc415a0c9f].
• The pipes are interchangeable. Because all three pipe pieces are identical, you don't need to worry about which piece goes into which hole [src-cc415a0c9f].
• Playing co-op? The achievement guide lists the room's key inputs as: vending machine C4, PC Square–Circle–Square–Triangle–Circle, lasers "Safer," and virus 1101 [src-f825a4961b].

Rewards

Escaping "Lab Rat" unlocks the Machine Learning achievement/trophy [src-f825a4961b]. Along the way you'll also make progress on the Extra, Extra! achievement by collecting the room's newspaper [src-cc415a0c9f][src-f825a4961b], and if you complete the room with a partner it can contribute to the Groovin', Baby! co-op achievement [src-f825a4961b].

Details

term

Winter Term

Sources

• Escape Academy Complete Walkthrough
• Escape Academy - All Achievements/Trophies Walkthrough - 100% Puzzle Solution Guide (Xbox Game Pass)
• 100% Achievement Guide - Escape Academy