A Christmas office scavenger hunt works when the clues are clever enough for adults, simple enough to solve during a short party and respectful of the workplace. The route below uses shared spaces such as the printer, break room and supply cupboard—never private drawers, personal bags or restricted areas.
You can copy the clues onto cards, send them one at a time in a team chat or display them on a shared screen. Most offices need only 8–12 clues, so choose locations that exist in your building and skip the rest.
Quick answer: For a 20-minute hunt, make teams of three or four and use clues 1, 3, 5, 8, 11, 14, 18 and 23. Give each team the same route in a different order to prevent crowding.
Choose the right format
| Office type | Best format | Recommended length |
|---|---|---|
| Small office | One shared clue trail | 8–10 clues |
| Large department | Parallel routes in different orders | 10–12 clues |
| Open-plan workplace | Photo-and-find list | 15–20 finds |
| Hybrid team | Digital clues plus desk-safe photos | 8 virtual tasks |
| Short lunch break | Five-clue sprint | 10–12 minutes |
Before hiding the clues
- Get permission. Confirm the activity with the office manager or facilities contact.
- Set no-go zones. Exclude private offices, occupied meeting rooms, filing cabinets, kitchens in active use and emergency equipment.
- Test every answer. Ask one coworker who is not playing to walk the route.
- Use removable tape. Never attach cards to screens, fire doors, artwork or sensitive equipment.
- Stagger the teams. Start teams two minutes apart or give them different clue orders.
- Set a hard finish time. A good office hunt ends before it interrupts normal work.
27 Christmas office scavenger hunt clues with answers
1. The printer
Clue: I swallow white sheets and return them with ink; when the deadline is close, I am slower than you think.
Answer: Printer or copier.
2. The recycling bin
Clue: Finished with paper? Do not throw it away. Find the place where yesterday gets another day.
Answer: Paper recycling bin.
3. The coffee machine
Clue: Before the first meeting and after lunch too, coworkers visit me for a warm little brew.
Answer: Coffee machine.
4. The refrigerator
Clue: I keep lunches chilly behind one door; check the outside, not anyone’s drawer.
Answer: Office refrigerator.
5. The meeting-room calendar
Clue: I tell you which room is busy and when; find where bookings begin and end.
Answer: Meeting-room schedule or booking screen.
6. The noticeboard
Clue: Announcements gather where pushpins stay; find the board with office news on display.
Answer: Noticeboard.
7. The clock
Clue: I have hands but type no email; I watch every meeting run over without fail.
Answer: Wall clock.
8. The supply cupboard
Clue: Pens, tape and paper wait out of sight; open only the shared door to find what is right.
Answer: Shared supply cupboard.
9. The stapler
Clue: I bite paper gently but leave no pain; press once and the pages stay in a chain.
Answer: Stapler.
10. The water cooler
Clue: Conversations begin where empty cups fill; find the cool stop that helps everyone chill.
Answer: Water cooler or dispenser.
11. The reception desk
Clue: Visitors meet me before the team; I am the workplace’s welcoming scene.
Answer: Reception desk. Ask the receptionist before placing anything there.
12. The office plant
Clue: I work without salary and grow without praise; find the green teammate brightening our days.
Answer: A shared office plant.
13. The umbrella stand
Clue: On rainy mornings I hold what keeps you dry; look near the entrance where wet handles lie.
Answer: Umbrella stand.
14. The microwave
Clue: I turn cold leftovers warm with a beep; find me where lunchtime aromas creep.
Answer: Microwave.
15. The first-aid sign
Clue: Safety comes first, so learn where I stand; find the sign—but touch nothing inside or by hand.
Answer: First-aid location sign. Do not hide a clue inside the kit.
16. The company logo
Clue: You see me in emails, signs and the hall; find the biggest version of our symbol of all.
Answer: A wall-mounted company logo or brand sign.
17. The coat rack
Clue: Jackets take a break while their owners work; find the shared place where winter coats lurk.
Answer: Coat rack or cloakroom sign.
18. The shredder
Clue: I turn old pages into narrow snow, but only approved documents should ever go.
Answer: Paper shredder. Attach the clue nearby, never through the opening.
19. The hand-sanitizer station
Clue: One quick press before you eat; find the clean stop that guards every greet.
Answer: Shared hand-sanitizer dispenser.
20. The fire-exit map
Clue: I show the safe route when leaving is key; look, do not cover or remove anything from me.
Answer: Fire-exit map. Place the clue on a nearby surface, never on the safety notice.
21. The whiteboard
Clue: Ideas arrive in colour and vanish with spray; find the smooth board where teams plan the day.
Answer: Shared whiteboard.
22. The lost-and-found box
Clue: Bottles and scarves wait here to go home; find the shared box where lost objects roam.
Answer: Lost-and-found area.
23. The break-room table
Clue: No agenda is needed when coworkers meet; find the table where lunch takes a seat.
Answer: Break-room or lunch table.
24. The video-conference screen
Clue: Remote teammates appear when meetings begin; find the room where their faces come in.
Answer: Video-conference display. Place the card nearby, not on the screen.
25. The mail area
Clue: Parcels and letters pause on their way; find the shared station that sorts every day.
Answer: Mailroom or shared delivery shelf.
26. The holiday decoration
Clue: I sparkle in December but send no report; find one festive object that is not too short.
Answer: A shared Christmas decoration chosen by the organizer.
27. The final prize
Clue: Your route is complete and the finish is near; return to the host for a little holiday cheer.
Answer: Event host or prize table.
Three ready-made routes
10-minute route
Printer → coffee machine → noticeboard → supply cupboard → break-room table → host.
20-minute route
Reception → company logo → office plant → meeting-room calendar → whiteboard → refrigerator → mail area → host.
Large-office parallel route
Give every team the same eight locations in a different order. Teams photograph the location beside a numbered card instead of collecting hidden clues. This prevents one team from accidentally removing another team’s card.
Scoring options that avoid chaos
- Traditional trail: The first team back with the correct final code wins.
- Points hunt: One point per location and two points for a creative team photo.
- Accuracy first: Deduct one point for entering a no-go zone or naming the wrong answer.
- No-running rule: Any team seen running waits 30 seconds before continuing.
- Photo-only version: Teams submit images in one shared channel; no cards are removed.
Hybrid and remote variation
Pair each remote participant with an in-office team. The remote teammate solves digital riddles, checks answers and receives photo evidence. Add tasks such as “show a festive mug,” “find something red and green,” “recreate a Christmas-tree shape with desk objects” or “share a holiday tradition in ten words.” Do not require anyone to show their home or personal belongings.
Workplace safety and inclusion
Keep every clue in a public shared area. Never hide cards inside equipment, near hot surfaces, behind emergency signage or among confidential documents. Offer a seated or remote role, avoid religious assumptions in team tasks and call the activity a holiday hunt if that better matches the workplace. Participation should always be optional.
For a full party around the hunt, combine it with our Christmas office games for small teams or these games for large departments. Planning a different season? Adapt the structure from our Halloween scavenger hunt clues for adults and teens.
Frequently asked questions
How many clues should an office scavenger hunt have?
Use five or six clues for a 10-minute activity, eight to twelve for a 20–30-minute party segment and no more than fifteen during a standard workday. Fewer well-tested clues are better than a long route with bottlenecks.
What prizes work for coworkers?
Small shared prizes—snack boxes, coffee vouchers, desk plants or first choice at the dessert table—keep the competition light. Check company gift policies before offering cash or expensive items.
Can I run the hunt without printing?
Yes. Send clues through a team chat, QR code or shared presentation. Release the next clue only after a team submits the correct answer or photo.
How do I stop teams from following each other?
Use different starting points, shuffle the route order and ask teams to collect photo evidence rather than physical cards. A two-minute stagger also helps in smaller offices.
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