Crate Escape (also known as Social Network and Paradise Lost) is a recurring physical and mental challenge that originated in Survivor: South Pacific and was later used in Edge of Extinction and Survivor 44.
Rules[]
Tribes must race through a series of obstacles before solving a Klotski puzzle. The first tribe to solve their puzzle and get their large crate on their finish platform wins. In Survivor 44, the puzzle was changed to a simple slide puzzle of the Survivor 44 logo.
History[]
United States[]
The challenge first appeared as a combined Reward/Immunity Challenge in South Pacific where four members of each tribe had to unwind ribbons from a very tall pole to release a set of keys which would be used to free the other four tribe members. The other four members must then solve the puzzle, after which, the first four members could help them lift the final piece onto the finish platform. Upolu took an early lead into the puzzle, but Savaii managed to catch up, narrowly finishing their puzzle ahead of Upolu to win, sending Upolu to their first Tribal Council.
The challenge reappeared as the first Reward/Immunity Challenge in Edge of Extinction, where each tribe had to first maneuver through a rope obstacle. One person then had to climb to the top of a rope to ring a bell, after which, each tribe then had to climb a rope ladder to a platform, where one tribe member must cross a three-tier balance beam. Once across the beam, they would then untie knots to make the balance beam wider for the rest of the tribe to cross. One person must then climb to the top of a crow's nest to release a slide. Once down the slide, six members then had to solve the puzzle. Kama pulled out ahead when most members of Manu had difficulty crossing the balance beam and under Julia Carter's direction, solved their puzzle first to win, sending Manu to Tribal Council.
The challenge appeared as the first Immunity Challenge in Survivor 44. Soka held on to a dominant lead throughout the challenge and was the first tribe to reach their puzzle. They capitalized on their time advantage to win the challenge. Meanwhile, Brandon Cottom was worn out by heat exhaustion, costing Ratu their most physically capable player and allowing Helen Li to guide Tika to win the challenge.
Australia[]
A variation of the giant slide puzzle concept was used in the opening Reward Challenge in Brains v Brawn (2021). The tribes started by selecting one of two tasks to retrieve a key: Either the mentally challenging task of solving a Klotski puzzle, or the physically taxing task of chopping through a log. Once the key has been retrieved, one member will climb up a tower to act as a caller, while their tribemates unlock a gate and enter the puzzle area, where they will move letter tiles around a central hub to spell their tribe name in five of six arms of the puzzle. The first tribe to complete their puzzle wins. Gerald Youles helped Brawn get a strong lead after his dominant showing at the woodchopping task, which Simon Mee extended as his tribe's caller. Meanwhile, the Brains struggled in retrieving their key and fell further behind when they struggled to coordinate their moves, thus allowing Brawn to clinch the victory.
Winners[]
| Episode | Challenge Type | Winners |
|---|---|---|
| South Pacific "He Has Demons" |
Tribal Reward/Immunity |         Savaii |
| Edge of Extinction "It Smells Like Success" |
Tribal Reward/Immunity |          Kama |
| Survivor 44 "I Can't Wait to See Jeff" |
Tribal Immunity |       Soka |
     Tika |
| Episode | Challenge Type | Winners |
|---|---|---|
| Brains v Brawn (2021) Episode 1 |
Tribal Reward |             Brawn |
Gallery[]
