Staff Reports | Business & Commerce
Puzzle Rides is marking its 10th anniversary with the launch of a new Scottsdale puzzle adventure and an expanded corporate team-building program.
The Scottsdale- and Prescott-based company, which combines golf cart tours with escape room-style scavenger hunts, has evolved significantly since its beginnings as a free golf cart shuttle service in 2016, according to a press release.
Founded as Ride Prescott and Ride Scottsdale, the business originally provided complimentary transportation for residents in Prescott during the summer months and in Scottsdale during the winter. In 2020, owner Katie Dufort reimagined the concept and introduced Puzzle Rides.
“I wanted this golf cart business to be more than just a taxi service,” Ms. Dufort said. “I wanted to start something more exciting and experimental.”
Today, Puzzle Rides offers guided puzzle adventures through Old Town Scottsdale and historic downtown Prescott. Participants ride by golf cart with a puzzle master, solving clues while visiting local landmarks and businesses.
Ms. Dufort said the concept was inspired by a family visit to an escape room in January 2020.
“I had this shuttle service, but I wanted to do something more interactive, and I didn’t want to step on the toes of some of the amazing tour companies in Scottsdale,” Ms. Dufort said. “One day I went to an escape room with my daughter, and while working on a combination, I thought, ‘I could do this on a golf cart’.”
The company has expanded its offerings over the past decade, including opening a puzzle store in Prescott in April 2025. The store is Arizona’s only dedicated puzzle retail shop, according to a press release.
As part of its anniversary celebration, Puzzle Rides announced “Time Trap Escape,” its first new puzzle ride since 2022. The Scottsdale-based experience is scheduled to open in October.
The company also is launching Relay MAX, a team-building experience designed for corporate groups of up to 300 participants.
“This is a big corporate scavenger hunt on property at hotels. It’s a fun way to build teams and replicate corporate life,” Ms. Dufort said. “We wanted to create a fun event that actually provided good ROI for companies.”
During the event, Puzzle Rides tracks participant performance and generates a team-dynamics report based on data collected throughout the experience.
“Before starting this company, I was in a corporate sales background, so this was an opportunity to use my professional background to grow our services while providing companies with data that can help them assess their strengths and weaknesses,” Ms. Dufort said.
The company plans to open a second puzzle store in Scottsdale at a future date.
As Puzzle Rides celebrates its 10-year milestone, Ms. Dufort credited customers, local businesses and community partners in Scottsdale and Prescott for helping the company grow.
“We would not be where we are today without Old Town Scottsdale and Prescott lifting us up,” Ms. Dufort said. “Everyone from the small business owners who collaborate with us, the local chambers and governments that support us, and the customers who keep enjoying our experiences is the reason we are here ten years later.”
