Each correct answer advances the player or team along a track printed on the scorecard; they win by being the first to reach the end.
The questions are worded in Canadian-English, with Canadian terminology and spelling, and are not localized for the American, UK or Australian markets.
MindTrap was originally released as a board game in carton packaging with over 500 puzzles printed on cards and a playing board (printed on paper) by Pressman Toy Corporation in Canada and the US in 1991, by Blue Opal in Australia and by Spears Games in the UK.
Tin packaged versions of the game were released by Paul Lamond in the UK, and later by Pressman Toy Corporation and the Great American Puzzle Factory as tenth anniversary editions.
Readers assemble the puzzle to discover clues to match wits against Detective Shadow in a race to solve the crime.