The secrets of Slides and Ladders: Squid Game: The Challenge team explains what viewers didn't see

Squid Game: The Challenge executive producers John Hay and Tim Harcourt are breaking down one of Season 2’s biggest moments, revealing how the massive Slides and Ladders game was built, filmed, and controlled behind the scenes.

The producers say the game looked more dangerous on television than it ever was in real life — and they’re now clarifying exactly what went on during episodes 5 through 8.

Inside Squid Game: The Challenge's Slides and Ladders

As Squid Game: The Challenge Season 2 moved into its second batch of episodes, Slides and Ladders quickly became one of the most talked-about sequences of the season.

The towering structure evoked the spectacle of the original Glass Bridge, and on camera, eliminations appeared to send players plunging toward a dramatic drop.

But the producers say none of that was what it seemed. While discussing how Slides and Ladders was constructed and filmed, in an interview with Entertainment Weekly, executive producer John Hay said,

“We can exclusively reveal that nobody fell to their death.”

While viewers saw contestants disappear down dark tunnels and appear to drop unrealistic distances, Hay said the effect was the result of editing and visual enhancement rather than physical danger.

Tim Harcourt explained how the team built the monumental structure inside the Squid Game: The Challenge set. 

“Absolutely. We ourselves were blown away,” Harcourt said. “It must have been 30 feet high.” 

He recalled entering the space for the first time, 

“I'll never forget when I first walked in… it is absolutely gigantic.”

Hay described the set from his perspective. 

“You came in through quite a small entrance, and suddenly this thing's there like a building, it was like stories high.”

How the elimination drops actually worked

While the televised version of the game makes it appear that eliminated contestants plummeted off the slides into an abyss, the producers say the real drop was much shorter. Harcourt said,

“The slides were only about 20 feet long with crash mats behind them.” 

Contestants who hit the “wrong” slide simply exited safely behind the set. 

“Thanks to the power of some great CGI, the drop from the edge of the slide is made to feel a lot higher than it is.”

Hay reiterated that safety was the priority,

“It felt like… There was the license to imagine that we were in a world where people fell further or were at a greater height… but nobody fell to their death.”

According to Hay, some players screamed on the way down — including him.

“I did the slide, and I screamed out,” he admitted.

But Harcourt said most contestants were too stunned to vocalize anything meaningful. 

“I didn't recall hearing anyone, actually… it was a bit more muted.”

He noted that many players were too overwhelmed by the realization that the game was over for them. He added, 

“It’s a big moment to be that close to that sum of money and then to not get it. It means something to people.” 

Why did players volunteer to go first? The producers explain

One of the biggest surprises of Slides and Ladders was how often contestants volunteered to take the first slide — knowing it could eliminate them.

According to Harcourt, that instinct wasn’t just a strategy; it revealed something deeper.

“That’s the other lovely moment… There are these moments of deep altruism and kindness even amongst it,” he said. “It’s a proper test of human nature.”

Return of the circle of trust

Episodes 5 through 8 of Squid Game: The Challenge also brought back Circle of Trust, a high-stress game that relies heavily on psychological pressure.

Fans questioned whether any rules were updated for Season 2, but the producers say no changes were made.

“No, we didn't tweak anything,” Harcourt confirmed. “It's still so dramatic seeing people being falsely accused… It's actually very hard.”

Hay said that the difficulty of Circle of Trust made some Season 1 accomplishments look even more impressive: 

“The feat of Phil and Mai in season 1… looks even more impressive in retrospect.”

The producers also confirmed that contestants got absolutely no practice time before competing in the final dorm shuffleboard showdown.

“They weren't even allowed one slide,” Harcourt said. “They played it for the first time, no practice.”

Why did more finalists sit at the tuxedo dinner?

Season 2 of Squid Game: The Challenge included a minor format change: five players instead of three attended the iconic tuxedo dinner.

“There's intentionality in that,” Harcourt said. “There's a surprise in the final episode… that will make much more sense of those numbers.”

Hay added that the creative team wanted to return to familiar elements while still finding ways to “do them slightly differently.”

Stay tuned for more updates.