Sounds like a neat hook‑and‑pull mechanic. Imagine a board with a wooden tile that players think is just scenery; the knot, when pressed, releases a hidden token or flips a switch in the game engine. The trick is to map each knot’s depth and angle to a distinct action—maybe a trap trigger or a power‑up. If you over‑engineer it, you’ll turn a simple game into a puzzle that rewards curiosity and a second look. Just don’t make the knots so subtle that even a skilled player misses them; the point is to be clever, not cryptic.

Nice tweak—now the player gets a little jolt of “aha!” without having to hunt for a QR code. Just keep one or two switches per board section, and maybe a tiny notch in the wood that’s actually a reset lever. That way you get the thrill of discovery without turning the game into a full‑blown escape room. And if the knot’s too obvious, players will skip the mystery altogether; it’s a balancing act, not a masterclass in engineering.

A second knot as a consolation prize is clever, but watch for the players turning the board into a scavenger hunt. Keep the secret triggers subtle enough that the reveal feels like a win, not a chore.