Twins
by Jay Lorch and

Michelle Teague

(Answer)
Answer: GRAPHICAL

The puzzle packet contained two copies of this puzzle. The first trick was to notice that this was not an error, and that the two copies were not quite identical. There were various clues to this: the title is ``Twins,'' suggesting the twinning of the puzzle was not an accident; the blurbs talk about twins whose lives were nearly identical, suggesting these twins are nearly but not quite identical; and the blurbs themselves are nearly but not quite identical.

Once you realize this, it's clear the puzzle is one of those ``find the differences'' puzzles where you figure out the ways in which the pictures differ.

You should find the following nine differences:

  1. One of the torch flames has more internal detail.
  2. One of the torch handles is longer.
  3. One of the robes has a collar.
  4. One of the tablets has writing.
  5. The lower right of the bottom-most clouds are different sizes.
  6. One of the robes has an extra vertical line at its bottom.
  7. A bird is perched on one of the statues.
  8. An extra wave appears in the lower left of one of the drawings.
  9. A period follows the word ``Liberty'' in one version.

The final step is to convert these differences into a final answer. If you extend the grid lines by drawing horizontal and vertical lines through the drawing, you will notice that each of the differences lies within a single ``square'' of the grid. The column and row headings for each difference can be combined to form a letter and an offset, e.g., Y +13. This can be converted to a letter by indexing into the alphabet. For example, Y +13 gives L because if you go 13 letters past Y in the alphabet (wrapping around the end of the alphabet if necessary), you reach the letter L.

The differences yield the following leters:

DifferenceGrid locationLetter
FlameA+7H
Torch handleA+2C
CollarQ+1R
Tablet writingG+9P
CloudC+6I
Vertical robe lineQ+10A
BirdU+12G
WaveY+13L
PeriodW+4A

The resulting letters, when anagrammed, form the answer, GRAPHICAL. This adjective can mean either ``formed by drawing'' or ``appearing on a coordinate grid'', both of which describe the puzzle.