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MADiSON has some fiendish puzzles to balance out the intense horror setpieces situated around the haunted house. Despite hints of nightmarish creatures lurking in the darkness, players may become stumped by the obtuse numbering required to progress further.

In the attic, four pictures need to be collected and put back on the wall in the right order. However, there is more to solving this puzzle than matching the outlines of each picture frame, along with avoiding MADiSON's terrifying scares.

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All four pictures can be obtained through a little exploration, but solving their location changes with each playthrough. The puzzle solution changes between playthroughs, but the concept is always the same, so players should be sure to read each step and not try to copy the image references.

Where to Find All the Pictures

MADiSON corridor with portraits

Square Portrait: Found already on one of the walls in the attic. It's important to remember it may move location depending on your playthrough, but it will always be on the wall and ready for solving the puzzle, so it doesn't need to be put in the inventory until later.

Diamond Portrait: The diamond portrait can also be found in the attic by the bed frame. It is tucked away beside a desk on the left-hand side when entering and comes with a written message on the back. To save space in the inventory, it is recommended that players only pick it up when all four portraits have been found.

MADiSON's heart key used to unlock the grandparent's room.

Heart Key: In order to progress and find the other two portraits, grab the Heart Key hanging up on the corner beam. This key can be used to unlock the grandparent's room down an adjoining corridor, signaled by a black and white image of two people hanging on the door.

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The hexagonal-shaped portrait can be found inside this room, but it cannot be unlocked until a later point. Taking a picture of the conspicuous sliding wall will reveal its location, which is unlocked by putting all medallions in the correct order.

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Circle Portrait: Once inside the grandparent's room, interacting with the large cupboard on the left of the double bed will reveal a pile of photo slides. The path to the circular portrait is found past the creepy statue location (as outlined in the Medallion Puzzle solution guide.)

Beyond the slide projector is the grandfather's office; inside this room, a circular portrait can be found on the wall used for the attic puzzle. A green and red safe can also be found in this room, but they cannot be opened at this point in the game.

Hexagon Portrait: As seen above, the fourth and final portrait can be obtained by collecting all three medallions and putting them in the grandparent's room diorama. Once the correct order is used, the door will slide away. Players will need a hammer to remove the planks of wood barricading the door.

After the picture is grabbed, quickly open the hatch that has just been revealed to reveal another plot-important prop. Some spooky events will occur after examining the locket, so be on guard for any flickering lights and moving statues.

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How to Solve The Mathematical Portrait Puzzle

MADiSON Instant Polaroid showing a hidden number over the portrait outline

Once all four portraits have been obtained, head back to the attic. On the way, players may catch a glimpse of Madison in the statue's alcove, but she cannot attack the player. Once upstairs, players can use the instant camera to take pictures of the empty shapes on the wall, which reveals a number in the photos.

Several hints have been provided to point players in the right direction, such as the sudden TV broadcast and the visible number when peeking through the wall hole in the attic. Both clues reveal the number 43, which adds a lot of context to the note on the attic picture about "adding and subtracting" age.

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The age written on each picture frame will need to be added or subtracted from the hidden numbers on the wall. In summary, each portrait must be put back on a portrait spot to make a total of 43. The numbers and their positions will change between playthroughs, but here is a quick numerical guide for players:

Square Portrait = 5, place on hidden number 38 (5 + 38 = 43)

Diamond Portrait = 56, place on hidden number 13 (56 - 13 = 43)

Circle Portrait = 33, place on hidden number 10 (33 + 10 = 43)

Hexagonal Portrait = 68, place on hidden number 25 (68 - 25 = 43)

The attic lights should start flickering when all portraits have been placed correctly. After this challenging horror puzzle, players can examine the hole in the attic wall again, leading them to the next spooky location.

MADiSON is available on Nintendo Switch, PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.

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