How to solve the portrait puzzle in MADiSON

 We talk about how to deal with four portraits, where to hang them, and what all these numbers are for

MADiSON features some challenging puzzles that allowed the game's authors to strike a good balance between horror and history. Despite hints that players will face a real manifestation of evil, significant problems for them may arise due to another difficult puzzle that they have to solve.

In the attic, you must collect four paintings (two are in the attic itself, two are elsewhere) and then hang them back on the wall in the correct order. However, solving this puzzle is more than just matching the outlines of each frame and spot on the wall. In MADiSON, nothing is that simple.

All four paintings can be obtained through a short exploration of the game world, although their location changes with each playthrough. The solution to the puzzle also changes, although the concept remains the same. Thus, study our guide, but do not refer to pictures or any specific examples.

Where to find all the paintings

Square Portrait: Hanging on one of the walls in the attic. It is important to remember that it can move around depending on your playthrough, but will always be on the attic wall. Thus, this portrait is already prepared for solving the puzzle, so it does not need to be touched. Don't stock up on them.

Diamond Portrait: This portrait is also in the attic, by the bed frame. Look next to the table on the left side when entering the attic. There is a written message on the back of it. To save space in your inventory, take it only after you find all the others.

Heart Key: To go further and find two other portraits, take the heart key hanging from the corner beam of the attic. This key will unlock the grandparents' bedroom in the next hallway. Be guided by a black and white photograph of two people hanging on the door.

Inside this room, you can find a hexagonal portrait, but you can pick it up a little later. Photographing the conspicuous sliding wall reveals its location, which can be unlocked by placing all of the sun medallions in the correct order.

Round portrait: Once in the grandparents' room, interacting with the large closet to the left of the double bed, you will find a stack of photo slides. The path to the round portrait is behind a creepy statue. Behind the overhead projector is Grandpa's office; inside this room, there is a round portrait hanging on the wall, needed for the puzzle in the attic. You can also find green and red safes in this room, but you won't be able to open them at this stage of the game.

Hexagonal Portrait: As seen above, the fourth, a.k.a. final portrait can be obtained by collecting all three medallions and placing them in the diorama in the grandparents' bedroom. Once you place them in the correct order, the door to the next room will open. You will have to tear out wooden boards with a hammer and get into a small utility room.

After picking up the last portrait, quickly open the hatch to get another important plot prop. After studying the locket, terrible events will occur, so be prepared for this.

How to solve the puzzle with portraits and why there are numbers in it

Once you have all four portraits, return to the attic. Along the way, players in the niche of the statue will see Madison but don't worry, because she won't be able to attack. After going upstairs, use the camera to take pictures of the empty positions under the paintings on the wall. Examine the photos in your inventory to see certain numbers.

You need to use a few tips to figure out which positions to hang portraits in. During the TV broadcast, if you look into the hole in the attic wall, you can see a certain number. In both cases, I got the number "43" which is related to addition and subtraction (another clue).

The age written on each picture frame must be added or subtracted from the hidden numbers on the wall (seen in the photographs). Thus, you must hang the portraits so that the sum or subtraction gives the number "43". The numbers and their position will change from run to run, but here is one example:

• The square portrait "5" should be set to the position with the hidden number "38" (5+38=43).
• Diamond portrait "56", must be placed in the position with the hidden number "13" (56-13=43)
• Round portrait "33", you need to set to the position with the hidden number "10" (33+10=43).
• Hexagonal portrait "68", must be placed in the position with the hidden number "25" (68-25=43)

If the portraits are hung correctly, then the light flickers in the attic. After this terribly difficult puzzle, you will be able to look through the hole in the attic wall and find yourself in yet another spooky place.