Solution to For Better or For Worse
The puzzle is presented as a set of 40 images, followed by a 10×10 grid. In the set of 40 images, the characters depicted are generally unhappy.
The characters are unhappy because they are using the wrong tools for the job. Some of them are using tools that are too poor, and need to be made better, and some are using tools that are too good, and need to be made worse.
For example, this person is using butt to flavor their bread. They need better butt, or butter, to be satisfied.
Meanwhile, the officer of the law is attempting to verify her credentials using a badger. The badger is too badge for the task, and needs to be worse; that is, a badge would work.
The items to identify are in alphabetical order:
- ants → answer
- arm → armor
- badger → badge
- bat → batter
- beak → beaker
- bee → beer
- blaze → blazer
- border → board
- boxer → box (the boxer can’t hold all those limes)
- butch → butcher
- butt → butter
- call → collar
- count → counter
- crater → crate (the crater can hold all those limes, but it has other issues)
- dresser → dress
- folder → fold
- gator → gate
- ham → hammer
- joke → joker
- lad → ladder
- mast → master
- moth → mother
- mugger → mug
- newt → neuter
- number → numb
- pauper → pop
- poke → poker
- quart → quarter
- rays → razor
- room → rumor
- sauce → saucer
- soccer → sock
- sticker → stick
- sweat → sweater
- tail → tailor
- tie → tire
- tuber → tube
- wat → water
- whisk → whisker
- worry → warrior
Coloring in the ‘paint by numbers’ image with different colors for better and worse reveals the answer: BOOTS
