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Adults can use the same approach when comparing strategies. One person may begin with the center because that is where the main characters are located. Another may immediately inspect the corners because puzzle designers often hide objects away from the focal point. Someone else may search for shapes instead of locations. Comparing those methods can be more interesting than simply recording who finished first. Different search strategies reveal how people organize visual information.
The puzzle can become especially frustrating when only one object remains. After finding three items, people often repeatedly inspect the same areas where they already succeeded. At that stage, it is helpful to deliberately change strategy. If the first objects were found around the people and bed, focus exclusively on the floor or edges. If searching by location has failed, search by geometric features. Changing the question from “Where is the lipstick?” to “Where is there a narrow cylindrical shape?” can make a significant difference.
Another useful tactic is to ignore color. Hidden objects are often shaded to match their backgrounds, which makes color an unreliable clue. Shape and line direction can provide more useful information. A series of perfectly parallel lines among irregular hair strands may reveal the comb. Straight corners in an area dominated by soft fabric can reveal the gift box. A narrow rigid-looking form along a curved blanket can reveal the lipstick.
The four objects also differ in how much context works against them. The comb is connected conceptually with hair, but physically placing it inside the hairstyle creates confusion. The gift box has no strong visual relationship with bedding, yet its geometric edges blend with folds. The mirror is hidden partly through location because attention is focused higher in the scene. The lipstick combines an unexpected location with a shape that can easily resemble part of the comforter. Each hiding method exploits perception slightly differently.