Hey there!
I was planning on making a cakeday puzzle like I did last year, but let's say I'm a bit late for that, so it's gonna be a Xmas puzzle! It will last untill the 25th.

Skippable premise:
I used to draw a lot as a child and some people used to say I had potential, but while growing up, for reasons I still don't totally comprehend, I've stopped drawing altogether. Only recently I started drawing again from time to time, when I feel like it.
What you'll see here is not perfect, I lack practice and technical knowledge, most of all when it comes down to draw human faces or coloring, but I think it's decent overall. If you find some color choice odd, consider that I'm colorblind (if the light is not optimal, I have problems descerning light green from yellow and some shades of brown from red) and that my scanner darkened the colors a bit for some reason. Anyway I'm open to any sort of criticism.

Puzzle content:
you'll see a series of drawings portraying different characters. Each character is the result of other two "famous" characters merged together (let's call them "source characters" from now on). The source characters are from videogames, comics, books, TV shows and/or movies (but almost all of them ended up in videogames anyway).
You have to:

  • Match each drawn character with the corresponding ITH question. Publishers/editors/authors/creators names of their source characters are paired there to help you with that. Double pairs have hints in order to discern which is which.
  • Name each drawn character. Their name is the result of the merge of their source characters' names. For some you have to simply overlap/substitute ending-starting syllables/letters, for others you have to switch or add them; for some is easier, for others is less intuitive. I put all the possibilites that came to my mind as right answers.

That's it. I hope it is nothing too weird/hard/nonsensical/stupid for you. If it's the case, I'll try to help a bit depending on the number of solvers.

I had to divide them into two batches because ITH has a 20 questions cap; there's a total of 31 characters (15+16).
The prize for solving the 1st part is a train with my HB leftovers from the last few months (some of them are region locked, sorry for that);
the prize for solving the 2nd part is Disco Elysium.
You have access to both parts right away:
1st part [ENDED]
2nd part [ENDED]

Enjoy!

>>>>> SOLUTIONS <<<<<

4 years ago*

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Important, choose wisely.

View Results
Potato
Pomato
Totato
Tomato

Reserved

4 years ago
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First of all I want to thank everyone for the kind words; I'm happy that most of you liked my drawings and that the puzzle was fun. Thank you, really ^^

Edit: added a hint list. I won't give any more hints, unless a lot of people have problems with a specific character.

Obviously I will still accept feedback (from the solvers) on possible better answers than the ones I've chosen or if you want to report any mistake or criticism, feel free to share.

4 years ago*
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Hints summary
1st part

  • Q1-01 The BioWare source character is part of a famous sci-fi franchise, started with a movie.
  • Q1-02 The Marvel source character is not Mystique (it's the Blizzard one who has blue skin)
  • Q1-07 The pose used as reference is from the cover of the third game in the series, but the source character is from a previous one.
  • Q1-10 The possible right answers are 5-words or 4-words long. With little difference...
  • Q1-14 I added the article in order to make it a real name combination. Otherwise it would have just been the name of one of the two source characters.

2nd part

  • Q2-02 The Square Enix source character is known with different names depending on the game you consider. You'd need eggs to cook it in real life.
  • Q2-04 HQ close-up of the logo on her head (yeah, it's a she 😓). You should be able to read the most important word there.
  • Q2-11 The name of one source character is already inside the surname of the other one. Don't think too much, just add what's missing.
  • Q2-15 The Square Enix character is not Cactuar.

Additional hints

  • At least one source character of characters drawn together share the franchise (i.e. All of the six "amergers" have an avenger as source character); in some cases, both source characters do (i.e. Both "final monster hunter fantasy world" monsters are a FF iconic monster merged with a MHW monster).
  • Access to the GAs isn't the only thing you get when solving one part of the puzzle.
  • Since I joined steam, I've played a few games featuring some of the source characters. That might help you with 10 of them (Q1-14 and Q2-02 in particular), if you know where to look.
  • Inside the same part, answers are listed in alphabetical order (my 1st choices are; alternative right answers may not follow that order)

Others

  • hints in the ITH puzzle refer solely to one of the two source characters. They are there just to let you distinguish ITH questions that have identical pairs. They have no direct relevance to the answers (i.e. "Fulgur" is not part of the answer).
4 years ago*
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>>>>> SOLUTIONS <<<<<

1st of all, I wanna thank everyone again! For participating and for the kind words most of you have spent about my drawings. It was a good boost to morale.
2nd of all, I wish you all Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays! Congratz to the winners ;)
3rd of all, here are the solutions! Answers in italic were added after the puzzle started thanks to solvers feedback.

Part 1 1st Source chararacter 2nd Source chararacter Possible answers
Q1-01 IO Interactive, Hitman series, Agent 47 Bioware, SW: KOTOR, HK-47 Agent HK-47, Agent HK47
Q1-02 Marvel, Comics/Movies, Black Widow Blizzard, Overwatch, Widowmaker Black Widowmaker
Q1-03 Nintendo, Super Mario bros/Luigi's mansion/ecc., Luigi Capcom, Street Fighter series, Chun-Li Chun Luigi, Chun Ligi, Chun Lui, Chun-Luigi, Chun-Ligi, Chun-Lui
Q1-04 Gearbox Software, Borderlands, Claptrap Marvel, Comics/Movies, Captain America Claptrap America, Claptain America, Claptraptain America, plus “Cl4p” variants
Q1-05 Game Freak, 1st gen pokemon, Electabuzz Pixar, Toy Story, Buzz Lightyear Electabuzz Lightyear
Q1-06 Marvel, Comics/Movie, Elektra Santa Monica Studio, God of War, Kratos Elektratos, Eletkratos, Elekratos, Elektkratos, Elekkratos
Q1-07 CD Project Red, The Witcher, Geralt of Rivia Ubisoft, Assassin's Creed, AltaĂŻr Ibn-La'Ahad Geraltair, Geraltair of Rivia, Geraltair Ibn-La'Ahad, GeraltaĂŻr, GeraltaĂŻr of Rivia, GeraltaĂŻr Ibn-La'Ahad
Q1-08 Marvel, Comics/Movies, Hawkeye Edmund McMillen, The Binding of Isaac, Isaac Hawkisaac, Hawkeyesaac
Q1-09 Marvel, Comics/Movies, Iron Man Ubisoft, Rayman series, Rayman Iron Rayman, Rayron Man, Rayronman
Q1-10 Charles Perrault, fairy tale, Little Red Riding Hood Marvel, Comics/Movies, Ghost Rider Little Red Ghost Riding Hood, Little Red Ghost Rider Hood, Little Ghost Red Riding Hood, Little Ghost Red Rider Hood, Little Ghost Riding Hood, Little Ghost Rider Hood, Red Ghost Riding Hood, Red Ghost Rider Hood, Ghost Red Riding Hood, Ghost Red Rider Hood
Q1-11 Nintendo, Super Mario franchise, Mario Capcom, Street Fighter series, Ryu Maryu
Q1-12 Disney, Mickey Mouse Nintendo, Super Mario franchise, Bowser Mickey Mowser, Mickey Bowser, Mickey Mouser, Mickey Bouser
Q1-13 Disney, The Lion King, Pumbaa Nintendo, Super Mario franchise, Goomba Poomba, Pumba, Gumbaa, Goombaa
Q1-14 Marvel, Comics/Movies, The Hulk Dungeons&Dragons, bestiary, Umber Hulk The Umber Hulk, The Incredible Umber Hulk
Q1-15 Marvel, Comics/Movies, Thor Blizzard, Diablo series, Tyrael Thorael
Part 2 1st Source character 2nd Source character Possible answers
Q2-01 Irrational Games, Bioshock series, Big Daddy Nintendo, Donkey Kong franchise, Diddy Kong Big Daddy Kong, Big Diddy Kong
Q2-02 Square Enix, FF series, Flan Capcom, Monster Hunter, Anjanath Flanjanath
Q2-03 Naughty Dog, Crash Bandicoot series, Crash Bandicoot DC Comics, Comics/Movies/TV shows, The Flash Flash Bandicoot, Clash Bandicoot, Frash Bandicoot, The Crash, The Clash, The Frash
Q2-04 Blizzard, Overwatch, Genji Capcom, Resident Evil franchise, Jill Valentine Genjill Valentine
Q2-05 Midway Games, Mortal Kombat franchise, Goro Valve, Half-life series, Gordon Freeman Gorodon Freeman, Goron Freeman, Goro Freeman
Q2-06 Blizzard, Starcraft series, Hydralisk Nintendo, The Legend of Zelda series, Link Hydralink
Q2-07 Blizzard, Starcraft series, Jim Raynor Moon Studios, Ori and the Blind Forest, Ori Raynori, Jim Raynori
Q2-08 Square Enix, FFX, Lulu Game Freak, 4th gen pokemon, Lucario Lulucario
Q2-09 Hanna-Barbera, '60 cartoon, Magilla Gorilla Tomoyuki Tanaka, Movies/etc., Godzilla Magilla Godzilla
Q2-10 Akira Toriyama, Dragonball franchise, Majin Buu J.R.R.Tolkien, LOTR franchise, Balrog Majin Buulrog, Majin Baalrog, Majin Balrog, Majin Bulrog
Q2-11 LucasArts, Grim Fandango, Manny Calavera Core Desing, Tomb Raider franchise, Lara Croft Manny Calavera croft, Manny Cavelara Croft, Manny Laravera, Manny Calaravera, Manny Croftavera, Larry Croftavera, Calavera Croft
Q2-12 Game Freak, 1st gen pokemon, Marowak Square Enix, FFX, Wakka Marowakka
Q2-13 Naughty Dog, Crash Bandicoot series, Dr. N. Cortex Galep, Tex comics, Tex Willer Dr. N. Cortex Willer, Dr. Cortex Willer, Cortex Willer, Doctor Neo Periwinkle Cortex Willer, Neo Cortex Willer
Q2-14 SEGA, Sonic franchise, Sonic the Hedgehog Hideo Kojima, Metal Gear series, Solid Snake Sonic Snake, Sonic the Snake
Q2-15 Square Enix, FF series, Tonberry Capcom, Monster Hunter, Barroth Tonbarroth, Tonberryth, Tonbarryth, Tonberroth, Barrotonberry
Q2-16 Game Freak, 1st gen pokemon, Venusaur Square Enix, FFX, Auron Venusauron

Hints explanation:

  • “FF iconic monsters” was highlighted in the hints list (using italic); searching it on google leads to a list with the monsters needed for the puzzle, i.e. Flan. Flan is a dessert which needs eggs to make. The monster is also known as jelly or gelatin (which don't require eggs).
  • The “https” part of the link you get by solving one part of the puzzle leads to a picture with the answers order for the other part (by overlapping the image), i.e. https://www.steamgifts.com/giveaway/Maeby/macdows-95
  • The hint about me playing games on Steam was pointing you at my Steam screenshots; If you scroll through them, you'll see hints in their caption whenever a source character is present. I.e. Flanjanath; Tonberroth; The Umber Hulk.

ITH hints:
green: Luigi's clothes color
red: Mario's clothes color
pluto: Mickey Mouse's dog
timon: Pumbaa's pal
sniper: Widowmaker's “class”
archangel: Tyrael's former nature
fanservice: Lulu's lore
auroch: Wakka's blitzball team
unsent: Auron's secret
-9999 HP: Tonberry's typical damage dealt
fulgur: Anjanath's subspecies

4 years ago*
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I just have to pause my solving to say these are really cool! Fun to figure them out, too! :)

4 years ago
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Thank you!

4 years ago
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It would be great if in this post a couple of examples of possible "outcomes" would be provided (not solutions, just examples of what could an answer would look like) :-)

By the way, wonderful drawings indeed! Gratz!

4 years ago
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Thank you!
The poll anwers in the OP are an exaple:
let's say you have tomato and potato as source characters, the possible names for the merged one would be pomato or totato.

edit: other examples with animal names
"panda" + "pangolin" = "pandolin"; "tiger" + "viper" = "tiper" or "viger" (you substituted one letter);
"horse" + "sea lion" = "horsea lion"; "otter" + "termite" = "ottermite" (you overlapped the ending of one name with the beginning of the other one; most of them are like this);
"bald eagle" + "beagle" = "bald beagle" (you added one letter of the 2nd name into the 1st)
"chimpanzee" + "zebra" = "chimpanzeebra" or "chimpanzebra" (you added/dropped a letter);
"badger" + "giraffe" = "badgeraffe" or "badgiraffe" (very evil giraffe; another letter substitution).
It's actually hard to make them fit in a single category.
I can't think of other examples at the moment, sorry.

4 years ago*
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Thanks a lot for the cool examples, it helped a lot and I hope it helped many others as well!
Keep up the good work!

4 years ago
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And a bump for having happily solved part one!
I need to get some sleep tonight though, so part two will have to wait.
Great puzzle though, hope you get many entrants to see the excellent art you've made!

4 years ago
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Bump for solved part 1!!
I'll come back later for part 2

4 years ago
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Neat. Have a bump, and thanks.

4 years ago
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Guessed some, but your drawings highlighted my lack of knowledge regarding console exclusives. Still quite impressed with your drawing skills, especially for figuring out how to combine two different characters. Nice idea. Good luck on persevering with your drawings!

4 years ago
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Thank you!

4 years ago
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Solved them both! (and learnt a couple of things in the process ^_^)

Thanks for an awesome puzzle and GA!!!

4 years ago
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Solved Both, BUmp!

4 years ago*
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Those pics are amazing! Great work. :D
This will be a challenge as I am not familiar with some of the characters, but there is time for me to try! ;)

4 years ago
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Thank you!

4 years ago
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What a great puzzle. I figured out all the characters, but getting the combined names is hard.

4 years ago
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Thank you!

4 years ago
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Thanks, part 1 solved!

4 years ago
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Just a challenge for someone who is not familiar with these characters

4 years ago
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Solved part 1, bump

4 years ago
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Lovely, creative and very imaginative drawings :)

4 years ago
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Thank you!

4 years ago
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Very funny puzzles! Thanks for the event :D

4 years ago
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Bump for solving first part, fantastic puzzle!

4 years ago
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Can get a hint on question 1 of part 1, I really dont know who is the carachter from BioWare.

4 years ago
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it's part of a very famous sci-fi franchise, started with a movie

4 years ago
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Thanks, I actually have the game but still havent played it

4 years ago
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Do you maybe have a hint on the combination? I know they have a common part, but i cant seem to find the combination. I get it if you dont want to give too many hints.

4 years ago
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Ugh, on part 1 I only have question 2 left and I'm fairly sure on the two characters but no name works. And I'm usually pretty good on these things.

4 years ago
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That's odd. If you have the characters right, the combination should be obvious. Use her superhero name, not name and surname; it's the only thing I can think of. Oh, and mind the spaces, maybe.

4 years ago
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I guess spookypannkaka might be thinking of another Marvel character. I was stuck on that one for a while because of this. :P

4 years ago
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Yeah, I'm wondering if I have the characters right to begin with, I'm not into either of those franchises. Blizzard + sniper hint + the thing on her head leads me to one character and the other one should be obvious, but I'm not linking the outfit to either of the characters. Hm.

4 years ago
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Stuck on 1 question in Part 1 Geralt and Assassin's Creed
Solved Part 1. I'll try Part 2 tomorrow.

4 years ago*
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https://imgur.com/BuTy3GW

I have tried every possible combination under the laws of our universe. That thing has no name.

4 years ago
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The two syllables of the name of one character are already included in the surname of the other one, so just add what's missing. I hope it helps.

4 years ago
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I'll add on to this, I got it with your hint but wouldn't have had a clue without it. The first name of one character ends with the same letter as the other's first name starts with, so my first thought was (firstname1firstname2 surname2) if you understand what I'm talking about. Could maybe be an option?

4 years ago
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Deleted

This comment was deleted 4 years ago.

4 years ago
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Removed :P

4 years ago*
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Can you remove any reference to characters names from your post, please? I'll add the first one you mentioned as possible answer, I didn't think of that one.

4 years ago*
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ok :)

4 years ago
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Question 10 of the first one is killing me D:
I think I've tried every combination, but I'm starting to doubt if I'm using the right name for the Charles Perrault character... wikipedia tells me that in English there are several variations of it. It's easier in Spanish, there's only one :P

Great drawings, by the way! You're very skilled.

4 years ago
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Yep, I was stuck on that one for ages and tried no less than 15 name combinations. Maybe DogOnSG could add a couple of alternative acceptable answers.

4 years ago
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For her I referred to the title of her wikipedia page (the English one). I'm not a native English speaker myself, but I think that's her most common name. Just add what's missing from the name of the other character, considering the words with the same root interchangeable.

4 years ago
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I got it now, thank you!

4 years ago
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I am so confused, I still dont get it. I tried literally every combination I think. I also included the full name like on Wikipedia, but still nothing.

4 years ago
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Tried 10 combinations before reading it lol
Just kept missing the first part of the Perrault character's name because it's usually omitted in English but it makes sense, considering the original French name. Duh.
Thanks for the clue.

4 years ago
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Why am I so stuck on this still. The combination seems obvious, but any combination i try is wrong. I am pretty sure i am using the right characters.

4 years ago
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I added a few more possible answers based on solvers feedback. The original right answers were 5 words long, now there are a few that are 4 words long, that might help.

4 years ago
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Ah thank you so much, got it now finally!

4 years ago
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Finished part 1.
Part 2 Question 2 has me stumped. I think I figured out the Capcom part, but I have no idea what the Square Enix part could be.
Also Q11, even with the hint you gave Lunaedge, I can't find two matching syllables for the life of me.
Finished part 2

4 years ago*
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Brilliant! I wish I had 10% of your talent!
Great fun puzzle (•‿•)(•‿•)(•‿•)

4 years ago
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Thank you!

4 years ago
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Closed 3 years ago by DogOnSG.