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China has three more than Chile

Algeria has two more than Nigeria

Ireland has _____ more than Iceland. Or other way around?

How many and why?

This is also a clue to the previous puzzle

" What world is he talking about?"

HINT

It is the way you write it

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    $\begingroup$ Just had a lot of fun reading this (especially #4), yet still no clue about this puzzle. $\endgroup$
    – Arnaud Mortier
    Mar 8, 2019 at 14:40
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    $\begingroup$ Why only focus on handwriting? There are other ways....... $\endgroup$
    – DrD
    Mar 8, 2019 at 14:44
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    $\begingroup$ Sure, but I'd ruled them out first. Wrongly, obviously. $\endgroup$
    – Arnaud Mortier
    Mar 8, 2019 at 14:58
  • $\begingroup$ I thought this might be something to do with Serif fonts but can't seem to make that work :( $\endgroup$
    – Smock
    Mar 8, 2019 at 15:05
  • $\begingroup$ FONT is the right track. $\endgroup$
    – DrD
    Mar 8, 2019 at 15:08

3 Answers 3

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One way to count these differences is using

Seven-segment display the font:
enter image description here

Using this to count the

Number of lit-up segments: $N = 5, A = 6, L = 3, E = 5, I = 2, R = 6, C = 4$

a) China has three more than Chile: $N + A = 11, L + E = 8$
b) Algeria has two more than Nigeria: $A + L = 9, N + I = 7$
c) Ireland has two more than Iceland: $R = 6, C = 4$

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  • $\begingroup$ Seeing your answer, I thought 'why did I not think of that?' and then I figured the answer is that this puzzle is supposed to be a hint to the previous one by DEEM, for which I'd already ruled out this method. But still, good one (+1)! $\endgroup$
    – Arnaud Mortier
    Mar 8, 2019 at 16:16
  • $\begingroup$ @ArnaudMortier, we have the same conclusion as to who has more, and I think they are not unrelated. I still don't know what Grandpa is counting in the previous one. $\endgroup$
    – Tom
    Mar 8, 2019 at 16:23
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    $\begingroup$ that's not a seven segment display! $\endgroup$
    – JMP
    Mar 8, 2019 at 19:27
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    $\begingroup$ @JonMarkPerry That's not any kind of X-segment display. It's clearly a font designed to look like one, but no segmented display I've ever seen would have the split top line (as seen in the 'M') and a solid top line for all the other letters, since the segments cannot overlap. The shortened middle line in the 'G', the diagonals in the 'K' and 'R', and the cross-piece on the 'Q' are also all incorrect for the same reason. $\endgroup$
    – Darrel Hoffman
    Mar 8, 2019 at 21:33
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    $\begingroup$ @smci the G, K, Q and R could be 16-segment but the diagonals are in the wrong places and/or bars the wrong length. The M is the only proper 16-segment. The rest are 7-segment (the horizontal bars are not paired). $\endgroup$
    – Weather Vane
    Mar 9, 2019 at 8:40
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We have

$$CHINA=CHILE+3\implies NA=LE+3$$ $$ALGERIA=NIGERIA+2\implies AL=NI+2$$

Putting these together gives

$$A+A=E+I+5$$ meaning that $E+I$ is odd. This gives the idea of letting one vertical or horizontal stroke count for $1$, and $2$ for a slanted stroke, then $N=1+2+1$, $I=1$, $A=2+2+1$, and all equations are satisfied.

Now

ICELAND vs IRELAND means that we need to compare C and R. Now R is basically an inverted C, plus one vertical and one horizontal stroke.

Therefore

Ireland has three more than Iceland. (Yay! Shamrocks always win!)

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  • $\begingroup$ Definitely +1 for th great thought process $\endgroup$
    – DrD
    Mar 8, 2019 at 19:14
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Answering the "Or other way round?" part, referring to the answer from @Tom

R is not a seven-segment letter but r is, so Ireland is two less not two more than Iceland.

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