CIA asks budding spies to spot the difference between two photos to test their tradecraft

Eagle-eyed Twitter users beat the CIA at its own game AGAIN – spotting as many as 16 differences between two images used to test their tradecraft

  • CIA challenged Twitter followers to find 11 differences between photos Tuesday 
  • On Wednesday people said they’d found more with one social media user saying there were 13 differences and another 16
  • Respondents noted the minor differences may have been accidentally added by error when altering the street scene picture 
  • It comes after last month Twitter users found 12 differences when the CIA said there were 10 

The CIA on Tuesday challenged Twitter followers to another one of their popular spot the difference challenges to test tradecraft and social media users proved once again that they could beat the intelligence agency at its own game.

‘Can you ‘spy’ the differences? Let us know how many you find,’ the CIA captioned a post containing two similar images depicting a street setting.

On Wednesday, the agency revealed the answers, sharing the shots again with 11 yellow rectangles highlighting the areas where changes had been made.

However some people tweeted that they’d found more than the CIA drew attention to in the follow up tweet asking them, ‘How did you do?’

‘Can you ‘spy’ the differences? Let us know how many you find,’ the CIA captioned a post on Tuesday containing two similar images depicting a street setting

Some people tweeted that they'd found more than the 11 boxes CIA drew attention to

Some people tweeted that they’d found more than the 11 boxes CIA drew attention to

A user named Phillip said the red fire hydrant on the right of the picture appeared to taller and the sidewalk slab appeared to be lifted under the tree

A user named Phillip said the red fire hydrant on the right of the picture appeared to taller and the sidewalk slab appeared to be lifted under the tree

One person posted: ‘I found 13.’ Another said there were 16 differences.

A user named Phillip said the red fire hydrant on the right of the picture appeared to taller and the sidewalk slab appeared to be lifted under the tree. 

Both differences the CIA didn’t point out but may have been accidental minor differences added at the time of editing.

Phillip added: ‘White sticker on dumpster corner likely due to photo stretch.’

MsFitz333 also corrected the agency: ‘Your box is for the missing car… but the height of the fire hydrant changed too.’

Another social media user noted three differences within the one box the CIA had for a missing car.

A user named Sarge, who noted 16 differences also pointed out additional differences – this time extra markings on the side of the dumpster placed in the right of the photos.

MsFitz333 also corrected the agency: 'Your box is for the missing car... but the height of the fire hydrant changed too'

MsFitz333 also corrected the agency: ‘Your box is for the missing car… but the height of the fire hydrant changed too’

One person posted: 'I found 13 differences,' with numbers 4, 5 and 8 within the one square in the CIA's answers

One person posted: ‘I found 13 differences,’ with numbers 4, 5 and 8 within the one square in the CIA’s answers

Other additional changes he referred to as ‘minor’ included a thin extra panel to the right of the lamppost near two walkers facing the camera.

He also pointed out an additional dark shaded spot between an awning and a balcony.

Other respondents noticed most of the differences the CIA identified.

‘The second container on the very left, the woman under the tree besides the container, the work and parking stop sign in front of the car on the left street side, the SUV on the right street side,’ Maricla Kandzorra tweeted. 

Kandzorra continued: ‘The branch on the right top and on the left top the streetlight is missing at the end of the mast, the airplane at the top center, the man on the balcony on the right, the red sun protection blind, the second bench seat on the right, at the garbage the two folded cartons and the ball or portrait. Totally I ‘spy’ 12 differences.

‘These are beach quizzes we all made as kids – very low level.’

The #TriviaTuesday buzz came after a month ago users were thrilled to discover more than the 10 differences noted in a difference street scene.

The CIA responded the next day: ‘If you found more than 10 differences, you practiced good tradecraft. Always look for opportunities to learn more.’

A user named Sarge, who noted 16 differences also pointed out additional differences ¿ including extra markings on the side of the dumpster placed in the right of the photos

A user named Sarge, who noted 16 differences also pointed out additional differences – including extra markings on the side of the dumpster placed in the right of the photos

Maricla Kandzorra tweeted that the challenge to test tradecraft was 'very low level'

Maricla Kandzorra tweeted that the challenge to test tradecraft was ‘very low level’