Squared twice?

  x -> x^2^2 = x^4

Doubled and squared?

  x -> (2x)^2 = 4x^2

Difficulty factor of 2 is squared?

  x -> (2^2)x = 4x

Or was that squared twice?

  x -> (2^2^2)x = 16x

All of these functions agree at x = 0, so can we conclude that it's gonna be way easy??

Lesson: don't handwave your math when you're talking to lay journalists, because nerds are gonna read it and be horrified.