The first version of the puzzle guide had the incorrect solution - there's a newer version (which was posted on May 20th) that has the solution for that puzzle corrected.

i don't have time to read this whole 12 page post, so forgive me if someone has already had this.
my villager, a child, was given the wrong clothes in the clothing hut.
i ordered up camouflage but got some avocado green outfit instead

That was fixed in the current, updated version. See Arthur's sticky post with the link to download v1.00.04.

I'm not sure when this has begun, but for the last few days, when my chief points out a rare collectible, it doesn't appear anywhere. At first I thought I missed it, but I tried several times with different tribes, and nothing shows up.

Hmm, I started with version 1.00.02, and it was fine then. I downloaded version 1.00.03, but I was so excited about solving the statue puzzle, I can't remember if it began right after it. Anyway I'm using vista, and I'll download the latest version and see what happens tomorrow.

i have had that problem several times too.
I attributed it partly to having 2 large mango trees {i since have installed that mod, making them smaller}
but what are the odds of the collectible being hidden behind the tree that many times
where else could they be hiding?

Actually, before, my collectibles appeared right at the direction the chief pointed, but maybe it was just a coincidence. Even if they show up behind a tree, shrooms and collectibles shine, so you can still find them; and I looked carefully in the orchad.

Hmm, in vv2 we could see the collectibles in the map after enough leveling up. Is it also possible in vv3?

Has anybody had any trouble solving puzzle #12?

You just have to use the right villager and do both parts!

I had to same thing happen five times. The first and last times a rare collectible did pop up but the other five times nothing showed up. I will try again tonight with the chief. *sigh*

There are two things to bear in mind about the chief pointing out a rare collectible. First, although the TC does point in the general direction of the orchard, the collectible can be anywhere on the map. Second, the rare collectible may be one you already have, in which case you'll get 1500 tech points. If your game is well advanced you might not notice the addition of the points. It doesn't have to be a new one. I'm waiting on one rare collectible each for turtle shells, feathers and coral and I've used the Chief three times so far in the hope of finding them, but each time he's pointed out a duplicate.