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[SirPeebles]

The base set and some expansions come with blanks.  If you lose a card, you can write out the necessary info on a blank and use it as a replacement.  The blanks have the standard backs, but it will be evident that it is the blank when reading the front.

What are some edge cases where this difference would impact the game?  I have a couple in mind.

[heron]

Maybe you were about to three-pile in a three player game and you are player one, but you don't know if you're in the lead due to masquerade uncertainty; player 3 might have been passed an estate which would let them win. When they play the blank, you know that they had not been passed an estate since player 2 gained it and only 1 masquerade had been played. Therefore, you know that you can safely three-pile and beat player 3 by 1 point.

[DG]

You may be able to tell that the blank card was passed in a masquerade.
When a card type is revealed on two occasions, the blank can give extra information on whether it is the same card twice or the blank plus another.

[dondon151]

In order to activate your Menagerie, you discreetly erase the card name on the blank and replace it with something else.

[Awaclus]

In order to activate your Menagerie, you discreetly erase the card name on the blank and replace it with something else.

"In my buy phase, I play a Torturer which is a treasure card and gives me $1".

[GendoIkari]

If we count lack of good memory...

Your opponent buys the blank along with, say, his first Mountebank. A few turns later, you don't remember if he's shuffled since he bought that Mountebank, so you don't know if there's a chance of him playing (which would affect your decision to keep a Curse on top of your deck with Spy/Cartographer). But then he plays the blank. You now know that he has indeed shuffled.

Same thing can work with any card that you want to know if your opponent might already have access to, even just a Platinum towards the end of the game.

[WalrusMcFishSr]

Your opponent has two Treasure Maps, one regular and one written on a blank. He has one card in his deck, and you know he has the regular Treasure Map in his hand (but not the other one), because he revealed his hand for some reason.

Now he plays a Haven, draws the last card in his deck, and sets aside a card. Then he reshuffles and it's your turn. You play a Pillage. If you see the regular Treasure Map in his hand, you could probably safely make him discard something else, as you can be sure he did not set aside the Treasure Map. But if you see the other blank Treasure Map, you might be inclined to force him to discard that.

There is surely a much simpler and more general way to express this idea though

[cluckyb]

The player whose turn is using a Farming Village / Torturer engine. You see him draw a blank Torturer, and then he plays a live Torturer. You have three cards in hand that you want to keep so you know to gain the curse rather than discard.

[Awaclus]

The player whose turn is using a Farming Village / Torturer engine. You see him draw a blank Torturer, and then he plays a live Torturer. You have three cards in hand that you want to keep so you know to gain the curse rather than discard.

Why would he play that live Torturer?

[KingZog3]

The player whose turn is using a Farming Village / Torturer engine. You see him draw a blank Torturer, and then he plays a live Torturer. You have three cards in hand that you want to keep so you know to gain the curse rather than discard.

Why would he play that live Torturer?

Because the dead one can't hurt you.

[Asper]

The player whose turn is using a Farming Village / Torturer engine. You see him draw a blank Torturer, and then he plays a live Torturer. You have three cards in hand that you want to keep so you know to gain the curse rather than discard.

Why would he play that live Torturer?

Edgecaseception:
Because he also has Goons in hand which he wants to play rather than Torturer. Playing the live Torturer first he makes you believe gaining a Curse would save a card of your hand when it doesn't.

[cluckyb]

The player whose turn is using a Farming Village / Torturer engine. You see him draw a blank Torturer, and then he plays a live Torturer. You have three cards in hand that you want to keep so you know to gain the curse rather than discard.

Why would he play that live Torturer?

Edgecaseception:
Because he also has Goons in hand which he wants to play rather than Torturer. Playing the live Torturer first he makes you believe gaining a Curse would save a card of your hand when it doesn't.

Well clearly if he reveals the live Torturer that is what he is trying to do so I shouldn't gain the curse! Unless he only wants me to think he has a Goons when really he forgot to play a village before hand and is out of actions but I'm too busy second guessing his move to notice

[Davio]

Becomes harder to remember where you put your Stashes.

[SirPeebles]

Yup, Masquerade and Stash were the examples I had in mind.

[Asper]

Becomes harder to remember where you put your Stashes.

Hmm... Assuming you actually

write out the necessary info on a blank and use it as a replacement

you can also draw something on the backside to make it recognizable.