The present disclosure is related to a method for detection of defects in a printed pattern of geometrical features on a semiconductor die, the pattern comprising an array of features having a nominal pitch, the method comprising determining deviations from the nominal pitch in the printed pattern, and comparing the printed pattern with another version of the pattern, the other version having the same or similar pitch deviations as the printed pattern. According to various embodiments, the other version of the pattern may a printed pattern on a second die, or it may be a reference pattern, obtained by shifting features of the array in a version having no or minimal pitch deviations, so that the pitch deviations in the reference pattern are the same or similar to the pitch deviations in the printed pattern under inspection.