Level 137 · Chili String

Chili String is level 137 of Crumb Colony. The pixel picture has 1292 blocks in 7 colors, the tray holds 68 ant boxes, and the difficulty is Expert.

Difficulty

Expert

Pacing

All the way

Blocks

1292

Colors

7

Ant boxes

68

Mechanics

6 chained pair(s) · 1 golden key(s) · Mystery boxes

Like this pixel picture? BitBead can turn it into a printable fuse bead pattern.

Play level 137

About the dish

Red chilies threaded into a long string and hung on the wall to dry, the whole wall bright red. In winter we pulled a few off for cooking.

How the picture comes apart

From the frame to the center the picture is 18 layers deep. The outer ring is mostly cream and black, the middle band is mostly cream and black, and the core is mostly black and cream. Ants can only reach the next layer once the one around it is gone, so the core colors are the last to become useful.

By block count the biggest colors are cream, black and dark red.

The 1 golden key(s) are buried in the outer ring of the picture, so the locks they open come into play early.

Reading the tray

The tray starts with 68 boxes in 4 columns. At the start 3 of the 4 front boxes can bite right away: cream (bites now), black (bites now), black (bites now) and green (has to wait).

Chained pairs start in column 1–2, row 8, column 2–3, row 9, column 2–3, row 16, column 2–3, row 17, column 3–4, row 11 and column 3–4, row 15.

Locked boxes start in column 1, row 10.

18 mystery box(es) only show their color when they reach the front.

How the verified run plays out

The solution further down was played to the end in the real game, with ants walking and real timing. It takes 62 taps. The chart shows how many boxes were still parked in the 5 slots, waiting for their color, just before each tap.

Opening (taps 1–26): 34% of the blocks are eaten, with up to 3 of the 5 slots holding a box that is waiting.

Middle (taps 27–46): 34% of the blocks are eaten, with up to 3 of the 5 slots holding a box that is waiting.

Ending (taps 47–62): 32% of the blocks are eaten, with up to 1 of the 5 slots holding a box that is waiting.

A key comes out before tap 8. Chained pairs are taken at taps 33, 34, 36, 55, 56 and 57.

Strategy

Check the colors of the first three boxes in each column and compare them with the colors exposed on the outer ring of the picture. Always keep one slot free to catch a color that can't be eaten yet.

Tight from start to finish. Only take boxes that can send ants immediately, watch the second and third rows of the tray, and plan the next tap ahead.

Keys are buried in the picture and must be dug out to open the locks in the tray. Prioritize colors that eat around the keys so locked boxes don't block the front row for long.

Chained boxes need both halves in the front row and two free slots. Take the boxes in front of them first and free two neighboring slots in advance.

Mystery boxes show their color only when they reach the front. When you see one coming, don't fill every slot; leave room for it.

Strategy guide: reading the tray and keeping the nest clear · Chained boxes · Locks and golden keys · Difficulty curves

Step-by-step solution

This order of taps is verified to clear the level. Columns are numbered 1–4 from the left; after each tap, wait until the ants are out before the next one. Two boxes shown together are a chained pair taken in one tap.

Level 137 questions