Level 261 · Copper Hot Pot

Copper Hot Pot is level 261 of Crumb Colony. The pixel picture has 1296 blocks in 12 colors, the tray holds 87 ant boxes, and the difficulty is Advanced.

Difficulty

Advanced

Pacing

Hard opening

Blocks

1296

Colors

12

Ant boxes

87

Mechanics

Mystery boxes

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

Play level 261

About the dish

The first snow of the year drifted past the window while the charcoal in the copper hot pot glowed red at the top of its chimney. Paper-thin lamb turned pale the moment it hit the boiling broth; one dip in sesame sauce and my forehead was soon damp with sweat.

How the picture comes apart

From the frame to the center the picture is 18 layers deep. The outer ring is mostly navy and dark brown, the middle band is mostly salmon and navy, and the core is mostly salmon and orange. 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 navy, salmon and blue.

Reading the tray

The tray starts with 87 boxes in 4 columns. At the start 3 of the 4 front boxes can bite right away: dark brown (bites now), salmon (has to wait), black (bites now) and navy (bites now).

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 87 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 27–55): 34% of the blocks are eaten, with up to 4 of the 5 slots holding a box that is waiting.

Ending (taps 56–87): 32% of the blocks are eaten, with up to 1 of the 5 slots holding a box that is waiting.

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.

The opening is the hardest part here: the outer ring needs several colors at once and the front rows are scrambled. Only send colors that can bite right away during the first taps, even if it feels slow.

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.

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 261 questions