Level 279 · Harbin Big Loaf

Harbin Big Loaf is level 279 of Crumb Colony. The pixel picture has 1296 blocks in 9 colors, the tray holds 93 ant boxes, and the difficulty is Hard.

Difficulty

Hard

Pacing

Hard ending

Blocks

1296

Colors

9

Ant boxes

93

Mechanics

Spider web (50 bites) · Mystery boxes

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

Play level 279

About the dish

Harbin's big round loaf is the size of a pot lid, with a crackly crust and a soft crumb smelling of hops; with a few slices of red sausage it keeps me going all day.

How the picture comes apart

From the frame to the center the picture is 18 layers deep. The outer ring is mostly black and brown, the middle band is mostly dark red and brown, and the core is mostly dark red 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 black, dark red and brown.

The spider web covers 30 cells in the middle band of the picture and needs 50 bites from soldier ants.

Reading the tray

The tray starts with 93 boxes in 4 columns. At the start 1 of the 4 front boxes can bite right away: brown (has to wait), cream (has to wait), brown (has to wait) and black (bites now).

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

5 soldier box(es) carry the bites for the web.

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 93 taps. The chart shows how many boxes were still parked in the 5 slots, waiting for their color, just before each tap.

Opening (taps 1–22): 35% of the blocks are eaten, with up to 4 of the 5 slots holding a box that is waiting.

Middle (taps 23–58): 32% of the blocks are eaten, with up to 1 of the 5 slots holding a box that is waiting.

Ending (taps 59–93): 33% of the blocks are eaten, with up to 2 of the 5 slots holding a box that is waiting.

The web breaks before tap 46.

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.

This level tightens toward the end and the last third jams most easily. Don't fill all five slots early; keep room for the inner colors that appear layer by layer at the finish.

Nothing under the spider web can be eaten. Wait until the edge of the web is exposed before sending the soldier box (the leafy green one), or it just occupies a slot.

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 · Spider webs and soldier ants · 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 279 questions