Level 312 · Braised Abalone

Braised Abalone is level 312 of Crumb Colony. The pixel picture has 1296 blocks in 11 colors, the tray holds 85 ant boxes, and the difficulty is Hard.

Difficulty

Hard

Pacing

Hard ending

Blocks

1296

Colors

11

Ant boxes

85

Mechanics

Number blocks · Mystery boxes

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

Play level 312

About the dish

Abalone is braised slowly in sauce until it cuts soft and tender, and the inside of its shell glitters in every color.

How the picture comes apart

From the frame to the center the picture is 18 layers deep. The outer ring is mostly dark green and mint, the middle band is mostly tan and light blue, and the core is mostly tan and brown. 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 dark green, tan and mint.

1 number block(s) take 27 bites in total.

Reading the tray

The tray starts with 85 boxes in 4 columns. At the start 3 of the 4 front boxes can bite right away: dark green (bites now), lavender (has to wait), dark green (bites now) and black (bites now).

29 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 85 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): 37% of the blocks are eaten, with up to 3 of the 5 slots holding a box that is waiting.

Middle (taps 23–49): 30% of the blocks are eaten, with up to 1 of the 5 slots holding a box that is waiting.

Ending (taps 50–85): 33% of the blocks are eaten, with up to 2 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.

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.

Number blocks take many bites; the number is how many remain. They can be bitten as soon as any side is exposed, and several boxes of that color can work on one at once.

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 · Number blocks · 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 312 questions