Level 327 · Hot Air Balloon

Hot Air Balloon is level 327 of Crumb Colony. The pixel picture has 1256 blocks in 10 colors, the tray holds 89 ant boxes, and the difficulty is Hard.

Difficulty

Hard

Pacing

Hard middle

Blocks

1256

Colors

10

Ant boxes

89

Mechanics

5 golden key(s) · Mystery boxes

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

Play level 327

About the dish

The big colorful balloon lifts slowly, and the people on the grass grow smaller.

How the picture comes apart

From the frame to the center the picture is 18 layers deep. The outer ring is mostly light blue and green, the middle band is mostly yellow and light blue, and the core is mostly red and teal. 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 light blue, green and yellow.

The 5 golden key(s) are buried in the middle band of the picture, so the locks they open come into play around the middle of the level.

Reading the tray

The tray starts with 89 boxes in 4 columns. At the start 1 of the 4 front boxes can bite right away: green (bites now), red (has to wait), yellow (has to wait) and cream (has to wait).

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

Opening (taps 1–27): 33% of the blocks are eaten, with up to 4 of the 5 slots holding a box that is waiting.

Middle (taps 28–58): 35% of the blocks are eaten, with up to 0 of the 5 slots holding a box that is waiting.

Ending (taps 59–89): 31% of the blocks are eaten, with up to 0 of the 5 slots holding a box that is waiting.

A key comes out before tap 20. A key comes out before tap 46. A key comes out before tap 55.

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 start is easy and the pressure builds in the middle. Use the calm opening to sort out the back rows and try to have two slots free before the middle phase.

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.

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 · 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 327 questions