Level 431 · Dan Hong Gao

Dan Hong Gao is level 431 of Crumb Colony. The pixel picture has 1296 blocks in 10 colors, the tray holds 71 ant boxes, and the difficulty is Hard.

Difficulty

Hard

Pacing

Hard middle

Blocks

1296

Colors

10

Ant boxes

71

Mechanics

Mystery boxes

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

Play level 431

About the dish

Little egg pancakes baked in brass moulds at a Chengdu stall, folded over a sweet or savoury filling.

How the picture comes apart

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

Reading the tray

The tray starts with 71 boxes in 4 columns, and none of the 4 front boxes can bite right away: blue (has to wait), grey (has to wait), grey (has to wait) and blue (has to wait). The first taps have to dig.

16 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 71 taps. The chart shows how many boxes were still parked in the 5 slots, waiting for their color, just before each tap.

Opening (taps 1–29): 34% of the blocks are eaten, with up to 4 of the 5 slots holding a box that is waiting.

Middle (taps 30–51): 33% of the blocks are eaten, with up to 4 of the 5 slots holding a box that is waiting.

Ending (taps 52–71): 33% of the blocks are eaten, with up to 0 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 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.

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 · 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 431 questions