Level 439 · Nine-Grid Hot Pot

Nine-Grid Hot Pot is level 439 of Crumb Colony. The pixel picture has 1292 blocks in 10 colors, the tray holds 77 ant boxes, and the difficulty is Hard.

Difficulty

Hard

Pacing

Hard ending

Blocks

1292

Colors

10

Ant boxes

77

Mechanics

1 golden key(s) · Mystery boxes

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

Play level 439

About the dish

The Chongqing hot pot split into nine squares by an iron grid, each square cooking at its own heat.

How the picture comes apart

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

The 1 golden key(s) are buried in the outer ring of the picture, so the locks they open come into play early.

Reading the tray

The tray starts with 77 boxes in 4 columns, and none of the 4 front boxes can bite right away: red (has to wait), red (has to wait), dark brown (has to wait) and grey (has to wait). The first taps have to dig.

Locked boxes start in column 4, row 18.

23 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 77 taps. The chart shows how many boxes were still parked in the 5 slots, waiting for their color, just before each tap.

Opening (taps 1–28): 35% of the blocks are eaten, with up to 4 of the 5 slots holding a box that is waiting.

Middle (taps 29–52): 31% of the blocks are eaten, with up to 2 of the 5 slots holding a box that is waiting.

Ending (taps 53–77): 33% of the blocks are eaten, with up to 3 of the 5 slots holding a box that is waiting.

A key comes out before tap 21.

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.

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 439 questions