Level 70 · Gingerbread House

Gingerbread House is level 70 of Crumb Colony. The pixel picture has 616 blocks in 6 colors, the tray holds 55 ant boxes, and the difficulty is Expert.

Difficulty

Expert

Pacing

All the way

Blocks

616

Colors

6

Ant boxes

55

Mechanics

4 chained pair(s) · 2 golden key(s) · Spider web (28 bites) · Mystery boxes · Gift wrapping

Play level 70

About the dish

A gingerbread house with a snowy icing roof, candy decorations and warm lit windows on a winter night.

How the picture comes apart

From the frame to the center the picture is 12 layers deep. The outer ring is mostly blue and navy, the middle band is mostly tan and black, and the core is mostly black and tan. 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 blue, navy and white.

The 2 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.

The spider web covers 12 cells in the core of the picture and needs 28 bites from soldier ants.

The whole picture starts gift-wrapped in red and gold paper, with a light blue ribbon on top. The wrapping tears from the edges inward and the paper under the ribbon opens last; only uncovered blocks can be eaten.

Reading the tray

The tray starts with 55 boxes in 4 columns. At the start 4 of the 4 front boxes can bite right away: light blue (bites now), gold (bites now), red (bites now) and gold (bites now).

Chained pairs start in column 1–2, row 2, column 2–3, row 5, column 2–3, row 8 and column 2–3, row 11.

Locked boxes start in column 1, row 13 and column 4, row 14.

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

2 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 51 taps. The chart shows how many boxes were still parked in the 5 slots, waiting for their color, just before each tap.

Opening (taps 1–23): 34% of the blocks are eaten, with up to 2 of the 5 slots holding a box that is waiting.

Middle (taps 24–33): 34% of the blocks are eaten, with up to 4 of the 5 slots holding a box that is waiting.

Ending (taps 34–51): 32% of the blocks are eaten, with up to 4 of the 5 slots holding a box that is waiting.

A key comes out before tap 34. A key comes out before tap 36. The web breaks before tap 29. Chained pairs are taken at taps 3, 15, 28 and 37.

How hard is it?

Two test players attempted this level many times: a cautious one that only sends colors it can use right away cleared it 8% of the time, and a look-ahead one that tries each option before committing cleared it 25% of the time. Most of their failed attempts jammed in the opening.

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.

Tight from start to finish. Only take boxes that can send ants immediately, watch the second and third rows of the tray, and plan the next tap ahead.

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.

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.

Chained boxes need both halves in the front row and two free slots. Take the boxes in front of them first and free two neighboring slots in advance.

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.

The whole picture starts gift-wrapped. The wrapping tears from the edges inward on its own, and only uncovered blocks can be eaten, so keep the unwrapping one step ahead of the eating. The ribbon is an extra layer: the paper under it stays shut until the ribbon is off, and that is where the level keeps its pressure.

Strategy guide: reading the tray and keeping the nest clear · Chained boxes · Locks and golden keys · Spider webs and soldier ants · Gift wrapping · 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 70 questions