Why can small stacks still block the tray?

Their ants continue occupying a perimeter route until they return, so several 10-20 groups can fill all five holes.

When should a locked card be played?

Use it as soon as it releases, while the reserved fifth hole is still available.

Colony Flow! level guide

hard 8 colors

Clear the garden puppy by opening cyan 18, cyan 18 and green 24 in order, then preserve one hole through the 10-25 stack waves and lock releases.

If the player asks you to sign in, open the video on YouTube instead.

Tap cyan 18, tap the second cyan 18, then launch green 24 after both cyan streams enter the sky border.
When the cyan cards reach single digits, use the first returned hole for pale-cyan 10, then peach 15 and lime 10.
Route green 20 and green 20, retaining one recovery hole before adding dark 20 from that row.
Use the yellow lock when its green key finishes, then alternate cyan 20/25 with the next green 20 cards.
Clear white 15/20, peach 15 and yellow 10 through the body and ear; wait before another dark card.
Work dark 20 and brown 20 through the mouth and right post, then use cyan 20/25 for the sky strips.
Finish the green 10/20 corners and small yellow, red and white details, then wait for the blank frame.

Colors in this level:

Cyan, Green, White, Orange, Brown, Dark purple, Red, Yellow

Treating every small stack as an instant route leaves no hole for a newly unlocked color.
Stopping when the white dog clears ignores the green corner and brown post.

Keep one hole free whenever a lock is close to releasing.
Alternate green 20/15/10 with cyan 20 instead of opening one color in a solid block.
The right brown post and green corner survive after the dog's body thins.

Board notes 5 details

Layout: A smiling white dog with orange ears leans through a garden window framed by cyan sky, green plants and a brown post. Five holes face cyan 18, cyan 18 and green 24 above pale-cyan 10, peach 15, lime 10, green 20/20 and dark 20.
Goal: Remove the cyan sky and green garden, then clear the dog's white body, orange ears, red mouth, dark outline and brown post.
Opening: Tap cyan 18, cyan 18 and then green 24; wait until a cyan route is nearly home before pale-cyan 10, peach 15 and lime 10.
Danger Zone: Rapidly tapping every small card fills all five holes just as a cyan or yellow lock releases its next stack.
Mechanics: A compact multi-lock portrait uses many short cards and fast perimeter turnover, so release timing matters more than stack size.

Why can small stacks still block the tray?
Their ants continue occupying a perimeter route until they return, so several 10-20 groups can fill all five holes.
When should a locked card be played?
Use it as soon as it releases, while the reserved fifth hole is still available.