Which opening tap keeps Colony Flow Level 42 clean?

Start with the small red 3 stack in the fourth cell of the 5-cell active row, then the small yellow 10 in the fifth cell, then the red 20 in the first cell, then the yellow 20 in the third cell. This dispatches the red and yellow ants up the dirt path in that order and closes the red hat, the yellow face highlights, the long red hat and beard wave, and the long yellow face wave before the black 15 in source row 1, the yellow 20 stacks in source row 1, the three red 20 stacks in source row 2, or any late refill wave is allowed onto the dirt path. Tap the black 15, the yellow 20, the red 20, the red 10, and the late refill stacks only after the red 20 active row wave has at least started closing the upper half of the brimmed hat.

Why does the black 15 stack jam the route in Colony Flow Level 42?

The black 15 stack in the first cell of source row 1 is the only large black stack on the board, and the two black pixel eyebrows plus the two black pixel eyes are the smallest color region in the art. Black ants use the same dirt path as the red and yellow ants, so a premature black click sends black ants across the yellow face cells that the yellow stacks still have to fill, they stall on the still-empty eyebrow and eye cells, and the late black 13 and black 3 refills that need to close the rest of the face get stranded behind active red ants on the dirt path. Hold the black 15 until the red 20 wave has closed at least the upper half of the brimmed hat, and never tap the yellow 20 stacks in source row 1 while red ants are still walking the dirt path up to the hat, because the yellow face depends on the red path being clear.

Colony Flow! level guide

Colony Flow! Level 42 Walkthrough

medium 4 colors

Colony Flow Level 42 is a bearded character portrait board where the red hat and beard, the yellow face, and the tiny black eye details all share one trail, so the black stacks have to wait until the larger red and yellow waves have already opened the face.

Board Notes

Layout: The board opens in portrait view. The top half of the screen holds a pixel-art bearded character portrait: a yellow round face dominates the center, a wide red brimmed hat sits on top, a large red beard wraps under the chin, two black pixel eyebrows sit above a pair of black pixel eyes, a small white pixel smile rests under the eyes, and a small white 'L'-shaped ruler/builder pattern is tucked into the lower-right corner of the art. Below the dirt strip the working area is a 5-cell top active row plus a 3-row, 3-column source grid. The 5-cell top active row opens as red 20, [empty white buffer], yellow 20, red 3, yellow 10. Source row 1 reads black 15, yellow 20, yellow 20. Source row 2 reads red 20, red 20, red 20. Source row 3 reads red 10, yellow 20, red 20.
Goal: Red cubes from the red 20 in the active row, the red 3 in the active row, the red 20 stacks in source row 2, the red 10 and the red 20 in source row 3, and the late red 20, red 17, red 10, red 20, red 15, red 20, red 16, red 11, red 18, red 6, red 1, red 8, red 12, red 5, red 20, red 20, and red 5 refills that rise into the active row must fill the wide red brimmed hat, the large red beard, and the red background tiles that wrap the character silhouette. Yellow cubes from the yellow 20 in the active row, the yellow 10 in the active row, the two yellow 20 stacks in source row 1, the yellow 20 in source row 3, and the late yellow 14, yellow 12, yellow 8, yellow 7, yellow 17, yellow 39, yellow 16, yellow 5, yellow 8, yellow 19, yellow 13, yellow 10, yellow 5, yellow 13, and yellow 3 refills must fill the yellow round face and any yellow highlight cells around the eyes. Black cubes from the black 15 in source row 1 plus the late black 4, black 13, and black 3 refills must fill the two black pixel eyebrows, the two black pixel eyes, and the small black outline cells around the silhouette. The single empty white buffer slot in the active row and the small white 'L' pattern in the lower-right of the art are part of the final pixel art composition and do not need any cubes.
Opening: The first confirmed tap in the contact sheet lands on the small red 3 stack in the fourth cell of the 5-cell active row. Red 3 is the smallest red stack on the board and the red brimmed hat is one of the first features the player can see, so opening with red 3 dispatches a red ant up the dirt path in the very first beat and the red cells closest to the ant hole start closing immediately. The second confirmed tap is the small yellow 10 stack in the fifth cell of the active row, which sends a yellow ant up the same dirt path and starts closing the small yellow highlight cells on the upper edge of the face. The third confirmed tap is the red 20 stack in the first cell of the active row, which opens the long red wave that has to fill the wide brimmed hat and most of the beard. The fourth confirmed tap is the yellow 20 stack in the third cell of the active row, which starts the long yellow wave that has to fill the round face. The empty white buffer slot in the second cell of the active row is held untouched for one beat so the late red, yellow, and black refills can rise into it after the active row drains. The black 15 stack in source row 1 is held for several beats so the red hat and red beard waves can clear the upper half of the character before any black eye or eyebrow ant is sent up the dirt path. The two yellow 20 stacks in source row 1 are also held for one beat so the active row yellow wave can finish first.
Danger Zone: The riskiest point is the black 15 stack in the first cell of source row 1. The two black pixel eyebrows and the two black pixel eyes are the smallest color region in the art, and the black 15 is the only large black stack on the board, so if the player taps the black 15 before the red 20, red 3, and yellow 20 active row waves have at least started closing the hat, beard, and face, black ants cross the yellow face cells that the yellow stacks still have to fill and stall on the still-empty eyebrow and eye cells, blocking the late black 13 and black 3 refills that need to close the rest of the face. The other trap is firing the yellow 20 stack in the second or third cell of source row 1 while red ants are still walking the dirt path up to the brimmed hat, because yellow ants use the same dirt path as the red ants and a premature yellow click strands yellow ants on the still-empty face cells and blocks the late yellow 39 refill that has to close the right side of the face. Tapping the three red 20 stacks in source row 2 before the red 20 active row wave has cleared the left side of the hat is also bad, because red ants share the path with the active row red wave and stall on the still-empty beard cells. Filling the empty white buffer slot in the active row with a stray yellow or black click before the late refills rise into it strands the refill ants on the dirt path and leaves the small black 13 and black 3 refills stuck behind active red ants. Letting the yellow 20 stack in source row 3 rise into the active row before the source row 1 yellow wave has cleared the face also strands yellow ants on the still-empty cells and blocks the late yellow 13 refill that has to close the chin area.
Mechanics: Level 42 is a multi-stack color-routing board combined with a pixel-art completion goal and a single ant hole, with a bearded-character-on-red-background scene. The 5-cell top active row plus the 3-row, 3-column source grid makes this a tall 14-stack working area, and the second cell of the active row is an empty white buffer slot from the start, so the active row opens with four real stacks plus one permanent staging cell. The character pixel art has three main color families (red hat and beard, yellow face, black eyes and eyebrows) plus the late refill waves, and the player has to keep all of those routes staged at once. The 5-cell active row is the queue that pre-holds the red 20, the empty buffer, the yellow 20, the red 3, and the yellow 10 from the start, and the 3-row, 3-column source grid underneath it acts as the supply that refills the active row as stacks are sent, so the last small black 3 refill, the last small yellow 13 refill, the last small yellow 5 refill, and the last small red 20 refill still need a clean delivery after the bottom of the source grid looks clear. Compared to Level 39's camellia-flower board and Level 40's butterfly board, this level has a much simpler color palette (only red, yellow, and black plus the empty buffer), but the character portrait has a very small black region (just the eyebrows, eyes, and a small outline) that is easy to over-tap and strand, and the empty buffer slot in the second cell of the active row is a permanent staging space that should not be filled with stray clicks.

Quick Tips for Colony Flow! Level 42 (spoiler-free)

Tap the small red 3 in column 4 of the active row first, then the small yellow 10 in column 5, then the red 20 in column 1, then the yellow 20 in column 3, in that exact order. The red 3 and yellow 10 are the smallest stacks and they open the hat and face highlights before the big red and yellow waves from column 1 and column 3 take over the dirt path.
Hold the black 15 in the first cell of source row 1 until the red 20 wave has closed at least the upper half of the brimmed hat. The two black pixel eyebrows and the two black pixel eyes are the smallest color region in the art and the black 15 is the only large black stack on the board, so firing it too early strands black ants on the still-empty eyebrow and eye cells and blocks the late black 13 and black 3 refills that have to close the rest of the face.
Keep the empty white buffer slot in the second cell of the active row untouched from start to finish. The buffer is the only permanent staging cell on the board and the late yellow 14, yellow 12, yellow 8, yellow 7, yellow 17, yellow 39, yellow 16, yellow 5, yellow 8, yellow 19, yellow 13, yellow 10, yellow 5, yellow 13, yellow 3, black 4, black 13, black 3, and red refill waves all need a clean empty cell to rise into after the source rows drain.

How to Solve Colony Flow! Level 42 — Full Solution

Tap the small red 3 stack in the fourth cell of the 5-cell active row. A red ant walks the dirt path up to the wide red brimmed hat on top of the character, and the red cells closest to the ant hole start closing in the first beat. Wait for the first red ant to clear the bottom edge of the art before tapping the next stack. Keep the empty buffer slot in the second cell of the active row untouched so the late refills can land there.
Tap the small yellow 10 stack in the fifth cell of the active row. A yellow ant walks the same dirt path and starts closing the small yellow highlight cells on the upper edge of the face. Red and yellow share the path, so leave one beat between them so the red cells closest to the ant hole are mostly closed before the yellow highlight cells start filling. Do not tap the red 20, the yellow 20, the empty buffer, or any source row stack yet.
Tap the red 20 stack in the first cell of the active row. Red ants walk the dirt path and start filling the wide red brimmed hat and the upper part of the red beard. This is the longest red wave on the board, so let it run for several beats and watch the red region of the art close from top to bottom. Do not tap the yellow 20, the empty buffer, or any source row stack yet.
Tap the yellow 20 stack in the third cell of the active row. Yellow ants walk the same dirt path and start filling the yellow round face of the character. Red and yellow share the path, so leave one beat between the red wave and the yellow wave so the red hat is at least half-closed before the yellow face cells start filling. Do not tap the empty buffer, the black 15, or any source row stack yet.
Wait for the red 20, red 3, and yellow 20 active row ant waves to clear the dirt path between the ant hole and the bottom edge of the character. Let the black 15, the yellow 20, and the yellow 20 stacks from source row 1 rise into the active row, and let the three red 20 stacks from source row 2 rise into the next wave. Tap the black 15 first so a black ant walks the dirt path and starts drawing the two black pixel eyebrows and the two black pixel eyes — this is the smallest color region in the art, so it has to start early. Then tap the yellow 20 in source row 1, second cell, then the yellow 20 in source row 1, third cell, so the yellow face cells closest to the eyes start closing. Do not tap the empty buffer, the red 20 stacks in source row 2, or the red 10, yellow 20, or red 20 in source row 3 yet.
Tap the red 20 stack in source row 2, first cell, then the red 20 stack in source row 2, second cell, then the red 20 stack in source row 2, third cell. Red ants close the last red hat cells on the brim and the last red beard cells under the chin. Red, yellow, and black share the dirt path, so leave one beat between each source row wave. Do not tap the red 10, yellow 20, or red 20 in source row 3 yet, and do not let any late yellow refill rise into the active row during this beat.
Tap the red 10 stack in source row 3, first cell, then the yellow 20 stack in source row 3, second cell, then the red 20 stack in source row 3, third cell. Red ants close the last red beard cells on the left and right of the chin, and yellow ants close the last yellow face cells on the lower half of the face. Red and yellow share the path, so leave one beat between each wave. Do not tap any late refill wave yet.
Finish by tapping the late yellow 14, yellow 12, yellow 8, yellow 7, yellow 17, yellow 39, yellow 16, yellow 5, yellow 8, yellow 19, yellow 13, yellow 10, yellow 5, yellow 13, yellow 3, black 4, black 13, black 3, red 20, red 17, red 10, red 20, red 15, red 20, red 16, red 11, red 18, red 6, red 1, red 8, red 12, red 5, red 20, red 20, and red 5 refills that rise into the freshly drained active row slots. Yellow ants close the last face cells, black ants close the last eyebrow and eye cells, and red ants close the last hat and beard cells. Yellow, black, and red use the same dirt path, so leave one beat between each wave. The bearded character portrait is complete once the last matching cube lands and the level banner appears.

Colors in this level:

Red, Yellow, Black, White

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Firing the black 15 stack in the first cell of source row 1 before the red 20, red 3, and yellow 20 active row waves have at least started closing the hat, beard, and face, which sends black ants across the yellow face cells that the yellow stacks still have to fill and stalls them on the still-empty eyebrow and eye cells, blocking the late black 13 and black 3 refills that need to close the rest of the face.
Tapping the yellow 20 stacks in the second and third cells of source row 1 while red ants are still walking the dirt path up to the brimmed hat, which strands yellow ants on the still-empty face cells and blocks the late yellow 39 refill that has to close the right side of the face.
Filling the empty white buffer slot in the second cell of the active row with a stray yellow or black click before the late refills rise into it, which strands the refill ants on the dirt path and leaves the small black 13 and black 3 refills stuck behind active red ants.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which opening tap keeps Colony Flow Level 42 clean?
Start with the small red 3 stack in the fourth cell of the 5-cell active row, then the small yellow 10 in the fifth cell, then the red 20 in the first cell, then the yellow 20 in the third cell. This dispatches the red and yellow ants up the dirt path in that order and closes the red hat, the yellow face highlights, the long red hat and beard wave, and the long yellow face wave before the black 15 in source row 1, the yellow 20 stacks in source row 1, the three red 20 stacks in source row 2, or any late refill wave is allowed onto the dirt path. Tap the black 15, the yellow 20, the red 20, the red 10, and the late refill stacks only after the red 20 active row wave has at least started closing the upper half of the brimmed hat.
Why does the black 15 stack jam the route in Colony Flow Level 42?
The black 15 stack in the first cell of source row 1 is the only large black stack on the board, and the two black pixel eyebrows plus the two black pixel eyes are the smallest color region in the art. Black ants use the same dirt path as the red and yellow ants, so a premature black click sends black ants across the yellow face cells that the yellow stacks still have to fill, they stall on the still-empty eyebrow and eye cells, and the late black 13 and black 3 refills that need to close the rest of the face get stranded behind active red ants on the dirt path. Hold the black 15 until the red 20 wave has closed at least the upper half of the brimmed hat, and never tap the yellow 20 stacks in source row 1 while red ants are still walking the dirt path up to the hat, because the yellow face depends on the red path being clear.