Which opening tap keeps Colony Flow Level 48 clean?

Start with the brown 1 stack in the first cell of the 5-cell active row, then the black 25 in the second cell, then the red 16 in the fourth cell, then the red 23 in the fifth cell, and finally the white 30 in the third cell. This dispatches the brown, black, red, and white ants up the dirt path in that order and closes the thin dark outline, the red Santa hat, and the white elf face together before the bulk white 35/40/30 source row waves, the red 40 plus red 34 source waves, the yellow 26 source wave, and the cyan 30 source waves are allowed onto the dirt path. Tap the source row 1 white 35, white 35, cyan 30, and white 30 only after the four colored active row waves plus the white 30 active row wave have cleared the perimeter of the elf, and tap the source row 2 and source row 3 stacks only after the matching source row 1 wave has cleared.

What goes wrong if I send the yellow 26 stack too soon in Colony Flow Level 48?

The yellow 26 stack in the third cell of source row 2 is the only stack on the board that can open the small yellow four-point star in the upper-right of the Christmas elf, and the star is one of the smallest color regions in the art. Yellow ants use the same dirt path as the brown 1, black 25, red 16, red 23, white 30, white 35, red 40, white 40, cyan 30, and red 34 ants, so a premature yellow click sends yellow ants across the white face cells that white still has to fill, they stall on the still-empty star cells, the late yellow refill waves that have to rise into the empty white buffer pad in source row 2 cannot reach the star, and the small orange mouth / scarf stripe plus the late green headband refills that depend on the same path get stranded behind active yellow ants. Hold the yellow 26 until the brown 1, black 25, red 16, red 23, and white 30 active row waves plus the white 35 source row 1 waves have at least started closing their color regions.

Colony Flow! level guide

Colony Flow! Level 48 Walkthrough

medium 8 colors

Colony Flow Level 48 is a Christmas-elf portrait board where the red hat, white trim, white face, cyan headband, yellow corner star, orange mouth stripe, and dark outline all compete for one route, making the tiny yellow star a late-game color.

Board Notes

Layout: The board opens in portrait view. The top half of the screen holds a pixel-art Christmas elf portrait: a red Santa hat with a thick white brim and a chunky white pom-pom on top, a green and white elf face (green headband / hair on the sides, white cheeks and forehead), two small black eye cells, a small orange mouth / scarf stripe under the face, a tiny yellow four-point star in the upper-right of the art, and a thin dark outline wrapping the silhouette. Below the dirt strip the working area is a 5-cell top active row plus a 4-cell source row 1, a 4-cell source row 2, and a 3-cell source row 3. The 5-cell top active row opens as brown 1, black 25, white 30, red 16, red 23 with no empty white buffer slots at the start. Source row 1 reads white 35, white 35, cyan 30, white 30, empty white buffer pad. Source row 2 reads white 35, red 40, yellow 26, white 40, empty white buffer pad. Source row 3 reads cyan 30, red 34, white 35, with two empty white buffer pads on the right.
Goal: Red cubes from the red 16 and red 23 in the active row, the red 40 in source row 2, the red 34 in source row 3, and the late red refills that rise into the active row must fill the red Santa hat. White cubes from the white 30 in the active row, the white 35/35/30 stacks in source row 1, the white 35 and white 40 in source row 2, the white 35 in source row 3, and the late white refill waves must close the white hat brim, the white pom-pom, the white cheeks and forehead, and the small white highlight cells across the face. Black cubes from the black 25 in the active row plus the late black refill waves must trace the thin dark outline wrapping the elf silhouette. Brown cubes from the brown 1 in the active row plus the late brown refill waves must close any small dark outline / shadow cells inside the silhouette. Cyan and green cubes from the cyan 30 in source row 1, the cyan 30 in source row 3, and the late green refills must fill the green headband / hair on the sides of the face. Yellow cubes from the yellow 26 in source row 2 plus the late yellow refills must close the small yellow four-point star in the upper-right of the art. Orange cubes from the late orange refills that rise into the source row buffer pads must close the small orange mouth / scarf stripe under the face.
Opening: The first clean move is the brown 1 stack in the first cell of the 5-cell active row. Brown 1 is the smallest stack on the board and the dark outline wrapping the elf is the thinnest color region, so opening with brown 1 dispatches one brown ant up the dirt path in the first beat and the dark outline cells closest to the ant hole start closing immediately. The second confirmed tap is the black 25 stack in the second cell of the active row, which sends black ants up the same dirt path and continues the dark outline on the opposite side of the silhouette. The third confirmed tap is the red 16 stack in the fourth cell of the active row, which sends red ants up the dirt path and starts closing the red Santa hat. The fourth confirmed tap is the red 23 stack in the fifth cell of the active row, which sends more red ants up the same dirt path and continues the red hat. The white 30 in the third cell of the active row is held for one beat so the brown, black, and red waves can clear the perimeter of the elf before the white face color is allowed onto the dirt path. The white 35, white 35, cyan 30, white 30 in source row 1, the white 35, red 40, yellow 26, white 40 in source row 2, and the cyan 30, red 34, white 35 in source row 3 are all held for one beat so the four active row waves can clear the perimeter of the elf before the white face, the red hat refill, the yellow star, or any cyan headband cube is allowed onto the dirt path. The three empty white buffer pads at the right end of source row 1, source row 2, and source row 3 are kept open so the late white, red, green, orange, brown, and yellow refill waves can land cleanly as the source rows drain.
Danger Zone: The route most often collapses around the yellow 26 stack in the third cell of source row 2. The small yellow four-point star in the upper-right of the art is one of the smallest color regions in the picture, and if the player taps the yellow 26 before the brown 1, black 25, red 16, red 23, and white 30 active row waves have at least started closing the perimeter of the elf, yellow ants cross the white face cells that white still has to fill and stall on the still-empty star cells, blocking the late yellow refill waves that need to close the star. The other trap is firing the cyan 30 in source row 1 column 3 while red ants are still walking the dirt path up to the red Santa hat, because cyan and green ants use the same dirt path as the red ants and a premature cyan click strands cyan ants on the still-empty headband cells and blocks the cyan 30 in source row 3 that needs to close the rest of the headband. Tapping the white 35 in source row 1 column 1 or the white 35 in source row 1 column 2 before the red 16 and red 23 active row waves have cleared the red hat is also bad, because white ants cross the hat brim that red still has to fill and stall on the still-empty face cells. Letting any of the three empty white buffer pads in source row 1, source row 2, and source row 3 fill with a tap before the matching late refill rises naturally strands that color and leaves the late refill waves waiting.
Mechanics: Level 48 is a multi-stack color-routing board combined with a pixel-art completion goal and a single ant hole, with a Christmas-elf-on-white-background scene. The 5-cell top active row plus the 4-cell source row 1, 4-cell source row 2, and 3-cell source row 3 makes this a tall 16-stack working area with no empty white buffer pads in the active row and three empty white buffer pads spread across the right end of the three source rows, so the player has to drain the four color-specific active row stacks (brown 1, black 25, red 16, red 23) and the white 30 active row stack in the right order before the bulk white 35/40/30 source waves, the red 40, red 34 source waves, the yellow 26 source wave, and the cyan 30 source waves are allowed onto the dirt path. The Christmas elf pixel art has six main color families (red hat, white face and trim and pom-pom, green / cyan headband, black outline, yellow star, orange mouth / scarf) 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 brown 1, black 25, white 30, red 16, and red 23 from the start, and the 4+4+3 source rows underneath it act as the supply that refills the active row as stacks are sent. The three empty white buffer pads in the source rows are the only real staging space here, so the last small white, red, green, orange, brown, and yellow refill waves still need a clean delivery after the bottom of the source rows looks clear. Compared to Level 47's seahorse scene, this elf board opens the active row with five small to medium stacks instead of two big openers plus three buffer pads, which forces the player to drain the brown 1, black 25, and the two reds in a tight rhythm before the bulk white source row waves are allowed onto the dirt path.

Quick Tips for Colony Flow! Level 48 (spoiler-free)

Tap the brown 1, black 25, red 16, red 23, and white 30 in the active row in that order before you touch the white 35, white 35, cyan 30, or white 30 in source row 1. The dark outline, the red hat, and the white face are the three highest-traffic color regions on the Christmas elf, and they have to close together before the bulk white source row waves or any cyan headband cube is allowed onto the dirt path.
Treat the active row as the opener queue and the 4+4+3 source rows as the supply. The active row has no empty white buffer pads at the start, so the only way to free a slot for a rising refill is to drain an active row cell. Tap the white 35, white 35, cyan 30, and white 30 in source row 1 only after the red 16 and red 23 active row waves have cleared, the white 35, red 40, yellow 26, and white 40 in source row 2 only after the white 30 active row wave has cleared, and the cyan 30, red 34, and white 35 in source row 3 only after the cyan 30 source row 1 wave has cleared.
Save the yellow 26 in source row 2 and the late yellow, green, orange, and brown refill waves for the late game. The yellow corner star and the small orange mouth / scarf are the two smallest color regions in the art, and yellow, green, orange, and brown ants use the same dirt path as the brown, black, red, and white ants, so a premature yellow, green, orange, or brown click strands ants on the still-empty star, headband, mouth, or outline cells and blocks the late refill waves that need to close those regions.

How to Solve Colony Flow! Level 48 — Full Solution

Tap the brown 1 stack in the first cell of the 5-cell active row. Brown ants walk the dirt path up to the thin dark outline of the Christmas elf, and the dark outline cells closest to the ant hole start closing in the first beat. Wait for the first brown ant to clear the bottom edge of the art before tapping the next stack. Do not tap the black 25, white 30, red 16, red 23, or any source row stack yet.
Tap the black 25 stack in the second cell of the active row. Black ants walk the same dirt path and continue the thin dark outline wrapping the elf silhouette. Brown and black share the path, so leave one beat between them so the first outline cells are mostly closed before the next outline cells start drawing. Do not tap the white 30, red 16, red 23, or any source row stack yet.
Tap the red 16 stack in the fourth cell of the active row. Red ants walk the dirt path and start closing the red Santa hat on the elf. Black and red share the path, so leave one beat between the black wave and the red wave so the outline is mostly drawn before the hat starts filling. Do not tap the white 30, red 23, or any source row stack yet.
Tap the red 23 stack in the fifth cell of the active row. Red ants walk the same dirt path and continue closing the red Santa hat. Red waves share the path with each other, so leave one beat between the red 16 wave and the red 23 wave so the first hat cells are at least half-filled before the next hat cells start closing. Do not tap the white 30 or any source row stack yet.
Tap the white 30 stack in the third cell of the active row. White ants walk the dirt path and start closing the white elf face. Red and white share the path, so leave one beat between the last red wave and the white wave so the red hat is mostly closed before the white face starts filling. Do not tap any source row stack yet, and do not let the empty white buffer pads in source row 1, source row 2, or source row 3 fill with a stray tap.
Tap the white 35 stack in the first cell of source row 1 as it rises into the active row, then the white 35 stack in the second cell, then the cyan 30 stack in the third cell, then the white 30 stack in the fourth cell, as each one rises into the active row. White ants flood the white face, white cheeks, white forehead, and white hat brim of the elf, and cyan / green ants start closing the headband cells on the sides of the face. White and cyan share the dirt path, so leave one beat between each wave. Do not tap the white 35, red 40, yellow 26, white 40, cyan 30, red 34, or white 35 in source rows 2 and 3 yet.
Tap the white 35 stack in the first cell of source row 2, then the red 40 stack in the second cell, then the yellow 26 stack in the third cell, then the white 40 stack in the fourth cell, as each one rises into the active row. White ants close the rest of the white face and the white pom-pom, red ants close the rest of the red Santa hat, yellow ants start closing the small yellow four-point star in the upper-right of the art, and white ants close the rest of the white hat brim. White, red, yellow, and white use the same dirt path, so leave one beat between each source row wave. Do not tap the cyan 30, red 34, or white 35 in source row 3 yet.
Tap the cyan 30 stack in the first cell of source row 3, then the red 34 stack in the second cell, then the white 35 stack in the third cell, as each one rises into the active row. Cyan / green ants close the rest of the headband cells, red ants close the last red hat cells, and white ants close the last white face and brim cells. Cyan, red, and white share the path, so leave one beat between each wave. Finish by tapping the late white, green, orange, brown, and yellow refill waves that rise into the three empty white buffer pads in source row 1, source row 2, and source row 3. White ants close the last face and trim cells, green ants close the last headband cells, orange ants close the small mouth / scarf stripe, brown ants close the last dark outline cells, and yellow ants close the last corner star cells. The Christmas elf silhouette is complete once the last matching cube lands and the level banner appears.

Colors in this level:

Brown, Black, White, Red, Cyan, Green, Yellow, Orange

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Firing the yellow 26 stack in the third cell of source row 2 before the brown 1, black 25, red 16, red 23, and white 30 active row waves have at least started closing the perimeter of the Christmas elf, which sends yellow ants across the white face cells that white still has to fill and stalls them on the still-empty star cells, blocking the late yellow refill waves that need to close the star.
Tapping the cyan 30 stack in the third cell of source row 1 while red ants are still walking the dirt path up to the red Santa hat, which strands cyan / green ants on the still-empty headband cells and blocks the cyan 30 in source row 3 plus the late green refills that need to close the rest of the headband.
Letting any of the three empty white buffer pads in source row 1, source row 2, and source row 3 fill with a tap on the brown 1, black 25, white 30, red 16, red 23, white 35, red 40, yellow 26, white 40, cyan 30, red 34, or white 35 stack before the matching late refill wave has a chance to rise into that pad, which strands the late refill wave and leaves a small outline, headband, star, or mouth / scarf cell empty at the end of the run.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which opening tap keeps Colony Flow Level 48 clean?
Start with the brown 1 stack in the first cell of the 5-cell active row, then the black 25 in the second cell, then the red 16 in the fourth cell, then the red 23 in the fifth cell, and finally the white 30 in the third cell. This dispatches the brown, black, red, and white ants up the dirt path in that order and closes the thin dark outline, the red Santa hat, and the white elf face together before the bulk white 35/40/30 source row waves, the red 40 plus red 34 source waves, the yellow 26 source wave, and the cyan 30 source waves are allowed onto the dirt path. Tap the source row 1 white 35, white 35, cyan 30, and white 30 only after the four colored active row waves plus the white 30 active row wave have cleared the perimeter of the elf, and tap the source row 2 and source row 3 stacks only after the matching source row 1 wave has cleared.
What goes wrong if I send the yellow 26 stack too soon in Colony Flow Level 48?
The yellow 26 stack in the third cell of source row 2 is the only stack on the board that can open the small yellow four-point star in the upper-right of the Christmas elf, and the star is one of the smallest color regions in the art. Yellow ants use the same dirt path as the brown 1, black 25, red 16, red 23, white 30, white 35, red 40, white 40, cyan 30, and red 34 ants, so a premature yellow click sends yellow ants across the white face cells that white still has to fill, they stall on the still-empty star cells, the late yellow refill waves that have to rise into the empty white buffer pad in source row 2 cannot reach the star, and the small orange mouth / scarf stripe plus the late green headband refills that depend on the same path get stranded behind active yellow ants. Hold the yellow 26 until the brown 1, black 25, red 16, red 23, and white 30 active row waves plus the white 35 source row 1 waves have at least started closing their color regions.