How to play ball sort puzzle
- Tap a tube to pick it: the top ball lifts up. If you change your mind, tap the same tube again.
- Tap another tube to move the balls. It only works if the destination tube is empty or its top ball is the same color, and if it has room (each tube holds 4 balls). If there are several matching balls on top, they move together as far as they fit.
- Keep going until every tube is either empty or full with 4 balls of the same color. With "Undo" you go back as many moves as you like and with "Restart level" you start the level from scratch.
- If you get stuck, use "Extra tube" to add an empty tube (once per level). When you solve a level you move on to the next one, which brings more colors.
Strategy and tips for solving the tubes
The key is to look after the empty tubes: they are your room to maneuver. Before moving, look at all the tubes and find which color is closest to being complete, because finishing a color frees up space. Avoid filling an empty tube with just any ball if you can stack it on another of the same color.
Always think about which ball ends up covered: a ball you need can get buried under another of a different color. When you have to choose, prefer moving the group that uncovers a ball you can use. If a move leaves you with no way out, undo it and try another order; undoing costs nothing.
Each color has its own symbol (star, triangle, square, diamond, heart, cross, moon, hexagon and lightning bolt), so the game plays just as well with color blindness. The levels are always the same and all of them have a solution: level 1 uses 3 colors and more colors are added up to 9. The level you reached is saved on this device.
Things to keep in mind
- Each level has its own fixed puzzle and can always be solved, but there is no score for moves: your best is the highest level you reached.
- The extra tube can be used only once per level and disappears if you restart the level.
- Your progress is saved only in this browser; if you clear the site data or switch devices, you go back to level 1.
Frequently asked questions
What moves are allowed?
You can move the top balls from one tube to another if the destination is empty or its top ball is the same color, and if it has room. Each tube holds up to 4 balls.
Does every level have a solution?
Yes. Each level is dealt at random and, before it is shown to you, a solver checks that it can be sorted with the game's rules, so you never get a level with no way out.
What is the extra tube for?
It adds an empty tube to the current level to get you unstuck when you have no useful moves left. It can be used once per level.
Can I play without telling the colors apart?
Yes. Each color has a different symbol inside it, and screen readers announce the color and symbol of each ball.
How do I play with the keyboard?
Use Tab to reach the tubes, the arrow keys to go from one to another, and Enter, the space bar or the numbers 1 to 9 to pick and drop.
Is my progress saved?
The highest level you reached is saved, only in your browser. Nothing is sent to any server.