Board 103: Frozen Temple

This picture is of an icy cavern with a huge ice statue of a seated deity at the far end.

Level 1 (Clear 25 red pegs from 141 total - Pro target 450k)

This design is based around the lines in the picture, and it uses a lot of them as it looks pretty crowded. Indeed, at 141 pegs, it's one of the busiest levels I've blogged.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 219,120

• I made one catch, I think. All those blue pegs completely get in the way, preventing catches, bonuses, and getting through to the red pegs. I'll have to use a laser ball.

Attempt #2 - Laser Ball. Score: 538,220 

• It took me several balls to break through to the yellow peg. I then had to pick a path for the laser ball that concentrated on the left-hand side as most of the pegs on the other side had gone. I still got a got rim bounce with it, though. I still had to make quite a few catches to finish it off, though, but with most of the blue pegs gone, they were much easier to do.

Level 2 (Clear 25 red pegs from 92 total - Pro target 575k)

This design is two sets of four straight lines each making a house shape, one inside the other, then three concentric curves inside them.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 1,281,380 

• This one was really quite easy. I picked off the vertical walls first, where it was easy to make catches off the side wall for decent bonuses. Then I picked off enough of the roof on one side to allow me to get through to the outermost curve. I managed to do all this without breaking up any of the curves, so once I could get to them, I could take them (nearly) all out in a single ball for a big bonus. I was going for a really big score, but annoyingly, a stray ricochet off the second-to-last blue peg hit the last red peg and so curtailed the game one peg too early. Even so, this may well be a record score without power ups. My previous best, at least since the blog began, was 1,216,310 on The Nether Stairs #10.

Level 3 (Clear 20 red pegs from 124 total - Pro target 425k)

This design features two six-pointed stars, plus a couple of horizontal lines. Only 20 red pegs, but they might get lost among all those blues. This may need a laser, but I'll try without one first.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 138,770

• I made no catches at all, earned very few bonuses, and came nowhere near clearing the red pegs. This is definitely going to need a laser ball.

Attempt #2 - Laser Ball. Score: 673,470 

• Not too much of a problem using the laser ball. I missed the yellow peg with my first shot, but got it with my second. I did quite well with the laser ball, getting a decent rim bounce. After that it was just picking off the few red pegs that were left.

Level 4 (Clear 20 red pegs from 130 total - Pro target 450k)

This design features a big circle containing lots of pointers, so that it looks like a big compass. It's another design with lots of blue pegs and not many red ones, so it will probably need a laser ball, but I'll try without first.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 584,050 

• I'm not sure if I got lucky there, or if it was just easier than it looked. I did get a few lucky catches towards the end, but the game was already effectively won by then. Well, whatever, I'll take it and move on.

Level 5 (Clear 20 red pegs from 140 total - Pro target 450k)

This design is entirely made up of diamond-shaped pegs. They are arranged into two big crystalline structures. At 140 pegs, it's another peg-heavy level. I've not worked out the stats yet, but surely this board must have more pegs than any other to date.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 280,110

• Nowhere near the pro score, and I still had four or five red pegs to get. This level is going to need a power up.

Attempt #2 - Laser Ball. Score: 1,093,160 

• The yellow peg was quite easy to get to on the first ball, and then the laser ball took out a massive 88 pegs for an enormous score. The bonus for it alone was over half a million points, taking me well over the pro target of 450k. After that I could just shoot at the purple peg until I got too low on balls and had to finish it off.

Level 6 (Clear 35 red pegs from 124 total, with only 9 balls - Pro target 600k)

The same design as level 3, but with 15 more red pegs, one less ball, and 175k on the pro target.

Attempt #1 - Laser Ball. Score: 464,710

• Four red pegs left. The yellow peg was nicely on top at the start, but I didn't get a rim bounce with the laser ball, at least not one that scored anything. I may need to add a big bounce, but not quite yet.

Attempt #2 - Laser Ball. Score: 680,840 

• The yellow peg was not easy to get to, but I got quite lucky with quite a few early catches. By the time I'd activated the laser ball, there weren't many pegs left on the right-hand side, so I concentrated it on the left and got a good rim bounce as well. That still left me quite a few points to get, but hardly any red pegs and plenty of balls, so I could concentrate on the purple peg until I had enough points to clear the remaining reds.

Level 7 (Clear 40 red pegs from 141 total, with only 9 balls - Pro target 775k)

The same design as level 1, but with 15 more red pegs, one less ball, and 225k on the pro target.

Attempt #1 - Laser Ball. Score: 719,000

• I missed a few catches towards the end that I probably should have made. Shame, as it was looking quite good for most of it.

Attempt #2 - Laser Ball. Score: 626,070

• Another narrow miss. Not as good a start as last time, but I kept it going for longer in the endgame. I was getting there, but I couldn't quite keep it going long enough.

Attempt #3 - Laser Ball. Score: 944,830 

• The yellow ball was available directly with the first ball, so that was a bonus. I then get a particularly good rim bounce with the laser ball for quite a big score. After that I quickly got into the position of having as many balls left as there were red pegs remaining which gave me a certain amount of security, so I could take a few risks to score somoe extra points.

Level 8 (Score 500k with 25 red pegs and 105 blue, with only 9 balls - Pro target 700k)

The same design as level 4, but with 5 more red pegs, one less ball, 250k on the pro target, but only a points target this time.

Attempt #1 - Laser Ball. Score: 763,640 

• I wasn't sure of the merits of the laser ball on this level as it would clearly ruin any chances of a big sweep round the circle. However, it worked like a dream, picking up two good rim bounces for lots of extra points. It meant I had lots of balls left at the end and I could comfortably pick off pegs one at a time until I had enough points to finish.

Level 9 (Clear 30 red pegs from 140 total, with only 8 balls - Pro target 650k)

The same design as level 5, but with 10 more red pegs, two less balls, and 200k on the pro target.

Attempt #1 - Laser Ball. Score: 1,246,910 

• I triggered the laser ball with the first shot, then shot a perfect line with it, getting a beautiful rim bounce that popped up back through a load more pegs before landing back in the bucket. It also took out the white peg for a double score bonus, netting a cool 971,660, putting me over a million after just two shots. That left me just 8 red pegs and 10 balls to get them with. I probably should have scored more, but I missed a few catches. I did enough though.

Level 10 (Clear ALL pegs - 25 red and 67 blue, with only 6 balls and a 3s shot-clock - Pro target 800k)

The same design as level 2, but with four less balls, 325k on the pro target, and a three second shot-clock.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 626,710

• It doesn't look like the score will be a problem, but clearing all the pegs with just six balls may well be. I managed only a 68% clearance there which was pretty poor. Maybe attempting it without a laser ball was a little overly optimistic!

Attempt #2 - Laser Ball. Score: 589,450

• I got the clearance up to 87% with the laser ball, but the score wasn't as high. I think I need to concentrate on getting through to the curves as soon as possible, then triggering the laser ball.

Attempt #3 - Laser Ball. Score: 635,590

• a much better effort. Only two pegs missed this time, despite making a bit of a hash of the laser ball. If I had cleared, I may well not have made enough points, but I would have given myself a chance.

Attempt #4 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 910,190 

• I added a Big Bounce, although in truth I may well have got there without it. I didn't activate it until quite near the end, and the remaining pegs were vertical rectangles by then so quite easy to catch off. The main improvement this time was getting a good laser ball which picked up a x2 multiplier. Having got that I just needed to make sure I didn't mess up the clearance.

SUMMARY

Level	Reds	Pegs	Target	Balls	Clock	Pro	Attempts	Record	Average	Video
1	25	141	Reds	10	-	450k	2	538,220	378,670
2	25	92	Reds	10	-	575k	1	1,281,380	1,281,380
3	20	124	Reds	10	-	425k	2	673,470	406,120
4	20	130	Reds	10	-	450k	1	584,050	584,050
5	20	140	Reds	10	-	450k	2	1,093,160	686,635
6	35	124	Reds	9	-	600k	2	680,840	572,775
7	40	141	Reds	9	-	775k	3	944,830	763,300
8	25	130	500k	9	-	700k	1	763,640	763,640
9	30	140	Reds	8	-	650k	1	1,246,910	1,246,910
10	25	92	All	6	3s	800k	4	910,190	690,485

Board 50: Falls of Olympia

This picture shows a collection of classical Greek buildings, including a colosseum, and lots of marble columns, all on the shores of a lake fed by huge waterfalls that can be seen in the background.

Level 1 (Clear 30 red pegs from 96 total - Pro target 525k)

The first design features two large squares containing more pegs, a zigzag of single round pegs passing between them, and a column of flat pegs up each side wall.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 302,180

• I had thought that, with all those flat pegs around, catches wouldn't be too hard, but they really were. I'll have another go, as I suspect the red pegs weren't particularly kindly placed, but I can see myself resorting to a laser ball before long.

Attempt #2 - No power ups. Score: 434,020

• Much close that time. I got the clearance up to 94%, but I just needed to make a couple more catches.

Attempt #3 - No power ups. Score: 434,940

• The score was about the same thanks to some fortunate bonuses, but the clearance was only 74%. I'll add a laser ball.

Attempt #4 - Laser Ball. Score: 586,310

• Just one peg short, and I was within a whisker of earning an extra ball with my last shot as well.

Attempt #5 - Laser Ball. Score: 680,740 

• I got there eventually. The catches seemed to work a bit better this time, and there were a few more bonuses forthcoming. I eventually went on to take a total clearance with four balls left over.

Level 2 (Clear 30 red pegs from 105 total - Pro target 675k)

This design follows a lot of the lines in the picture - buildings, cliff edges, etc.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 541,180

• Not a million miles away. I had to hang on for quite a while at the end. I got down to one red peg left, but still need over 300k for a pro score. I got most of that but just misjudged one catch too many at the end.

Attempt #2 - No power ups. Score: 721,240 

• I got a bit more luck that time. I didn't get that much, but it came at just the right moments. A few lucky bounces and bonuses, and it got me a total clearance.

Level 3 (Clear 30 red pegs from 111 total, with only 9 balls - Pro target 575k)

This design looks like a line of three breaking waves with a single row of single round pegs above, and another below.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 431,740

• Just one peg left at the end, but the best part of 150k still required for pro, and I was hanging on for a bit at the end. Only two or catches made which will need to be improved upon.

Attempt #2 - No power ups. Score: 617,340 

• I got lucky that time with an early split ball off the white peg which scored me a good slide, took out a lot of pegs and then caught both balls for a total score around 300k. It was still touch and go towards the end as to whether I could take out the remaining red pegs and get enough of a score while doing it. I managed to leave an angle off the final red peg that got me into the 100k bucket.

Level 4 (Clear 30 red pegs from 117 total, with only 9 balls - Pro target 550k)

This design is based around the colosseum in the background. It's all arches and lines of separate rectangular pegs.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 519,050

• That was just clumsy. I rushed the last shot, misjudged the angle and accidentally took out the last red. I had enough balls and blue pegs left to be able to get enough points for pro by picking them off one at a time, but messed it up by rushing. Silly.

Attempt #2 - No power ups. Score: 371,690

• Only three catches made, so little chance of getting anywhere, although I only had one red peg left. I'll give it one more go.

Attempt #3 - No power ups. Score: 313,220

• I think I only made one catch that time. I'd better get the laser ball out.

Attempt #4 - Laser Ball. Score: 699,890 

• I managed to get the yellow peg with the first ball, and the laser ball found a good rim bounce to take out a lot of the loose round pegs at the bottom. It never really looked in doubt after that. I had plenty of balls, not many red pegs to hit, and not many points left to score. I was further helped by a further 100k bonus for a single ball that caught the rim, and deflected into the bucket off another peg.

Level 5 (Clear 25 red pegs from 108 total, with only 9 balls - Pro target 450k)

This design is based on the waterfalls in the far background. Two pairs of vertical lines, each containing three vertical lines of single round pegs, the middle one of which is in motion, decending down the screen.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 351,510

• Only a couple of reds left, but I still needed another 100k. My last ball was an ambitious attempted catch off a purple off the side wall. In retrospect, I'd have been better off going for the last two reds and hoping for a big bucket finish.

Attempt #2 - No power ups. Score: 439,210

• Another annoying one. I still had a couple of balls left when a ricochet went wrong and I took out the last red peg too early. The ball hit it and dropped in the 10k bucket to miss the pro score by only 11k.

Attempt #3 - No power ups. Score: 476,200

• I actually had the points this time, but clouldn't clear the last couple of reds. I seem to be getting closer, so I'll have one more go before using the laser ball.

Attempt #4 - No power ups. Score: 529,790 

• That was better. I concentrated on the solid lines wherever possible, picking off the red and purple ones whenever I could. That way, I managed to keep plenty of balls for the end meaning I could pick off the last few more awkward reds without worrying too much about taking the catches.

Level 6 (Clear 45 red pegs from 105 total, with only 8 balls - Pro target 625k)

The same design as level 2, but with 15 more red pegs, two less balls, but 50k less on the pro target.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 710,020 

• No real problems with this one. I didn't find level 2 much of a problem, in fact the pro target was the hardest part of it, and this pro target was actually lower than that one. So I thought it was worth trying it without power ups to start with, and I was clearly right to do so.

Level 7 (Score 500k with 35 red pegs and 76 blue, with only 9 balls - Pro target 850k)

The same design as level 3, but with 5 more red pegs, 275k on the pro target, and just a score to aim at, but it looks like a bug one.

Attempt #1 - Laser Ball. Score: 564,250

• I triggered the laser ball straight away, then got a Split Ball with for some extra points, although I didn't get the rim bounce that I wanted, but I still needed a lot more points after that and I just wasn't picking up the bonuses. This could be tricky.

Attempt #2 - Laser Ball. Score: 989,820 

• Again, I somehow managed to get the yellow peg with the first shot, and then did OK with the laser ball, although I failed to find the rim properly again. This time, however, the bonuses came more easily and so did the catches. I got a total clearance and a score comfortably over the pro threshold.

Level 8 (Clear ALL pegs - 25 red and 71 blue, with only 9 balls - Pro target 625k)

The same design as level 1, but with 5 less red pegs, one less ball, 100k on the pro target and a total clearance now needed.

Attempt #1 - Laser Ball. Score: 534,760

• A 91% clearance at the first attempt is not too bad. Hopefully, I'll get better.

Attempt #2 - Laser Ball. Score: 603,350

• The clearance was up to 96% this time, with a higher score, so I'm clearly heading in the right direction.

Attempt #3 - Laser Ball. Score: 611,850

• Only a 90% clearance that time, but the score improved slightly. I'll have one more go before I add a second power up.

Attempt #4 - Laser Ball. Score: 730,520

• Failed by a single peg. I really should have had that as the few pegs I had left were not difficult catches. I'd done all the hard work, but then messed up right at the end.

Attempt #5 - Laser Ball. Score: 800,550 

• Well I took 5 attempts at this one, and my score got better every time, so it seemed like it was only going to be a matter of time before I got it. I didn't get the yellow peg with the first ball, but I made sure that I cleared a path to it so I could get it with the second. I changed my aiming point for the laser ball ever so slightly and I got rather a nice little double rim bounce for a better score than I had been getting, so that worked quite well. After that I was mainly a question of picking the pegs off one or two at a time, concentrating on the reds and the purple one. I had rather a handy ricochet near the end which reduced me to needing just one peg per ball and the score practically in the bag and it was an easy finish from there.

Level 9 (Clear ALL pegs - 30 red and 87 blue, with only 9 balls - Pro target 675k)

The same design as level 4, but with 125k more on the pro target, and all pegs now needed. There are more pegs in this design than any of the others, so this could be tricky.

Attempt #1 - Laser Ball. Score: 1,027,030 

• I got the yellow peg on the second peg again, and by using the same adjusted aiming point for the laser ball as I did in the previous level, I got another double rim bounce with it, only this one was even more spectacular. It scored me a fistful of points and took out loads of pegs, so after that it was just a matter of not messing it up.

Level 10 (Clear 35 red pegs from 108 total, with only 7 balls and a 3s shot-clock - Pro target 625k)

The same design as level 5, but with 10 more red pegs, two less balls, 175k on the pro target and the dreaded shot-clock. The clock is only three seconds, so it's quite a quick one, and shot-clocks on levels with moving pegs are always an extra challenge as you really need to be able to think fast.

Attempt #1 - Laser Ball. Score: 394,420

• I think I was probably rushing there a little more than I needed to. It wasn't a bad effort for a first go. I only had two or three red pegs left, and not many blues either. But the score wasn't going up as much as I would have liked, particularly in the endgame when the pegs were getting more awkward and the bonuses were therefore getting harder to earn.

Attempt #2 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 588,020

• I cleared all the red pegs, but needed more than a 10k from the final bucket. Because of where the last red peg was, I thought I had a good chance of the ball staying in the centre, but no, 10k is exactly what I got.

Attempt #3 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 376,870

• I still had several red pegs left at the end. I didn't get enough catches, basically, and the red pegs weren't very kindly positioned.

Attempt #4 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 762,270 

• I got a few lucky catches and ricochets at important times there. I ended up doing it with about half a dozen balls remaining. I did get quite a few reds on the inside lines which make for easy catches, so that helped quite a lot.

SUMMARY

Level	Reds	Pegs	Target	Balls	Clock	Pro	Attempts	Record	Average	Video
1	30	96	Reds	10	-	525k	5	680,740	487,638
2	30	105	Reds	10	-	675k	2	721,240	631,210
3	30	111	Reds	9	-	575k	2	617,340	524,540
4	30	117	Reds	9	-	550k	4	699,890	475,962
5	25	108	Reds	9	-	450k	4	529,790	449,177
6	45	105	Reds	8	-	625k	1	710,020	710,020
7	35	111	500k	9	-	850k	2	989,820	777,035
8	25	96	All	9	-	625k	5	800,550	656,206
9	30	117	All	9	-	675k	1	1,027,030	1,027,030
10	35	108	Reds	7	3s	625k	4	762,270	530,395

Board 51: Verdant Retreat

This picture appears to be a large tree in the middle of a forest with an entrance at its base and several protruding structures at various levels up it, as if it acts as housing for a community of tiny people.

Level 1 (Clear 30 red pegs from 92 total - Pro target 525k)

The first design follows the lines of the picture, particularly those of hanging vines, standing stones, and tiled roofs.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 487,920

• I still needed a few more points, but I was a bit careless with my final shot. To tell the truth I hadn't realised I was down to my last ball or I might have taken more time over it. Still, the final red peg was a bit tricky to get to, so there was no guarantee I would have gone on to clear anyway.

Attempt #2 - No power ups. Score: 758,060 

• I got myself plenty of good ricochets, plus I earned a split ball from the white peg and caught both for a 100k bonus which helped a lot. All the ricochets cleared a lot of pegs and earned quite a few extra balls to boot. I ended up making a total clearance.

Level 2 (Clear 30 red pegs from 91 total, with only 9 balls - Pro target 725k)

This design features two sets of three curved lines, with a triangle of three teleport portals that all lead to a single receiver in the top right corner.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 460,790

• I struggled to score points on this one. I was nowhere near the pro target so I was forced to be ambitious with my shot selection, so I eventually ran out of balls. But even if I'd made the catches, it looked like I was going to run out pf pegs before I got to the target anyway.

Attempt #2 - No power ups. Score: 813,520 

• I got a few useful bonuses along the way, and one or two ricochets that seemed to go on for an age. The very first ball took out 42 pegs for a total score of 210k. I still had to mostly pick off the purple peg wall first towards the end, but I had enough balls in hand to be able to do that.

Level 3 (Clear 30 red pegs from 91 total, with only 9 balls - Pro target 625k)

This design features two curvy lines twisting around each other, and a bunch of single round pegs.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 344,300

• Not enough catches made. And not enough decent ricochets either.

Attempt #2 - No power ups. Score: 345,330

• I made more catches, but the bonuses just wouldn't come. The reds all seemed to be in just the wrong position. It's worth one more go, I think, before I add a laser ball.

Attempt #3 - No power ups. Score: 401,840

• I got some much better bonuses that time. The reds seemed much better positioned. Unfortunately, my catching my lousy and I missed a bunch of catches that I really should have taken.

Attempt #4 - Laser Ball. Score: 474,830

• The yellow peg was awkwardly placed, and the catches wouldn't come either. OK, I'm bored of this level now. I need to finish it.

Attempt #5 - Laser Ball. Score: 362,900

• This one is harder than it looks. Even with the laser ball, I don't seem to be making much headway. Although I still haven't had a yellow peg in plain sight. That might make a difference.

Attempt #6 - Laser Ball. Score: 393,540

• I got the yellow peg with the first shot that time, so I can't use that as an excuse. I'm reluctant to use a second power up so early in the board, but I think I'm going to have to.

Attempt #7 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 483,580

• Even with two power ups in place, I'm still struggling. What's going on? Only one red peg left that time, but I was struggling for points. The Big Bounce was a bit of a disaster, though.

Attempt #8 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 814,820 

• Well it's about bloody time! Everything came together a bit better this time. The catches working much better seemed to be the biggest factor. I had plenty of balls left in the endgame so I could go on through the pro target and keep going for the total clearance.

Level 4 (Clear 30 red pegs from 92 total, with only 9 balls - Pro target 575k)

This design is slightly funnel-shaped with a mixture of curved and straight lines sloping down towards the centre.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 569,120

• I really thought I had that then. I just needed to make that one last catch and then I could have taken the last red for a guaranteed pro score.

Attempt #2 - No power ups. Score: 449,620

• Not as close that time. I managed to leave all the central pegs til last and they're the most awkward to make catches off. I should probably concentrate on those pegs earlier.

Attempt #3 - No power ups. Score: 695,230 

• I made sure I took out the central pegs first that time. It allowed for easier catches and better chances of distance bonuses later on. I took a total clearance in the end without too much difficulty.

Level 5 (Clear 25 red pegs from 101 total, with only 9 balls - Pro target 600k)

This design features a straight line through the centre of the tree, with two curves either side of it that follow the approximate curve of the tree. Plus a few loose round pegs.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 246,770

• Way too many missed catches there. A pretty lousy effort really. I can do better than that.

Attempt #2 - No power ups. Score: 339,340

• That was certainly a better effort, but I was still short of catches in the endgame when they're most important. I reckon it's worth one more try before I add a laser ball.

Attempt #3 - No power ups. Score: 291,880

• I made quite a few more catches, but I still couldn't get anywhere near the pro target. I'll add a laser ball.

Attempt #4 - Laser Ball. Score: 952,930 

• I got the yellow peg with the first ball, took out a whole bunch of pegs with the laser ball, and then went about picking off what was left one or two at a time. I got down to one red peg left and kept going with the purple pegs to see if I could get a total clearance. Once I got down to one ball left, though, it was no longer worth the risk, so I took the last red for an easy deflection into the 100k bucket.

Level 6 (Score 450k with 30 red pegs and 61 blue, with only 8 balls - Pro target 725k)

The same design as level 3, but with one less ball, 100k on the pro target, and only a score to aim at. This design was a complete nightmare first time around, so fortunately this doesn't look much harder.

Attempt #1 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 817,190 

• I needed two power ups to get through level 3, so I thought I'd jump straight in with both this. As it happened, I probably didn't need the Big Bounce, as I don't think it gained me much, and I'd already done most of the work with the laser ball and the shots leading up to it. I had the pro score guaranteed with several balls in hand so I kept going for a total clearance.

Level 7 (Score 500k with 30 red pegs and 62 blue, with only 8 balls - Pro target 725k)

The same design as level 4, but with one less ball, 150k on the pro target, and just a score to aim at. I didn't need a power up for level 4, but it did take me three attempts and I still didn't manage a score this high so I'll start with a laser ball.

Attempt #1 - Laser Ball. Score: 655,840

• I got the clearance but not the pro score. If I could have got the yellow peg earlier, that might have helped.

Attempt #2 - Laser Ball. Score: 565,090

• I failed to clear the central pegs early and they really got in the way in the endgame. With them still in place, there are just no catches available.

Attempt #3 - Laser Ball. Score: 698,130

• Thought I had that one. I got down to three pegs left, one of which was red, on the last ball with 75k still needed for the pro score. I tried to take a catch off the purple peg, but caught the red one as well. I finished in a 10k bucket to be just over 25k short. Disappointing.

Attempt #4 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 300,210

• Both trigger pegs were a nightmare to get to. In fact, I only got the green peg with the very last ball, so I never got a chance to use it. I made very few catches. All in all, best to forget about this one and move on.

Attempt #5 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 791,990 

• It took until the third ball, I think, to get through to the yellow peg, but once triggered, the laser ball did a good job, getting a near perfect rim bounce. The Big Bounce then did well as well, taking out quite a few pegs and getting a double score off the white peg to boot. It all gave me plenty of balls to work with in the endgame, so I could make a total clearance, leaving an easy deflection into the 100k bucket to finish.

Level 8 (Clear ALL pegs - 25 red and 67 blue - Pro target 600k)

The same design as level 1, but 5 less red pegs, 75k on the pro target, and all pegs now required. On level 1 I did get a total clearance with plenty of points on just my second attempt, so I think I'll have a go without power ups first.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 614,500 

• I'm quite pleased to get that one at the first attempt and without power ups. I didn't think I was going to be able to accumulate enough points, but I managed to keep going, getting some lucky catches and bonuses along the way. I definitely rode my luck a bit, but sometimes you need that.

Level 9 (Clear ALL pegs - 25 red and 66 blue - Pro target 625k)

The same design as level 2, but with 5 less red pegs, one more ball, 100k less on the pro target, and a total clearance required.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 427,380

• I seemed to start well enough, but I soon ran low on balls. I seemed to get hardly any portals this time which was a little strange. I'll add a laser ball.

Attempt #2 - Laser Ball. Score: 406,120

• The laser ball didn't work very well. It's always difficult to judge the path of a laser ball when there are teleport portals all over the place. I might try swapping it for a Big Bounce.

Attempt #3 - Big Bounce. Score: 1,003,010 

• I had some decent luck with my ricochets, particularly with the Big Bounce. I thought I might have triggered it too early as sometimes it can get hemmed in if there are too many pegs around. But it worked like a dream, jumping through portals all over the place, and taking out quite a few pegs with each bounce. I must have earned about 300k from that ball alone. Swapping out the laser ball for it turned out to be a great decision. I had plenty of balls left in the endgame, so I could take on some more adventurous shots towards the end, and it paid off with a score of just over a million.

Level 10 (Clear ALL pegs - 25 red and 76 blue - Pro target 675k)

The same design as level 5, but with one more ball, 75k on the pro target and a total clearance required.

Attempt #1 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 858,600 

• I was down to a single energy, so in the interests of finishing the board in this session, I jumped straight in with both my usual power ups. It may well have been possible with just one as I accomplished the total clearance with a pro score quite easily. There were a few lucky catches in there, but then you generally expect a certain amount of luck.

SUMMARY

Level	Reds	Pegs	Target	Balls	Clock	Pro	Attempts	Record	Average	Video
1	30	92	Reds	10	-	525k	2	758,060	622,990
2	30	91	Reds	9	-	725k	2	813,520	637,155
3	30	91	Reds	9	-	625k	8	814,820	452,642
4	30	92	Reds	9	-	575k	3	695,230	571,323
5	25	101	Reds	9	-	600k	4	952,930	457,730
6	30	91	450k	8	-	725k	1	817,190	817,190
7	30	92	500k	8	-	725k	5	791,990	602,252
8	25	92	All	10	-	600k	1	614,500	614,500
9	25	91	All	10	-	625k	3	1,003,010	612,170
10	25	101	All	10	-	675k	1	858,600	858,600

Board 102: Leprechaun's Burrow

This picture is of a door in the side of a wooded hill. A huge pot of gold sits just outside the door amidst the clover plants.

Level 1 (Clear 25 red pegs from 101 total - Pro target 425k)

This design is a ring of round and diamond-shaped pegs around the pot with more round pegs radiating outwards.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 385,660

• Layouts like this with lots of scattered pegs are always difficult to judge catches in, and this was no exception. I still had three or four red pegs left at the end, but that was mainly because I'd been concentrating on the purple peg for quite a few shots.

Attempt #2 - No power ups. Score: 199,730

• I made just a single catch in that game which was never going to be enough.

Attempt #3 - Laser Ball. Score: 239,120

• A pretty dismal effort with a laser ball. Only two catches made this time. The laser ball didn't come early enough or clear enough pegs. I was hoping for a decent rim bounce but didn't get one.

Attempt #4 - Laser Ball. Score: 446,210 

• Another awkward yellow peg placement that seemed to take an age to get to. But when I eventually triggered the laser ball, I managed to take out a good chunk of what was left, leaving predominantly looser pegs on the left hand side which were easier to pick off. I got a few lucky catches and ricochets towards the end and it was just enough to carry me over the pro target.

Level 2 (Clear 25 red pegs from 129 total, with only 9 balls - Pro target 475k)

This design follows some of the lines in the picture - the curve of the door, the rim and the bands around the pot and the curves of the hills in the background, plus lots of single round pegs.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 321,970

• I made a reasonable attempt at this one without power ups, but I don't think it's going to go easily that way. There's just too many pegs in the way.

Attempt #2 - Laser Ball. Score: 662,150 

• Yet again, the yellow peg proved awkward to get to, but I made quite a few unexpected catches and that made a big difference. Once I did get to use the laser ball, I got a decent rim bounce off it, despite having taken an unorthodox line.

Level 3 (Clear 30 red pegs from 114 total, with only 9 balls - Pro target 450k)

This design is of a big leprechaun-style top hat.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 279,980

• Only a couple of red pegs left, but I was struggling for points. I probably could have made more catches if I'd had a bit more luck, but I'll finish it with a laser ball and move on.

Attempt #2 - Laser Ball. Score: 599,260 

• I triggered the Big Bucket with the laser ball, so didn't get a rim bounce at all, but despite this I found it quite straightforward with the laser ball.

Level 4 (Clear 30 red pegs from 104 total, with only 9 balls - Pro target 500k)

This design shows an imaginary rainbow leading to the pot of gold in the picture. The bottom half of the layout is just a random scattering of single round pegs.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 501,930

• I got the points but not the pegs. I can't blame catches as I made quite a lot, but I think it's worth another try without power ups.

Attempt #2 - No power ups. Score: 566,860 

• I got there by taking my time on this one. I managed to clear most of the left-hand side without losing too many balls. After that I made a lot of single peg catches, mainly off the rainbow as the angles are quite conducive to them. There were a few decent ricochets in there, but not many. I played quite a lot of single blue pegs in the mid-game, just to clear the decks a bit. I could have waited for purple pegs in the right place, but I felt I would have been there all night if I had. Besides, I thought the points would probably come anyway if I managed to finish the red pegs, and indeed they did.

Level 5 (Clear 25 red pegs from 139 total, with only 8 balls - Pro target 500k)

This design gives us three four-leaf clovers. With over 40 pegs in each clover, there's a deceptively large number of pegs in this layout. All those blues may get in the way.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 262,810

• Yes, all those blue pegs get in the way very quickly. I made one catch, I think, and was a long way from either the pro score or clearing the reds. There seems little points in any further attempts without a laser ball.

Attempt #2 - Laser Ball. Score: 404,130

• A better effort, but the yellow peg was too awkward to get to. I made three catches this time which is a slight improvement.

Attempt #3 - Laser Ball. Score: 633,140 

• It still took a few balls to get to the yellow peg, but I did better with the laser ball than on the previous attempt. I also made more lucky catches.

Level 6 (Clear 40 red pegs from 114 total, with only 8 balls - Pro target 800k)

The same design as level 3, but with 10 more red pegs, one less ball, and 350k on the pro target. The increase in the pro target looks like being the biggest hurdle here.

Attempt #1 - Laser Ball. Score: 697,350

• This one seemed to go pretty well. I picked up quite a few lucky catches and unexpected bonuses. But I was still quite a way short of clearing the reds, although not that far off the pro target. I could have done with some more ricochets at times, mind you. I'll add a Big Bounce and see if that helps.

Attempt #2 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 925,700 

• I got some much better ricochets that time. Plus the laser ball was triggered after only two balls, and it did quite well. The Big Bounce didn't get triggered until quite late on, which is often the best way, and that too did quite well. That just left a relatively small cluster in the middle which was quite easy to make catches off. I ended up picking the whole cluster off one at a time for a total clearance.

Level 7 (Clear ALL pegs - 30 red and 71 blue, with only 9 balls - Pro target 575k)

The same design as level 1, but with 5 more red pegs, one less ball, 150k on the pro target and a total clearance now required.

Attempt #1 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 856,660 

• I struggled on level 1, even with a laser ball, so I went straight in this time with the Big Bounce as well. Everything seemed to work pretty well here. I couldn't quite get to the yellow peg with the first ball, but I think I only lost one ball getting to it. I got the split ball with the laser, but because both balls travelled in much the same direction after the split, the extra ball didn't really take out many extra pegs. I did mean, however, that both balls landed in the bucket for a 100k bonus. The Big Bounce did reasonably well also, and I quickly got the point of only having 21 pegs left with still 10 balls in hand. This meant that I could go for catches without worrying about unexpected ricochets, because as long as I took two pegs out for the loss of each ball I would remain on target for the clearance.

Level 8 (Score 550k with 35 red pegs and 104 blue, with only 8 balls - Pro target 725k)

The same design as level 5, but 10 more red pegs, and 225k on the pro target, but no need to worry too much about the pegs as only a score is needed.

Attempt #1 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 532,820

• Three pegs left at the end. Only 12 shots made, so I could certainly have done with some more catches. I did manage to get the yellow peg with the first ball though so that helped.

Attempt #2 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 609,660

• Enough of an improvement over last time to earn me the badge, but not a pro score. Heading in the right direction though.

Attempt #3 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 719,390

• So close! The laser ball was a bit of a washout as I didn't get a clean first bounce. I made a lot of catches in the endgame though, and very nearly made it all the way. Still heading in the right direction, though.

Attempt #4 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 982,070 

• It took a few balls to get to the yellow peg, but I found a good line for the laser ball, and then the Big Bounce seemed to go on for ages as well. Both were big scorers, which also earned me extra balls, so I had plenty of shots left in the endgame. I ended up making a total clearance for just short of the million.

Level 9 (Clear ALL pegs - 25 red and 79 blue, with only 8 balls - Pro target 775k)

The same design as level 4, but with 5 less red pegs, one less ball, 275k on the pro target, and a total clearance now required.

Attempt #1 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 680,800

• This isn't an easy layout to score big points on so the pro target was always going to be a struggle. I could have done it there if I'd got a big final bucket bonus, but I just got the minimum 20k so it wasn't to be. I got the clearance at the first attempt though, so that's promising.

Attempt #2 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 542,980

• The yellow peg was tucked away in the bottom right hand corner, blocked by the rainbow so by the time I triggered the laser ball, there were precious few pegs left to aim at. I got down to only two pegs left, despite this, but I was so short of points, I was forced to try and get them off the side wall first and trust to luck about the catches. Needless to say, my luck ran out.

Attempt #3 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 888,240 

• The yellow peg wasn't too badly positioned and I think I managed to get it with the first ball. I went high on the right wall with the laser ball to try and take out as much of the rainbow as possible, but I'm not convinced that's a worthwhile strategy. The Big Bounce then worked OK, but I was still left with a lot of points to score. I picked them off one or two at a time, making what catches I could, but I got myself into a position of having 8 pegs left (all blue) and only two balls, and still needing nearly 100k. The problem was that one peg was effectively blocking all the others. I tried to wait for it to turn purple, but after shooting 21 balls straight into the bucket I ran out of patience and tried to take a different peg. I was playing to miss the nearest peg on the rebound but hit it square in the middle. It worked out brilliantly mind you as the ball ricocheted off three other pegs taking out five in all, earning most of the points I needed and earning an extra ball to boot. From there it was an easy finish.

Level 10 (Clear 40 red pegs from 129 total, with only 8 balls - Pro target 600k)

The same design as level 2, but with 15 less red pegs, one less ball, and 125k on the pro target.

Attempt #1 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 978,400 

• I got a good rim bounce with the laser ball for a change which scored quite a lot of points, and the Big Bounce wasn't too bad either. Most of the catches I attempted worked, so all in all it was a pretty successful game. Before long I had all the remaining red pegs in plain view and more than enough balls to take them out, but I decided to carry on and took a total clearance.

SUMMARY

Level	Reds	Pegs	Target	Balls	Clock	Pro	Attempts	Record	Average	Video
1	25	101	Reds	10	-	425k	4	446,210	317,680
2	25	129	Reds	9	-	475k	2	662,150	492,060
3	30	114	Reds	9	-	450k	2	599,260	439,620
4	30	104	Reds	9	-	500k	2	566,860	534,395
5	25	139	Reds	8	-	500k	3	633,140	433,360
6	40	114	Reds	8	-	800k	2	925,700	811,525
7	30	101	All	9	-	575k	1	856,660	856,660
8	35	139	550k	8	-	725k	4	982,070	710,985
9	25	104	All	8	-	775k	3	888,240	704,006
10	40	129	Reds	8	-	600k	1	978,400	978,400

Board 52: Unicorn Canyon

This picture is of a steep-sided canyon with a river at the bottom. There are huge unicorn heads carved into both sides of the canyon.

Level 1 (Clear 25 red pegs from 102 total - Pro target 600k)

The first design follows some of the curves in the picture with some single round pegs as well.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 306,220

• I struggled to make catches early and was quickly low on balls.

Attempt #2 - No power ups. Score: 689,800 

• I didn't make that many early catches, but I got a lot of good ricochets all the way through which really helped clear the pegs and rack up the points. I could probably have gone on to make a total clearance had I needed to, but once I was down to my last ball, with the pro target already passed, it wasn't worth the risk so I just finished it.

Level 2 (Clear 25 red pegs from 95 total - Pro target 625k)

This design features three sets of three concentric curves with a handful of diamond-shaped pegs above and some round ones below.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 571,750

• Not too far off. I could have gone for a finish but I needed a big final bucket, and that didn't likely from where the final red peg was, so I was trying to take an extra catch off the purple peg and missed it.

Attempt #2 - No power ups. Score: 272,480

• A dreadful lack of catches early on left me with no chance. I took a few catches once I was down to the final ball, but I knew it was going nowhere.

Attempt #3 - No power ups. Score: 209,340

• And not a single catch to be had that time at all. I guess I'd better add a laser ball If I want to get through this one.

Attempt #4 - No power ups. Score: 684,700 

• I was going to add a laser ball, but I forgot, and as it happens, I didn't need it after all. I got lots of bonuses all the way through - pretty much every ball seemed to pick up at least 25k from somewhere. Some late ricochets helped me take a total clearance, comfortably above the pro target.

Level 3 (Clear 25 red pegs from 100 total - Pro target 625k)

This design features two horn-like projections with a double row of round pegs zig-zagging between them.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 464,930

• I only had one red peg left which I could have got, but I still neede nearly 200k for the pro score, so I needed more points first.

Attempt #2 - No power ups. Score: 458,120

• Very similar to the previous go. I think I had two reds left that time, but I was deliberately avoiding them while I earned some more points. One more try I think.

Attempt #3 - No power ups. Score: 446,110

• Again, clearing the pegs was not as much of a problem as earning the points. I've no doubt that it's possible without power ups, but three attempts is enough I think. I'll add a laser ball.

Attempt #4 - Laser Ball. Score: 909,310 

• The points still didn't come particularly easily, but then I made a lot of catches, and the laser ball worked well, earning me more extra balls. In the end I had more balls than I knew what to do with, so I could attempt all manner of interesting shots with impunity. I made a total clearance and still had half a dozen or more balls in hand at the end.

Level 4 (Clear 30 red pegs from 95 total - Pro target 550k)

This design comprises mainly vertical lines. Four solid ones, and five dotted with clusters of round pegs at the bottom. I'm not sure of the connection to the picture - maybe the waterfalls?

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 573,490 

• I got pretty lucky with bonuses here. The balls seemed to pick out the red pegs with uncommon accuracy, picking up big distance bonuses all over the place. I suspect this layout is probably harder than I made it look here.

Level 5 (Clear 35 red pegs from 102 total, with only 9 balls - Pro target 625k)

This design looks like a rainbow arching between two clouds. I don't suppose that's what it's supposed to look like as we have no rainbows in the picture, but that's what it looks like to me.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 737,490 

• I got lucky again on this one, although this one probably had a higher percentage of skill than the last one. There were definitely some useful bonuses that came along at important moments, though.

Level 6 (Score 500k with 30 red pegs and 65 blue, with only 9 balls - Pro target 850k)

The same design as level 2, but with 5 more red pegs, one less ball, 225k on the pro target, but only a score required.

Attempt #1 - Laser Ball. Score: 1,008,530 

• I got the yellow peg with the first ball, but also scored a really good sweep with it as well. Then the laser ball took out a good chunk of pegs for quite a lot of pegs, and then catches seemed to come pretty easily after that. I got a total clearance for just over a million points, and that's despite only getting 20k for the final bucket bonus.

Level 7 (Clear 40 red pegs from 100 total, with only 9 balls - Pro target 550k)

The same design as level 3, but with 15 more red pegs, one less ball, and 75k less on the pro score.

Attempt #1 - Laser Ball. Score: 809,510 

• I didn't get the yellow peg with the first ball, but I did clear quite a lot of pegs with it, so I could get through to the yellow peg on the second ball. I could have done better with the laser ball, but my catches were working well, and I had a few lucky ones and some handy unexpected bonuses, so it turned out quite easy.

Level 8 (Clear 35 red pegs from 102 total, with only 9 balls - Pro target 700k)

The same design as level 1, but with 10 more red pegs, one less ball, and 100k on the pro target.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 336,320

• I struggled to make enough catches without any power ups. I'll add a laser ball.

Attempt #2 - Laser Ball. Score: 802,940 

• I got the yellow peg with the second ball, and could have done better with the laser ball, but it was enough. It's not a particularly tricky layout, and I probably could have done it without a power up if I'd persevered for a few attempts, but I couldn't be bothered. I have, after all, got a lot of boards still to go.

Level 9 (Clear 40 red pegs from 95 total, with only 9 balls - Pro target 525k)

The same design as level 4, but with 10 more red pegs, one less ball, and 25k less on the pro target. Another level where the pro target has gone down the second time around. What's that all about?

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 324,390

• I didn't make enough catches. I dare say I can do better than that, but I'll use a laser ball anyway.

Attempt #2 - Laser Ball. Score: 625,650 

• A bizarre finish to this one. I had three red pegs left and several balls in hand. I went for the purple peg off the side wall, but hit one of the reds instead. The ball then bounced off the rim of the bucket onto one of the other red pegs for a bonus, then off the rim again, and onto the last red peg for another bonus! I was still building towards the pro target so hadn't planned on finishing, but all those bonuses made me more than enough points for a pro score. I didn't think I was going to get it at first as it took me several balls to get the yellow peg.

Level 10 (Clear ALL pegs - 35 red and 67 blue, with only 9 balls - Pro target 750k)

The same design as level 5, but with 125k on the pro target and a total clearance now needed. I did this layout in one attempt without power ups last time, although I got quite lucky. I'll need a laser ball this time.

Attempt #1 - Laser Ball. Score: 852,330

• I had two pegs left at the end, both right next to each other. I tried to take them both out with the same ball by shooting right between them, but the ball only hit one of them. Very annoying as I was well over the pro target.

Attempt #2 - Laser Ball. Score: 823,470

• Five pegs left that time. I should have made more catches, particularly towards the end.

Attempt #3 - Laser Ball. Score: 893,120

• Unbelievable! I got myself into the same position as the first attempt. I had two pegs left, right next to each, and only ball. This time I tried to take them one at a time, but missed the first catch. This is starting to get irritating.

Attempt #4 - Laser Ball. Score: 514,600

• Nowhere near that time. I wasted a couple of balls trying to get to the yellow peg, then the laser ball triggered the Big Bucket bonus which always messes up the angles. Plus very few of my catch attempts worked.

Attempt #5 - Laser Ball. Score: 988,530 

• Got it that time, but another bizarre finish. I actually managed to get a ball into one of the final buckets that never opens. And what did I get for it? A paltry six thousand points. The final peg to go was really low and I contrived to hit it from beneath by bouncing of the bucket, so that one of the balls was already inside the cover of the mystery bucket when it appeared. Oh well, at least I know how much the mystery buckets score now.

SUMMARY

Level	Reds	Pegs	Target	Balls	Clock	Pro	Attempts	Record	Average	Video
1	25	102	Reds	10	-	600k	2	689,800	498,010
2	25	95	Reds	10	-	625k	4	684,700	434,567
3	25	100	Reds	10	-	625k	4	909,310	569,617
4	30	95	Reds	10	-	550k	1	573,490	573,490
5	35	102	Reds	9	-	625k	1	737,490	737,490
6	30	95	500k	9	-	850k	1	1,008,530	1,008,530
7	40	100	Reds	9	-	550k	1	809,510	809,510
8	35	102	Reds	9	-	700k	2	802,940	569,630
9	40	95	Reds	9	-	525k	2	625,650	475,020
10	35	102	All	9	-	750k	5	988,530	814,410