Board 123: Mysterious Mausoleum

This picture shows a dusty, cobweb-filled mausoleum with various bits of armour and weapons arranged around the walls.

Level 1 (Clear 30 red pegs from 112 total, with only 9 balls - Pro target 425k)

The first design is a large kite shape with a long curve above a horizontal line to each side. There are also single round pegs to the sides, and lines of diamond-shaped pegs inside the kite. The design is similar to that on the standard behind the crossed swords, shield and helmet at the end of the room.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 356,910

• Practically every ball seemed to hit the bucket, but absolutely none of them actually went in. They all bounced off the rim. That's the way it goes sometimes.

Attempt #2 - No power ups. Score: 435,040

• I took two catches that time, but still didn't catch either of the first two. An improvement, but only a slight one.

Attempt #3 - No power ups. Score: 392,920

• The score wasn't bad, but I still had four red pegs left at the end. Catches are not getting any easier, so I guess I'll have to use a laser ball, although I do hate resorting to the laser ball on level 1.

Attempt #4 - Laser Ball. Score: 508,910 

• I managed to catch both the opening balls for once. A good job, because it took me ages to get through to the yellow peg, and once I did there wasn't much left to aim for. I probably could have done it without the laser ball to be honest, but it probably made it a little easier.

Level 2 (Clear 30 red pegs from 109 total - Pro target 375k)

The second design follows the lines in the picture, with hardly any single pegs.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 216,070

• Another one where catches were tough. I had lots of red pegs left at the end, so I think I'll go straight for the laser ball this time.

Attempt #2 - Laser Ball. Score: 961,960 

• The yellow peg was front and centre so there were no problems there. My standard laser ball path worked well, and that cleared the way for a good number of catches and a few ricochets. I just about managed to scrape together a total clearance.

Level 3 (Clear 25 red pegs from 106 total, with only 9 balls - Pro target 400k)

The third design is a repetetive pattern of rectangular and diamond shaped peg clusters. Each cluster has four of each of these pegs, and there are eleven of these clusters in total, arranged in columns of three or four. A few round pegs are arranged around them.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 336,690

• I was struggling for both points and catches in that one. I was down to the last red peg, which I could have taken, but I needed to build up some more points first. I caught the red peg off an unexpected deflection. I think I would have struggled to make the points anyway, though.

Attempt #2 - Laser Ball. Score: 348,130

• Not much of an improvement in my score, even with the laser ball. The last red peg or two were awkward to get to.

Attempt #3 - Laser Ball. Score: 556,780 

• The yellow peg was low down and central, but I remembered that that peg was taken out by the first ball I played last time, and I managed to replicate it. I also managed to catch it, which was a bonus. I still didn't make many catches, but I got some good deflections and ricochets to get rid of the red pegs.

Level 4 (Clear 35 red pegs from 87 total, with only 8 balls - Pro target 400k)

The fourth design shows two spears, one coming in from either side of the screen. A zigzag of single round pegs surrounds them both.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 460,470 

• At least I managed to do at least one of this board without power ups. I was starting to worry! I needed some luck with one or two catches and ricochets, but it was mostly done by playing the odds and going for likely catches and distance bonuses.

Level 5 (Clear 30 red pegs from 106 total, with only 9 balls - Pro target 475k)

The fifth and final design has two concentric shields with a cluster of diamond-shaped pegs in the very centre. There is a vertical line on each side of the screen.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 365,690

• I still had quite a few red pegs left at the end, but the angles didn't seem too bad for catches - I just don't think I played it very well. Worth another go or two.

Attempt #2 - No power ups. Score: 891,180 

• That was much better. I took better advantage of the natural curves of the shield design, and made more catches down the outside of the vertical lines. I got down to one red peg left with two balls in hand. Once I'd checked that I could see the peg directly, I made quite a few consecutive catches off the purple peg to boost my score quite considerably.

Level 6 (Clear 45 red pegs from 109 total, with only 7 balls - Pro target 650k)

The same design as level 2, but with 15 more red pegs, three less balls and 275k on the pro target.

Attempt #1 - Laser Ball. Score: 67,130

• A disaster! The yellow peg was below the central figure of the design and I just couldn't find a way through to it. I took it out with my very last ball, having failed to make a single catch, so I never got to use the laser ball.

Attempt #2 - Laser Ball. Score: 640,820

• A brave try after another horrific yellow peg placement. I used up a lot of balls getting to it, low down on the right hand side, but came back strongly after the laser ball. Not quite enough as it turned out though, I'd lost just too many balls getting to the yellow peg.

Attempt #3 - Laser Ball. Score: 594,070

• I got the yellow peg with the first ball that time, but I still ended up with a tricky clearance. I got down to my last ball, still with a knot of four red pegs just right of centre. I took out all the blue pegs that were left, as the catches on those were not too difficult and the catches on the reds would be a lot easier if there no other ricochets to complicate matters. I got the first two but left myself with a dilemma over which way round to take the last two. One had an easy catch, but it also offered an easy deflection into the 100k bucket, and I thought I might need the points, so I went for the other one and just missed the catch. Damn!

Attempt #4 - Laser Ball. Score: 738,910

• I really should have had that one. I had two red pegs left and two balls, but I was tempted into taking what looked like a safe catch off a purple peg when I already had enough points for pro. I missed the catch then missed the catch off the next red peg and left myself one short again. I really shouldn't be making schoolboy errors of judgement like that.

Attempt #5 - Laser Ball. Score: 834,560 

• No mistakes that time, although I could have been tempted by purple peg catches. I remembered the lessons of the previous go, though, and stuck to the task.

Level 7 (Score 475k with 30 red pegs and 82 blue, with only 7 balls - Pro target 650k)

The same design as level 1, but with two less balls, 225k on the pro target, but just a score to go for with no requirement to clear pegs.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 662,240 

• When I first glanced this layout before choosing my power ups, I thought it was the shield design of level 5 so I opted for no power ups. It was only when I started playing it, though, that I realised that it was the harder design of level 1. I stuck with it though, got a few lucky catches and deflections, made some pretty good catches too, and made a total clearance to just scrape a pro score.

Level 8 (Clear ALL pegs - 35 red and 52 blue, with only 9 balls - Pro target 600k)

The same design as level 4, but with one more ball, 200k on the pro target and a total clearance now required.

Attempt #1 - Laser Ball. Score: 538,210

• Only a 93% clearance, mainly due to some fairly dubious catching, and a not particularly successful laser ball.

Attempt #2 - Laser Ball. Score: 284,790

• A 90% clearance after an awkward yellow peg low on the left. I got it eventually, but it left me very low on points so even if I'd kept catching all the way to the end, a pro score always looked unlikely.

Attempt #3 - Laser Ball. Score: 725,080 

• The yellow peg was nicely on top, and I did reasonably well with the laser ball. I made quite a lot of catches though, which meant I had a lot of balls in hand for the endgame which made a big difference.

Level 9 (Score 550k with 30 red pegs and 76 blue, with only 7 balls - Pro target 725k)

The same design as level 5, but with one less ball, 250k on the pro target, but just a score as a target.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 621,340

• Not a bad effort. I think this is probably doable without power ups. I only had one red peg left, for what it was worth, so if I could have got a few more points, I could have gone for a decent final bonus bucket for the last few points.

Attempt #2 - No power ups. Score: 146,850

• A poor effort. Very few catches. I should have done much better than that.

Attempt #3 - No power ups. Score: 791,280 

• I made catches off the first couple of balls, both set pieces for this layout. After that I made quite a few ricochets and catches. I could see the last red peg was always going to be a headache, but I just ignored it and concentrated on taking catches off the purple pegs and made the pro target that way.

Level 10 (Clear ALL pegs - 30 red and 76 blue, with only 9 balls - Pro target 500k)

The same design as level 3, but with just 25k on the pro target, and a total clearance now required.

Attempt #1 - Laser Ball. Score: 353,360

• Just 80% of pegs cleared. Catches on this one are awkward due to all the confused angles. I'll give it another go, but this may need a second power up.

Attempt #2 - Laser Ball. Score: 403,300

• Up to 91% that time, due to some more careful catching in the endgame. I'll try adding a Big Bounce.

Attempt #3 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 275,910

• The Big Bounce didn't help much. These pegs are packed quite close, so I might give the Grenade Ball a try. I've not used it for a while.

Attempt #4 - Laser Ball & Grenade Ball. Score: 339,610

• 92% clearance, but I should have done much better. My catching in the endgame was poor.

Attempt #5 - Laser Ball & Grenade Ball. Score: 454,560

• Down to 86% that time. I'm starting to get the hang of some of these angles, but I'm still making a lot of mistakes.

Attempt #6 - Laser Ball & Grenade Ball. Score: 640,820 

• I got the angles much better that time, and made enough catches in the endgame to pick off all the pegs, mainly one at a time.

SUMMARY

Level	Reds	Pegs	Target	Balls	Clock	Pro	Attempts	Record	Average	Video
1	30	112	Reds	9	-	425k	4	508,910	423,445
2	30	109	Reds	10	-	375k	2	961,960	589,015
3	25	106	Reds	9	-	400k	3	556,780	413,866
4	35	87	Reds	8	-	400k	1	460,470	460,470
5	30	106	Reds	9	-	475k	2	891,180	628,435
6	45	109	Reds	7	-	650k	5	834,560	575,098
7	30	112	475k	7	-	650k	1	662,240	662,240
8	35	87	All	9	-	600k	3	725,080	516,026
9	30	106	550k	7	-	725k	3	791,280	519,823
10	30	106	All	9	-	500k	6	640,820	411,260