Board 69: Parched Desert

The picture shows a cracked and dry desert landscape stretching into the distance.

Level 1 (Clear 25 red pegs from 100 total - Pro target 550k)

Some concentric circles in the top left where the sun is, a curved line for the horizon, and loose pegs beneath. It doesn't look the easiest of starting levels, but we'll see.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 429,000

• I could have finished that, as I had the last red peg available for several shots, but I wanted the pro score so I was trying to build my score off the remaining blues.
  

Attempt #2 - No power ups. Score: 698,500

• Found a good first ball that time to knock a hole in the right hand side of the sun that went on to take out most of the horizon line for a big bonus. I enlarged the hole slightly with the second ball, then I could shoot the third ball round the loop of the sun for another big bonus. I still had to make quite a few catches to reach the pro target, although a 100k bonus at the end boosted my score more than I needed.
  

Level 2 (Clear 25 red pegs from 103 total - Pro target 575k)

We have what are presumably three snakes flanked by some curvy lines which might be grass, altough no grass is apparent in the picture. Still, we have lots of curves to work with which may make scoring bonuses easier.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 275,010

• Five red pegs left at the end. I only made one bucket catch, which wouldn't generally be considered enough to get through any level. There are some early bonuses available, but the pegs soon become disconnected and the level is then full of odd angles, making catches tricky to come by.
  

Attempt #2 - No power ups. Score: 356,520

• Three red pegs left that time. A lot more catches that time, as the game ran to 21 shots, but not much closer to the pro target.
  

Attempt #3 - Laser Ball. Score: 791,640

• Much easier with the laser ball. It took out a lot of pegs ans earned a lot of points. I went on to make a total clearance just for the hell of it.
  

Level 3 (Clear 25 red pegs from 88 total - Pro target 525k)

This design features a circle for the sun, a bunch of horizontal lines to each side, three short angled lines, and an arc of single round pegs. Horizontal lines, close together like these can be awkward to get into, so there may be problems here.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 310,202

• A couple of red pegs left at the end as I was still trying to build a score. It might be useful to clear one side first, as it would probably make catches easier off the other side.
  

Attempt #2 - No power ups. Score: 288,590

• I concentrated on trying to take out one side first, but it took too many balls to do it. By the time I had, I didn't have enough left to finish the level. Plus the score wasn't high enough.
  

Attempt #3 - No power ups. Score: 349,480

• Very similar story to the last attempt. I tried to take out one side first, but ran out of balls still with quite a few pegs left.
  

Attempt #4 - No power ups. Score: 173,230

• That one went wrong from the word go. I normally manage to take out the sun in a few balls, but made a mess of it this time. One more go before I resort to power ups.
  

Attempt #5 - No power ups. Score: 664,530

• Tried to attack it with massive patience that time by constantly firing the ball straight into the bucket until the purple peg was in the right place, then take a careful glance off its leading edge into the bucket. This was working great until I made a silly mistake right at the end. I had cleared all but four pegs, thought I could see a way of taking out two at once and made a mess of it. It was my 63rd shot which may well be a personal record for a single game.
  

Attempt #6 - No power ups. Score: 304,220

• Cleared the right hand side, but still had lots of pegs left on the left when I ran out of balls. It's undoubtedly possible without a power up, but I think the time has come to give up and use one.
  

Attempt #7 - Laser Ball. Score: 318,930

• The laser ball seemed to get rid of all the wrong pegs, leaving a really awkward selection for gauging rebounds. As a result there was no real improvement on previous goes.
  

Attempt #8 - Laser Ball. Score: 574,800

• A bit better this time. I concentrated on taking out the sun before I worried about the yellow peg, which I didn't do last time. This left me with a much better selection of pegs after the laser. Good enough to make the total clearance and reach the pro target.
  

Level 4 (Clear 25 red pegs from 93 total - Pro target 500k)

This design is that of a lizard. This provides lots of curves, but also lots of odd angles.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 691,960

• It didn't look particularly promising half way through, but it got better as it went on. I got some decent bounces and fortunate rebounds.
  

Level 5 (Clear 25 red pegs from 99 total - Pro target 475k)

This design consists of a number of jagged interconnecting lines, reminiscent of crazy paving. These lines look like they'll make this a tricky level. I'll give it a go without power ups first but I imagine I'll be turning to them soon enough.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 213,240

• Lots of tricky angles makes for a difficult level. I'll go straight for the laser ball.
  

Attempt #2 - Laser Ball. Score: 549,220

• Once the laser ball had removed a good chunk of the pegs. The angles were easier to judge and it was easy enough to make rebounds until the pro target was reached.
  

Level 6 (Score 475k with 40 red pegs and 63 blue - Pro target 775k)

The same design as level 2, which I only got past by using a laser ball, so I'll do the same here.

Attempt #1 - Laser Ball. Score: 676,560

• The last three pegs were all in a U-shape in the middle at the bottom of the screen, so I tried to take them all out together with my final shot. However the ball skipped over the middle one, so I missed the 100% clearance by a single peg.
  

Attempt #2 - Laser Ball. Score: 731,750

• I thought I'd have another try before I moved on. I got closer, but not quite there. I cleared all the red pegs that time, but not quite all the blue ones. I only got a 10k bonus at the end, but even a 50k wouldn't quite have been enough.
  

Level 7 (Clear ALL pegs - 25 red and 75 blue - Pro target 700k)

The same design as level 1, but a total clearance is needed this time.

Attempt #1 - Laser Ball. Score: 743,800

• I remembered the first shot that worked so well on level 1, and concentrated on the sun first. I didn't actually activate the laser ball for several balls, which isn't normally a good idea, but this time I think it worked for the best.
  

Level 8 (Clear 40 red pegs from 88 total, with only 7 balls - Pro target 725k)

The same design as level 3, which I eventually resorted to the laser ball to get through. Straight for it this time.

Attempt #1 - Laser Ball. Score: 336,020

• The yellow peg was buried near the bottom on the left, so it took far too long to activate. I still could probably have done it, but made a couple of clumsy attempt at catches.
  

Attempt #2 - Laser Ball. Score: 796,350

• The yellow peg was in the sun this time, which simplified things a lot. It meant I could take out the sun first, then use the laser ball to wipe out a large chunk of the horizontal lines, then use carefully taken catches to finish off. Took the total clearance just to be sure.
  

Level 9 (Clear ALL pegs - 30 red and 63 blue - Pro target 800k)

The same design as level 4, but looking to clear blues as well as reds.

Attempt #1 - Laser Ball. Score: 703,180

• Only 84% clearance, so not a very good attempt. Too many missed catches.
  

Attempt #2 - Laser Ball. Score: 846,820

• Ouch! One peg left. Just missed the very last catch by a whisker. Otherwise everything was going to plan.
  

Attempt #3 - Laser Ball. Score: 1,035,660

• Did well with the laser ball that time, and triggered the triple score bucket for a big bonus which took a lot of the pressure off to build a big score. Very quickly got into a position where I only needed between 2 and 3 pegs per ball, and that figure kept coming down.
  

Level 10 (Clear ALL pegs - 25 red and 74 blue - Pro target 625k)

The same design as level 5, but all pegs required. Clearly this will need a power up.

Attempt #1 - Laser Ball. Score: 495,850

• Two pegs left. The score was getting there. Close, but no cigar.
  

Attempt #2 - Laser Ball. Score: 691,020

• Much the same as the previous attempt, but just that little bit better. I judged the rebounds slightly better and caught a few more of them.
  

Level 6 (Score 475k with 40 red pegs and 63 blue - Pro target 775k)

Attempt #3 - Laser Ball. Score: 854,170

• Got it that time with a total clearance. And that completes the Ace for this level.
  

SUMMARY

Level	Reds	Pegs	Target	Balls	Clock	Pro	Attempts	Record	Average	Video
1	25	100	Reds	10	-	550k	2	698,500	563,750
2	25	103	Reds	10	-	575k	3	791,640	474,390
3	25	88	Reds	10	-	525k	8	664,530	372,997
4	25	93	Reds	10	-	500k	1	691,960	691,960
5	25	99	Reds	10	-	475k	2	549,220	381,230
6	40	103	475k	10	-	775k	3	854,170	754,160
7	25	100	All	10	-	700k	1	743,800	743,800
8	40	88	Reds	7	-	725k	2	796,350	566,185
9	30	93	All	10	-	800k	3	1,035,660	861,886
10	25	99	All	10	-	625k	2	691,020	593,435

Board 80: Pirate's Trove

The picture is of a huge pile of treasure in cave. It looks a bit like something out of one of the Pirates of the Caribbean movies.

Level 1 (Clear 25 red pegs from 96 total - Pro target 500k)

We have all sorts here - a horizontal line, some vertical lines, lots of round single pegs, some diamond shaped ones, and a couple of tempting-looking curves at the bottom.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 688,090

• This felt like quite an easy starter. I didn't catch many to start with, but I didn't really need to. I made a few catches towards the end to boost my score a little, but I got the 100k bonus anyway.
  

Level 2 (Clear 30 red pegs from 88 total - Pro target 475k)

This layout is a couple of pirate hooks. This gives us a lot of curves to play with which could be quite useful. Looks quite straightforward.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 594,940

• Again, no real problems here. 16 shots taken, so a few catches but not many. Some of the early balls picked up slide bonus while the curves were still relatively intact.
  

Level 3 (Clear 35 red pegs from 79 total, with only 0 ball - Pro target 475k)

A treasure map with a massive X marking the spot, and a dotted line leading to it.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 360,330

• Catches proved awkward there, but I feel I could have done a lot better. I think I need to make better use of the cross than I did.
  

Attempt #2 - No power ups. Score: 611,180

• No problem that time. It's actually quite tricky to get into the cross without bouncing straight out again, but I made lots of catches towards the end, extending the game to 26 shots, and even got a total clearance.
  

Level 4 (Clear 30 red pegs from 96 total, with only 9 balls - Pro target 450k)

This design is a close up of the items at the top of the pile in the picture. There's quite a few odd angles there that might make catches tricky.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 419,780

• Three red pegs left. The angles are indeed quite awkward, and it's quite difficult to break through to some of the lower pegs.
  

Attempt #2 - No power ups. Score: 403,630

• Only one red peg left that time, and both attempts so far have been within 50k of the pro target, so this is definitely possible without power ups.
  

Attempt #3 - No power ups. Score: 306,410

• Not so good that time, as I failed to make a single catch. Four red pegs left at the end, I think.
  

Attempt #4 - No power ups. Score: 549,500

• A little bit better than the previous attempts, and that was all that was needed. I didn't do anything radically different.
  

Level 5 (Clear 30 red pegs from 109 total, with only 9 balls - Pro target 475k)

A skull and crossbones design. Again, there are some awkward angles, plus there's a lot of depth to the design so getting through to the lower pegs could be a problem.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 241,120

• Four or five red pegs left at the end, but I made no catches, so that's only to be expected.
  

Attempt #2 - No power ups. Score: 301,830

• Three pegs left that time, and still only one catch. Maybe I'd better get the laser out.
  

Attempt #3 - Laser Ball. Score: 968,250

• Very easy with the laser ball. The way the pegs are arranged, I could wipe out pretty much everything except the tips of the bones with the laser. I ended up with about 7 balls to take out 3 red pegs, all of which were in plain sight, so I just tried to build a big score, even though the pro target was already passed.
  

Level 6 (Score 450k with 40 red pegs and 48 blue, with only 9 balls - Pro target 800k)

The same design as level 2 which only took one go, so I'll try it without power ups first.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 471,790

• Well, I made the pass target, but a long way short of the pro one. I still had a red peg left at the end, but I needed to keep building my score of the purple peg quite a bit more than I did.
  

Level 7 (Clear 45 red pegs from 79 total, with only 8 balls - Pro target 575k)

The same design as level 3. I have lots of coins in the bank, so I'll use a laser ball.

Attempt #1 - Laser Ball. Score: 715,740

• I managed to get into the cross with the first ball this time. I needed to as the yellow peg was down the bottom of it. I took out quite a few with the laser ball, and had several decent sized bonus after that from big bounces and so on. I made quite a few catches, taking 21 shots in total, and indeed made a total clearance to boot.
  

Level 8 (Clear ALL pegs - 25 red and 71 blue - Pro target 700k)

The same design as level 1. I'll stick with the laser ball, as this requires a total clearance.

Attempt #1 - Laser Ball. Score: 796,700

• Pretty plain sailing. I seemed to get lucky with some of the early balls, in that they all rebounded quite a lot to take out a lot of pegs each. After the laser ball, I soon got into the position of only having 14 pegs left, and still with 10 balls to get them with.
  

Level 9 (Clear ALL pegs - 25 red and 71 blue - Pro target 675k)

The same design as level 4. The laser ball is working well for me so far, so I'll stick with it.

Attempt #1 - Laser Ball. Score: 422,170

• 5 pegs left at the end. It took too long to break through to the yellow peg. Levels like this need an early laser to get a good sized bonus, otherwise there are not enough pegs left for the laser to scythe through. As a result I was left taking too many chances at the end to try and get maximum bonuses.
  

Attempt #2 - Laser Ball. Score: 1,000,700

• That was better. I activated the laser on the second ball. Then I got lucky, and the laser took out the white peg to activate the triple score bonus. The laser scored about 120k, tripled to about 350k, plus another 175k in other bonuses, and I was practically at the pro score after only 3 balls. After that it was just a matter of clearing 25 pegs or so with the remaining 9 balls. I just made sure I took out at least 2 pegs with each ball, without worrying too much about catches, and finished with 5 or 6 balls to spare. I even topped the million points.
  

Level 10 (Clear 45 red pegs from 109 total, with only 6 balls - Pro target 775k)

The same design as level 5. I'll keep going with the laser as this is level 10 and likely to be tough.

Attempt #1 - Laser Ball. Score: 919,460

• Got lucky again by triggering the split ball during the laser ball which gave my score a massive boost. Not much left to do after that.
  

Level 6 (Score 450k with 40 red pegs and 48 blue, with only 9 balls - Pro target 800k)

Attempt #2 - Laser Ball. Score: 628,900

• I spent way too long trying to activate the yellow peg. I could have got to it earlier but got tempted by some obvious red pegs near the side wall for rebound bonuses. This was a mistake.
  

Attempt #3 - Laser Ball. Score: 856,450

• It still took three balls to get to the yellow peg, but I did better with it this time. Then I took a good number of rebound catches, and made a total clearance.
  

SUMMARY

Level	Reds	Pegs	Target	Balls	Clock	Pro	Attempts	Record	Average	Video
1	25	96	Reds	10	-	500k	1	688,090	688,090
2	30	88	Reds	10	-	475k	1	594,940	594,940
3	35	79	Reds	9	-	475k	2	611,180	485,755
4	30	96	Reds	9	-	450k	4	549,500	419,830
5	30	109	Reds	9	-	475k	3	968,250	503,733
6	40	88	450k	9	-	800k	3	856,450	652,380
7	45	79	Reds	8	-	575k	1	715,740	715,740
8	25	96	All	10	-	700k	1	796,700	796,700
9	25	96	All	10	-	675k	2	1,000,700	711,435
10	45	109	Reds	6	-	775k	1	919,460	919,460

Board 70: Laughing Cavern

The picture is of a cavern entrance that looks like wide open mouth with a narrow bridge leading to it.

Level 1 (Clear 25 red pegs from 97 total - Pro target 600k)

Lots of useful looking curves if I can get rid of the curve at the top.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 300,700

• The curves are not too hard to hit, but they're not long enough to earn any bonuses. That wasn't a very good effort though.

Attempt #2 - No power ups. Score: 423,370

• Not many pegs left at the end. Just a couple at the top and a complete on the left. Not sure that I could have reached the pro target though.

Attempt #3 - No power ups. Score: 542,450

• Just two pegs left that time, both connected in the middle, but I missed the final catch before I could take them.

Attempt #4 - No power ups. Score: 476,330

• I unexpectedly took out the last two red pegs before I was ready so fell short of the pro target.

Level 2 (Clear 30 red pegs from 108 total - Pro target 425k)

I think possibly this design is meant to represent the blocks that make up the bridge in the picture. Whatever it's supposed to resemble, it's a network of horizontal and vertical lines with a few round single pegs contained within them.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 454,140

• No problem with the score, but I still had five red pegs left, clustered in the bottom right corner.

Attempt #2 - No power ups. Score: 320,320

• About 5 red pegs left, I think.

Attempt #3 - No power ups. Score: 613,680 

• I kept control of the ball much better that time, making 18 shots in total and easily surpassing the pro target.
  
  I found it much easier coming back to redo it for the video. I find I can work out where the balls are going to go much easier with these boards comprising mainly of horizontal and vertical blocks. I took a total clearance for 781,840.

Level 3 (Clear 30 red pegs from 97 total - Pro target 550k)

This design is based around the picture, with a few short curves, but mostly separated round pegs. These type of peg arrangements can be tricky to negotiate with any degree of certainty.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 562,250 

• Just about managed to complete that one in a single attempt, after a nervy start. I stretched the last ball out for a few shots until I hit 550k and by then I had a path through to the last red peg in the bottom right-hand corner.
  
  I got it again on the next attempt for the video. It was one of those games when the balls seem to be drawn to the bucket magnetically. I got down to the last red peg quickly with several balls in hand. I took the last red off an unexpected deflection before I could get to the pro target, but luckily I had more than enough bonus points to make up the difference.

Level 4 (Clear 30 red pegs from 93 total - Pro target 450k)

I'm not sure whether this represents the bridge or the cavern entrance, or maybe it's a bit of both. It's a series of horizontal lines with a bunch of individual round pegs above and below.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 484,410 

• It turned out to be quite straightforward, this one. Although I may have got lucky with some of the shots. I had to hang on for a bit at the end, before I took out the last red peg, but I had the balls in hand to do it.
  
  I did it again on the next attempt for the video, and again it seemed quite straightforward. I took a total clearance for 627,210.

Level 5 (Clear 25 red pegs from 97 total - Pro target 625k)

We have a lot of diamond shaped pegs in a bunch of lines that appear to be emanating from the entrance, and some more individual round pegs on the right. There is also a teleport in the cave entrance itself which moves the ball to the top left-hand corner. I have a vague recollection that this arrangement proved to be quite tricky first time round.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 340,270

• I could have finished this one as I had the last red peg in full view, but instead I tried to pick up some more points first. I was a long way short of the pro target, though, so it always looked like a bit of a lost cause.

Attempt #2 - No power ups. Score: 242,920

• I didn't manage to catch a single ball. Not even when I hit the white peg and triggered the Split Ball. I'll have one more go before I start on the power ups.

Attempt #3 - No power ups. Score: 124,800

• A couple of catches near the end that time, but I was struggling to even make 6 figures until the last ball.

Attempt #4 - Laser Ball. Score: 403,250

• I was still trying to build a better score when the last red disappeared. The trigger peg for the laser ball was buried in the middle of all the diamond pegs, so by the time I'd hit it, most of that area had been got rid of, so I couldn't get much a bonus score from it. I suspect this will need another power up as well to get the pro score.

Level 6 (Clear 45 red pegs from 108 total, with only 8 balls - Pro target 600k)

The same design as level 2, in which I managed to score 600k without power ups, so I'll try it that way to start with.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 740,510 

• I could have gone for the total clearance, but it wasn't worth the risk. As it was, I only left one peg. I think because most of the pegs in this layout offer only horizontal or vertical edges, the bounces are that much easier to judge. Also, the enclosed nature of the design tends to make getting rid of a lot of pegs at once quite a common occurrence.
  
  On the next attempt for the video, I did get a total clearance, although only just. It got me a score of 859,650.

Level 7 (Clear 40 red pegs from 97 total, with only 8 balls - Pro target 600k)

The same design as level 3 which went quite easily, but actually looks like it might be quite tricky. I think I will use a laser ball here.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 403,310

• I actually forgot to add the laser ball before I played that. I didn't really make enough catches there, but then it's a tricky level to make catches on.

Attempt #2 - Laser Ball. Score: 708,890 

• Once I'd remembered to add the laser ball, life became a whole lot easier.
  
  I got it again on the next attempt for the video. Again, quite a comfortable victory with a score of 796,270.

Level 8 (Score 500k with 45 red pegs and 52 blue, with only 8 balls - Pro target 825k)

The same design as level 1 which took four attempts to get through, and I still haven't attained the pro target. I'd better start with the laser.

Attempt #1 - Laser Ball. Score: 558,080

• Reached the main target, but quite a long way short of pro. Still had 3 red pegs left at the end, but then I was concentrating on the purple peg for maximum points.

Level 9 (Clear 45 red pegs from 97 total, with only 8 balls - Pro target 700k)

The same design as level 5 and that was pretty tricky. I'd better go into this one all guns blazing.

Attempt #1 - Laser Ball & Grenade Ball. Score: 496,020

• Still 6 red pegs left at the end. This is going to be a tough one.

Attempt #2 - Laser Ball & Grenade Ball. Score: 608,600

• But close that time. Only two red pegs left and one of them should have been an easy catch, but I messed up on the blue next to it, which should also have been an easy catch.

Attempt #3 - Laser Ball & Grenade Ball. Score: 845,640 

• I had a few of the early balls take out quite a few pegs, so after the power ups had been used, I only had 8 red pegs left and still 6 balls to get them with. I took out a few reds with catches off them until I had more balls left than red pegs, then I could concentrate on catching off the purple peg, knowing I would still have enough balls left for the red pegs if I missed. I did actually get the total clearance in the end.
  
  It took another two attempts to get it again for the video. It took a couple of shots to get through to the yellow peg, but one of those was particularly high scoring, so it was OK. I took another total clearance for 961,250.

Level 10 (Clear ALL pegs - 25 red and 68 blue, with only 9 balls - Pro target 675k)

The same design as level 4 which went in one go. Of course, this is an all peg clearance level and has a higher pro target, so I'll start with a laser ball.

Attempt #1 - Laser Ball. Score: 428,780

• Only 83% clearance as there was still a cluster on the right had side. Unfortunately it took about 5 balls just to get through to the yellow ball, so I was always going to struggle after that.

Attempt #2 - Laser Ball. Score: 836,920 

• Managed to trigger the laser with the first ball, and that made quite a difference. The laser cleared a lot of pegs, and catches were then quite easy to come by. It was just a matter of picking off pegs one or two at a time until the target was reached. I took 31 shots so I must have made a lot of catches.
  
  On the next attempt for the video, I had a good first shot to get through to the yellow peg, and a good laser ball after that. My catching was working well, and I took the total clearance required for a score of 833,030.

Level 1 (Clear 25 red pegs from 97 total - Pro target 600k)
- continued
Attempt #5 - No power ups. Score: 563,970

• I thought I could deflect from the last red peg into the 100k bucket, but it just caught the edge and bounced across to the 10k. Damn!

Attempt #6 - No power ups. Score: 711,190 

• That was better. I managed to find the angle that took out most of the top two curves with the first two balls, then I could take out most of the other curves and catch the ball as well. Finished with 4 balls in hand.
  
  It took another three attempts to get it again for the video. I found some good sweeps this time, and took a total clearance with a ball or two in hand for a score of 852,670.

Level 5 (Clear 25 red pegs from 97 total - Pro target 625k)
- continued
Attempt #5 - Laser Ball & Grenade Ball. Score: 629,060 

• I took a chance at the end that the ball would avoid the 10k buckets, at luckily it did. It found the 50k bucket which was just enough to sneak over the line. I made a bit of a mess of the laser ball. I got the bounce OK, but misjudged the flight of it and didn't take many pegs out. The grenade was better though.
  
  I got it again on the next attempt for the video. No major problems. I missed a total clearance by just two of three pegs, and hit the pto target with 671,660.

Level 8 (Score 500k with 45 red pegs and 52 blue, with only 8 balls - Pro target 825k)
- continued
Attempt #2 - No power ups. Score: 853,550 

• Having just done level 1, I was feeling fairly positive about my ability to score well at this design, so I decided to drop the power ups altogether. Ambitious, but it worked. I was looking for the total clearance to boost my score, and I was left with two balls to take out the last two pegs. They were connected having formed a part of one of the innermost curves, and I managed to slide down both of them together, sending one of the balls straight into the 100k. The other ball flew off at an angle and ended up in the 10k, but that didn't matter as I already had enough points for pro. And that's the Ace for board 70.
  
  Coming back to this to do the video, I was a little dismayed to see that I did it originally without power ups! However, on the third attempt, I found a good first ball that took out the bulk of the top curve. I could then take most of the big curves with sweep shots and catches, and my catching was working pretty well. I took a total clearance for 882,050.

SUMMARY

Level	Reds	Pegs	Target	Balls	Clock	Pro	Attempts	Record	Average	Video
1	25	97	Reds	10	-	600k	6	711,190	503,001
2	30	108	Reds	10	-	425k	3	613,680	462,713
3	30	97	Reds	10	-	550k	1	562,250	562,250
4	30	93	Reds	10	-	450k	1	484,410	484,410
5	25	97	Reds	10	-	625k	5	629,060	348,060
6	45	108	Reds	8	-	600k	1	740,510	740,510
7	40	97	Reds	8	-	600k	2	708,890	556,100
8	45	97	500k	8	-	825k	2	853,550	705,815
9	45	97	Reds	8	-	700k	3	845,640	650,086
10	25	93	All	9	-	675k	2	836,920	632,850

Board 79: The Nether Stairs

The picture this week is of a helical staircase descending into the ground, in a manner reminiscent of the centre of Pan's Labyrinth.

Level 1 (Clear 25 red pegs from 97 total, with only 9 balls - Pro target 425k)

A design based around the staircase in the picture. Those flat steps look like awkward angles to bounce off, and the round pegs to the sides will probably just get in the way. Looks like it could be a tricky start.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 389,540

• It's a slightly tricky arrangement, and I had no easy reds in the top corners to play some early rebounds onto. That said, I wasn't far off. There were two red pegs left at the end, and I was only about 35k short at the end, so I'll give it another go.

Attempt #2 - No power ups. Score: 139,250

• 6 reds left, I think. I only made a single catch, and picked up barely 100k in skill points. Dreadful. I'll have one more go before I get the laser out.

Attempt #3 - No power ups. Score: 497,820 

• Everything worked a bit better that time. I made a few catches (7, I think) and earned just short of 300k in skill points.
  
  Coming back for the video, I failed at the first attempt, but got it at the second. I didn't get it by much, scoring 479,740, but it was enough.

Level 2 (Clear 30 red pegs from 86 total - Pro target 500k)

A layout reminiscent of the creepers in the picture offers a few interesting curves to slide along. There could be some points here.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 412,700

• Wasted the last couple of balls with attempted rebounds that hit nothing. Clumsy.

Attempt #2 - No power ups. Score: 315,140

• I was down to the last red peg, and could have finished it, but I was trying to build my score up a bit first to give myself a shot at the pro target. I think it's worth another go before I take the laser option.

Attempt #3 - No power ups. Score: 475,180

• I'd successfully build my score up from about 200k to about 460k by stretching out the last 2 or 3 balls. I was down to just 2 pegs, 1 red and 1 blue (well, purple), quite close together, and I thought I could come off the red onto the purple, get the total clearance, and that should give me the pro score. Unfortunately I missed the purple peg altogether, and the ball flew straight into the 10k bucket instead. Damn!

Level 3 (Clear 35 red pegs from 96 total, with only 8 balls - Pro target 525k)

A couple of very tempting curves here. There must surely be some sweeping bonuses to be had here.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 365,730

• Three pegs left. I struggled to find the right angle to pick up a good early sweep, but it must be there somewhere.

Attempt #2 - No power ups. Score: 344,500

• Five left that time, and I'm still looking for that perfect first shot.

Attempt #3 - No power ups. Score: 829,990 

• I found it that time. I managed to get the first ball to take out practically all of the top curve, picking about 210k in bonuses. Then the next shot took out the whole scrolled end of the lower curve for another big bonus. Then it was just a matter of picking off what was left. I had several balls in hand at the end and could probably have kept going for the total clearance if I'd wanted, but there didn't seem any point. The best first shot I've found requires aiming to hit the centre of the third peg in from the left of the top curve. If you get it right, the ball should bounce up the side wall, clip the second peg on the way down which flicks it right. Then it almost stops on top of the curve but keeps moving, rolling all the way down and around the scrolled end. The only pegs it misses are at the steepest part of the curve where it briefly takes off.
  
  When I came back to redo this one for the video, I found I'd already done it. Maybe it was requested by someone. Anyway, I got a good sweep with the first shot, then picked a few more smaller sweeps. After that it was mainly single peg catches to the end for a comfortable total clearance.

Level 4 (Clear 35 red pegs from 84 total, with only 9 balls - Pro target 400k)

No curves this time, but straight lines and right angles as the design is based around a flight of stairs cutting across the screen. This may be harder to build a score on.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 372,150

• Two pegs left, but the score was OK, and I could have made more catches, so this one should be doable without power ups.

Attempt #2 - No power ups. Score: 486,540 

• That worked well. I was a little worried about not hitting the pro target, but I took a chance with the last ball and it paid off handsomely.
  
  It took another two attempts to redo it for the video. It was touch and go the second time, but I managed to hang on the balls I had left just long enough to clear the reds.

Level 5 (Clear 25 red pegs from 83 total, with only 3 balls - Pro target 725k)

This design is all curves, and they look well-situated for big sweep bonuses. Only 3 balls, and a 725k pro target sounds quite daunting, but I suspect it might turn out to be quite easy.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 931,040 

• As I suspected, this was very easy. I took the left hand curve first, and missed the catch. Then I took the right hand curve and missed the catch again, only this time I caught the rim of the bucket and made a gap in the main curve. However, I could still take out the main spiral in two balls, the last of which dropped almost inevitably into the 100k bonus bucket. If I'd made the catches, it would probably be possible to make a million points from just a single ball here.
  
  Coming back later to capture the video, I took the catches off the first two curves and made the total clearance for 1,145,290.

Level 6 (Clear 40 red pegs from 86 total, with only 9 balls - Pro target 625k)

The same layout as level 2. That level has taken me 3 attempts so far, but I still haven't made the pro target, which isn't as big as this one, so I'll go straight for a laser ball.

Attempt #1 - Laser Ball. Score: 978,690 

• No real problems with the laser ball. A bit of luck with the first ball triggered the split ball, earning me about 250k in bonuses. Then I took the yellow peg with the second ball, and the laser with the third, and that earned me another 210k. So earning the points was no longer a problem, it was just a matter of making sure I cleared the remaining dozen or so red pegs, with about 5 or 6 balls.
  
  It took a couple more attempts to beat it again for the video. When I got it, I took a total clearance for just enough points for pro - 678,290.

Level 7 (Score 650k with 40 red pegs and 56 blue, with only 8 balls - Pro target 825k)

The same design as level 3 which promised much, but delivered less. I did hit this pro target (just) on my third attempt at that level, so I'll try without power ups first.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 758,720

• I managed to string the last couple of balls out for about a dozen shots or so, but then missed the catch on the second to last red peg after hitting the rim twice. If I'd caught that, I probably could have taken the last red with the next shot and secured a large enough bonus for the pro score. Still, I hit the required target for the level so I can move on and come back later.

Level 8 (Clear 45 red pegs from 84 total, with only 8 balls - Pro target 600k)

The same design as level 4 which wasn't too bad, but I think I'll use the laser ball anyway as I've not used many so far on this board and I have quite a lot of coins in the bank.

Attempt #1 - Laser Ball. Score: 408,390

• Still about 5 or 6 red pegs left at the end. Only 10 shots means I didn't make enough catches.

Attempt #2 - Laser Ball. Score: 469,360

• Three left that time, although that was only because the last ricocheted around and took out about 6. Only 10 shots again, so not enough catches. Both these goes have had an awkward to hit yellow peg though.

Attempt #3 - Laser Ball. Score: 650,650 

• It still took about four balls to get through to the yellow peg, but I did better with it. I think I just had a little bit more luck that time, and that can often make all the difference.
  
  When I came back to redo it for the video, I got it first time, and quite comfortably too. I got through to the yellow peg with the first shot, and found a good path for the laser ball. My catching went well and I cleared up with a ball or two to spare.

Level 9 (Clear ALL pegs - 25 red and 72 blue, with only 9 balls - Pro target 575k)

The same design as level 1 which was a little awkward, so I think I'll begin with the laser ball, and maybe add something else later.

Attempt #1 - Laser Ball. Score: 331,660

• Only 87% clearance, but then the yellow peg was well buried and it took six balls to get through to it. By the time I triggered it, there were no clusters left to shoot at, and precious few balls left afterwards to pick off what was left.

Attempt #2 - Laser Ball. Score: 589,940

• 3 pegs left that time. I thought I'd be able to clear them, but missed a rebound at a crucial moment.

Attempt #3 - Laser Ball. Score: 580,650

• 2 pegs left. Again, I nearly had it, but missed a catch near the end.

Attempt #4 - Laser Ball & Gravity Ball. Score: 658,290 

• Got it that time. Much the same as previous goes, but managed to keep the catches going until the end. I had added a Gravity Ball to the existing laser, but it accomplished precisely nothing as the ball managed to get stuck on the side wall as it fell, so stayed that way on the second pass and hit exactly nothing.
  
  It took me three further attempts to get the pro score again for the video, using the same power ups. The Gravity Ball was an odd choice! In the end I got it quite comfortably having made lots of catches.

Level 10 (Clear ALL pegs - 25 red and 58 blue, with only 1 ball and with a 3s shot-clock - Pro target 925k)

The same design as level 5. I reckoned then that this should be possible with a single ball, and that's exactly what I have to work with here. So let's see how easy it is now.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 56,370

• Hmmm. Three seconds is not very long at all. I tried to go for the left hand curve first, but didn't have time to wait for the bucket to get in position before it fired. As a result I missed the catch and the game was over immediately.

Attempt #2 - No power ups. Score: 149,400

• Made the first catch that time, but missed the second.

Attempt #3 - No power ups. Score: 1,216,310 

• As I thought would be the case, if you make the first two catches then it all becomes rather easy. The third ball can be sent all the way around the spiral, taking out all but about four pegs of it, earning somewhere around a million points and about 3 extra balls. At that point it's all rather easy.
  
  It took me three more goes to get it again for the video. On the first one, I missed the first catch for an instant fail. In the second I got a total clearance, but somehow failed to make the pro target by about 50k. The third one went fine, giving me a score of 1,047,700.

Level 2 (Clear 30 red pegs from 86 total - Pro target 500k)
- continued
Attempt #4 - No power ups. Score: 334,080

• Three pegs left. Started well enough, but then I started missing all the catches and just ran out of balls.

Attempt #5 - Laser Ball. Score: 708,860 

• That was touch and go as to whether I would be able to clear it. I still had three red pegs left and only one ball, but luckily my next shot took out one of them earned an extra ball and fell in the bucket, leaving me with 2 pegs and 2 balls for an easy finish.
  
  Much easier coming back for the video. The yellow peg was easy to get to, and I cleared plenty of pegs with the laser ball. Catches came without too much difficulty after that. I missed out on a total clearance by one peg due to an unexpected ricochet at the end.

Level 7 (Score 650k with 40 red pegs and 56 blue, with only 8 balls - Pro target 825k)
- continued
Attempt #2 - No power ups. Score: 626,710

• A couple of hundred thousand short of the target, but only 3 red pegs left at the end. I still feel this iss possible without a power up.

Attempt #3 - No power ups. Score: 670,070

• A better effort, but there were still a couple of poor attempts at rebounds towards the end that proved quite expensive. It's worth another try before I bring in the laser.

Attempt #4 - No power ups. Score: 904,600 

• Got it, albeit with a huge slice of luck at the end. I was taking a chance with the last ball and trying to boost my score before I took the last peg. I had one red and two blue pegs left and tried to glance off the purple peg into the bucket but misjudged it. I caught the lip, and the ball rebounded across the screen and took out the last two pegs, giving me a nice juicy distance bonus. Both balls then fell into the 10k bucket, but that distance bonus was all I needed to make pro. And that Aces the board.
  
  I could have done better with sweeps at the start of this one, but I made up for it with some good catching towards the end. I deliberately played for the last red peg off the purple peg, knowing I'd get a big enough distance bonus for it to see me over the line, or if I missed it, I should take the catch. I scored 866,540.

SUMMARY

Level	Reds	Pegs	Target	Balls	Clock	Pro	Attempts	Record	Average	Video
1	25	97	Reds	9	-	425k	3	497,820	342,203
2	30	86	Reds	10	-	500k	5	708,860	449,192
3	35	96	Reds	8	-	525k	3	829,990	513,406
4	35	84	Reds	9	-	400k	2	486,540	429,345
5	25	83	Reds	3	-	725k	1	931,040	931,040
6	40	86	Reds	9	-	625k	1	978,690	978,690
7	40	96	650k	8	-	825k	4	904,600	740,025
8	45	84	Reds	8	-	600k	3	650,650	509,466
9	25	97	All	9	-	575k	4	658,290	540,135
10	25	83	All	1	3s	925k	3	1,216,310	474,026

Board 71: Rainbow Crossing

The picture is of a wide expanse of water with a long line of stepping stone zigzagging into the distance, with a rainbow over it all.

Level 1 (Clear 25 red pegs from 78 total - Pro target 475k)

A design based on the picture, or at least the stepping stone part of it anyway. There's not much depth to the design which might make it easier to negotiate.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 482,260

• I was in control there until the end. I was still building my score towards the pro target when an unexpected deflection took out the last red peg before I was ready to, and it was only the bonus I got from the balls I had remaining that got me there.
  

Level 2 (Clear 35 red pegs from 101 total - Pro target 575k)

A starfish design that has lots of curves, but they not be that easy to slide down.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 624,480

• There were one or two Super Slide bonuses in there, but by and large it was relatively under control, particularly towards the end. I reached the pro target with about 3 balls still in hand, and only about 2 red pegs left.
  

Level 3 (Clear 15 red pegs from 38 total - Pro target 525k)

Two columns of three stepping stones. With so few pegs to aim at, I would expect this to be pretty straightforward.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 471,920

• Certainly no real problems getting rid of the red pegs, but accumulating enough points for the pro target was a bit trickier. One or two more catches, and I'd have got there, or indeed if the ball had landed in the 100k bucket at the end rather than the 10k one. I'll move on for now and come back to it at the end.
  

Level 4 (Clear 30 red pegs from 89 total - Pro target 500k)

Not sure if these are supposed to be stepping stones or rainbows, but there are three of them in a diagonal line across the screen, with three horizontal rows of single pegs as well. Doesn't look overly complex and there may be some sweeping bonuses to be had.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 595,500

• Much the same as before, only this time there were a few more bonuses collected. I had to take a few chances with the final ball, but it all worked out for the best.
  

Level 5 (Clear 25 red pegs from 98 total - Pro target 550k)

What looks like a ripple design with a thick central hub. That hub might be difficult to penetrate, and some of the pegs below may be tricky to get to. Frankly, the hub might require a laser ball to cut through it, but I'll try without first.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 315,430

• Only one red peg left, but a way short of the pro target. Worth another try before I get the laser out.
  

Attempt #2 - No power ups. Score: 426,280

• Only one red peg left again. A lot closer to the target that time. Close enough to warrant another go without power ups I think.
  

Attempt #3 - No power ups. Score: 339,170

• Same story as before. Getting the pegs doesn't seem to be the problem, it's accumulating enough points to meet the pro target. Time for the laser ball.
  

Attempt #4 - Laser Ball. Score: 402,340

• The laser was a waste of time, since the yellow peg was buried in the central hub. By the time I'd triggered it there was no hub left to aim at. So yet again, I was left with one red peg, trying to stretch the final ball out to reach the pro target.
  

Attempt #5 - Laser Ball. Score: 524,190

• Slightly different that time, in that points weren't so much of a problem as getting to the final red peg which was right at the bottom of the central hub, and the only pegs left at the end were the red one and a tight cluster of blues above it. I tried to take them out individually and got some of them, but missed a catch before I could get to the red.
  

Attempt #6 - Laser Ball. Score: 449,140

• I had a chance at that one, despite the yellow peg being buried right at the very bottom of the central hub. I thought I had a decent shot at clearing all the pegs, and getting enough final bonus to reach the pro target. Unfortunately I was down to one red peg very early and it was caught by a deflection while I still had half a dozen balls left and maybe a dozen blue pegs. Another one to come back to later.
  

Level 6 (Clear ALL pegs - 25 red and 53 blue - Pro target 750k)

The same design as level 1, but all pegs need clearing this time, so I'll jump straight in with the laser ball as it's very good at clearing a lot of pegs at once.

Attempt #1 - Laser Ball. Score: 311,110

• Nothing worked as it was supposed to there. Very few catches were made, all the deflections were badly judged, and even the laser ball skewed off badly and took out very little. Only a 63% clearance at the end which says it all.
  

Attempt #2 - Laser Ball. Score: 860,020

• A complete contrast to the previous attempt. Pretty much everything worked that time. I managed to get to within 20k of the pro target before I knocked out the last peg which guaranteed the target. I actually got 150k for the final bonus which boosted the final score a bit.
  

Level 7 (Clear 40 red pegs from 101 total, with only 9 balls - Pro target 750k)

The starfish design of level 2 again. I'll try without any power ups first, as it wasn't too tricky a level before.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 919,480

• Those extra red pegs helped to boost my score quite a lot. I thought I might be in trouble when I couldn't see the final red peg with the last ball, but a high ball off the side wall managed to thread its way through to it.
  

Level 8 (Clear 40 red pegs from 89 total, with only 8 balls - Pro target 625k)

The same design as level 4. I'll try it without power ups first, but it might be tricky.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 206,870

• Probably a dozen red pegs left at the end. But I think I only made two catches. It was one of those attempts where nothing seems to work and all the deflections go wrong. I'm sure I can do better than that, even without a power up, but I think I'll take the laser ball anyway.
  

Attempt #2 - Laser Ball. Score: 653,800

• Much easier with the laser. The yellow peg was in the open and the laser ball took out most of the lower two clusters. Then it was just a matter of picking off what was left, with the cluster to the top right giving lots of opportunities for side wall bonuses.
  

Level 9 (Clear 30 red pegs from 98 total, with only 7 balls - Pro target 600k)

The same design as level 5 which has been the most awkward so far, so I shall certainly be employing the laser ball straight away, and maybe adding another power up if necessary.

Attempt #1 - Laser Ball. Score: 582,120

• With one ball left I still had three red pegs in a line at the very bottom of the screen below a mass of blue pegs. I tried to take one or two of them out with a high deflection of the side wall, but I got it too well and took out all three. Even with the ball dropping straight in the 100k bonus bucket, it wasn't quite enough to reach the pro target.
  

Level 10 (Clear 25 red pegs from 38 total, with only 6 balls - Pro target 500k)

The same design as level 3, which was pretty straightforward, and the pro target is actually less this time. There's 10 more red pegs now, but I think I got rid of nearly all the pegs last time anyway.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 377,600

• There are also 4 less balls than level 3 of course, and that makes a big difference. I still had four red pegs left when I ran out, but it's worth another try.
  

Attempt #2 - No power ups. Score: 241,560

• Three red pegs left that time, but a worse score. I'll use a power up.
  

Attempt #3 - Big Bounce. Score: 295,320

• I tried the trampoline as a cheaper alternative to the laser. It can sometimes be quite effective against sparsely populate levels like this one. It didn't work out this time, but it's worth another try.
  

Attempt #4 - Big Bounce. Score: 300,230

• Only one red peg left that time, although I'm still not really threatening the pro target. Let's try a laser ball then. In fact let's try both the laser and the trampoline.
  

Attempt #5 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 384,740

• Three red pegs left and no blue pegs. Failed trying to catch off what was probably the last awkward peg.
  

Attempt #6 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 497,900

• I thought a total clearance would practically guarantee the pro score, but only 60k off the final bonus buckets brought me agonisingly close to the line, but not quite over it. So that's 4 levels to go back to - 3, 5, 9 & 10.
  

Level 3 (Clear 15 red pegs from 38 total - Pro target 525k)

Attempt #2 - Big Bounce. Score: 495,000

• Those extra 4 balls make all the difference, although I kept the trampoline. I made another total clearance, but still fell a little bit short of the target again.
  

Attempt #3 - Big Bounce. Score: 539,350

• Got it that time, and without a total clearance. I made loads of catches, so had about half a dozen balls left at the end and that helped get me over the line.
  

Level 5 (Clear 25 red pegs from 98 total - Pro target 550k)

Attempt #7 - Laser Ball & Grenade Ball. Score: 361,230

• 3 red pegs left. I added the grenade ball as a good way to clear the central hub in one go, but then stupidly triggered it before I'd cleared a path through to the hub. Then I completely missed the first bucket bounce with the laser ball. From that point on it never looked likely. I recovered a bit after that, but I was flogging a dead horse really.
  

Attempt #8 - Laser Ball & Grenade Ball. Score: 705,280

• That worked much better. I triggered the laser ball first, and that took out a lot of the outlying pegs, then the grenade wiped out the hub. Picking off the last few red pegs after that was very easy.
  

Level 9 (Clear 30 red pegs from 98 total, with only 7 balls - Pro target 600k)

Attempt #2 - Laser Ball & Grenade Ball. Score: 618,620

• I kept the same power ups as level 9 has the same layout as level 5, only this time it worked quite differently. I tried to open a path to the hub with the first ball, but it got inside the hub and drilled all the way through it, triggering the laser as it went. The laser ball took out a chunk of the outer pegs, including the trigger peg for the grenade, but there wasn't much left for the grenade to go at. None of this really mattered though, as the last few balls were very much mopping up with no great finesse required.
  

Level 10 (Clear 25 red pegs from 38 total, with only 6 balls - Pro target 500k)

Attempt #7 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 589,160

• Went for the total clearance again, and this time it worked. I had to keep the last ball going through quite a few pegs, but the deflections were all pretty straightforward, so there wasn't a problem.
  

SUMMARY

Level	Reds	Pegs	Target	Balls	Clock	Pro	Attempts	Record	Average	Video
1	25	78	Reds	10	-	475k	1	482,260	482,260
2	35	101	Reds	10	-	575k	1	624,480	624,480
3	15	38	Reds	10	-	525k	3	539,350	502,090
4	30	89	Reds	10	-	500k	1	595,500	595,500
5	25	98	Reds	10	-	550k	8	705,280	440,382
6	25	78	All	10	-	750k	2	860,020	585,565
7	40	101	Reds	9	-	750k	1	919,480	919,480
8	40	89	Reds	8	-	625k	2	653,800	430,335
9	30	98	Reds	7	-	600k	2	618,620	600,370
10	25	38	Reds	6	-	500k	7	589,160	383,787