Board 106: Chess Mountains

This picture is of a green valley with an enormous waterfall in the background. There are vast statues of chess pieces scattered about, both in the valley and the distant mountains.

Level 1 (Clear 20 red pegs from 96 total - Pro target 450k)

The first design as that of a horse's head, such as might be found on a knight chess piece.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 257,160

• That felt like a pretty poor first attempt. I only made two catches, plus very few decent riocochets or bonuses. I must be able to improve on that, surely?

Attempt #2 - No power ups. Score: 318,190

• A better effort, but still a way short. Catches are proving quite tricky due to all the awkward shaped single pegs down the sides. I'll give it one more go before I use a laser ball.

Attempt #3 - No power ups. Score: 324,260

• Another marginal improvement, but it's time for the laser ball I think.

Attempt #4 - Laser Ball. Score: 468,690 

• Even with a laser ball this was no picnic. The yellow peg was awkwardly placed near the bottom of the loose pegs down the left-hand side, so it took a couple of balls to get through to it. I got a reasonable number of points from it, but I was still struggling for bonuses afterwards, and I only just managed to make the pro target.

Level 2 (Clear 20 red pegs from 114 total - Pro target 475k)

This design is of a couple of chess pawns. I can see a theme developing.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 329,330

• A lack of catches did for me again. A lot of the misses came very close, but that doesn't tend to count for much.

Attempt #2 - No power ups. Score: 286,340

• Only 3 catches this time, which was one less than last time, and a worse score. Time for the laser ball again.

Attempt #3 - Laser Ball. Score: 669,620 

• Despite the laser ball, I still had to work to get all the red pegs. I got the dreaded Big Bucket during the laser ball, which put paid to any chances of getting a rim bounce. The score never really looked like it was going to be a problem, although it was boosted quite a lot by a big finish.

Level 3 (Clear 25 red pegs from 107 total - Pro target 425k)

This design follows the lines of the picture, picking out the tops and sides of the giant chess pieces on show, plus lines of single round pegs that follow the shafts of sunlight.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 517,600

• I should have had that, but I wasted one ball too many earning extra unnecessary points when I should have made sure I had a clear route through to the last two reds. In the end I only had one ball to take out both of them and missed the first catch.

Attempt #2 - No power ups. Score: 550,790 

• No mistakes this time. I went for the finish as soon as I had the points despite having a ball or two in hand.

Level 4 (Clear 25 red pegs from 143 total - Pro target 425k)

This design is of two grids, a bit like chessboards but only six squares across instead of eight, leaning over at 45°.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 252,500

• Way too many pegs here at awkward angles to pick through to get to the red ones. I'll need to use a laser ball to scythe through them properly, although of course the trigger peg has every chance of being buried.

Attempt #2 - Laser Ball. Score: 613,370 

• The yellow peg was quite buried, but I managed to get it with the second ball. The laser ball got a reasonable rim bounce, and took out quite a few red pegs. I managed to pick off the ones that remained afterwards while earning enough bonus points to get to the pro target.

Level 5 (Clear 25 red pegs from 135 total, with only 9 balls - Pro target 425k)

The final design has four different chess pieces in it, displayed in a 2x2 grid, as they might be seen in a printed representation of a chessboard.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 167,190

• Nowhere near it. I was always struggling for bonuses and catches. I was probably a little unlucky in that I couldn't get any easy reds off the side wall at the start, but it's going to need a laser ball.

Attempt #2 - Laser Ball. Score: 438,050

• I probably should have had that one. The last red peg was awkward to get to, but it was possible off the side wall. I only had one chance at it, and misjudged the angle.

Attempt #3 - Laser Ball. Score: 552,100 

• Much better this time. The yellow peg was a little tricky to get to, but I didn't take many balls to take it out. I got a good result from the laser ball, including a good rim bounce. I had to get a little imaginative to negotiate all the remaining blue pegs to get to the red ones at times, but I got there with balls and points to spare.

Level 6 (Clear 30 red pegs from 107 total, with only 9 balls - Pro target 550k)

The same design as level 3, but with 5 more red pegs, one less ball, and 75k on the pro target. All these changes seem quite small so I wouldn't expect a major change to the difficulty level.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 211,160

• I only made one catch so I had no chance at all really. Catches aren’t particularly easy to judge here, but I think I got pretty unlucky here. It's worth another go before I get the laser out.

Attempt #2 - No power ups. Score: 565,480 

• I got a few more catches that time. The reds were slightly better positioned for earning bonuses as well. The ending was slightly unexpected, but I got enough points from it and from the remaining balls in hand to get past the pro target.

Level 7 (Clear 35 red pegs from 143 total, with only 8 balls - Pro target 700k)

The same design as level 4, but with 10 more red pegs, two less balls, and 275k on the pro target. This seems a much bigger increase in difficulty than the last one, on a level that was already quite tricky in the first place.

Attempt #1 - Laser Ball. Score: 421,610

• It took a few balls to get through to the yellow peg, and I didn't make enough catches throughout. The laser ball did OK, but it could have had a better rim bounce.

Attempt #2 - Laser Ball. Score: 581,450

• I only had one red peg left, but I was short on points and looking to make catches off the purple peg. I may have got there if I'd been a little more patient, but I took on a half-chance at the end and it didn't come off.

Attempt #3 - Laser Ball & Grenade Ball. Score: 761,750 

• I added a grenade ball as I thought it might be good for clearing some working space and it did exactly that. It took a couple of balls to get to the yellow peg, but when I did, I took out the green peg with the same shot. The laser ball then took most of the left-hand grid, just leaving a cluster of pegs in the middle, and then the grenade ball took out all but two of these. I cleared those last two, then just bided my time waiting for red or purple pegs to become available in the other grid. With the other side clear, the way was open for quite a few straightforward catches. Once I had enough points, I finished it off.

Level 8 (Clear ALL pegs - 30 red and 66 blue, with only 8 balls - Pro target 650k)

The same design as level 1, but with 10 more red pegs, two less balls, 200k on the pro target, and a total clearance needed. I'll start with a laser and see how I get on.

Attempt #1 - Laser Ball. Score: 426,790

• The yellow peg was about as awkwardly placed as it could be, and it took me every ball I had bar one to get it. I earned one ball back again with the laser ball, but I couldn't afford to lose any more balls during the rest of the game and that was never going to happen.

Attempt #2 - Laser Ball. Score: 601,090

• Much closer that time. The yellow peg was on top, so I got to the laser ball very quickly. I got down to two red pegs left with one ball, and tried to take both at once, hoping for enough points to get over the line, but I missed the ricochet I was after.

Attempt #3 - Laser Ball. Score: 286,850

• A dreadful effort, despite getting the yellow peg with the first shot. That first shot took out most of the loose pegs down the left hand side - pegs that are normally bankers for the laser ball. The rim bounce with the laser ball was ineffective, so it didn't end up scoring me very many points at all. I missed most of the catches I went for on top of that, so not a very good attempt at all.

Attempt #4 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 526,600

• Closer, but it took too long to get to the yellow peg, and then I didn't earn enough from the laser ball. After that, I was always struggling for points and just didn't have enough balls left on a level where catches are not easy.

Attempt #5 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 563,040

• Only two pegs left that time, but the yellow and green pegs were right next to each other and I hit the wrong one first. As a result the Big Bounce was smothered by there being too many pegs on the screen, and there weren't enough for the laser ball. I got a lot closer than I thought I would after that.

Attempt #6 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 694,460 

• I started OK, getting the yellow peg straight away, then scoring well with the laser ball after a good rim bounce. The Big Bounce took out a few pegs but didn't score well. I then lost quite a few balls for not many pegs until I was down to my last ball still with nine pegs left. I managed to keep making the catches though, to get through them all. I still needed a lucky rim bounce with the final ball to finish it mind you.

Level 9 (Score 575k with 30 red pegs and 84 blue - Pro target 750k)

The same design as level 2, but with 10 more red pegs, 275k on the pro target, but only a score needed this time.

Attempt #1 - Laser Ball. Score: 759,160 

• I forgot to go for the yellow peg straight away, so by the time I got it, I'd lost a few balls and a few pegs, so I changed from my usual route with the laser ball and went for the criss-cross on the left which actually worked pretty well. I picked up some good bonuses after that, and made a few catches. When I got to 700k with five balls in hand, I knew I had enough points to reach the pro target so I finished it.

Level 10 (Clear ALL pegs - 35 red and 100 blue, with only 8 balls - Pro target 725k)

The same design as level 5, but with 10 more red pegs, one less ball, 300k on the pro target, and all pegs now required.

Attempt #1 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 203,310

• That one is best forgotten about. The yellow peg was hidden in the crown of the queen in the bottom right, and I just couldn't get to it. I went through all eight balls without hitting either it or the green one.

Attempt #2 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 472,980

• A similar situation to the last go. This time the yellow peg was in the bottom left corner and it took about 5 balls to get it. Plus I hit the green peg first, so got the Big Bounce before the laser ball which is never a good thing. I did better than last time, but I still had way too much to do with the last ball.

Attempt #3 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 498,610

• Up to 90% clearance. At least the yellow peg was on top this time, and I did quite well with the laser ball, although the rim bounce was poor. The Big Bounce was a damp squib though, getting stuck in a corner and earning very little. I did OK with the last few balls, but I missed too many catches to finish it off.

Attempt #4 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 624,090

• 97% clearance that time which equates to four pegs. I had eight to get with the last ball, and I got half of them before I missed a catch. I was probably on target for the pro score as well.

Attempt #5 - Laser Ball & Big Bounce. Score: 939,650 

• It all came together perfectly that time. The yellow peg was directly visible at the start so I could take it immediately. That first ball also took out the green peg and rattled around taking out 25 others as well before landing in the bucket for 114k and two extra balls. I then got 322k and another three extra balls from the laser ball, and then 140k and two extra balls from the Big Bounce. So after three shots I had 576k and four more balls than I started with! I still had 43 pegs left, but that was less than four per ball and the score was surely guaranteed from there, so it was plain sailing from then on really. In fact, I carried on making catches from there, so I still had 10 balls left when I passed 725k, and 23 pegs, so I was down to just over 2 pegs per ball. All I had to do then was make sure each shot took out at least two pegs and I didn't even have to worry about catches.

SUMMARY

Level	Reds	Pegs	Target	Balls	Clock	Pro	Attempts	Record	Average	Video
1	20	96	Reds	10	-	450k	4	468,690	342,075
2	20	114	Reds	10	-	475k	3	669,620	428,430
3	25	107	Reds	10	-	425k	2	550,790	534,195
4	25	143	Reds	10	-	425k	2	613,370	432,935
5	25	135	Reds	9	-	425k	3	552,100	385,780
6	30	107	Reds	9	-	550k	2	565,480	388,320
7	35	143	Reds	8	-	700k	3	761,750	588,270
8	30	96	All	8	-	650k	6	694,460	516,471
9	30	114	575k	10	-	750k	1	759,160	759,160
10	35	135	All	8	-	725k	5	939,650	547,728

Board 105: Viper Portico

This picture is of a doorway in a wall. The doorway is flanked by statues of snake's heads.

Level 1 (Clear 25 red pegs from 109 total - Pro target 400k)

This design is a series of identical wavy snake-like lines parading across the screen. Lots of curves plus a few individual round pegs.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 381,430

• Catches were trickier than I thought they might be. I was down to 3 balls before I made my first one, and by then it was a bit too late to make up the shortfall.

Attempt #2 - No power ups. Score: 281,890

• A worse attempt than last time. I'll have one more try before I use a laser ball.

Attempt #3 - No power ups. Score: 627,990 

• Got it at the third attempt. I made a few catches and got the big 100k bonus at the end, although I was already well over the 400k target by then.

Level 2 (Clear 25 red pegs from 115 total - Pro target 425k)

This design is based on the curves of the arches with an assortment of other straight lines, diamond and round pegs loosely based on the picture.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 444,380 

• This one seemed a little easier, but maybe I got lucky with some of the catches. More pegs usually makes the level harder as the blue pegs get in the way. I still needed to avoid the 10k buckets at the end, but I managed to do that.

Level 3 (Clear 25 red pegs from 97 total - Pro target 450k)

This design is mainly one long snaking curve with a couple of other curves top right and bottom left.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 308,880

• I found it surprisingly difficult to earn bonuses here. I could easily have cleared the 25 red pegs, but I was well short of points so had to keep hitting purple pegs to try and make up the difference, but ran out of balls.

Attempt #2 - No power ups. Score: 354,480

• A slightly better effort, but I still struggled to make enough bonuses. Having said that I was unable to clear the red pegs this time, so I couldn't have finished even if I'd had the bonuses.

Attempt #3 - No power ups. Score: 476,580

• Only two red pegs left and more than enough points scored. Three attempts is enough though, so it's time to bring in the laser ball.

Attempt #4 - Laser Ball. Score: 905,790 

• As always seems to be the case, when I don't need the luck, I get it by the truckload. I got the yellow peg with the first shot, then got a x2 multiplier with the laser ball, which practically gave me the pro target after two balls. But after that, I picked up lucky catch after lucky catch and ended up clearing the red pegs easily with balls to spare and double the pro target.

Level 4 (Clear 30 red pegs from 98 total - Pro target 450k)

This design is a big V shape with a couple of other diagonal lines and lots of diamond-shaped individual pegs.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 366,210

• Not a million miles away, but not quite there on either the score or the red peg clearance. Certainly worth another try.

Attempt #2 - No power ups. Score: 479,670 

• It didn't take much of an improvement on the first attempt to beat this one. A few more bonuses and some slightly better positioned red pegs and it was done.

Level 5 (Clear 20 red pegs from 119 total - Pro target 425k)

This design is a figure 8 in the centre with a long winding line of round pegs, around the outside.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 250,340

• I only had one red peg left, but with so many tightly packed round pegs, ricochets are impossible to judge and catches are entirely down to luck, particularly in the early part of the game. Also with so many more blue pegs than red ones, bonuses are quite hard to come by. I think I'll go straight for the laser ball.

Attempt #2 - Laser Ball. Score: 598,240 

• No problems with the laser ball. With only 20 reds to get it never looked like it was going to be.

Level 6 (Clear 30 red pegs from 109 total - Pro target 550k)

The same design as level 1, but with 5 more red pegs and 150k on the pro target. It was a tricky layout, but I reckon it's worth one go without power ups.

Attempt #1 - No power ups. Score: 468,360

• Not too far off - only two red pegs left and within 100k of the pro target, but I reckon I'll use a laser ball to save some time.

Attempt #2 - Laser Ball. Score: 914,080 

• Again, easy enough with the laser ball. I got the yellow peg on the second attempt and then scored big with the laser ball. I had plenty of balls left, then, to pick off the remainder.

Level 7 (Clear 35 red pegs from 98 total, with only 9 balls - Pro target 550k)

The same design as level 4, but with 5 more red pegs, one less ball, and 100k on the pro target.

Attempt #1 - Laser Ball. Score: 442,640

• I cleared all the blue pegs trying to build a big enough score, but still had three red pegs left at the end. I probably should have done better as catches in the endgame should be fairly easy.

Attempt #2 - Laser Ball. Score: 712,900 

• Got the total clearance that time, although I didn't really need it. I had enough points and could have finished earlier, but I had balls to spare so I picked off the purple pegs. I got a good rim bounce with the laser ball and held it together in the endgame, making a better percentage of catches.

Level 8 (Score 525k with 30 red pegs and 67 blue, with only 8 balls - Pro target 700k)

The same design as level 3, but with 5 more red pegs, two less balls, and 250k on the pro target. Only a score required this time, and I finished level 3 quite easily with a laser ball, so I'll start with one of them.

Attempt #1 - Laser Ball. Score: 746,020 

• Not too bad. More red pegs usually makes bonuses easier to come by, and that was the case here. The rim bounce on the laser ball went straight up so only took out one peg, but it still scored well. I had to take a chance with the final ball by shooting off the side wall into an enclosed curve that I would get enough bonus points to make up the 70k that I still needed, but it did and then some.

Level 9 (Clear 35 red pegs from 119 total, with only 7 balls - Pro target 675k)

The same design as level 5, but with 15 more red pegs, three less balls, and 250k more on the pro target.

Attempt #1 - Laser Ball. Score: 611,870

• Close, but not quite there. Only one red peg left at the end, but I tried for some more points before I took it, but missed a catch off the purple peg, just catching the rim. The yellow peg was quite awkwardly placed, at the cross of the figure 8, so it took a few balls to get to it, and I took out too many pegs in the process, leaving too few for the laser ball to eat through.

Attempt #2 - Laser Ball. Score: 387,730

• Not as close that time. Again, the yellow peg was awkward to get to, and the rim bounce with the laser ball was too low to hit anything. I still had five red pegs left at the end and was nowhere near the pro target.

Attempt #3 - Laser Ball. Score: 766,930 

• I could get the yellow peg with the first ball, and I got a much better rim bounce with the laser ball, and those two combined made the difference.

Level 10 (Clear ALL pegs - 25 red and 90 blue - Pro target 625k)

The same design as level 2, but with 200k more on the pro target and a complete clearance required.

Attempt #1 - Laser Ball. Score: 783,100 

• I got the yellow peg on the second shot, although I caught the first one so that wasn't a problem. I did OK with the laser ball but it still left me with 54 pegs to get, so I had to make a lot of catches throughout the rest of the game.

SUMMARY

Level	Reds	Pegs	Target	Balls	Clock	Pro	Attempts	Record	Average	Video
1	25	109	Reds	10	-	400k	3	627,990	430,436
2	25	115	Reds	10	-	425k	1	444,380	444,380
3	25	97	Reds	10	-	450k	4	905,790	511,432
4	30	98	Reds	10	-	450k	2	479,670	422,940
5	20	119	Reds	10	-	425k	2	598,240	424,290
6	30	109	Reds	10	-	550k	2	914,080	691,220
7	35	98	Reds	9	-	550k	2	712,900	577,770
8	30	97	525k	8	-	700k	1	746,020	746,020
9	35	119	Reds	7	-	675k	3	766,930	588,843
10	25	115	All	10	-	625k	1	783,100	783,100

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