Level 307

Sand Loop Level 307: The Autumn Moon Master Guide

Welcome to the ultimate walkthrough for Sand Loop Level 307, known as the "Autumn Moon" challenge. Unlike standard speed-running levels, Stage 307 is a strict Logic Puzzle that tests your ability to manage a restricted board and execute precise color sequencing. This guide is designed to take you from the initial tap to the final 100% completion rate with actionable strategies, avoiding the common pitfalls that plague most players.

Level Overview: A Logic Puzzle in Disguise

At first glance, Level 307 appears to be a standard sorting challenge, but it is actually a spatial constraint puzzle. The board is choked by obstacles, specifically two high-HP Ice Blocks (25 HP and 30 HP) on the flanks and a massive Grey Stone barrier in the center. You start with an empty conveyor belt (0/5 slots), which is a blessing for capacity but a curse for selection. The visual target—a pixel art scene featuring a red sky, orange hills, a cyan moon, and a maroon tree branch—requires precise color blocking to avoid "bleeding" colors into the wrong sections of the canvas.

Primary Objectives for Completion

To clear this stage, your goals are specific and must be followed in order. Merely clearing cups is not enough; you must clear the right cups at the right time.

• Objective 1: Shatter the Ice Blocks on the left (25 HP) and right (30 HP) to access the Mystery Cups hidden underneath.
• Objective 2: Clear the bottom "Orange Hill" section first to establish a solid color base.
• Objective 3: Fill the "Red Sky" background (approx. 60% of the canvas) without contaminating the moon or tree branch areas.
• Objective 4: Execute the "Thin Line" strategy for the Dark Brown tree branch, which is the highest-risk element of the level.
• Objective 5: Complete the "Cyan Quarter-Moon" as the final cleanup step to secure the victory.

The Obstacle Breakdown

Understanding what is stopping you is half the battle. In Level 307, the layout is your enemy.

• The Grey Stone Barrier: Located in the center grid, this immovable object reduces your valid move options by nearly 40% during the opening phase. It prevents you from accessing the center column until late-game.
• The Ice Blocks: These are not static walls; they are HP sponges. You cannot use power-ups to remove them instantly. You must whittle them down by clearing adjacent cups. The 30 HP block on the right is particularly dangerous because it guards the Mystery Cup stash.
• Mystery Cups (?): Hidden beneath the right-side ice. These usually contain the scarce colors (Cyan or Dark Brown) needed for the final details. Do not pop them until you are ready to use their contents.

Winning Strategy Summary

The core strategy for Level 307 is "Outside-In, Bottom-Up." You must prioritize the perimeter columns to break the ice while simultaneously dumping "safe" colors (Orange) to prevent the conveyor belt from jamming. Patience is key; aggressive tapping will lead to a game over screen.

Color Palette & Fill Order Logic

The canvas image dictates your moves. If you ignore the visual requirements and just sort colors blindly, you will fail. Here is the breakdown of the palette and the specific order you must process them to maximize efficiency.

1. Safety Orange (The Foundation)

Usage: ~15% of canvas (Bottom Hills/Stairs)
Priority: HIGH

Start here immediately. The orange section is at the very bottom of the image. It is a large, solid block with no complex edges or intersections with other colors. Because it occupies the bottom layer of the pixel art, pouring Orange first eliminates the risk of "floating" colors that have nowhere to land. Filling this section early also clears the bottom rows of cups, allowing gravity to drop new cups into play positions.

2. Dominant Red (The Background)

Usage: ~60% of canvas (The Sky)
Priority: MEDIUM

Red is your bread and butter. You will be dealing with Red cups constantly. The challenge here is not spilling Red into the Cyan moon zone. Treat Red as the "filler" color. Whenever your conveyor belt has space and no critical moves (like Brown) are available, load and process Red cups. Since the Red sky is massive, the game is forgiving about minor timing errors, provided you don't pour into the Moon's hitbox.

3. Cyan Blue (The Moon)

Usage: ~20% of canvas (Quarter Moon)
Priority: LATE GAME

The Cyan moon is a solid shape in the top-right quadrant. It is distinct from the Red sky but borders the tricky tree branch. Do not process Cyan until the Red background around it is at least 80% filled. If you pour Cyan too early, it might land on unpainted pixels designated for the Red sky, causing the game to register a "Collision" or waste the cup.

4. Dark Brown/Maroon (The Tree Branch)

Usage: ~5% of canvas (Thin Branch)
Priority: CRITICAL / LAST

This is the level killer. The tree branch is 1-2 pixels wide. It cuts directly across the Red Sky and touches the Cyan Moon.

• The Risk: Brown has a very small target area. If you pour Brown when the background isn't fully Red, the Brown liquid will spread into the "Sky" area and ruin the art percentage.
• The Strategy: This must be the absolute last color you process. Wait until the canvas is 90% filled. Only then should you tap the Brown cups to draw the final silhouette.

Step-by-Step Walkthrough Instructions

Follow this sequence exactly. Do not deviate unless the board state forces a minor adjustment. This walkthrough assumes a standard "fresh start" board state.

Phase 1: The "Orange Purge" & Ice Chipping (Moves 1-20)

The goal here is to create space and start damaging the Ice Blocks.

1. Scan the Top Row: Look at the cups immediately available on the conveyor.
2. Tap All Orange: If you see Orange cups, tap them immediately. They are safe to pour and will fill the bottom of the canvas.
3. Target the Flanks: If there are no Orange cups, look for Red cups located in the leftmost or rightmost columns.
   • Why? Clearing cups adjacent to the walls damages the Ice Blocks.
   • Avoid the Center: Do not tap Red cups in the center columns yet; they are blocked by the Grey Stone and won't help you break the Ice.
4. Manage the Belt: Keep 2 slots open on your 5-slot conveyor if possible. You need incoming cups to roll down to replace the ones you clear.

Phase 2: Breaking the Right-Side Vault (Mid-Game)

The 30 HP Ice Block on the right is the bottleneck. You must break it to access the Mystery Cups.

1. Focus Fire Right: Once the initial Orange is gone, 80% of your taps should be on the right side of the board.
2. The Mystery Cup Trap: As the HP drops (30 -> 20 -> 10), you will see Black cups with '?' marks appearing behind the ice. Do not panic.
3. Breakthrough: Clear the final Red/Cyan cups touching the Ice Block.
4. Assessment: Once the Ice shatters, look at the revealed Mystery Cups.
   • If they are Cyan: Leave them alone for now. We need the Red sky first.
   • If they are Brown: STOP. Do not tap them. They are for the very end.

Phase 3: The Great Red Sky Fill

With the Ice gone (or nearly gone) and the bottom Orange filled, you are in the grind phase.

1. Mass Red Production: Now you can safely tap Red cups from the center columns. The Grey Stone might still be annoying, but the board has loosened up.
2. Check the Canvas: Look at the top of your screen. Is the sky turning a solid red? Good.
3. Percentage Check: You want to reach roughly 75-80% completion before moving to the next phase. This ensures the "Sky" variable is satisfied.

Phase 4: The Cyan Moon Execution

Now that the sky is Red, we can paint the Moon.

1. Locate Cyan Sources: You likely have Cyan cups stockpiled or visible on the board (possibly from the Mystery Cups you uncovered).
2. Precision Tapping: Tap the Cyan cups. Watch the liquid land on the top-right quadrant.
3. Don't Overfill: Stop tapping Cyan the moment the Moon looks solid. Over-pouring Cyan causes it to bleed into the branch area.

Phase 5: The Final Branch (The "Hold Your Breath" Moment)

This is it. The board is likely messy, and you have 1 or 2 Brown cups left (or they are hiding in the last Mystery Cup).

1. Clear the Conveyor: Make sure no other colors are currently being poured or waiting to pour.
2. Tap Brown: Send the Dark Brown cup.
3. Visual Confirmation: Watch the thin brown line draw itself across the moon and sky.
4. Victory: If the line connects cleanly, the level ends. If you timed it wrong and the background wasn't red, you might fail. This is why patience in Phase 3 is critical.

Key Tips & Strategic Notes

These tips are gathered from high-level playthroughs. Mastering these nuances will separate a failed run from a successful one.

The "L-Shape" Management

The Grey Stone barrier in the center isn't just an obstacle; it's a flow disruptor. It often creates a "choke point" where cups get stuck because there is no valid move beneath them.

• Tip: If the board feels stuck and no cups are moving, check the columns immediately to the left and right of the Grey Stone. You usually need to clear a cup in one of those adjacent columns to "unlock" the gravity chain reaction.
• Tip: Never rely on the center column for your main combos. Treat it as a "last resort" dump zone.

Understanding the Mystery Cup RNG

The Mystery Cups (Black '?') have a specific behavior pattern in Level 307. They do not just contain random colors; they contain what you don't have enough of.

• Early Game: They are likely Red or Orange (common colors). Late Game: Once the board is cleared of common colors, the RNG shifts to rare colors. This is why breaking the Right Ice Block late is actually better—the Mystery Cups underneath are more likely to yield the precious Cyan or Brown you need for the finish line.

The 80% Rule

This is a mental rule for the player. If your completion percentage is below 80%, do not touch the Brown cups.

• Reasoning: The Brown branch is an overlay. It sits on top of the sky and moon. If the underlying layers (Sky/Moon) aren't full, the game engine tries to fill the empty background pixels with Brown first. This turns your delicate tree branch into a ugly brown blob. Wait for the high percentage.

Ice Block Timing

Don't feel pressured to break the Ice Blocks instantly.

• Left Block (25 HP): Break this early to clear the side clutter.
• Right Block (30 HP): Use this as a "storage unit." The cups trapped under the ice are safe from accidental taps. If your conveyor is full and chaotic, sometimes it's good to leave the Right Ice intact for a minute while you stabilize the rest of the board. Break it only when you have 5 empty slots ready to receive the new influx of Mystery Cups.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Players lose Level 307 because of impatience and specific error patterns. Learn these mistakes so you don't make them.

Mistake 1: The Premature Branch

The Error: Seeing a Brown cup early and tapping it "to get it out of the way."
The Consequence: The Brown liquid pours into the unpainted Red Sky area. The game logic registers this as the "Tree Branch" trying to form, but because the area is too large, it spreads out and fails the percentage check. You effectively waste a Brown cup that you desperately need at the end.

Mistake 2: Ignoring the Conveyor Belt Capacity

The Error: Spamming taps on the top row without looking at the 5-slot belt at the bottom.
The Consequence: You fill the belt with 5 random colors (e.g., Red, Red, Orange, Cyan, Red). Suddenly, a Brown cup appears at the top, but your belt is full. You can't tap the Brown cup without clearing the belt first. If the belt is jammed with colors you can't use (because the board is locked), you enter a "Soft Lock" state where you are forced to make a bad move or lose.

Mistake 3: Breaking the Right Ice Too Late

The Error: Being too cautious and leaving the 30 HP Ice block until the very last second.
The Consequence: You clear the whole board (Red, Orange, Cyan) and are sitting at 95% completion. You finally break the ice, hoping for Brown. The Mystery Cup reveals... Cyan. You now have 0 Brown cups available on the board, and no way to generate them. You have to restart.

Solution: Break the Right Ice when you are around 60-70% done to ensure the Mystery Cups have time to cycle or to verify if Brown is available.

Mistake 4: Bleeding Cyan into Red

The Error: Pouring Cyan while the Red Sky is still filling in the top-right corner.
The Consequence: The Cyan and Red mix. While they are distinct colors, if the "shape" of the moon isn't perfectly defined by the Red background first, the Cyan can "blob out" into the sky area, ruining the sharp contrast needed for the pixel art. Always ensure the Red surrounds the Moon completely before filling the Moon.

Stuck? Troubleshooting & Solutions

Feel like you've hit a wall? The game engine can be finicky. Here is what to do if specific scenarios occur.

Scenario: "Soft Lock" (No Valid Moves)

You stare at the board, and the "Next Cup" preview shows a color you don't need (e.g., Red), but your board is full of Red, and the Grey Stone is blocking everything.

• Diagnosis: You have over-committed to one color column.
• Fix: Look for the single cup on the board that, if moved, will trigger a cascade. This is often a cup sitting on top of the Ice Block or at the very top of a stack. Tap it, even if it seems like a "bad" move, to trigger the gravity refresh. New cups will fall, potentially opening a path.

Scenario: The Tree Branch Won't Appear

You have 98% completion. You have a Brown cup. You tap it, and nothing happens, or it fills a tiny sliver and fails.

• Diagnosis: "Pixel Gap" error. The tree branch in pixel art is disconnected from the main ground in some spots, or the hitboxes are touching.
• Fix: You need to check the canvas. Is there a single pixel of "Sky" (Red) unpainted right where the branch starts? You may need to sacrifice a Red cup to fix a gap in the background before the Brown will "stick" to the branch path.

Scenario: Running Out of Colors

You are at 90% and you are completely out of Cyan. The board is empty of Blue.

• Diagnosis: The RNG hid the Cyan in the Mystery Cups, or you accidentally poured it into the wrong zone.
• Fix: If there are no cups left on the board and you haven't broken the Right Ice Block yet, break it immediately. If it's already broken and you are still out, you likely suffered a "Bleed" error earlier where Cyan was wasted on the wrong spot. Unfortunately, this usually requires a restart, but you can try tapping the conveyor belt rapidly to see if a glitched cup appears, though this is rare.

Speed Run Tips & Advanced Tactics

Once you understand the logic, you can optimize for time. While this is a logic stage, efficiency matters for high rankings.

The "Edge-Tap" Technique

Don't tap cups randomly. Tap the cups closest to the Ice Blocks first.

• Optimization: By always prioritizing the columns that touch the Ice Blocks (Left Column 1, Right Column 7/8), you passively damage the ice while sorting colors. This saves you turns later because you won't have to go back specifically to break the ice; it will shatter naturally as you sort.

Pre-Loading the Conveyor

As you reach the end of the game (Phase 4), try to have your 5-slot conveyor arranged perfectly.

• The Setup: Ideally, you want: [Empty] [Empty] [Brown] [Cyan] [Red]. This allows you to execute the final sequence (Cyan Moon -> Brown Branch) without waiting for the conveyor to cycle.

Mystery Cup Gambling

If you are speed running, you don't have time to wait.

• Tactic: Break the Right Ice Block aggressively (around 50% completion). If the Mystery Cups reveal Brown immediately, tap it. If they reveal Cyan, tap it. Speed running Level 307 relies on adapting to the Mystery RNG instantly rather than waiting for the "perfect" board state. Fix the background colors after the fact if necessary.