______________________________________________________________________________
Game Playtomo: Flip It
Version 1.2
Contact egonym at yahoo dot com
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
I N D E X [IDX]
______________________________________________________________________________
* [IDX] This index of contents
* [RLS] Rules and background on the game
* [CLR] A legend of the color codes used in the solutions section
* [OPS] A legend of the operation codes used in the solutions section
* [SOL] A simple listing of solutions for each puzzle in the game
* [LVL] A view of each puzzle board, with solution as well as notes
* [L01] The first game level
...
* [L41] The last game level
* [CON] Details about the approach I took, and why it's significant
______________________________________________________________________________
R U L E S [RLS]
______________________________________________________________________________
* The game presents a 9x9 board with various colored marbles [CLR] and
immovable blocks.
* Gravity acts on the marbles, moving them to the bottom of the board,
or to the lowest immovable block.
* When 3 or more like-colored marbles are touching each other, that
group will disappear.
* You can use 5 different operations [OPS] to change the board and the
marbles.
* After each operation, gravity is applied and marbles are free to
connect, clear, and then fall again.
* The goal is to clear away all marbles from the board with a limited
number of moves.
______________________________________________________________________________
C O L O R S [CLR]
______________________________________________________________________________
* A game board may contain up to 9 different colors.
* There are at least three of each color, sometimes more.
* The solutions section [SOL] employs a letter symbol to distinguish
colors:
B Blue
G Green
Y Yellow
O Orange
R Red
V Violet
L Light blue
P Pink
B Brown
# Immovable Block
______________________________________________________________________________
O P E R A T I O N S [OPS]
______________________________________________________________________________
* The solutions section [SOL] employs a two-character symbol to
distinguish operations:
< (Shift Left) This shifts all marbles one space to the left,
provided there is open space available.
> (Shift Right) This shifts all marbles one space to the right,
provided there is open space available.
^ (Flip Up) The board is flipped end over end. Marbles at
the bottom appear on top, and are then subject to
gravity.
L (Turn Left) The board is turned 90 degrees counter-clockwise.
R (Turn Right) The board is turned 90 degrees clockwise.
______________________________________________________________________________
S O L U T I O N S [SOL]
______________________________________________________________________________
* Each line below represents a sequence of operations [OPS] sufficient
to clear the level.
Level 01 <
Level 02 >
Level 03 R
Level 04 L
Level 05 ^
Level 06 > <
Level 07 R L
Level 08 R L
Level 09 < L
Level 10 L R
Level 11 < > >
Level 12 L < <
Level 13 ^ L R
Level 14 ^ > R
Level 15 L R >
Level 16 > < L
Level 17 ^ ^ L <
Level 18 < > L >
Level 19 < > L >
Level 20 < L > <
Level 21 L L L L
Level 22 L > L < >
Level 23 > L R > R
Level 24 > L < L R
Level 25 R L L L <
Level 26 < < > < ^
Level 27 L ^ L > >
Level 28 R R L L > L
Level 29 < L < < < L
Level 30 < ^ > L
Level 31 ^ L < < > ^
Level 32 > < L < > R
Level 33 < L > R > >
Level 34 < ^ < < L >
Level 35 L > ^ R R
Level 36 R L < > L >
Level 37 L L < R > L
Level 38 ^ L > L ^ < L
Level 39 ^ R R L L
Level 40 L L L R < > L < <
Level 41 < > L (See note for [L41] below)
______________________________________________________________________________
L E V E L S [LVL]
______________________________________________________________________________
* Puzzle boards are represented using the color symbols [CLR] above.
* Allowed numbers indicate the in-game move restriction.
* Solutions represents a sequence of operations [OPS] sufficient to
clear the level.
______________________________________________________________________________
L E V E L 0 1 [L01]
______________________________________________________________________________
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
___________________
| |
| | 0
| | 1
| Y # | 2
| # # # | 3
| | 4
| | 5
| Y | 6
| Y | 7
| # # # # # # # # # | 8
|___________________|
Allowed 1
Solution <
______________________________________________________________________________
L E V E L 0 2 [L02]
______________________________________________________________________________
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
___________________
| |
| | 0
| | 1
| L | 2
| # # # # # # | 3
| # | 4
| # | 5
| # # | 6
| # L L # # | 7
| # # # # # # # # # | 8
|___________________|
Allowed 1
Solution >
______________________________________________________________________________
L E V E L 0 3 [L03]
______________________________________________________________________________
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
___________________
| |
| # # # O # | 0
| # O O # | 1
| # # # # | 2
| # | 3
| # | 4
| # | 5
| # # # # | 6
| # Y Y # | 7
| # # # Y # | 8
|___________________|
Allowed 1
Solution R
______________________________________________________________________________
L E V E L 0 4 [L04]
______________________________________________________________________________
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
___________________
| |
| | 0
| | 1
| # P P | 2
| # P # # # | 3
| # # # # # # # # # | 4
| L # # | 5
| L L # | 6
| # # | 7
| | 8
|___________________|
Allowed 1
Solution L
______________________________________________________________________________
L E V E L 0 5 [L05]
______________________________________________________________________________
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
___________________
| |
| # # | 0
| | 1
| | 2
| O O | 3
| # # | 4
| | 5
| L P | 6
| L O P | 7
| L # # # P | 8
|___________________|
Allowed 1
Solution ^
______________________________________________________________________________
L E V E L 0 6 [L06]
______________________________________________________________________________
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
___________________
| |
| # # | 0
| | 1
| | 2
| Y # O | 3
| # # # # # | 4
| | 5
| | 6
| | 7
| # Y Y O O O # | 8
|___________________|
Allowed 2
Solution > <
______________________________________________________________________________
L E V E L 0 7 [L07]
______________________________________________________________________________
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
___________________
| |
| # # | 0
| | 1
| | 2
| # | 3
| # # # | 4
| # | 5
| O O | 6
| L L | 7
| # O L # | 8
|___________________|
Allowed 2
Solution R L
______________________________________________________________________________
L E V E L 0 8 [L08]
______________________________________________________________________________
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
___________________
| |
| | 0
| | 1
| | 2
| | 3
| V N | 4
| # # | 5
| | 6
| N | 7
| V V N | 8
|___________________|
Allowed 2
Solution R L
______________________________________________________________________________
L E V E L 0 9 [L09]
______________________________________________________________________________
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
___________________
| |
| | 0
| | 1
| | 2
| | 3
| | 4
| # P N | 5
| # P N # | 6
| N P | 7
| N P | 8
|___________________|
Allowed 2
Solution < L
______________________________________________________________________________
L E V E L 1 0 [L10]
______________________________________________________________________________
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
___________________
| |
| # # # # # # # # # | 0
| # # | 1
| # # | 2
| # O L # | 3
| # # # # # | 4
| # # | 5
| # # | 6
| # O O L L # | 7
| # # # # # # # # # | 8
|___________________|
Allowed 2
Solution L R
______________________________________________________________________________
L E V E L 1 1 [L11]
______________________________________________________________________________
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
___________________
| |
| | 0
| | 1
| # P | 2
| O # # L | 3
| # # | 4
| | 5
| | 6
| Y L | 7
| # Y Y O O P P L # | 8
|___________________|
Allowed 3
Solution < > >
______________________________________________________________________________
L E V E L 1 2 [L12]
______________________________________________________________________________
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
___________________
| |
| # # # # | 0
| # # | 1
| Y Y Y | 2
| # O O # | 3
| # O # | 4
| # | 5
| | 6
| # L # | 7
| # # L L # # | 8
|___________________|
Allowed 3
Solution L < <
______________________________________________________________________________
L E V E L 1 3 [L13]
______________________________________________________________________________
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
___________________
| |
| P P | 0
| # # # # # # # | 1
| # # | 2
| # # | 3
| # # # | 4
| O | 5
| O Y | 6
| L Y | 7
| L O Y L P | 8
|___________________|
Allowed 3
Solution ^ L R
______________________________________________________________________________
L E V E L 1 4 [L14]
______________________________________________________________________________
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
___________________
| |
| # # # # # | 0
| # # # | 1
| # | 2
| O Y | 3
| O Y L | 4
| # # # Y L # | 5
| # # O L # # | 6
| # # # P P # # # | 7
| # # # # P # # # # | 8
|___________________|
Allowed 3
Solution ^ > R
______________________________________________________________________________
L E V E L 1 5 [L15]
______________________________________________________________________________
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
___________________
| |
| # # # # | 0
| # # | 1
| | 2
| P O | 3
| # # # | 4
| | 5
| P P O Y | 6
| # Y O # | 7
| # # Y # # | 8
|___________________|
Allowed 3
Solution L R >
______________________________________________________________________________
L E V E L 1 6 [L16]
______________________________________________________________________________
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
___________________
| |
| | 0
| | 1
| # P # P # P | 2
| L # L # L # | 3
| P # P # P # | 4
| L # L # L # | 5
| # # # | 6
| | 7
| | 8
|___________________|
Allowed 3
Solution > < L
______________________________________________________________________________
L E V E L 1 7 [L17]
______________________________________________________________________________
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
___________________
| |
| # # # # # # # # # | 0
| # # # # # # | 1
| # # | 2
| # # | 3
| # L # | 4
| # L L # | 5
| # P P O Y O P # | 6
| # # O # Y # Y # # | 7
| # # # # # # # # # | 8
|___________________|
Allowed 4
Solution ^ ^ L <
______________________________________________________________________________
L E V E L 1 8 [L18]
______________________________________________________________________________
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
___________________
| |
| # # # # # | 0
| # # # L | 1
| # L # L # | 2
| # # O # # | 3
| # # # # # # | 4
| # # # # | 5
| # Y # # | 6
| O Y # # # | 7
| O Y # # # # # | 8
|___________________|
Allowed 4
Solution < > L >
______________________________________________________________________________
L E V E L 1 9 [L19]
______________________________________________________________________________
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
___________________
| |
| | 0
| | 1
| # # | 2
| Y # # Y | 3
| # O L # | 4
| L # # L | 5
| # # | 6
| | 7
| P O O P P Y | 8
|___________________|
Allowed 4
Solution < > L >
______________________________________________________________________________
L E V E L 2 0 [L20]
______________________________________________________________________________
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
___________________
| |
| # # # # # # # # # | 0
| # # | 1
| # # | 2
| # O # | 3
| V # L | 4
| # V N # | 5
| # V P P P # | 6
| # L N O O N L # | 7
| # # # # # # # # # | 8
|___________________|
Allowed 4
Solution < L > <
______________________________________________________________________________
L E V E L 2 1 [L21]
______________________________________________________________________________
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
___________________
| |
| # # # # # # # # # | 0
| # P L # | 1
| # # # # | 2
| # # | 3
| # # | 4
| # P V # | 5
| # P # L O # O # | 6
| # Y Y L Y O V V # | 7
| # # # # # # # # # | 8
|___________________|
Allowed 4
Solution L L L L
______________________________________________________________________________
L E V E L 2 2 [L22]
______________________________________________________________________________
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
___________________
| |
| # # # # # # # # | 0
| # # # # | 1
| # # | 2
| # # # # | 3
| L L N L | 4
| # V # # Y # | 5
| # N O O O V Y # | 6
| # # V N P Y P # # | 7
| # # # # P # # # # | 8
|___________________|
Allowed 5
Solution L > L < >
______________________________________________________________________________
L E V E L 2 3 [L23]
______________________________________________________________________________
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
___________________
| |
| # # # # | 0
| # P # | 1
| # | 2
| P Y | 3
| # V # | 4
| Y | 5
| L # Y | 6
| # O O O # | 7
| # # L L V P V # # | 8
|___________________|
Allowed 5
Solution > L R > R
______________________________________________________________________________
L E V E L 2 4 [L24]
______________________________________________________________________________
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
___________________
| |
| # L # # # # # | 0
| # # O # # # | 1
| # # # # | 2
| # # L Y | 3
| # # L # | 4
| P O # # | 5
| O # # # # | 6
| P # # # P # # | 7
| # # # # # Y Y # | 8
|___________________|
Allowed 5
Solution > L < L R
______________________________________________________________________________
L E V E L 2 5 [L25]
______________________________________________________________________________
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
___________________
| |
| # # # # | 0
| # # # | 1
| # # # # | 2
| # # # | 3
| L P # # # | 4
| # L P # # | 5
| # # # Y # | 6
| # # # Y O | 7
| # # # # O L P O Y | 8
|___________________|
Allowed 5
Solution R L L L <
______________________________________________________________________________
L E V E L 2 6 [L26]
______________________________________________________________________________
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
___________________
| |
| | 0
| | 1
| P O | 2
| L Y O O P P V V G | 3
| # L L Y N V N N # | 4
| # # Y B R G G # # | 5
| # # # R B B # # # | 6
| # # # # R # # # # | 7
| # # # # # # # # # | 8
|___________________|
Allowed 5
Solution < < > < ^
______________________________________________________________________________
L E V E L 2 7 [L27]
______________________________________________________________________________
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
___________________
| |
| # # # # | 0
| # # | 1
| # L L # | 2
| # L # | 3
| O # Y | 4
| O # # Y | 5
| O # # P | 6
| # Y P # | 7
| # # P # # | 8
|___________________|
Allowed 5
Solution L ^ L > >
______________________________________________________________________________
L E V E L 2 8 [L28]
______________________________________________________________________________
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
___________________
| |
| | 0
| L | 1
| O # L | 2
| Y # # # L | 3
| # # # # # | 4
| # # # | 5
| # | 6
| O | 7
| V V Y Y P V P O P | 8
|___________________|
Allowed 6
Solution R R L L > L
______________________________________________________________________________
L E V E L 2 9 [L29]
______________________________________________________________________________
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
___________________
| |
| # # # # # | 0
| # # # | 1
| # | 2
| O Y P P Y | 3
| # # # # # | 4
| O | 5
| V # P | 6
| Y # # # V | 7
| O Y # # # # # V V | 8
|___________________|
Allowed 6
Solution < L < < < L
______________________________________________________________________________
L E V E L 3 0 [L30]
______________________________________________________________________________
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
___________________
| |
| # # # # # # # # # | 0
| # # | 1
| # # | 2
| P N O | 3
| # # # # # | 4
| Y Y O L | 5
| # N L # | 6
| # Y P P O N L # | 7
| # # # # # # # # # | 8
|___________________|
Allowed 6
Solution < ^ > L
Note This is the first of a handful of puzzles, that can be
solved in fewer moves than are allowed.
______________________________________________________________________________
L E V E L 3 1 [L31]
______________________________________________________________________________
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
___________________
| |
| # # # # # # # # # | 0
| # # # # # # # # | 1
| # # # # # # | 2
| # # # # | 3
| # # | 4
| # # L N L N Y # # | 5
| # # # Y L Y # # # | 6
| # # # # N # # # # | 7
| # # # # # # # # # | 8
|___________________|
Allowed 6
Solution ^ L < < > ^
______________________________________________________________________________
L E V E L 3 2 [L32]
______________________________________________________________________________
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
___________________
| |
| # # | 0
| P O Y L | 1
| # # # # | 2
| P | 3
| # | 4
| L O L P | 5
| # # # # | 6
| O Y | 7
| # Y # | 8
|___________________|
Allowed 6
Solution > < L < > R
______________________________________________________________________________
L E V E L 3 3 [L33]
______________________________________________________________________________
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
___________________
| |
| L Y P | 0
| # # # | 1
| P O | 2
| # P O # | 3
| # # # # | 4
| # L # | 5
| N Y N | 6
| # # # | 7
| L N Y O | 8
|___________________|
Allowed 6
Solution < L > R > >
______________________________________________________________________________
L E V E L 3 4 [L34]
______________________________________________________________________________
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
___________________
| |
| | 0
| # # | 1
| # # | 2
| O P L | 3
| # # # | 4
| # # | 5
| O O N L L | 6
| # V P # P V # | 7
| # Y V N # N Y Y # | 8
|___________________|
Allowed 6
Solution < ^ < < L >
______________________________________________________________________________
L E V E L 3 5 [L35]
______________________________________________________________________________
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
___________________
| |
| # | 0
| # | 1
| # L L Y | 2
| # # # # | 3
| # Y O # | 4
| # # # # | 5
| # | 6
| # | 7
| P P O O Y P L # | 8
|___________________|
Allowed 7
Solution L > ^ R R
Note Again, this solution saves 2 moves somehow. You're
allowed 7, but it only takes 5.
______________________________________________________________________________
L E V E L 3 6 [L36]
______________________________________________________________________________
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
___________________
| |
| # # | 0
| O O | 1
| Y # # # # O | 2
| V # B # Y | 3
| V O # P V | 4
| L # # L | 5
| O # # # # Y | 6
| B O L P | 7
| # B P # | 8
|___________________|
Allowed 7
Solution R L < > L >
Note Saved a single move this time.
______________________________________________________________________________
L E V E L 3 7 [L37]
______________________________________________________________________________
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
___________________
| |
| # # | 0
| N # # # # # O | 1
| O O | 2
| V # N | 3
| V # # # # # Y | 4
| L L | 5
| L # P | 6
| P P # # # # # Y Y | 7
| # N V # | 8
|___________________|
Allowed 7
Solution L L < R > L
Note Saved a single move again.
______________________________________________________________________________
L E V E L 3 8 [L38]
______________________________________________________________________________
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
___________________
| |
| # # # # # # | 0
| # # # # | 1
| # # | 2
| | 3
| O V L # L V Y | 4
| Y N O # # # O P P | 5
| Y L # # # # # N N | 6
| P # # # # # # # V | 7
| # # # # # # # # # | 8
|___________________|
Allowed 7
Solution ^ L > L ^ < L
______________________________________________________________________________
L E V E L 3 9 [L39]
______________________________________________________________________________
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
___________________
| |
| # # # # # # # # # | 0
| # # | 1
| O V | 2
| # # Y | 3
| # # # | 4
| # # | 5
| L P O O V | 6
| # L P P Y V L Y # | 7
| # # # # # # # # # | 8
|___________________|
Allowed 5
Solution ^ R R L L
______________________________________________________________________________
L E V E L 4 0 [L40]
______________________________________________________________________________
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
___________________
| |
| # # # # # | 0
| Y Y L L | 1
| # # # # | 2
| N O P P P | 3
| # # # # # | 4
| L N O O | 5
| # # # # | 6
| Y V N V V | 7
| # # # # # | 8
|___________________|
Allowed 9
Solution L L L R < > L < <
______________________________________________________________________________
L E V E L 4 1 [L41]
______________________________________________________________________________
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
___________________
| |
| # # # # # # # | 0
| # # # # # | 1
| # # # | 2
| L # L | 3
| # O O # | 4
| # # O O L P P # # | 5
| # # # V P V # # # | 6
| # # # # V # # # # | 7
| # # # # # # # # # | 8
|___________________|
Allowed 3
Solution < > L
Note The first move (Shift Left) is easy. But the second
(Shift Right) and third (Turn Left) moves must be entered
in quick succession. The second move puts 3 orange
marbles together. The third move must connect the last
orange marble before the first 3 disappear. The timing is
difficult. In fact, I used the physical number buttons on
my phone instead of selecting each operation with the
track pad. For me, the sequence was #4, and then #6 and
#1 in quick succession. It may not work the first time.
But it will work.
______________________________________________________________________________
C O N C L U S I O N [CON]
______________________________________________________________________________
I like puzzle games. And I've enjoyed some of the other puzzle games
in the Playtomo app. But "Flip It" got real hard, real fast. Even
though the options were nicely limited, I just wasn't seeing the
puzzles develop. In "Swap Me" for instance, the puzzle gives you a lot
of clues about how to start. There's a math that points you in the
right direction. In "Flip It", I wasn't catching on. So after being
stuck at level 24 for a couple days, I wrote a program. Yup, I
cheated. But �Flip It� is a puzzle that lends itself really well to a
machine solution. Even on level 24, there are only 5 to the 5, or
3,125 different ways to play the game. And a machine can churn through
those possibilities easily. Whereas I found myself using the same bad
intuition to wind up in a similar place each time.
So over a few hours this program came together. I used
Processing.org. I made a little GUI interface, with flat buttons and
simple shapes, just squares and circles really. And like all good
puzzles, the math was beautiful. There was a symmetry in the
operations, a simplicity in the algebra of that two dimensional matrix.
The whole thing seemed justly built to solve this certain problem.
And there was that magical moment when I drew in the swirls and
colors on Level 24, and it gave me back an answer. It took no time at
all. Five instructions, printed to the output stream. And I plugged
them into my phone. Everything flashed in all the right ways. And
the puzzle was solved.
I enjoy a lot of things. But there was something absolutely
transcendent about conjuring up the power of the universe to topple
this simple puzzle. The program was real now. It had weight. It
moved on its own and carried me.
I honed my little app as I went through the levels, cheating better
and faster and easier each time. The machine could even solve some
puzzles in fewer moves than the makers thought possible. I was proud.
I was proud of this thing I made in an afternoon.
And then I came to level 41. And my machine told me the 4 moves it
took to solve. But the game said it could be done in 3. Oh God. I
thought maybe I had done something wrong. I poked around at the timing
of my gravity. I looked for problems in the way I cleared chains. How
could there be errors now? It had worked so well for so long.
So I had to solve level 41 myself. And I did. I started thinking
it might be a timing issue. That those orange marbles had to be
cleared simultaneously. And I wanted them to come together, I wanted
it. I wanted to push one up with the others. I mashed and churned and
it happened all at once. They turned together and flashed and
disappeared. The board was clear and the game was done.
So I built a machine to do what I couldn�t. And he was fast and
powerful and good. Really good. But at last he was wrong. I
hadn�t lost my purpose. I was still necessary after all. Or became
necessary again. It came back to me in the end. And when we won, we
won together. And there was real satisfaction. Happiness even. To
have built something better than myself. And still to be human.
Stubborn enough to want the right answer, and clever enough to figure
it out on my own. To succeed where even my greatest tools had failed.
...
That's it. I hope this guide is useful. A quick survey online
showed very little info on "Flip It". Feel free to point folks to this
gamefaqs page. And please let me know if you find any errors.
© Web Media Network Limited, 1999 - 2024 This site is not affiliated in any way with Microsoft, Sony, Sega, Nintendo or any video game publishers.
Privacy Policy | Terms of Service.
Super Cheats is an unofficial resource with submissions provided by members of the public. These are not usually tested by us (because there are so many), so please use them at your own risk.
