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Water Sort Puzzle
Pour the colored water from tube to tube until every tube is filled with a single color. Each level is generated and checked by a solver, so it can always be finished. Use undo, a hint or one extra tube when you get stuck.
Last updated:
Level1
Moves0
Colors3
Best–
Tap a tube to pick it up, then tap another tube to pour.
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How to use the Water Sort Puzzle
- Tap a tube to pick it up. It rises to show it is selected.
- Tap another tube to pour. Water can only go into an empty tube or onto the same color, and only while there is room (each tube holds 4 units).
- Keep sorting until every tube is either empty or full of one color.
- Stuck? Press Show hint to see the next good pour, Undo to take moves back, or Add tube for one extra empty tube.
- Finish the level to unlock the next one. Your best move count for each level is saved.
Water sort strategy: how to solve the hard levels
- Keep an empty tube as long as you can. An empty tube is your most valuable resource. Fill it only when doing so finishes a color or frees another tube.
- Pour onto matching tops first. Moves that stack a color on the same color never cost you space, so look for those before using an empty tube.
- Dig toward the color with the most layers near the top. If three of the four red layers are already exposed, finish red first and you gain a full sorted tube.
- Count before you pour. A pour moves every matching layer on top. If the target has room for only one of three layers, the remaining two stay behind and can block the tube underneath.
- Plan two moves ahead. Before pouring into an empty tube, check that you will be able to pour something on top of it or empty another tube right after.
- Undo is free. There is no penalty for undoing, so try an idea, and if it leads to a dead end, step back.
Level sizes
Every level has two empty tubes at the start, and each color has exactly 4 units, one tube's worth. The number of colors grows by one every three levels:
| Levels | Colors | Tubes | Units of water |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 – 3 | 3 | 5 | 12 |
| 4 – 6 | 4 | 6 | 16 |
| 7 – 9 | 5 | 7 | 20 |
| 10 – 12 | 6 | 8 | 24 |
| 13 – 15 | 7 | 9 | 28 |
| 16 – 18 | 8 | 10 | 32 |
| 19 – 21 | 9 | 11 | 36 |
| 22 – 24 | 10 | 12 | 40 |
| 25 – 27 | 11 | 13 | 44 |
| 28 and up | 12 | 14 | 48 |
Keyboard shortcuts
| Key | Action |
|---|---|
| 1 – 9, 0 | Select tube 1 to 10 (press a second number to pour) |
| Tab, Enter | Move between tubes and select one |
| H | Show a hint |
| U or Ctrl + Z | Undo the last pour |
| R | Restart the level |
| Esc | Put the selected tube back down |
Frequently asked questions
How do you play Water Sort Puzzle?
Each tube holds up to 4 units of colored water stacked in layers. Pick a tube and pour it into another: the top layer moves if the target tube is empty or its top layer is the same color and it has space. The level is solved when every tube contains only one color (or is empty).
How much water moves in one pour?
All connected layers of the same color on top of the source tube move together, as long as they fit. If the target has room for only part of them, only that part is poured and the rest stays behind.
Is every level solvable?
Yes. Each level is created from its level number and then run through a depth-first search solver. If the solver cannot finish it, a different arrangement is generated, so every level you see has at least one solution without needing the extra tube.
What does the Add tube button do?
It adds one empty tube to the current level, which gives you more room to move layers around. You can use it once per level. Restarting the level removes it again.
How does the hint work?
The hint runs the same solver on your current position and highlights the first pour of a winning path (the blue tube pours into the green one). If your position can no longer be solved, it tells you to undo or add a tube.
Is there a time limit or a move limit?
No. You can take as long as you like and use as many moves as you need. The move counter and the saved best score for each level are only there if you want to challenge yourself to solve it in fewer pours.
Can I play if I am color-blind?
Yes. Turn on Color symbols and each color gets its own shape (circle, triangle, square, star and so on), so you can match layers by symbol instead of by color.
Are all the tools on FreeToolCabin tested for quality and accuracy?
Yes! Every tool on our site undergoes automated Q/A testing in real browser environments to ensure high precision, correct output, and zero errors. If you happen to spot a bug or have a suggestion, please contact us at [email protected] and our team will review it right away.
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