Block Out Level 87 Guide: Sorting Sequence and Buffer Control

To solve Level 87 in Block Out, empty a single column within your first five moves to establish a reusable buffer tube, then shift exposed top blocks to uncover matching colors beneath them. Level 87 restricts available space by weaving multiple color layers across vertical tubes that hold up to four blocks each. Because blocks can only move onto an identical color or into an entirely vacant slot, careless moves quickly plug your remaining room. Clearing this stage requires strict buffer discipline and executing transfers in linked sequences.

Board Setup and Core Constraints

Level 87 presents multiple four-block tubes with deeply fragmented color stacks. Most starting tubes contain three or four distinct colors, preventing any column from being solved right away. Matching colors sit separated across different tubes, frequently buried under two conflicting layers.

The primary rule in Block Out governs every move: a block can only transfer onto an identical exposed color or into a completely empty tube, up to the four-block limit. If every column top displays a different color and no empty tube remains, the puzzle deadlocks and forces a restart. Success depends on exposing buried pieces without scattering mismatched blocks across your open spaces.

Opening Priority: Clearing the First Buffer Column

Your immediate goal is to empty one tube entirely to create a dedicated transit lane. Pinpoint the column that requires the fewest transfers to vacate, then move its surface blocks onto matching colors elsewhere on the board. Avoid spreading surface blocks into partially filled columns without an immediate plan, as this consumes space before opening up any hidden foundations.

Use the table below to evaluate which column to target first:

Mid-Game Execution: Chaining Color Transfers

Once you secure an empty tube, every move must either consolidate an existing color stack or expose a buried block that can move immediately. Moving an isolated piece into an empty slot without a follow-up transfer wastes transit space.

To maintain momentum, execute moves in chains:

1. Move an exposed top block into your open buffer tube only if doing so uncovers a block that can immediately join an existing stack elsewhere.
2. Shift the newly revealed block to its matching column.
3. Check the block beneath it to see if it can also transfer out, continuing the sequence.
4. Return pieces parked in your buffer tube to their permanent stacks as soon as those colors become accessible.

Buffer Discipline and Deadlock Prevention

Preventing an irreversible deadlock requires treating your empty tube strictly as a transit point, not a general storage bin. Placing two different colors into the same open tube destroys its flexibility and drastically limits your remaining legal moves.

Follow these rules to keep the board workable:

• Keep the buffer tube empty or reserved for a single color group at any given time.
• Verify that any block placed into a temporary slot has a clear exit path within two turns before making the transfer.
• Prioritize stacking matching blocks onto growing columns rather than setting them aside in open slots.

Endgame Execution: Locking Completed Stacks

As the board clears, multiple columns will reach three matching blocks. In Block Out, placing the fourth identical block into a tube locks that color permanently.

Prioritize finishing the color that unblocks the highest number of trapped pieces in neighboring tubes. Completing a four-block stack permanently removes that color from play, reducing board clutter and providing the open space needed to funnel the final color sets into their completed columns.