Flames and chests in number puzzle level sets
Learn what flames and chests in number puzzle levels mean, how sets of ten work, and how to choose the next set to play.
A player scrolling the list of level sets on the Classic 6x6 board sees a column of named sets, each one holding ten levels. Some names have a flame marker beside them. After the tenth level of every set, a chest closes it.
Quick 4x4 has 30 levels, Classic 6x6 has 100 and Master 9x9 has 100, and all three boards use the same layout. On Quick, that makes three sets. On Classic and Master, it makes ten sets each.
Inside a set, the player opens the first level and solves it by picking a number from tray and tapping a column. The next level in that set becomes playable once the grid is full and correct. One level after another, the player continues in that order until the tenth level in the set is done.
Each level is timed, so a player can see how long a single level took before moving on to the one after it.
What a flame tells a player about a level
In the list of sets, the flames appear next to each set name, not inside the levels. A set with more flames has harder levels. A player who chooses a set with several flames should expect to spend more time checking before each drop.
The player uses these same checks in every level. The player looks across a row for missing numbers, then down a column, then at the box, searching for a cell that can take only one number. Often, in a set with few flames, one or two of these scans reveal a single gap. In a set with many flames, a single gap may not stand out until the player has gone through all three checks.
Numbers fall to the lowest empty cell in a column, so the check must also cover where a number will land. A player on the 6x6 Classic board might find the right number for a gap and still wait, since a lower cell has to be filled first.
The way a level plays does not change with the flames. Across every set, the rules, the tray and the timer are identical, and the marker beside the set name is the only cue about what to expect.
Reading the chest at the end of each set
At the end of the list for each set, the player finds the chest after finishing the tenth level. Since the chest closes every set of ten, it appears three times on Quick 4x4 and ten times each on Classic 6x6 and Master 9x9. The chest sits after the last level, not between levels, so nothing in the middle of a set blocks the player from moving on.
The chest opens only when the player has finished every level in that set. If a level is skipped or left unsolved, the chest stays out of reach, and the player goes back to that level first.
After a set ends, it is a good point to review the results before choosing what to play next. Each level is timed, and finishing fast with no mistakes earns 3 stars, so the player can go through the ten levels one at a time and see which ones earned all 3 and which earned fewer. A level with fewer stars usually means a slow stretch or a wrong drop, so the player may replay it to test a different drop order.
After reviewing, the player chooses whether to open the next set or replay a few levels from the set just finished.
Choosing a set and pacing it across sessions
A new player to a board can begin with a size they can finish. Quick 4x4 contains 30 levels, while Classic 6x6 and Master 9x9 each contain 100, so the smallest board offers the shortest run of sets. Many players start on a board where they can finish a level without guessing.
Inside that board, a set with less flames is the usual starting point. The player works through all ten levels, then looks at the star results. When a player earns 3 stars on most levels with no wrong drops, that is the time to try a set with more flames.
Players earn sparks only by playing, and sparks cannot be bought. Players spend sparks on hints, undos, an extra heart or a skip, so finishing levels builds a supply for the harder sets. Every level can be solved by logic alone, which means a hint is a convenience and not a requirement.
The named sets and their flames are in NumFall on the App Store, which is free and has no ads.
A player who finishes one set of ten on Quick 4x4 can look at the flame count on the next set before choosing it.
FAQ
How many levels are in each set on the Quick 4x4 board?
Each set holds ten levels, and the Quick 4x4 board has 30 levels in total. That makes three sets, with a chest closing each one after its tenth level.
What do the flames next to a set name mean?
The flames show how hard the levels in that set are expected to be. A set with several flames usually means players will spend more time checking rows, columns and boxes before each drop.
Can I skip to the chest at the end of a set without finishing the levels?
No. The chest only becomes reachable after every level in that set is solved, so any skipped or unsolved level has to be finished first.
How do I know if I should move on to a harder set?
Look at the star results for the ten levels in the set you just finished. If most levels earned 3 stars with no wrong drops, a set with more flames is a reasonable next step.
Do hints in the game cost real money?
Hints, undos, extra hearts and skips are paid for with sparks and sparks are earned by playing rather than bought. Every level can be solved by logic alone, so hints are optional.
Sources
NumFall is made by the publisher of this site. Any health or brain-training points here are general information, not medical advice.