About Ball Sort
Ball Sort is a sorting puzzle where tubes hold stacks of colored balls all mixed together. You move balls between tubes one at a time to separate the colors, aiming to end with each tube holding a single color. It is the ball-based cousin of the liquid pouring puzzles.
Using balls instead of liquid changes the feel more than you might expect. Every ball keeps its own identity, so nothing merges and your mistakes stay visible and reversible on the board. That makes it a clear, tidy logic puzzle where you can always see exactly what you have moved.
Every level is solvable by design, so you never face an impossible board. You can play free in your browser with no download. It is easy to pick up, since you just move the top ball from one tube to another, and the challenge grows steadily as more colors join the mix at higher levels.
Controls
You play by moving the top ball of a tube. Tap a tube to lift its top ball, or click it with a mouse on a laptop, then tap or click the tube where you want it to go.
A move is only allowed under certain conditions:
- Where a ball can land is on top of a ball of the same color, or in a completely empty tube. You cannot drop a ball onto a different color.
- Only the top ball moves so you always work from the top of each stack. To reach a buried ball, you first have to clear the ones sitting above it.
You solve a level when every tube holds one full color or sits empty. Undo backs up your last move if it didn't help.
The puzzles get harder across eight levels as more colors join the mix. Stuck with nowhere to move a ball? Watching a short ad through the +Tube button adds an empty tube to work with.
Tips
- Keep an empty tube in reserve. An empty tube accepts any color and is your main tool for untangling stacks, so avoid filling your last one unless you have a clear plan for it.
- Stack matching colors together first. Combining balls of the same color from different tubes into one frees up space and moves you closer to a finished tube, so prioritize these merges.
- Uncover the colors you need. Because only the top ball moves, a ball you need can be buried. Look for moves that peel away the balls sitting on top of it.
- Plan before moving a rare color. If only a few balls of a color remain scattered, make sure you have somewhere to gather them before you start, or you may strand one on top of the wrong stack.
- Finish one color completely when you can. Filling a tube with a single color and setting it aside cuts down the clutter you are tracking and often reveals the next move.
- Undo and rethink instead of forcing moves. Every level has a solution, so if you hit a wall, an earlier move was the misstep. Backing up and trying a different order will get you unstuck.
Frequently asked questions
Is Ball Sort free to play?
Yes. You can play as many levels as you want with no download and no account.
How do you play Ball Sort?
You move colored balls between tubes, one top ball at a time. A ball can only go on a matching color or into an empty tube. You win when each tube holds a single complete color.
Is every level solvable?
Yes. Every level is designed to be solvable, so a valid solution always exists. If you get stuck, it means an earlier move closed off the path, and undoing it opens things back up.
What is the difference from Water Sort?
They play similarly, but Ball Sort uses individual balls that never merge, while Water Sort pours liquid layers that combine. With balls, every piece stays distinct and your moves are easy to see and reverse.
Can I play Ball Sort on my phone?
Yes. It runs in any modern mobile browser with tap controls, so it works well on phones and tablets.
How do I get better at Ball Sort?
Protect your empty tubes, merge matching colors to open up space, and uncover buried balls before you need them. Since every level has a solution, undoing and replanning always works when you're stuck.