Heh, a clean sweep!  Nice one kaywhyn!

Well, the levels I posted at the start of this topic I'm hoping would be good for a Level of the Year nomination.  A new pack won't be for a while though.

Some more updates since:

Though not a turn off in themselves, I would say that levels where you're allowed or at least expected to lose a number of lemmings I find the hardest since you're not sure where you have to sacrifice them.  One example that springs to mind is "Stroke at Retirement Age" by geoo, where you are allowed to lose 4 lemmings but only have one Bomber and Blocker (and it's very obvious where you have to use the Blocker).  On top of being very precise it's very hard to know where you can and should make sacrifice.

Sometimes though, sacrifices are the name of the game, like with the aforementioned Cascade (I'm pretty sure the developers were aware of being able to save 100% or at least more than 10 because of being able to dig through the steps to make a wall, even if a few slip through into the abyss.  I myself have taken advantage of mass death in some of my own levels, my most famous probably being "Mincemeat" (go to 1:59):

That's kind of you JawaJuice.  I might still try to fix Lemming Ledger as a standalone level, but I admit I've lost faith in it, and Reverse the Polarity I'm kind of leaving to die.

Quote from: mobius on December 06, 2025, 12:59:58 AMwow, that was 10 days ago I posted? It felt like yeserday... well I skimmed over the topic quickly and I don't think you've updated these two in that time??
I solved these two with the help of SQRon, The Oubliette particularly was very tough imo, but very clever solution, if it's correct. Outside the box is likely a backroute, I saved the blocker, but it felt as least partially intended, the overall jist anyway; I don't see how else to go about it... this solution does not work for the second one.

I patched The Oubliette, but let's just say you're very close to what I intended, so the patch should now enforce it.

In the meantime, I've added a copy of Backdraft to the second post of this topic for easy finding later on (where all the other levels are!)

Backdraft is intended - well done!  Now I wish I did submit that to the contest instead of Lemming Ledger despite the similiarities to Redneck Redemption.  The talisman does take a fair bit of thought!

Speaking of Lemming Ledger, both that and Double Blind are backroutes, but well done on using all of the tools!  I think they can be patched, but I'll take a day or two to think about them.

Well they're backroutes, but nothing too serious and hence are easy to patch out.  Even "Double Blind" allowed me to introduce some potential new red herrings.

ADDENDUM: Fixed Backdraft too.

EDIT: Fixed accidental overwrite of Lemming Ledger with Double Blind.

Well it is a backroute, but I'm not unhappy about it as it's just the first version that hasn't been playtested yet.

In the meantime, here's the original Lemming Ledger again, this time with a locked release rate (not allowed in the contest) and a level kind of based on Redneck Redemption (I didn't choose it for the contest because it was too similar to Redneck Redemption in a way).

Both are acceptable solves - well done.

Spoiler

The intended solution with The Oubliette is to bash through the right wall after you climb up, then build towards the trap.  It's not high enough for lemmings to walk up, but the basher tunnel gives the Builder time to bridge the gap before the crowd reaches him.  You simply used the Basher and Builder in a different way, and cutting off a bridge prematurely is a nice little trick.  I may or may not patch it, since the only way I can realistically patch it is to make the floor down below a weird shape so lemmings splat.

For Outside the Box (part 1), the Blocker is a red herring and the main trick is to use a Climber/Digger to widen the shaft.

For better or for worse, I tried to make a level borrowing ideas from my withdrawn contest level, Lemming Ledger.  This one is called Double Blind, although I do fear it's too fiddly to be anything truly good.

Thank you.  I would prefer they be removed from existence, including any mention of them, but that works.

I stepped away from them for over a week, and it's not gotten any better for anyone because they are fundamentally broken.  I wish for them to be removed at the earliest possible convenience.  From a game designer's perspective, they do not meet the standards required.

R1 is broken because it uses elements of the intended solution that can not be patched.  R3 is broken because the blockers can be used in alternative ways with good timing.  Therefore both levels are broken and I want to smash my computers to pieces, but it is more rational and logical to remove myself from the equation for the greater good and to preserve the rationality of others.  If my work upsets others, then it must be destroyed.

I stand by my cold and potentially irrational choice.  R1 and R3 are not suitable levels any more, because the fact they are fundamentally broken.  R1 can possibly be saved by locking the release rate, but I hate doing that and it's against the rules anyway, and I do not want these levels to continue poisoning the collection of good levels out there.  R2 can stay, but it is much, much worse than the other levels in the set.

I hereby formally request that Lemming Ledger and Reverse the Polarity be removed from the contest and all copies be permanently deleted.  The levels are completely broken and do not meet the high quality that is expected, and thus they are unsuitable for any kind of level pack or competition entry.  Furthermore, considering the frustration being born out of the playtesting, I do not wish to continually contribute to those negative emotions.