How a ball sort puzzle works
Every ball sort uses the same core rule. You click or tap a tube to pick up its top ball, then click another tube to drop it. A ball can only go onto a ball of the same colour or into an empty tube, and a tube can only hold so many balls (four in most of the levels we played). When each tube holds one colour, the level is done. The early levels have two or three colours and one or two empty tubes; later levels add colours and leave you less room.
Beyond that, the games differ in three ways that change how you play:
- One ball or a whole run per move. Ball Sort 2D and Ball Sort Game move one ball per tap. Bubble Sorting Infinite Remastered and Wool Sort move every matching ball on top together.
- Clock or no clock. Only Bubble Sorting Infinite Remastered has a countdown. We saw no clock in the other three.
- Help. Undo is everywhere, but Ball Sort Game limits it (3 at the start) and Wool Sort gives 4 undos and 3 hints.
The four ball sort puzzles compared
| Game | Timer | Move rule | Level 1 | Help |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ball Sort Game | No clock or move limit seen | One ball per move | 4 tubes (2 empty), 5 balls per tube, 2 colours | Undo (counter started at 3) and restart |
| Nut Sort | No clock or move limit seen | Same-coloured nuts on top move together | ||
| Car Sort | No level clock seen; a timer by the hearts counts down | Tap a garage; front cars drive out and park by colour | 3 garages, road SPACE 0/12 | |
| Ball Sort 2D | No clock or move limit seen | One ball per move; same colour or empty tube only | 4 tubes, 4 balls per tube, 3 colours | Undo arrow and restart button |
| Bubble Sorting Infinite Remastered | Countdown per level (about 1:04 on level 1, 2:00 on level 2) | Matching bubbles on top move together | 5 tubes (2 empty), 3 bubbles per tube, 3 colours | |
| Liquid Sort Deluxe | Countdown per level (about 30 s on level 1) | Pour the whole top layer onto the same colour or into an empty tube | 4 tubes: 2 filled, 1 empty, 1 AD-locked | |
| Hexa Color Sort | No clock seen on level 1 | Drag a stack onto an empty cell; matching tiles merge | ||
| Wool Sort | No clock seen; stars depend on moves | A run of matching balls moves together as one move | 5 tubes (2 empty), 4 balls per tube, 3 colours | Undo (4), Hint (3), Restart |
Which one to start with
Ball Sort 2D: the classic
A plain grey board, glass tubes with four balls each and three difficulty lists (Easy, Medium and Hard), each with its own level grid where only level 1 is open at the start. A Rules card explains the same-colour rule with two pictures before the first level. One ball moves per tap, so this is the purest ball sort of the four.
Ball Sort Game: the gentlest
Bright beach-ball artwork, a board in a teal card in the middle of the screen and simple first levels with just red and blue. Undo is limited (the counter started at 3), and there is a restart button. A good choice for children or for a five-minute break.
Wool Sort: for three-star hunters
The balls are balls of yarn, and the game counts your moves. Level 1 gave three stars for 14 moves or fewer; we did it in 8 because a run of matching balls moves as one move. Choose Cozy, Crafty or Master on the title screen. The title screen shows Level 1 / 50.
Bubble Sorting Infinite Remastered: against the clock
The only timed ball sort here: about a minute on level 1 and two minutes on level 2, with a score for each level. Bubbles of the same colour travel together, so it plays fast. If the clock runs out, you are offered unlimited time for that level in exchange for watching a video ad.
Ball sort puzzle tips
- Keep one tube empty for as long as possible. It is the only place any colour can go.
- Complete the colour that is closest to done. A finished tube is one less thing to worry about.
- Do not bury a colour. Before you drop a ball, check what is underneath it in the target tube.
- Count the space before you move a run. In games that move matching balls together, a run of three needs three free spaces.
- Undo early. If a move feels wrong, step back straight away rather than several moves later.
Free, online and on any device
These ball sort games are HTML5, so they run in Chrome, Edge, Firefox and Safari on a computer, a tablet or a phone. They are free because the game platform shows ads inside the games, which pay the developers. Each game page on PlayHoleGames describes when we saw an ad during our test. You can also go back to all sorting games, including water sort, nut sort, car sort and hexagon sort puzzles.
FAQ
Can I play a ball sort puzzle online for free?
Yes. All four ball sort puzzles on this page are free to play in your browser, with no download and no sign-up.
Which ball sort puzzle has no timer?
In our tests we saw no clock in Ball Sort 2D, Ball Sort Game or Wool Sort. Bubble Sorting Infinite Remastered has a countdown on each level.
How many balls fit in a tube?
It depends on the game and level. Most levels we played used four; Ball Sort Game's level 1 used five and Bubble Sorting Infinite Remastered's level 1 used three.
Can I undo a move?
Yes, all four have undo or restart. Ball Sort Game started with 3 undos and Wool Sort with 4 undos and 3 hints.
Do ball sort puzzles work on phones?
Yes. They are played by tapping tubes, which works well on touch screens.