Candy Crush Saga

Ahhh, I just have to put this up since I like this game so much (probably most people do as well since I see a lot of them playing on the train). It's basically a facebook game that are available online mode (play directly in facebook) or offline/online mode (play on cellphone). It's a classic bejeweled game with an interesting twist that keeps people for playing the game. Instead of rushing with the time limit, you have to think of what to do on the next moves since most levels are limited to the amount of moves to complete the puzzle. Anyways, going to the details...

Puzzle Types

1) Move levels (orange)
Objective: reach a certain score for the amount of moves given. For example: you are given 15 moves and you have to get 10k scores to pass to the next level. This is the most easiest type for the most part since with combos, you basically gain a lot of scores that will surpass the minimum score requirement.
2) Jelly levels (blue)
Objective: reach a certain score + clear all the jellies on the board within the amount of moves given. For example: clear 30 jellies in 15 moves and reach a minimum score of 50k. The minimum score for this level is easy to get even without combos. The hardest part is to clear all the jellies on the board.
3) Ingredient levels (green)
Objective: reach a certain score + bring all the ingredients down to the green arrow within the amount of moves given. For example: bring 3 ingredients down in 15 moves and reach a minimum score of 30k. The minimum score is always obtainable since the minimum score is equal to the amount of ingredients successfully delivered. The hardest part is to bring all the ingredients to the proper place.
4) Time levels (purple)
Objective: reach a certain score within the time limit. For example: reach 15k score in 1 minute. The minimum score might be quite a challenge within the alloted time. But, you are also given +5 seconds timer bonus here and there, so watch out for those.
5) Order levels (pink)
Objective: reach a certain score + complete the order combo that are required within the amount of moves given. For example: make 3 combos of striped-striped candies within 30 moves and reach a minimum score of 30k. The minimum score for this type is usually obtainable. The hardest part is to make the combos.

Combos

Combos are the key important thing to pass a level. You will notice this once you get to level 33, that you need combos to pass this level or you're toast. Some combos are required to even complete a level (especially for order levels). Common combos:

1) Striped candy.
Combine 4 of the same candy colors in either horizontal or vertical line. The direction of striped candy itself depends upon how you made the combos. Horizontal striped candy is created when you match up four candies in vertical direction. Vertical striped candy is created when you match up four candies in horizontal direction. Striped candies will clear all the candies that is in horizontal or vertical direction of the striped candy when the striped candy is matched up.
2) Wrapped candy.
Combine 3 and/or 4 of the same candy colors in BOTH horizontal and vertical lines. Wrapped candy will make an aoe explosion around the wrapped candy (9 candies blow up, with the center being the wrapped candy itself).
3) Doughnut.
Combine 5 of the same candy colors in either horizontal or vertical line. Doughnut clear a specific candy color, no matter where they are on the board.
4) Striped - striped candies.
Combine 2 adjacent striped candies to create a cross in both horizontal and vertical directions of the striped candies. Clear all the candies in the cross-way.
5) Wrapped - wrapped candies.
Combine 2 adjacent wrapped candies to create an even bigger aoe explosions around the wrapped candies. I think it's like 4x4 square explosion or 5x5 square explosion (don't remember).
6) Doughnut - doughnut.
Combine 2 adjacent doughnuts to create a spark that electrifies all the candy. Basically, clear all the candy on the board, no matter what color they are.
7) Doughnut - striped candies.
Combine an adjacent doughnut and striped candies to make all candies that have the same colors as the striped candies, to be striped and clear in horizontal and vertical directions of all the striped candies.
8) Doughnut - wrapped candies.
Combine an adjacent doughnut and wrapped candies to make two explosions. The first explosion will blow up the wrapped candy and any other candies that have the same color as the wrapped candies. The second explosion is the doughnut itself that is going to pick a random color to blow up.
9) Striped - wrapped candies.
Combine an adjacent striped and wrapped candies to make a bigger striped candy that will clear candies in both horizontal and vertical direction in 3 rows, with the striped/wrapped candies in the middle of the combo.

Levels

Levels are divided by episodes. Currently, I'm at level 264 (which is episode 19). Each episode consists of 15 levels, with the exception of the first and second episodes. Each episode will have all different puzzle types. The most common types are jellies and ingredients (at later levels, order levels is pretty common too).

*Episode 1: Candy Town
Level range: 1-10
Difficulty: easy
Comment: pretty simple, basically just introduction to the game

*Episode 2: Candy Factory
Level range: 11-20
Difficulty: easy
Comment: more challenging than episode 1, but still easy even for someone who doesn't know how to make combos

*Episode 3: Lemonade Lake
Level range: 21-35
Difficulty: hard
New feature: gray block (can be crushed if you match up candies next to the block)
Comment: the game steps up now. You need your COMBOS! Watch out for level 23, 29, 30, 33, and 35. Level 33 requires combo or you'll never win.

Past Episode 3, you need friend's referral (x3) or pay 1 dollar or do 3 random quests to advance to the next episode.

*Episode 4: Chocolate Mountain
Level range: 36-50
Difficulty: medium
New feature: crate (can be crushed if you match up the candies outside and inside the crate. Crate can also be broken by striped, wrapped, and doughnut).
Comment: I say this is easier than episode 3. Just watch out for level 45 and 50 might throw you off. But otherwise, they are still pretty easy.

*Episode 5: Minty Meadow
Level range: 51-65
Difficulty: medium
New feature: chocolate (chocolate will act as a parasite and continue to cover your candies. Chocolate can move to the top, down, left, right and always connected with other chocolates. Once chocolate is broken down to none, they will not appear anymore, so crush them ASAP).
Comment: Level 65 is the only level in this episode that can get people stuck for months or even quit. It's similar to level 35 in terms of the tremendous amount of jellies and the corner jellies. Just be patient and try it over and over.

*Episode 6: Easter Bunny Hills
Level range: 66-80
Difficulty: medium
New feature: no new feature
Comment: Basically just more variation of puzzles involving chocolates and crates. Again, remember to crush the chocolates as much as you can because they are really annoying. Levels to watch out: 70, 79.

*Episode 7: Bubblegum Bridge
Level range: 81-95
Difficulty: medium
New feature: black candies (can be crushed by matching up candies next to the black candies. Black candies can be switched with other colored candies. Black candy will continue to appear even if you eliminate them from the map. Black candies can also move, instead of static like chocolates and blocks. Striped candies CANNOT be used to eliminate the whole row of black candies. Only 1 of the candies will be removed).
Comment: I never consider black candies as much threat as chocolates. Although, black candies can be really annoying if there are too many of them on the map. Levels to watch out: 82 (must be played on facebook, cellphone version is glitched since the black candies act as a block and static instead of moving).

*Episode 8: Salty Canyon
Level range: 96-110
Difficulty: hard
New feature: timed bomb (bomb explodes if you don't defuse it within the move limit. Once the bomb explodes, you can no longer continue the puzzle and automatically fail regardless of how many moves you have left on the puzzle).
Comment: watch out for the bomb. Basically, kill the bomb as fast as possible. Bomb gives a nice score so it's good to reach your minimum score requirement. Level to watch out: 100 (kill the middle bomb inside the crate by any means possible, as fast as possible, then clear the jellies next). Any level in this episode can throw you off if you're not careful with the bomb.

*Episode 9: Peppermint Palace
Level range: 111-125
Difficulty: hard
New feature: second gray block (basically it's like the first gray block. But you need to break it twice for the block to disappear).
Comment: The hardest and most tedious things in this episode is to break the blocks. It takes a lot of moves to break the blocks that sometimes, you ran out of moves to break blocks, clear jellies, or whatever. The importance of combo comes again to the rescue. You need COMBOS to break blocks faster. Levels to watch out: 117, 123, 125.

*Episode 10: Water Wharf
Level range: 126-140
Difficulty: medium
New feature: introduction of order levels
Comment: this episode is pretty easy compared to the two previous episodes. The order levels are fun at first, but at latter range, you are required to make certain combos to pass the level. This episode basically forces you to see how combos work and how to manage combos. Levels to watch out: 133 (still pretty easy, but you need combos to defeat this level).

*Episode 11: Gingerbread Glade
Level range: 141-155
Difficulty: medium
New feature: third gray block (break the block three times to clear it)
Comment: more frustration than Episode 9. However, once you know your combos to clear block faster, you are good for this episode. Levels to watch out: 147 (also has timed bomb, so watch out)

*Episode 12: Pastille Pyramid
Level range: 156-170
Difficulty: hard
New feature: chocolate fan (basically chocolate won't stop from parasiting the candies. Once you eliminate all chocolates on the map, chocolates coming out again from the fan.)
Comment: One tip I should give is to eliminate jellies next to the chocolate fan first. Because they can easily be covered by the fan. Eliminate chocolates as much as possible to prevent map-cover up. Levels to watch out: 161, 165, 167.

*Episode 13: Cupcake Circus
Level range: 171-185
Difficulty: medium
New feature: fourth gray block (need to break the block four times to clear it)
Comment: not so much frustrations like the previous block features. Maybe cause I'm getting skilled at making combos and such. Generally, the levels are pretty easy. I pass the whole episode in less than 2 days. Levels to watch out: 184 (also has chocolate fan in it).

*Episode 14: Caramel Cove
Level range: 186-200
Difficulty: medium
New feature: pre-made striped/wrapped candies inside an orange-transparent bag
Comment: again, this episode isn't that hard. You are given the striped/wrapped candies already on the map. Utilize them to a good use to reach the objective. Levels to watch out: 200 (need to break the whole block, so match up the combos carefully).

*Episode 15: Sweet Surprise
Level range: 201-215
Difficulty: hard
New feature: pre-made doughnut inside an orange-transparent bag
Comment: this episode has too many ridiculous levels that can make people quit again (aside from episode 3). Most of the time (and I mean most), the pre-made doughnut don't help at all that you just have to make another doughnut to make order combo. Levels to watch out: 206, 208, 213, 215. Level 208 can make you rage quit for keep blowing the pre-made doughnut. I, myself, resort to using free facebook booster after I see that I almost win (doughnut and wrapped candy was just separated by another candy, so I switched the wrapped candy and the candy in between). Level 213 can take ages to past due to the amount of jellies and blocks needed to be crushed. Again, the pre-made doughnut on this level (just like level 208) is trashy and shouldn't be count on. Level 215 is to make doughnut-doughnut combo. Tips: you can't move doughnut manually or you blow the doughnut up. So, make two doughnut combos that is going to be next to each other somehow. Don't make one in one corner and another one in another corner.

*Episode 16: Crunchy Castle
Level range: 216-230
Difficulty: medium
New feature: black candy generator (basically continue to produce black candy from the source)
Comment: most of the levels are pretty easy except for level 230. Level 230  looks easy at first, however you need to break the block in order that somehow won't make ingredients fall to the sides. If possible, keep the ingredients as close to the middle as possible since the middle has less blocks to crush on.

*Episode 17: Chocolate Barn
Level range: 231-245
Difficulty: medium
New feature: random colored candy (may give striped candies, wrapped candies, doughnut, fish, bomb, chocolates, blocks of all types, black candies)
Comment: most of these levels are luck. Sometimes, you get a nice random candies like striped, wrapped, doughnuts, fish and you can easily make your combos right off the bat. Sometimes, you are unlucky and get bomb instead and it blows up. I say all levels in this episode are about the same since it's pretty much luck based.

*Episode 18: Delicious Drifts
Level range: 246-260
Difficulty: medium
New feature: fish in an orange-transparent bag and pink doughnuts in orange-transparent bag (pink doughnut will make 3 striped candies in a row, when you match it up with a random candy)
Comment: pretty easy for the most part. Again, I don't have much trouble with this episode. As the name itself, it's really a delicious drift at level 252 when you get that over 10 million scores hah! Finally I can be rank 1 and not scared of anyone passes my rank.

*Episode 19: Holiday Hut
Level range: 261-275
Difficulty: hard
New feature: timed bomb generator (timed bomb continue to be produced)
Comment: I have to play the whole episode to judge the difficulty. So far, it's been okay although there's a glitch for cellphone app that makes me stuck at level 262 for ages. Once I found out it's a glitch, I played on facebook and I passed it in 1 try. So, I wouldn't consider level 262 as hard.
Edit: level 275 is a hard level in which you need to eliminate jellies in certain way so that the top-right and top-left corner chocolate do not broke until all the other jellies are eliminated. The generator spawns a 3 moved timed bomb (explode within 3 moves). Because of this, I constantly lost even when I had 40 moves left (frustrating indeed). In the end, I had one jelly left but one of the bombs spawn. So, I just use the free lollipop hammer from facebook to break the last jelly.

*Episode 20: Candy Clouds
Level range: 276-290
Difficulty: medium
New feature: none
Comment: there's nothing being hard in this level. Certain levels may throw you off with the bombs, but it's not as bad as level 275 from the previous episode. None of the levels take me more than 10 tries to complete so I just give this episode a medium rating.

*Episode 21: Jelly Jungle
Level range: 291-305
Difficulty: medium
New feature: none
Comment: Only 1 hard level in here which is level 305. Took me 4 days to pass this level. One of my friends experience the same problem of getting stuck, but another friend doesn't. The level is highly dependant on your luck to be quite honest. The hardest part is to get rid of the jellies in left and right bottom corners due to the amount of stacking blocks. I was lucky that I had 3 jellies left at the end and my fish breaks those jellies under the block (so I didn't have to break the block).

*Episode 22: Savory Shores
Level range: 306-320
Difficulty: medium
New feature: rainbow candy (every turn, rainbow candies change color. Only 2 colors available for each rainbow candy)
Comment: the timer level in this episode pissed me off due to the somewhat higher requirement of the minimum score needed to pass. However, it can be easily be countered with combos if you are lucky enough to find them. I was never good at most timer levels anyways, but most people should have no problem getting pass the timer level.