What skills can't you live without?

[Pooty]

Having a butcher's at the first half of Taxing.

Taxing 1 "Spaghetti Junction" - 6 turners

Taxing 2 "Picky Platform" - 1 blocker, 5 turners, 2 bashers, 3 climbers

One blocker can be spared by using the first turner after the first lemming has turned around, then quickly sorting out the nearest one-way wall before too many lemmings get diverted (you have some leeway, so don't panic!).

Taxing 3 "Let the Race Begin" - 4 bombers, 4 builders, 4 bashers
Taxing 4 "Poles Apart" - 1 turner, 5 builders, 4 bashers (climber and floater not needed)

Taxing 5 "3D - A Lemming Odyssey" - 5 turners, 1 builder

Best known solution uses 5 turners; the first builder stops lemmings falling into the mud past the first splitter block, the second builds over the traps. These steps allow you to be more direct with your turners.
One builder can be spared by building left before the first splitter block, grouping up all the lemmings on the left side of the exit by using two turners, freeing them with a third turner, then blitzing through the traps.

Taxing 6 "Ricochet" - 2 turners, 1 builder, 1 floater

The blockers can be spared by using a bomber before the spring to remove the deflector block (WARNING: Do NOT use the bomber immediately before the spring because the steel-looking platform it sits on is not really steel! The optimal place to use the bomber is one tile before the lemming uses the deflector block). After that, use a well-timed digger to get another lemming to turn, float and build the landing step before the other lemmings arrive. I have attached a replay of this solution.
The digger can be spared by using a bomber at the top platform instead. You need to make sure another lemming turns around and builds the landing step when you detonate the bomber.

Taxing 7 "If the Timing Is Right!" - 5 turners, 1 builder, 3 bashers, 1 digger
Taxing 8 "Rescue Team" - 9 turners, 4 bashers
Taxing 9 "Which Trampoline?" - 6 turners

Taxing 10 "It's the Name of the Game" - 1 turner

The best known solution uses one turner. There is a deflector block between the 'G' and the 'S' that must be used.
The builders can be spared by using a climber-bomber to blow up a significant chunk of the 'E' so that the other lemmings can use the two trampolines to advance. Using two turners on the first 'M' allows you to avoid using more destructive skills than you need to, and this helps keep the builder count at zero.
Using the front-end of the 'LEMMINGS' text is instrumental in preventing the use of the other skills.

[LemSteven]

Tricky 19 "Stilt Walkers" - 4 turners, 2 builders

Reduced to 2 turners, 1 builder

2 Turners

Make the first two lemmings turners so that the lemmings walk directly toward the exit.  From here, simply building twice to the exit won't work because the final brick will make the crowd fall too far.  Fortunately, there is a way around this: When a lemming lays a brick, there is a very slight delay before he actually steps on it.  If another lemming from the crowd steps onto the brick during this delay, he will be ahead of the initial builder.  You can then assign him the builder skill and he will lay his full 6 bricks, while the original builder will lay just one more brick and quit.  This allows you to only place 10-11 bricks instead of the usual 12.

1 Builder

Place two turners as shown in the attached screenshot, then make the third lemming a builder the instant he turns off the second turner (this is a frame-perfect assignment).  Now use four more turners to direct the crowd to the exit.

[namida]

Taxing 11 "Chaos Maze" - 3 turners, 1 digger, 1 climber (Max saved solution uses that + 1 basher; solving without the basher is trivial; there's nowhere the wall is only 1 block high so climber + digger are very clearly required)

Taxing 12 "Team Work" - 5 builders, 1 basher

As seen in the save-all solution, you can get a single lemming over the first one-way wall with 3 builders + 1 basher, the basher being used to stop the crowd following him and falling to their deaths. You then need two more builders to get over the second one-way wall, bringing it to 5. You can get the rest of the crowd past the first one-way wall in this setup by using either a 6th builder (to repair the hole made by the basher) or a 2nd basher.

Taxing 13 "Motherboard" - 1 blocker, 2 turners, 1 builder (I spent a bit of time looking for other solutions, but didn't find any)
Taxing 14 "Away Team" - 5 turners

Taxing 15 "Birthday Cake" - 1 climber

Attached replay solves with 1 builder, 1 basher, 1 miner, 1 climber. You can substitute the miner for a digger. If doing this, you'll also need the floater and a second climber.

To eliminate the builder and basher, send climbers up the structure near the start until walkers are able to ascend it. The first climber should block once he's off the sloped part, the next one should dig immediately upon turning around (so that the blocker is freed) then mine towards the start. You can use either the builder or the basher to clear the obstacle near the exit.

I haven't yet had any luck finding a climber-free solution, but I haven't conclusively ruled it out either.

[namida]

Taxing 16 "The Arena" - 1 turner, 1 bomber, 1 builder maybe? (I didn't solve this - but the record is lose-2, and I'm pretty sure this level can't be done without the turner and builder, meaning 1 bomber?)
Taxing 17 "T Minus 5 And Counting" - None (the 100% solution uses only one skill, a basher; the same route can be done, lose-1, with a bomber replacing the basher)
Taxing 18 "Snake" - 1 blocker, 16 turners, 3 bombers (the max-saved solution achieves 3 bombers; however there aren't enough spare bombers to use this trick with the otherwise-normal solution and save a turner)

Taxing 19 "Lemmtris" - 1 builder, 2 miners

Solving it without the floater is done by building from immediately below the start (at the edge of the block is okay), sending a climber out of the containment area, mining into the left wall then immediately mining after turning around - this should let him fall to the yellow block, which he then bombs on to create a safe fall to the bottom. Release the crowd with another bomber, and build-mine through the final wall.

Eliminating all the other skills is fairly trivial.

Taxing 20 "Death Slide" - 1 turner, 3 builders

Turn to the right when under the rope, build, build back on top of the wall (make sure to drop onto it!), build twice towards the exit. This solves the level with a turner and 4 builders.

You can then solve it with 3 builders by using the deflector block near the bridge together with a turner, building from under the entrance, blocking, and building over the wall, the rest should be obvious from there, though note that the 2nd builder must be assigned very precisely so it starts from the top step of the 1st builder's bridge (you've only got one frame to do this, but if you carefully position the mouse and rapid-fire click, you'll get it fairly easily).

I'm 100% sure that it's not possible to solve without the turner, though I'm not completely convinced that 2 builders isn't possible - although I can't see anything.

Regarding Mayhem 1 - I think it's possible to eliminate some skills, even though the normal way uses everything. However, in both cases, the timing required is insane, so I'm probably not going to be able to pull it off myself. I can't say for sure these are possible.

My ideas for Mayhem 1

To eliminate 1 climber - Using release rate manipulation, set it up so that the bomber used between the two blocks on the far side, is timed so that one lemming slips past and can dig, without him having to get ahead by being a climber. If it helps, the digger that builds across the gap, can dig one slice further than usual, which creates an area that can hold the crowd while still successfully crossing the gap.
To eliminate 1 bomber - Don't bomb the lemming that digs away the first block. Instead, use a "Fill The Floor" approach (alternate RR99 and min-RR, to try and group up lemmings even more tightly than RR99 alone does) to slip the crowd past while he's digging. Note that the tile at the bottom of this column is water, so this cannot be used to make a save 79 solution, even though the arch tile next to the column is solid. For the same reason, this cannot be used to save an (additional) climber.

[Pooty]

Taxing 11 "Chaos Maze" - 3 turners, 1 digger, 1 climber

Chaos Maze has been reduced to 3 turners, removing the digger and climber.

Spoiler

Increase the release rate to 68*, then work your way outside the maze. Compress all the lemmings in the position shown by using a blocker, then bash through the wall. Using the ramp on the other side, guide the lemmings through the traps and into the exit.

I have also attached a replay of this solution.



*If you elect to use another turner instead of the blocker, you need to change this release rate to 67.

[Stilt Walkers] Reduced to 2 turners, 1 builder

Nice one. It was this level in particular I was having an issue with. I felt there was something, but I could not pull it off.

But wait a minute... your two-turner solution saves 57 lemmings. The record at the time of posting is 56. That is a new record!

[namida]

Mayhem 2 "Brenchin's Staircase" - 3 blockers, 2 turners, 3 bombers, 3 bashers, 4 climbers (I simply can't see a way to save ANY skill on this one)

Mayhem 3 "Tower of Lemlab" - 3 turners

The max-saved solution uses 3 turners, 2 builders, 1 basher; and the basher can be substituted by a bomber.

To complete with 1 builder, turn left at the start towards the block with the electric field underneath it. Climb-bomb this block - if timed precisely, the bottom slice of the block will remain, and lemmings can safely step on it. Turn towards the middle of the level, and from here on, follow the normal non-backroute solution. I'm not sure how well I described this, so replay attached just in case.

EDIT: Pooty noticed that you can just turn and drop straight down, shortly after the main trick of the above solution, and thus cut out the other builder as well, reducing the overall requirements to just 3 turners.

[namida]

Going back to Mayhem 1 "The Five Arches" - I've now found a way to save 1 climber that doesn't rely on crazy timing - RR 99 at the start, and have a walker instead of the climber bomb to stop the digger on the first block; you can then re-use this climber for another of the climber-required tasks. I'm not sure if it will be possible to combine this with my timing-based idea and end up saving 2 climbers - I haven't ruled it out, but I'm also not particularly interested in trying to pull off something that finnicky. Aside from that one climber, it still uses all the skills.

This puts Mayhem 1's confirmed results at 2 bombers, 1 builder, 3 diggers, 2 climbers; with theoretical solutions that might eliminate 1 bomber and another climber.

[LemSteven]

But wait a minute... your two-turner solution saves 57 lemmings. The record at the time of posting is 56. That is a new record!

Good catch!  I realized the same thing late last night, but I had already turned out the light to go to sleep and I had to get up early this morning.  I updated the record in the Max Saved thread.

Taxing 15 "Birthday Cake" - 1 climber

Attached replay solves with 1 builder, 1 basher, 1 miner, 1 climber. You can substitute the miner for a digger. If doing this, you'll also need the floater and a second climber.

To eliminate the builder and basher, send climbers up the structure near the start until walkers are able to ascend it. The first climber should block once he's off the sloped part, the next one should dig immediately upon turning around (so that the blocker is freed) then mine towards the start. You can use either the builder or the basher to clear the obstacle near the exit.

I haven't yet had any luck finding a climber-free solution, but I haven't conclusively ruled it out either.

Here's a no-climber solution:

Spoiler

Bash through the cake with pink icing and two cherries on top, then have the second lemming dig at the base of the chocolate ramp.  One lemming continues to the jelly bean ramp and mines through it so as to free everyone.  Now build to clear the obstacle near the exit.

[Minim]

Hi there! It's great to see the Challenge boards being revived again. I've updated the OP and added the 3D Lemmings results, except for Taxing 16, because I'm a bit confused by the result on one of the posts.

Taxing 16 "The Arena" - 1 turner, 1 bomber, 1 builder maybe? (I didn't solve this - but the record is lose-2, and I'm pretty sure this level can't be done without the turner and builder, meaning 1 bomber?)

So namida. Is this your confirmed result so far for this level, or have you not solved it at all yet?

[Pooty]

Continuing with Mayhem.

Mayhem 4 "Ski Jump" - 2 turners, 2 builders, 2 bashers, 1 climber, 1 floater
Mayhem 5 "The Prisoner" - 3 bombers, 1 builder, 1 digger, 5 floaters
Mayhem 6 "Family Tree" - 7 turners (attempted a 6-turner solution, was short by just 2 lemmings)

Mayhem 7 "Driving Range" - 2 turners

Best-known solution uses 2 turners. I see no effective way of forcing the lemmings to use one spring without both of them.

All other skills can be removed by virtue of there being a solution that only uses turners. Second lemming turns towards Camera 1 on the first spring, third lemming turns towards the other turner. Then follow this route:

Mayhem 8 "Five Towers" - 1 turner, 4 builders

Normal solution uses 1 turner, and it is absolutely required.

There are two solutions where the lower set of lemmings do all of the work. A miner is used to free the other lemmings.

• The climber and digger can be spared by bombing the middle of the thin bridge from underneath. You will need to use an extra builder to position this bomber.
• The bomber can be spared by having the last lemming that comes out climb the first tower (with the aid of a builder), then dig the middle of the thin bridge from the top.

The miner can be spared by having one of the upper lemmings climb-bomb a large chunk of the blocks that are trapping them, then build the rest of the way out.


There is a solution with tight timing that uses only 4 builders. I have attached a replay of this solution.

Please refer to this image for the route the lower lemmings will take. Note that 3 turners and a deflector block are used in this setup.

• The first upper lemming climb-bombs as per the no-miner solution.
• Use the first 2 turners on the lower lemmings.
• Shortly before the 15th and 16th lemmings come out, boost the release rate to 99.
• The 4th upper lemming that you see (AKA the 5th upper lemming that came out) builds, then turns.
• The lower group of lemmings will need one more turner at this point, then you can start building the bridge. This bridge requires 3 builders.
• The last upper lemming should land on the exit platform shortly before the bridge is complete. Use a miner so that the lower lemmings can get up.
• Use your last turner to direct the lower lemmings towards the exit.
• Just before the miner removes too much terrain, make it a digger. If all goes well, you will rescue 30 lemmings, which is exactly the requirement.

Mayhem 9 "Over the Top" - 1 turner, 1 builder, 1 digger, 2 climbers (floater not needed)

Mayhem 10 "The Hanger" - 1 turner, 1 builder

All skills except 1 turner, 2 builders and 1 floater can be spared by having the first lemming become a floater almost immediately before it lands, build over the acid, increase the release rate to 99 at around the time the second lemming comes out, then turn all the lemmings to the exit. You will save 63 lemmings, which is the requirement.

One builder can be spared by having the first lemming block, then alternate between setting the release rate to 35 and unleashing 16 lemmings at a time at a release rate of 99. Once all the lemmings are out, make the second-to-last lemming become a turner so that one lemming escapes before the rest of the pack do. Then use a builder and turner (with a basher to cut the bridge short if you wish) to complete the level. (A replay of this solution is attached to this post.)

The former solution also doesn't use the floater, which is trivial anyway.

If there's something I've said that doesn't make sense (of if there's something I've not said that should be), let me know. This was a very long post.

Taxing 16 "The Arena" - 1 turner, 1 bomber, 1 builder maybe? (I didn't solve this - but the record is lose-2, and I'm pretty sure this level can't be done without the turner and builder, meaning 1 bomber?)

So namida. Is this your confirmed result so far for this level, or have you not solved it at all yet?

I am able to confirm that The Arena can be completed with 1 turner, 1 bomber and 1 builder.

[spoiler="The Arena" bomber timing][/spoiler]

[namida]

A few more from Discord:

Mayhem 11 "Across The Network" - 2 turners, 1 builder, 1 basher

Mayhem 13 "The Catacombs" - 15 turners

To both eliminate builders and achieve this number of turners: Block immediately with the first lemming and set the RR to 67. Bomb the blocker when all lemmings are out. Take the same path (except without building over traps) as in the max-saved solution, except when you get to the 3rd trap, go straight through it instead of taking the detour around it; thanks to the crowd compression, you'll only lose 1 lemming in each trap. Even if you're a bit late assigning certain turners and the lemmings walk through traps a second time, you've got more than enough to spare for this to happen once at each trap. This is the most direct route to the exit possible.

Chances are no "standard" solution to this level ever makes use of the blockers or bombers, so it's pretty easy to then get rid of those.

Mayhem 14 "Jelly Belly Islands" - 2 turners, 3 builders
Mayhem 17 "Critical Path" - 2 bashers
Mayhem 20 "Final Maze" - 1 turner

Except for Mayhem 13, all these results are Pooty's.

[Pooty]

I've completed the rest of Mayhem. Here are the results and explanations.

Mayhem 11 "Across the Network" - 2 turners, 1 builder, 1 basher

The bomber and one basher can be spared. The lemmings that go left from the splitter block can be brought back by using a turner immediately after using the deflector block. For the lemmings that go right, use a blocker. Then you can bash, turn and build your way to the exit.

The blocker can be spared by building over the splitter block, bashing through the block above it, then use a turner to direct the lemmings left so that they go across the two bridges on the side. When the lemmings reach the one-way wall, use a basher and turner to direct the lemmings to the exit.

Mayhem 12 "Raiders of the Lost Lemming" - 4 turners

There is a solution that only uses turners. Increase the release rate to 37, then as the lemming is walking back towards the entrance, make it a turner so that the other lemmings go back and forth between the pillars. Once all the lemmings are grouped up, use more turners to direct them to the exit. They will easily eat through the trap threat.

A 4-turner solution can be performed by increasing the release rate to 99, direct the lemmings towards the exit with turners, then have the first lemming that walks into the trap zone use a builder to diffuse one of the traps. Enough lemmings will get through to complete the level.

Mayhem 13 "The Catacombs" - 15 turners (see namida's post above)
Mayhem 14 "Jelly Belly Islands" - 2 turners, 3 builders

Mayhem 15 "Hole in One, Two, Three!" - 4 builders, 3 bashers, 1 digger

If you boost the release rate to 78 between the first and second lemmings (and then reduce it again after that), you will have enough time to save either a basher (delay first follower lemming with a builder) or a builder (stop the leader lemming from building the final two steps with the basher, just before you need to use the digger).

Mayhem 16 "Fun Fair" - 1 blocker, 5 turners, 4 builders, 1 miner, 1 digger, 6 climbers

Mayhem 17 "Critical Path" - 2 bashers

Set the release rate between the first and second lemmings to 64, and the rest of them to 99. All the follower lemmings will get turned around after the leader lemming bashes through the deflector block, and gives you enough time to avoid the need to use delay tactics. With this in mind, the bomber can be spared by having the last lemming dig once, and then stop it with the blocker.

Mayhem 18 "Castle Peralus" - 7 builders

There is a 100% solution to this level, freeing up the bomber. This route involves one lemming digging to halfway down the tall column in front of the exit, then interrupting it with either a basher or a miner. If you use a basher to do this, you spare the one miner you have.

The bashers can be spared by following the 100% route, freeing the digger with the miner, then freeing up the lemmings on the flanks by using a climb-bomber and/or a climber, digger and the builder to stop this digger when it has cleared enough terrain.

I will attach replays for the no climber, no digger and 7 builder solutions because they are a bit complex.

An example of a no-climber solution is as follows:

• Build to the top of the middle section with 3 builders. You need to build into the entrance to get enough height.
• Build over the deflector block that's in the way.
• Use a digger at the end of the destructible path before the big drop.
• Bomb the digger before it gets all the way through.
• Have a new digger start digging in the hole the bomber made. This makes sure all later lemmings that use this path survive the drop.
• Bash your way to the exit.
• Use 6 builders to get the flank lemmings to the top. This also involves building into the entrances to get enough height.

An example of a no-digger solution is as follows:

• Set the release rate to 99 after the second set of lemmings spawn.
• Start building the middle bridge 1.5 blocks away from the block near the entrances. If placed correctly, it will take 3 builders to reach the wall (with the third builder laying just one brick).
• Make the lemming that built the bridge a climber.
• Use a miner near the end of the destructible path, making sure it mines exactly 2 times. The idea is to make an area the other lemmings will turn around with, but also to make sure the builder in step 9 can be successful.
• Go back to the rest of the middle lemmings and start bashing through the wall.
• Near the end of this tunnel, make it a bomber. All the other lemmings will fall through and reach the bottom of the level.
• Use your last two bashers to clear the way to the exit.
• Get one set of the flank lemmings to the top. Use three builders each, making sure to build into the entrances so that they can get to the top of the wall. Make sure the leading lemming has plenty of daylight between themselves and the rest of the pack.
• After the leader lemming gets turned around, build over the deflector blocks in the middle. This is to get all the lemmings into the central path and into the exit.
• Get the remaining flank lemmings to the top in the same way you did the other.

An example of a solution that uses no more than 7 builders is as follows:

• Make the first middle lemming a climber.
• Make it a miner near the end of the destructible path.
• Start building the middle bridge 1.5 blocks away from the block near the entrances. Build 2 times.
• Use a bomber at the top of this bridge. If placed correctly, it should look like this:
  
  
  
  
• Use another builder. Allow the builder to walk away.
• Make the next lemming bash from the penultimate step. It will remove the last step, then the step it started bashing from, then it will finally start bashing through the wall.
• Bash all the way through, then use a digger.
• Use your last two bashers to clear the way to the exit.
• Get the flank lemmings to the top by building 1 block away from the block near the entrances. It should take two builders each, and they will reach the steps you made earlier with the bomber in step 4.
• Use a digger where you mined earlier to get them into the exit, taking care not to build directly over the other hole you made earlier.

Mayhem 19 "Tuther Circus Level" - 1 bomber, 1 builder, 3 bashers, 2 climbers (blocker not needed)

Mayhem 20 "Final Maze" - 1 turner

There is a spot where you can build over the trees and into the exit area. This is accessible by using only turners and bombers/bashers. This eliminates all skills except the turners and the builder.



You can reduce the number of turners to 1 by making note of the fact that the sloped slippery block in the above image can be destroyed and that the lemmings can stand on the pillar underneath it. Using a builder to get over the first one-way block, work your way to the spring at the top of the steps. Then make the following setup (ignore the first lemming that uses the spring; it is facing the wrong way, it cannot help you and you cannot save it):



The slippery block will take either 3 bombers or 1 miner and 1 or 2 bombers (depending on accuracy) to destroy it. I think it's easiest to use 3 bombers, timing them at the highest point of the spring trajectory.

Once the block is destroyed, use your one turner to direct the lemmings to the exit.

The builder can be spared by using a similar approach, except by using turners and bashers to get to the spring.

[LemSteven]

Mayhem 15 "Hole in One, Two, Three!" - 4 builders, 3 bashers, 1 digger

If you boost the release rate to 78 between the first and second lemmings (and then reduce it again after that), you will have enough time to save either a basher (delay first follower lemming with a builder) or a builder (stop the leader lemming from building the final two steps with the basher, just before you need to use the digger).

I got this one down to 3 builders, 1 basher, 1 digger

Spoiler

Have the second lemming bash through the deflector block immediately after the second spring.  The first lemming builds over the water and eventually gets launched by the spring.  He will have just enough time to complete the route to the exit before the next launched lemming catches him.

The third lemming follows the first too closely to use the spring, so he must blaze the route for the crowd to cycle back to the spring after passing it.  This can be done with just 1 builder, by simply building over the spring just as he reaches it from the wrong direction, resulting in a 1-basher solution.  Alternatively, he can bash through the three obstacles to loop back around to the spring, resulting in a 3-builder solution.

[namida]

Taxing 12 "Team Work" improved to 4 builders, 1 basher.

Spoiler

Existing result is 5 builders, 1 basher.

For a 4-builder solution: RR99 immediately. Send a climber back over the block under the entrance. Build over the water right at the edge - this will mean a climber can continue but a regular lemming cannot due to the ramp. Have the climber bash through the one-way wall near the exit, and die.

Now, back in the crowd, have a lemming bash through the block underneath the entrance. Have the last lemming in the crowd set up the 3 builders to get over the first one-way wall - bam, solved with 4 builders.

It is possible to do a variation of this solution that solves with 6 builders + 1 basher instead of 4 builders + 2 bashers, but of course, this doesn't actually improve the final result.

[namida]

Taxing 8 "Rescue Team" reduced to 7 turners + 4 bashers.

Spoiler

Turn right. Bash to release the lemmings here. One turner towards each remaining set of lemmings. Bash to release each. One turner each to get back on the main path. Assign a turner pointing towards the first turner, such that this new turner and the first turner both point towards each other and will trap the lemmings in one spot. When all the lemmings are compressed, bomb the first turner. Plenty will slip through the traps, and it's then just a turn towards the exit and bash.