UpSink

UpSink questions and answers

What is UpSink?

UpSink is a drop-and-merge game for Android set in a lotus pond tank. Light things float and heavy things sink. When two of the same touch, they merge into the next one, and it heads the other way. Sunk things raise the water, and a run ends when something stays above the dashed rim.

How does the float and sink flip work?

There are eleven tiers. Odd tiers (seed pod, lily pad, lotus bud, duckling, lotus, paper boat) float, and even tiers (pebble, snail, crab, turtle, stone frog) sink. Two floaters merge into a sinker that plunges to the bed, and two sinkers merge into a floater that bobs up to the surface.

When does a run end?

In Daily Tide and Endless, a run ends when something stays above the dashed rim for two seconds in a row, or when the water reaches the rim. A warning glow shows first, and a piece you have just dropped gets one second before it counts. Calm Water never ends; things over the rim drift away.

How do puzzles work?

Each puzzle gives you a fixed set of drops, shown in order, and a goal: make a certain creature, or raise the water to a line. A creature goal is solved the moment you make it; a water goal is checked once your drops are used and the tank settles. Try again as often as you like.

What is the Daily Tide?

The Daily Tide gives everyone the same order of drops on the same date, going by the date on your phone. Where you aim is up to you, so results differ. Play it as often as you like; the tide log keeps your top score and the highest creature you made that day.

What happens if I miss a day?

Nothing bad. The tide log shows a missed day as plain water. UpSink has no streaks, no lives and no energy, and it sends no notifications, so there is nothing to keep up with. You can play today’s tide, Endless, Calm Water or a puzzle whenever you like, as often as you like.

What are the four ways to play?

Daily Tide uses the same drops for everyone on the same date. Endless lets you drop, merge and flip for as long as the tank holds. Calm Water has no score and no ending. Puzzles are 10 hand-made tanks, each with a goal. Calm Water and Puzzles add nothing to your Pond or top scores.

What is the Pond?

The Pond keeps what you discover in Daily Tide and Endless: each creature you have made, with a numbered plate, and the paper boats you have sailed. The tide log shows each month of Daily Tides. In Settings you can clear the pond and tide log, or reset your top scores, as two separate choices.

How do I make a paper boat?

Merge two stone frogs. The paper boat is the eleventh and top tier: it floats up, sails out of the tank, adds 500 points and joins the boats in your Pond. Stone frogs are the largest sinkers, so it takes a long run of merges. How rare boats were in our tests is under Inputs and limits.

Can I play UpSink with TalkBack or a keyboard?

Yes. With TalkBack, UpSink reads out the aim position, the held and next items, the water level and every merge, and offers actions to move the aim left or right and drop. On a keyboard or D-pad, the arrows move the aim and Enter, Space or the centre button drops.

Does UpSink collect my data?

No. UpSink has no account, no analytics and no internet permission, so the app can’t send anything to us or anyone else. Your pond, tide log, top scores, solved puzzles and settings stay on your phone, and Android can copy them to your own Google account backup and to a new phone. Games in progress are not. UpSink privacy policy.

Is UpSink free?

Yes. UpSink is free on Google Play, with no ads and no in-app purchases. It runs on Android phones with Android 8.0 or later and is in English.

Questions answered? Try today’s tide.

Get it on Google Play