The most logical starting points were the extreme top and bottom. The Red 6 clue sits in the top row, and the Dark Teal 4 is in the bottom row. The most opening move is to test if these can form full-length strips. A 6x1 strip for the Red 6 immediately solves the entire top boundary. Similarly, a 4x1 strip for the Dark Teal 4 locks down two-thirds of the bottom boundary.

With the top and bottom edges defined, the solid Mustard and Orange blocks on the left and right perimeters become much simpler. Their growth is now contained vertically. They must fit within the four middle rows.

The placement of the two vertical "towers"—the Teal 6 (a 2x3 rectangle) and the Green 6 (another 2x3)—was the pivotal mid-game play. Placing them side-by-side effectively split the remaining central space, creating predictable gaps.

Once the Green 6 was placed, it created a perfect 1x2 vertical slot to its left. This was the only possible home for the Purple 2, forcing its placement. This, in turn, finalized the height and shape of the Mustard patch to its left.

The final pieces fell into place through elimination. The Light Blue patch filled the remaining 3x2 area above the Teal and Green shapes, and the Orange patch expanded to fill the last 2x4 vertical space on the right edge.