- Sort Them Ducks achievements: 20 Steam unlocks spanning progression, categories, upgrades, secrets, and one timed challenge
- Easiest group: Progression milestones unlock naturally while sorting ducks and earning money
- Hardest test: The under-four-hour completion run demands a memorized route
- Best order: Clear progression first, then category cleanup, then secrets and the timed run
- Key tools: Carry capacity and movement speed upgrades make every phase faster
Sort Them Ducks Achievements Overview
Sort Them Ducks launched on Steam on August 13, 2026, and its achievement list rewards every stage of turning a chaotic duck store into a perfectly organized collection. The game ships with exactly 20 Steam achievements covering normal progression, category completion, upgrade challenges, hidden objectives, and one demanding time-based run. This guide breaks down every group of Sort Them Ducks achievements, ranks their difficulty, and maps out a phased route to full completion.
Because the store holds more than 4,000 unique ducks across hundreds of themed categories, most unlocks arrive naturally through the core loop: pick up ducks, read their costumes, place them on the matching shelf, earn money, and reinvest that money into upgrades. Understanding how the set is structured matters more than chasing any single unlock, because the structure tells you which goals to pursue during normal play and which ones to save for a dedicated cleanup phase.
| Achievement Group | Objective | Difficulty | Best Phase |
|---|---|---|---|
| Progression Milestones | Advance through normal duck-sorting milestones | Easy | Phase 1 |
| Upgrade Challenges | Complete objectives tied to the upgrade system | Medium | Phase 2 |
| Category Completion | Finish duck categories by placing remaining ducks correctly | Medium | Phase 3 |
| Secret Objectives | Complete hidden achievement objectives | Hard | Phase 4 |
| Full Completion | Clear every remaining goal for 100% | Hard | Phase 4-5 |
| Under-Four-Hour Challenge | Finish the time-based challenge in under four hours | Very Hard | Phase 5 |
The official Steam achievements stats page shows global unlock percentages for all 20 achievements. Checking it before a cleanup session helps you spot which objectives other players also find difficult, which is a strong hint that a targeted strategy is needed.
Achievement Groups Ranked by Difficulty
Not every achievement demands the same effort. Roughly half of the set unlocks through ordinary play, while the rest requires deliberate cleanup, exploration, or a rehearsed speed route. Treat the groups as separate projects instead of chasing them all at once — mixing a timed-run mindset into your first playthrough is the fastest way to stall progress.
Progression Milestones
- Difficulty: Easy
- Unlocks through normal sorting and earning money
- No special planning required
- Falls naturally during a first playthrough
Upgrade Challenges
- Difficulty: Medium
- Tied to improving your sorting abilities
- Reinvest earnings instead of sitting on cash
- Overlaps with efficient progression
Category Completion
- Difficulty: Medium
- Demands every remaining duck in a category
- Includes ducks placed high up or in awkward corners
- Rewards systematic section sweeps
Secret Objectives
- Difficulty: Hard
- Hidden goals beyond straightforward sorting
- Includes exploration-based secret eggs
- Best saved for a dedicated cleanup phase
The ratings below weigh raw effort against how easily a goal can be missed. Miss risk matters because a single overlooked duck or unexplored corner can quietly block full completion late in a run.
| Achievement Group | Difficulty | Effort Level | Miss Risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Progression Milestones | ★☆☆☆☆ | Low | None |
| Upgrade Challenges | ★★☆☆☆ | Low-Medium | Low |
| Category Completion | ★★★☆☆ | Medium | Medium |
| Secret Objectives | ★★★★☆ | High | High |
| Full Completion | ★★★★☆ | High | Medium |
| Under-Four-Hour Challenge | ★★★★★ | Very High | High |
Money sitting idle is progress wasted. Upgrade challenges reward players who keep converting earnings into carry capacity, movement speed, and utility abilities, so spend consistently instead of hoarding cash for no reason.
100% Completion Route: Step-by-Step
A structured route prevents the most common completion blocker: reaching the endgame with a scattered mess of half-finished categories and unexplored corners. Work through the five phases below in order, and only move forward when the current phase is genuinely finished. Each phase builds on the tools and knowledge earned in the previous one.
Clear Normal Progression
Sort ducks, learn shelf positions, and push through the store's major milestones. Most easy achievements fall during this phase without any extra effort, and every correctly placed duck funds the phases that follow.
Reinvest Into Upgrades
Convert earnings into carry capacity and movement speed first, then utility abilities such as matching-duck highlights, shelf reveals, and nearby duck collection. This simultaneously progresses the upgrade challenge achievements.
Sweep for Missing Ducks
Divide the store into sections and sweep one section completely before moving to the next. Close nearly finished categories first so you always know exactly which ducks are still missing and where they might be hiding.
Hunt Secrets and Eggs
With normal sorting finished, search the environment beyond the shelves and test unusual interactions. Secret objectives sit outside the standard loop, so they require curiosity rather than faster sorting.
Attempt the Timed Run
Only after you know the layout by heart, execute an optimized route for the under-four-hour challenge. Route knowledge and consistent batching matter more here than raw speed.
| Phase | Focus | Key Actions | Achievements Progressed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Normal progression | Sort ducks, earn money, memorize shelves | Milestone unlocks |
| 2 | Upgrade investment | Buy carry capacity, movement, utility abilities | Upgrade challenges |
| 3 | Category cleanup | Section-by-section sweeps for missing ducks | Category completion |
| 4 | Secrets and eggs | Inspect environment, test odd interactions | Secret objectives |
| 5 | Timed challenge | Replay with an optimized, batched route | Under-four-hour run |
Phases 1 and 2 blend together during normal play, and most players earn the majority of the set before any dedicated cleanup begins. If your achievement counter stalls in the late teens, the remaining unlocks are almost always category stragglers or hidden objectives — not progression goals.
Under-Four-Hour Challenge Strategy
The under-four-hour challenge is the steepest single requirement in the set. It asks you to complete the game's time-based objective in under four hours, which punishes hesitation, wasted travel, and indecisive sorting. Attempt it only after you have memorized the store layout and settled on the order in which you want to finish areas.
Preparation matters more than raw speed. Every upgrade that removes walking or searching from the loop directly buys time, so the timed run should inherit a fully upgraded toolkit rather than a fresh one. Batch sorting — collecting multiple ducks that share a destination during a single route — cuts empty travel dramatically when carrying capacity is high.
| Upgrade | Tier | Why It Matters for the Timed Run |
|---|---|---|
| Carry Capacity | S | More ducks per trip means far fewer crossings of the store |
| Movement Speed | S | Cuts travel time between distant shelves and pickup zones |
| Matching-Duck Highlights | A | Speeds up identification inside dense piles of ducks |
| Shelf Reveals | A | Reduces time spent hunting for a category's shelf position |
| Nearby Duck Collection | A | Gathers scattered ducks with less individual walking |
Players who rush into the timed challenge during a first playthrough typically burn hours searching for shelves and chasing single ducks. Learn the route in a relaxed run first, then execute the timed attempt with a plan for every section.
Secret Objectives and Secret Egg Checklist
Secret objectives are the achievements most likely to be missed, because they sit outside the normal sorting loop. The game's hidden secret eggs are exploration collectibles tied to optional goals, and they reward players who inspect the environment instead of only moving between shelves. Search newly unlocked areas as soon as they open, and keep a simple record of what you have already cleared.
100% Completion Checklist:
- Complete all progression milestone achievements
- Finish every duck category on its correct shelves
- Complete all upgrade-related challenges
- Find every secret egg and hidden objective
- Finish one full run in under four hours
| Search Habit | What to Do | Why It Works |
|---|---|---|
| Search while unlocking | Check newly opened sections immediately | Prevents a full-store sweep later |
| Look beyond shelves | Inspect surroundings during normal routes | Eggs are environment collectibles |
| Recheck after upgrades | Return with better movement tools | New abilities ease awkward spots |
| Track as you find | Keep a simple location checklist | Narrows remaining search zones |
Compare your in-game progress with the achievement list on the Steam community page. If a secret-related achievement is still locked after a thorough sweep, the missing objective likely involves an interaction rather than a location.
Achievement FAQ
Use the Steam overlay while playing to review achievement descriptions the moment something unlocks. Hidden objectives often become obvious in hindsight once you see what the game was asking for.
Q: How many achievements are in Sort Them Ducks?
The game has 20 Steam achievements, grouped into progression milestones, category completion, upgrade challenges, secret objectives, full completion, and an under-four-hour challenge. Most milestone unlocks arrive naturally through normal play.
Q: What is the hardest Sort Them Ducks achievement?
The under-four-hour completion challenge is the steepest single goal. It requires route knowledge, batched sorting, and a fully upgraded toolkit, so it is best attempted after a relaxed playthrough has taught you the store layout.
Q: Do secret eggs count toward achievements?
Yes. Secret eggs are exploration collectibles tied to the game's optional and secret objectives, so finding them contributes directly to the hidden achievement group and overall completion.
Q: Can I reach 100% in a single playthrough?
Most groups can be finished in one thorough run, but the timed challenge is far more manageable on a later attempt once the layout is memorized. Plan at least one follow-up run focused on speed.