Looking at your photos and layout, it appears the problem you were having is that you misunderstand how to read a stripboard layout (for very good reason, it’s confusing). Conventionally, the layout shows the components as seen from above on the component side of the stripboard… even though the strips are shown, and they’re on the underside. What you’ve done is to try to build the mirror image of the layout, which works with 2-lead components but runs into trouble with transistors and ICs. See Stripboard building .
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