Hard Star Battle

Hard Star Battle answer — July 15, 2025

Stuck on the July 15, 2025 hard Star Battle (also called Two Not Touch)? Here's the complete step-by-step solution to the 9×9 grid — every star placed with pure logic, one deduction at a time, no guessing. Tap Next to step through it, or brush up on the rules first.

Solve walkthrough Step 1 of 51

Full written solution

Every deduction from the walkthrough above, in order. Each technique is explained in the Star Battle strategy guide.

  1. Starting position — the grid is split into regions (bold outlines). Each row, column, and region needs exactly two stars, and no two stars may touch.
  2. Blocking rule: a star here would touch every other open cell in its region, leaving no room for the region's second star (row 8, column 2).
  3. Three candidates with two adjacent: Isolated candidate must hold a star (row 7, column 2).
  4. Mark 7 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 6, column 1).
  5. Blocking rule: a star here would touch every other open cell in its region, leaving no room for the region's second star (row 8, column 8).
  6. Blocking rule: a star here would touch every other open cell in its region, leaving no room for the region's second star (row 9, column 8).
  7. Three candidates with two adjacent: Isolated candidate must hold a star (row 9, column 7).
  8. Mark 3 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 8, column 6).
  9. Clump analysis (Row 8): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 7, column 4).
  10. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 8, column 9).
  11. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 7, column 8).
  12. Two last candidates (row 7): Eliminate 2 cells adjacent to both (row 6, column 6).
  13. Clump analysis (Row 6): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 5, column 4).
  14. Clump analysis (Region 4): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 9, column 1).
  15. Blocking rule: a star here would touch every other open cell in its region, leaving no room for the region's second star (row 5, column 2).
  16. Three candidates with two adjacent: Isolated candidate must hold a star (row 5, column 1).
  17. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 4, column 1).
  18. Two-option rule: Cell adjacent to both candidates (row 4, column 4).
  19. Region completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 6, column 4).
  20. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 5, column 3).
  21. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 8, column 4).
  22. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 8, column 5).
  23. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 9, column 2).
  24. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 4, column 3).
  25. Mark 3 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 3, column 2).
  26. Column 2 complete: Mark 2 remaining cells as X (row 1, column 2).
  27. Column 4 complete: Mark 2 remaining cells as X (row 1, column 4).
  28. Two last candidates (row 5): Eliminate 2 cells adjacent to both (row 4, column 6).
  29. Clump analysis (Column 1): each clump must supply its full share of stars (row 2, column 3).
  30. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 1, column 3).
  31. Clump analysis (Column 5): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 1, column 6).
  32. Column completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 5, column 6).
  33. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 4, column 5).
  34. Column completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 7, column 6).
  35. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 7, column 7).
  36. Three candidates in a column: Middle cell can't hold a star (row 2, column 5).
  37. Column completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 1, column 5).
  38. Column completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 3, column 5).
  39. Region complete: Mark 2 remaining cells as X (row 1, column 7).
  40. Two-option rule: Cell adjacent to both candidates (row 2, column 8).
  41. Two-option rule: Cell adjacent to both candidates (row 3, column 8).
  42. Column completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 4, column 8).
  43. Mark 3 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 3, column 7).
  44. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 2, column 7).
  45. Row 2 complete: Mark 2 remaining cells as X (row 2, column 1).
  46. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 1, column 9).
  47. Row 1 complete: Mark 1 remaining cell as X (row 1, column 1).
  48. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 3, column 1).
  49. Column completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 6, column 8).
  50. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 6, column 9).
  51. Solved! Every row, column, and region has its two stars, none touching.

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