Hard Star Battle

Hard Star Battle answer — October 4, 2025

Stuck on the October 4, 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 57

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

Rather solve it yourself?

This puzzle is free to play, along with a new hard Star Battle every day.

Play this puzzle More hard puzzles Sign up free
← Previous hard
All solutions
Next hard →

This step-by-step walkthrough is generated by the TryHard Puzzles solver to teach Star Battle (Two Not Touch) solving technique.