Hard Star Battle

Hard Star Battle answer — December 24, 2025

Stuck on the December 24, 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 43

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 5, column 3).
  3. Three candidates with two adjacent: Isolated candidate must hold a star (row 5, column 4).
  4. Mark 7 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 4, column 3).
  5. Region completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 3, column 4).
  6. Mark 5 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 2, column 3).
  7. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 5, column 6).
  8. Mark 5 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 4, column 6).
  9. Row 5 complete: Mark 4 remaining cells as X (row 5, column 1).
  10. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 4, column 2).
  11. Mark 3 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 3, column 1).
  12. Column 4 complete: Mark 4 remaining cells as X (row 1, column 4).
  13. Region completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 6, column 2).
  14. Mark 4 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 6, column 1).
  15. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 7, column 5).
  16. Mark 3 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 7, column 6).
  17. Column 2 complete: Mark 4 remaining cells as X (row 1, column 2).
  18. Three candidates with two adjacent: Isolated candidate must hold a star (row 1, column 3).
  19. Three candidates with two adjacent: Isolated candidate must hold a star (row 8, column 3).
  20. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 9, column 3).
  21. Two last candidates (row 4): Eliminate 2 cells adjacent to both (row 3, column 8).
  22. Two last candidates (row 3): Eliminate 2 cells adjacent to both (row 2, column 6).
  23. Two last candidates (row 6): Eliminate 2 cells adjacent to both (row 7, column 8).
  24. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 7, column 7).
  25. Mark 3 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 6, column 8).
  26. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 6, column 9).
  27. Clump analysis (Row 2): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 1, column 8).
  28. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 2, column 1).
  29. Clump analysis (Row 1): each clump must supply its full share of stars (row 2, column 8).
  30. Mark 3 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 1, column 7).
  31. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 3, column 6).
  32. Region complete: Mark 1 remaining cell as X (row 4, column 9).
  33. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 4, column 8).
  34. Region complete: Mark 1 remaining cell as X (row 8, column 9).
  35. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 8, column 1).
  36. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 9, column 1).
  37. Column 6 complete: Mark 2 remaining cells as X (row 1, column 6).
  38. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 1, column 5).
  39. Column 5 complete: Mark 1 remaining cell as X (row 9, column 5).
  40. Column completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 9, column 7).
  41. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 9, column 8).
  42. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 9, column 9).
  43. Solved! Every row, column, and region has its two stars, none touching.

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