Expert Star Battle answer — January 12, 2026

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 8).
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 7, column 7).
4. Clump analysis (Region 1): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 4, column 5).
5. Clump analysis (Region 6): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 2, column 6).
6. Clump analysis (Region 8): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 4, column 7).
7. Clump analysis (Region 9): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 8, column 6).
8. Composite container (columns 1-6): Regions 1, 2, 3 and 4 are confined here, so the leftover cells owe exactly 4 of the band's 12 stars - a star on these cells would crowd them out (row 6, column 5).
9. Joint analysis (Column 8 + Column 9): every legal combination of their stars rules these cells out (row 2, column 7).
10. Composite container (columns 8-9): Region 5 is confined here, so the leftover cells owe exactly 2 of the band's 4 stars - a star on these cells would crowd them out (row 6, column 9).
11. Composite container (columns 1-7): Regions 1, 2, 3, 4, 6 and 8 are confined here, so the leftover cells owe exactly 2 of the band's 14 stars - a star on these cells would crowd them out (row 6, column 6).
12. 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 6).
13. Squeeze (rows 3-4): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 2, column 5).
14. Composite container (rows 6-9): Regions 3, 7 and 9 are confined here, so the leftover cells owe exactly 2 of the band's 8 stars - a star on these cells would crowd them out (row 7, column 4).
15. Quad analysis (Region 6 + Region 1 + Region 2 + Row 1): every legal combination of their stars rules these cells out (row 5, column 2).
16. Deep lookahead: Placing star here leads to contradiction - Column 2 would only have room for 0 of the 1 star it still needs (row 1, column 1).
17. Deep lookahead: Placing star here leads to contradiction - stars at R8C7 and R9C7 would touch (row 1, column 2).
18. Clump analysis (Region 2): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 3, column 2).
19. Deep lookahead: Placing star here leads to contradiction - Row 3 would only have room for 0 of the 1 star it still needs (row 1, column 7).
20. Clump analysis (Column 7): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 5, column 6).
21. Clump analysis (Region 6): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 2, column 3).
22. Squeeze (rows 1-2): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 3, column 1).
23. Squeeze (rows 3-4): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 5, column 1).
24. Squeeze (columns 7-8): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 2, column 9).
25. Composite container (columns 8-9): Region 5 is confined here, so the leftover cells owe exactly 2 of the band's 4 stars - a star on these cells would crowd them out (row 8, column 9).
26. Composite container (columns 8-9): Region 5 is confined here, so the leftover cells owe exactly 2 of the band's 4 stars - impossible without stars on these cells (row 9, column 9).
27. Joint analysis (Row 6 + Row 5): every legal combination of their stars rules these cells out (row 7, column 2).
28. Joint analysis (Region 8 + Row 6): every legal combination of their stars rules these cells out (row 5, column 4).
29. Triple analysis (Region 1 + Region 2 + Column 1): every legal combination of their stars rules these cells out (row 7, column 1).
30. Triple analysis (Column 6 + Region 1 + Region 6): every legal combination of their stars rules these cells out (row 1, column 5).
31. Clump analysis (Region 6): each clump must supply its full share of stars (row 1, column 6).
32. Joint analysis (Region 8 + Column 5): every legal combination of their stars rules these cells out (row 6, column 4).
33. Composite container (columns 3-4): Region 6 is confined here, so the leftover cells owe exactly 3 of the band's 4 stars - a star on these cells would crowd them out (row 6, column 2).
34. Crowding (Column 2): a star here would leave too little room for its 2 remaining stars (row 3, column 3).
35. Clump analysis (Region 1): each clump must supply its full share of stars (row 2, column 2).
36. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 1, column 3).
37. Three candidates with two adjacent: Isolated candidate must hold a star (row 6, column 1).
38. Squeeze (rows 2-3): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 3, column 5).
39. Column completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 3, column 6).
40. Three candidates with two adjacent: Isolated candidate must hold a star (row 8, column 7).
41. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 7, column 8).
42. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 7, column 9).
43. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 6, column 7).
44. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 5, column 7).
45. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 5, column 5).
46. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 4, column 4).
47. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 3, column 4).
48. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 2, column 4).
49. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 1, column 4).
50. Row 1 complete: Mark 2 remaining cells as X (row 1, column 8).
51. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 2, column 8).
52. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 3, column 8).
53. Row 6 complete: Mark 1 remaining cell as X (row 6, column 3).
54. Column 4 complete: Mark 2 remaining cells as X (row 8, column 4).
55. Column completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 4, column 8).
56. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 4, column 9).
57. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 5, column 3).
58. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 4, column 2).
59. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 4, column 1).
60. Column 1 complete: Mark 2 remaining cells as X (row 8, column 1).
61. Two last candidates (column 2): Eliminate 2 cells adjacent to both (row 8, column 3).
62. Column completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 7, column 3).
63. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 8, column 2).
64. Row 7 complete: Mark 1 remaining cell as X (row 7, column 5).
65. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 8, column 5).
66. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 9, column 5).
67. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 9, column 2).
68. Solved! Every row, column, and region has its two stars, none touching.