Expert Star Battle answer — January 15, 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 2, column 7).
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 3, column 7).
4. Three candidates with two adjacent: Isolated candidate must hold a star (row 2, column 8).
5. Mark 6 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 1, column 7).
6. Two-option rule: Cell adjacent to both candidates (row 2, column 5).
7. Two-option rule: Cell adjacent to both candidates (row 3, column 5).
8. 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).
9. 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 2).
10. 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 2).
11. Three candidates with two adjacent: Isolated candidate must hold a star (row 7, column 3).
12. Mark 6 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 6, column 3).
13. Crowding (Region 7): a star here would leave too little room for its 2 remaining stars (row 4, column 4).
14. Squeeze (rows 1-2): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 3, column 3).
15. Crowding (Row 3): a star here would leave too little room for its 2 remaining stars (row 4, column 5).
16. Squeeze (rows 3-4): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 5, column 8).
17. Generalized counting (rows 9-9): region star limits exclude these cells (row 9, column 6).
18. Composite container (rows 3-5): Region 4 is confined here, so the leftover cells owe exactly 4 of the band's 6 stars - a star on these cells would crowd them out (row 4, column 6).
19. Lookahead: Placing star here leads to contradiction - row 9 can only hold 2 stars but the regions there would be forced to place 3 (row 1, column 1).
20. Clump analysis (Row 1): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 2, column 3).
21. Lookahead: Placing star here leads to contradiction - row 9 can only hold 2 stars but the regions there would be forced to place 3 (row 3, column 1).
22. Crowding (Row 3): a star here would leave too little room for its 2 remaining stars (row 4, column 3).
23. Squeeze (rows 3-4): each clump in the band must supply its full share of stars (row 3, column 4).
24. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 2, column 4).
25. Composite container (columns 5-7): Regions 1, 5 and 7 are confined here, so the leftover cells owe exactly 2 of the band's 6 stars - a star on these cells would crowd them out (row 8, column 6).
26. Lookahead: Placing star here leads to contradiction - row 9 can only hold 2 stars but the regions there would be forced to place 3 (row 7, column 1).
27. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 6, column 1).
28. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 5, column 1).
29. Generalized counting (columns 3-4): region star limits exclude these cells (row 9, column 3).
30. Clump analysis (Region 9): each clump must supply its full share of stars (row 9, column 5).
31. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 8, column 5).
32. Clump analysis (Region 2): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 9, column 1).
33. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 8, column 1).
34. Column 1 complete: Mark 2 remaining cells as X (row 2, column 1).
35. Blocking rule: a star here would touch every other open cell in its region, leaving no room for the region's second star (row 1, column 3).
36. Column completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 5, column 3).
37. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 4, column 2).
38. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 3, column 2).
39. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 2, column 2).
40. Region completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 1, column 2).
41. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 1, column 4).
42. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 1, column 5).
43. Row 1 complete: Mark 1 remaining cell as X (row 1, column 6).
44. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 5, column 5).
45. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 5, column 6).
46. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 2, column 6).
47. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 3, column 6).
48. Row 5 complete: Mark 1 remaining cell as X (row 5, column 7).
49. Column 5 complete: Mark 1 remaining cell as X (row 7, column 5).
50. Column completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 7, column 6).
51. Mark 3 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 6, column 7).
52. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 4, column 7).
53. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 4, column 8).
54. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 4, column 9).
55. Row 7 complete: Mark 2 remaining cells as X (row 7, column 8).
56. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 8, column 9).
57. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 9, column 8).
58. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 9, column 7).
59. Column completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 6, column 8).
60. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 6, column 9).
61. Solved! Every row, column, and region has its two stars, none touching.