Expert Star Battle

Expert Star Battle answer — February 8, 2026

Stuck on the February 8, 2026 expert 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 53

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. Clump analysis (Region 5): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 7, column 2).
  4. Clump analysis (Region 6): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 5, column 6).
  5. Undercounting: 6 regions fit in rows 4-9, eliminate 5 outside candidates (row 4, column 4).
  6. Clump analysis (Region 7): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 2, column 6).
  7. Crowding (Row 4): a star here would leave too little room for its 2 remaining stars (row 3, column 2).
  8. Squeeze (rows 4-5): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 4, column 8).
  9. Clump analysis (Region 6): each clump must supply its full share of stars (row 5, column 7).
  10. Squeeze (columns 5-6): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 2, column 5).
  11. Joint analysis (Column 5 + Column 4): every legal combination of their stars rules these cells out (row 2, column 4).
  12. Crowding (Row 2): a star here would leave too little room for its 2 remaining stars (row 1, column 2).
  13. Joint analysis (Region 1 + Column 2): every legal combination of their stars rules these cells out (row 3, column 1).
  14. Triple analysis (Region 7 + Column 2 + Region 4): every legal combination of their stars rules these cells out (row 6, column 3).
  15. Joint analysis (Region 5 + Region 1): every legal combination of their stars rules these cells out (row 8, column 3).
  16. Composite container (columns 4-9): Regions 3, 6, 8 and 9 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 4, column 3).
  17. Clump analysis (Row 4): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 5, column 1).
  18. Clump analysis (Row 4): each clump must supply its full share of stars (row 4, column 9).
  19. Mark 3 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 3, column 8).
  20. Two last candidates (row 5): Eliminate 1 cell adjacent to both (row 6, column 4).
  21. Crowding (Column 8): a star here would leave too little room for its 2 remaining stars (row 8, column 7).
  22. Squeeze (rows 5-6): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 7, column 8).
  23. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 6, column 9).
  24. Clump analysis (Column 8): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 1, column 7).
  25. Squeeze (rows 2-3): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 1, column 1).
  26. Quad analysis (Region 7 + Region 3 + Column 5 + Column 4): every legal combination of their stars rules these cells out (row 1, column 3).
  27. Quad analysis (Row 8 + Column 2 + Row 7 + Column 1): every legal combination of their stars rules these cells out (row 7, column 7).
  28. Column completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 3, column 7).
  29. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 2, column 8).
  30. Column completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 1, column 8).
  31. Column completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 8, column 8).
  32. Three candidates in a row: Middle cell can't hold a star (row 2, column 2).
  33. Row completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 2, column 1).
  34. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 2, column 3).
  35. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 1, column 4).
  36. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 1, column 5).
  37. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 1, column 6).
  38. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 3, column 5).
  39. Column 5 complete: Mark 3 remaining cells as X (row 6, column 5).
  40. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 6, column 2).
  41. Mark 3 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 5, column 3).
  42. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 7, column 4).
  43. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 5, column 4).
  44. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 7, column 6).
  45. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 8, column 6).
  46. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 8, column 1).
  47. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 9, column 1).
  48. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 9, column 3).
  49. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 9, column 4).
  50. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 9, column 6).
  51. Column 1 complete: Mark 1 remaining cell as X (row 4, column 1).
  52. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 4, column 2).
  53. 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.