Expert Star Battle answer — February 27, 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 3).
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 8).
4. Three candidates with two adjacent: Isolated candidate must hold a star (row 2, column 7).
5. Mark 7 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 1, column 6).
6. Clump analysis (Region 5): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 6, column 2).
7. Clump analysis (Region 6): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 7, column 6).
8. Clump analysis (Region 8): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 4, column 2).
9. Three candidates with two adjacent: Isolated candidate must hold a star (row 7, column 2).
10. Mark 3 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 6, column 1).
11. Crowding (Column 6): a star here would leave too little room for its 2 remaining stars (row 5, column 5).
12. Squeeze (rows 5-6): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 4, column 1).
13. Squeeze (columns 5-6): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 1, column 4).
14. Joint analysis (Row 8 + Column 8): every legal combination of their stars rules these cells out (row 7, column 7).
15. Clump analysis (Region 6): each clump must supply its full share of stars (row 6, column 6).
16. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 5, column 6).
17. Squeeze (rows 7-8): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 9, column 6).
18. Squeeze (columns 7-8): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 6, column 9).
19. Joint analysis (Row 7 + Row 8): every legal combination of their stars rules these cells out (row 8, column 5).
20. Joint analysis (Row 8 + Region 7): every legal combination of their stars rules these cells out (row 9, column 5).
21. Clump analysis (Column 5): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 3, column 4).
22. Column completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 8, column 6).
23. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 8, column 7).
24. Column completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 4, column 7).
25. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 4, column 8).
26. Clump analysis (Column 4): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 5, column 3).
27. Clump analysis (Column 8): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 8, column 9).
28. Squeeze (columns 3-4): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 2, column 2).
29. Composite container (rows 1-5): Regions 1, 2, 4 and 9 are confined here, so the leftover cells owe exactly 2 of the band's 10 stars - a star on these cells would crowd them out (row 3, column 2).
30. Lookahead: Placing star here leads to contradiction - Region 1 would end up with more than 2 stars (row 4, column 5).
31. Three candidates in a column: Middle cell can't hold a star (row 2, column 5).
32. Column completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 1, column 5).
33. Column completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 3, column 5).
34. Squeeze (columns 3-4): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 1, column 1).
35. Squeeze (rows 1-2): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 3, column 3).
36. Squeeze (columns 1-2): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 3, column 9).
37. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 2, column 9).
38. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 1, column 9).
39. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 5, column 4).
40. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 4, column 3).
41. Region completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 5, column 2).
42. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 5, column 1).
43. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 7, column 4).
44. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 8, column 4).
45. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 9, column 3).
46. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 9, column 2).
47. Region completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 3, column 1).
48. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 9, column 1).
49. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 1, column 3).
50. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 2, column 3).
51. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 4, column 9).
52. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 5, column 9).
53. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 6, column 8).
54. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 7, column 8).
55. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 8, column 8).
56. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 9, column 8).
57. Solved! Every row, column, and region has its two stars, none touching.