Expert Star Battle answer — March 5, 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 7).
3. Three candidates with two adjacent: Isolated candidate must hold a star (row 8, column 6).
4. Mark 7 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 7, column 5).
5. Two-option rule: Cell adjacent to both candidates (row 7, column 9).
6. Two-option rule: Cell adjacent to both candidates (row 8, column 9).
7. 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 8).
8. Clump analysis (Region 3): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 3, column 2).
9. Clump analysis (Region 6): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 1, column 8).
10. Clump analysis (Region 8): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 3, column 5).
11. Crowding (Column 5): a star here would leave too little room for its 2 remaining stars (row 5, column 4).
12. Composite container (rows 7-9): Regions 1 and 9 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 3).
13. Lookahead: This cell must be a star - eliminating it leads to contradiction (Region 1 would only have room for 0 of the 1 star it still needs) (row 9, column 4).
14. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 8, column 4).
15. Squeeze (rows 7-8): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 6, column 3).
16. Lookahead: This cell must be a star - eliminating it leads to contradiction (columns 1-2 can only hold 4 stars but the regions there would be forced to place 5) (row 2, column 5).
17. Mark 7 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 1, column 4).
18. Two last candidates (column 6): Eliminate 2 cells adjacent to both (row 5, column 5).
19. Crowding (Row 1): a star here would leave too little room for its 2 remaining stars (row 2, column 2).
20. Crowding (Row 5): a star here would leave too little room for its 2 remaining stars (row 4, column 2).
21. Squeeze (columns 6-7): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 2, column 8).
22. Squeeze (columns 7-8): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 9, column 9).
23. Clump analysis (Column 9): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 3, column 8).
24. Generalized counting (columns 1-4): region star limits exclude these cells (row 4, column 4).
25. Column completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 7, column 4).
26. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 6, column 5).
27. Column completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 4, column 5).
28. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 4, column 6).
29. Column completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 6, column 6).
30. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 6, column 7).
31. Clump analysis (Column 7): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 4, column 8).
32. Three candidates with two adjacent: Isolated candidate must hold a star (row 4, column 7).
33. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 3, column 7).
34. Row 4 complete: Mark 3 remaining cells as X (row 4, column 1).
35. Two-option rule: Cell adjacent to both candidates (row 6, column 9).
36. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 9, column 8).
37. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 8, column 8).
38. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 7, column 8).
39. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 6, column 8).
40. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 5, column 9).
41. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 6, column 1).
42. Mark 4 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 5, column 1).
43. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 5, column 3).
44. Row 9 complete: Mark 2 remaining cells as X (row 9, column 1).
45. Column completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 1, column 2).
46. Mark 4 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 1, column 1).
47. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 3, column 1).
48. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 1, column 7).
49. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 2, column 7).
50. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 3, column 3).
51. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 2, column 9).
52. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 3, column 9).
53. Column 1 complete: Mark 1 remaining cell as X (row 8, column 1).
54. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 8, column 2).
55. Solved! Every row, column, and region has its two stars, none touching.