Expert Star Battle answer — March 8, 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 7, column 3).
3. Clump analysis (Region 4): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 7, column 5).
4. Clump analysis (Region 5): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 8, column 5).
5. Clump analysis (Region 9): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 2, column 6).
6. Undercounting: 2 regions fit in rows 1-2, eliminate 2 outside candidates (row 1, column 1).
7. Clump analysis (Region 2): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 4, column 2).
8. Generalized counting (columns 1-4): region star limits exclude these cells (row 5, column 4).
9. Composite container (rows 3-7): Regions 1, 2 and 8 are confined here, so the leftover cells owe exactly 4 of the band's 10 stars - a star on these cells would crowd them out (row 6, column 2).
10. Composite container (columns 5-9): Regions 1, 6, 8 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 1, column 4).
11. 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 8).
12. Three candidates with two adjacent: Isolated candidate must hold a star (row 1, column 7).
13. Generalized counting (columns 9-9): region star limits exclude these cells (row 3, column 9).
14. Crowding (Region 8): a star here would leave too little room for its 2 remaining stars (row 4, column 7).
15. Squeeze (rows 4-5): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 5, column 2).
16. Three candidates with two adjacent: Isolated candidate must hold a star (row 7, column 2).
17. Mark 4 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 6, column 1).
18. Clump analysis (Row 6): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 5, column 6).
19. Squeeze (rows 4-5): each clump in the band must supply its full share of stars (row 5, column 3).
20. Squeeze (columns 8-9): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 3, column 7).
21. Squeeze (rows 2-4): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 3, column 2).
22. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 2, column 9).
23. Clump analysis (Region 8): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 4, column 5).
24. Clump analysis (Region 1): each clump must supply its full share of stars (row 4, column 8).
25. Squeeze (rows 7-8): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 9, column 7).
26. Lookahead: Placing star here leads to contradiction - stars at R2C5 and R3C4 would touch (row 1, column 3).
27. Clump analysis (Region 3): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 9, column 2).
28. Clump analysis (Region 5): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 8, column 4).
29. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 7, column 4).
30. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 6, column 5).
31. Row 7 complete: Mark 1 remaining cell as X (row 7, column 9).
32. Clump analysis (Row 8): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 9, column 8).
33. Quad analysis (Row 2 + Column 4 + Row 3 + Column 5): every legal combination of their stars rules these cells out (row 4, column 6).
34. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 4, column 1).
35. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 3, column 1).
36. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 9, column 1).
37. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 5, column 5).
38. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 6, column 6).
39. Column completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 3, column 6).
40. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 2, column 5).
41. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 2, column 2).
42. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 1, column 2).
43. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 3, column 4).
44. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 1, column 5).
45. Column completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 9, column 3).
46. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 9, column 4).
47. Row 9 complete: Mark 1 remaining cell as X (row 9, column 5).
48. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 8, column 6).
49. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 8, column 7).
50. Column completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 6, column 7).
51. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 6, column 8).
52. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 6, column 9).
53. Column completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 8, column 8).
54. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 8, column 9).
55. Solved! Every row, column, and region has its two stars, none touching.