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