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