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