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