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