Hard Star Battle answer — June 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 8, column 3).
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 7, column 8).
4. Clump analysis (Column 10): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 1, column 8).
5. Clump analysis (Region 7): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 6, column 3).
6. Clump analysis (Region 3): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 7, column 6).
7. Clump analysis (Region 10): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 6, column 7).
8. Clump analysis (Region 3): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 6, column 6).
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 8, column 2).
10. Three candidates with two adjacent: Isolated candidate must hold a star (row 7, column 3).
11. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 6, column 2).
12. Two-option rule: Cell adjacent to both candidates (row 10, column 2).
13. Two-option rule: Cell adjacent to both candidates (row 10, column 3).
14. Composite container (rows 8-10): Regions 5 and 7 are 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 9, column 9).
15. Lookahead: Placing star here leads to contradiction - Region 10 would only have room for 0 of the 1 star it still needs (row 7, column 7).
16. Three candidates with two adjacent: Isolated candidate must hold a star (row 8, column 8).
17. Mark 3 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 7, column 9).
18. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 6, column 8).
19. Mark 3 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 5, column 7).
20. Column 8 complete: Mark 3 remaining cells as X (row 3, column 8).
21. Three candidates with two adjacent: Isolated candidate must hold a star (row 5, column 6).
22. Mark 5 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 4, column 5).
23. Two-option rule: Cell adjacent to both candidates (row 2, column 10).
24. Two-option rule: Cell adjacent to both candidates (row 3, column 10).
25. 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 5).
26. 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 6).
27. Three candidates with two adjacent: Isolated candidate must hold a star (row 7, column 5).
28. Row 7 complete: Mark 2 remaining cells as X (row 7, column 1).
29. Two-option rule: Cell adjacent to both candidates (row 10, column 5).
30. Two-option rule: Cell adjacent to both candidates (row 10, column 6).
31. Clump analysis (Column 9): each clump must supply its full share of stars (row 10, column 9).
32. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 9, column 10).
33. Clump analysis (Region 4): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 2, column 4).
34. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 9, column 6).
35. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 10, column 7).
36. Column 6 complete: Mark 1 remaining cell as X (row 1, column 6).
37. Three candidates in a column: Middle cell can't hold a star (row 2, column 7).
38. Column completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 1, column 7).
39. Column completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 3, column 7).
40. Region complete: Mark 1 remaining cell as X (row 1, column 4).
41. Clump analysis (Column 4): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 5, column 3).
42. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 9, column 2).
43. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 8, column 1).
44. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 8, column 10).
45. Row 9 complete: Mark 1 remaining cell as X (row 9, column 4).
46. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 10, column 4).
47. 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 1).
48. Three candidates with two adjacent: Isolated candidate must hold a star (row 6, column 1).
49. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 5, column 2).
50. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 4, column 1).
51. Mark 3 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 3, column 1).
52. Row 6 complete: Mark 1 remaining cell as X (row 6, column 10).
53. Column 1 complete: Mark 2 remaining cells as X (row 1, column 1).
54. 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).
55. Column completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 1, column 2).
56. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 1, column 3).
57. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 3, column 3).
58. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 4, column 4).
59. Row 1 complete: Mark 1 remaining cell as X (row 1, column 10).
60. Row completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 2, column 5).
61. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 3, column 5).
62. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 5, column 4).
63. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 2, column 9).
64. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 3, column 9).
65. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 4, column 10).
66. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 5, column 10).
67. Solved! Every row, column, and region has its two stars, none touching.