Expert Star Battle answer — June 14, 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 6, column 6).
3. Clump analysis (Region 9): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 3, column 2).
4. Lookahead: Placing star here leads to contradiction - rows 1-4 must hold 8 stars but the regions there could only supply 7 (row 5, column 7).
5. Joint analysis (Region 9 + Column 1): every legal combination of their stars rules these cells out (row 7, column 1).
6. Clump analysis (Region 8): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 7, column 3).
7. Joint analysis (Region 6 + Region 7): every legal combination of their stars rules these cells out (row 7, column 5).
8. Composite container (rows 1-7): Regions 1, 2, 4, 6, 7 and 9 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 8).
9. Composite container (rows 1-5): Regions 1, 2 and 4 are confined here, so the leftover cells owe exactly 4 of the band's 10 stars - a star on these cells would crowd them out (row 2, column 1).
10. Region completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 3, column 1).
11. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 5, column 1).
12. Column 1 complete: Mark 3 remaining cells as X (row 1, column 1).
13. Clump analysis (Row 1): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 2, column 9).
14. Clump analysis (Region 8): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 8, column 3).
15. 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).
16. 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 5).
17. Clump analysis (Region 3): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 8, column 7).
18. Squeeze (columns 2-3): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 4, column 4).
19. Composite container (rows 2-6): Regions 1 and 4 are confined here, so the leftover cells owe exactly 4 of the band's 10 stars - a star on these cells would crowd them out (row 5, column 6).
20. Clump analysis (Region 6): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 5, column 4).
21. Star claim: Region 7 must place a star in row 4; cells touching all its options are eliminated (row 3, column 6).
22. Squeeze (columns 7-8): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 7, column 6).
23. Composite container (rows 2-5): Regions 1 and 4 are confined here, so the leftover cells owe exactly 2 of the band's 8 stars - a star on these cells would crowd them out (row 3, column 7).
24. Clump analysis (Column 6): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 1, column 5).
25. Clump analysis (Column 5): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 3, column 4).
26. Clump analysis (Column 7): each clump must supply its full share of stars (row 4, column 7).
27. Clump analysis (Column 8): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 1, column 9).
28. Squeeze (rows 1-2): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 1, column 3).
29. Crowding (Row 2): a star here would leave too little room for its 2 remaining stars (row 3, column 5).
30. Three candidates in a column: Middle cell can't hold a star (row 5, column 5).
31. Column completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 4, column 5).
32. Region complete: Mark 1 remaining cell as X (row 7, column 4).
33. Row 4 complete: Mark 2 remaining cells as X (row 4, column 3).
34. Column completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 6, column 5).
35. Three candidates with two adjacent: Isolated candidate must hold a star (row 5, column 9).
36. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 6, column 9).
37. Row 5 complete: Mark 1 remaining cell as X (row 5, column 3).
38. Column completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 3, column 3).
39. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 2, column 4).
40. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 2, column 6).
41. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 1, column 6).
42. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 2, column 8).
43. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 1, column 8).
44. Region completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 1, column 2).
45. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 1, column 4).
46. Column completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 6, column 3).
47. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 7, column 2).
48. Row 6 complete: Mark 1 remaining cell as X (row 6, column 7).
49. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 7, column 7).
50. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 8, column 6).
51. Region completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 7, column 9).
52. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 9, column 8).
53. Row completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 8, column 2).
54. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 9, column 2).
55. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 8, column 4).
56. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 9, column 4).
57. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 9, column 6).
58. Solved! Every row, column, and region has its two stars, none touching.