Expert Star Battle answer — June 15, 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 2, column 4).
3. Clump analysis (Region 1): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 2, column 2).
4. Clump analysis (Region 4): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 8, column 7).
5. Undercounting: 5 regions fit in cols 5-9, eliminate 1 outside candidate (row 2, column 5).
6. 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 3).
7. Three candidates with two adjacent: Isolated candidate must hold a star (row 3, column 3).
8. Mark 4 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 3, column 2).
9. Undercounting: 7 regions fit in cols 3-9, eliminate 2 outside candidates (row 5, column 3).
10. Squeeze (rows 4-5): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 4, column 6).
11. Lookahead: Placing star here leads to contradiction - column 5 can only hold 2 stars but the regions there would be forced to place 3 (row 6, column 7).
12. Triple analysis (Row 4 + Row 5 + Region 6): every legal combination of their stars rules these cells out (row 3, column 6).
13. Quad analysis (Region 8 + Row 8 + Column 5 + Row 7): every legal combination of their stars rules these cells out (row 9, column 5).
14. Deep lookahead: Placing star here leads to contradiction - Column 5 would end up with more than 2 stars (row 1, column 7).
15. Composite container (columns 7-9): Regions 6 and 7 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 8, column 8).
16. Deep lookahead: Placing star here leads to contradiction - Row 6 would only have room for 0 of the 1 star it still needs (row 3, column 5).
17. Clump analysis (Region 8): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 7, column 6).
18. Triple analysis (Region 8 + Row 5 + Region 2): every legal combination of their stars rules these cells out (row 6, column 2).
19. Triple analysis (Region 8 + Row 5 + Row 6): every legal combination of their stars rules these cells out (row 7, column 4).
20. Triple analysis (Column 6 + Row 5 + Column 7): every legal combination of their stars rules these cells out (row 6, column 8).
21. Quad analysis (Region 8 + Column 4 + Row 8 + Row 7): every legal combination of their stars rules these cells out (row 9, column 3).
22. Deep lookahead: Placing star here leads to contradiction - stars at R6C4 and R6C5 would touch (row 1, column 1).
23. Deep lookahead: Placing star here leads to contradiction - Row 7 would only have room for 0 of the 1 star it still needs (row 1, column 2).
24. Clump analysis (Region 3): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 5, column 2).
25. Three candidates in a column: Middle cell can't hold a star (row 8, column 2).
26. Region completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 7, column 2).
27. Mark 3 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 6, column 3).
28. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 9, column 2).
29. Column completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 1, column 3).
30. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 1, column 4).
31. Three candidates with two adjacent: Isolated candidate must hold a star (row 6, column 4).
32. Mark 3 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 5, column 5).
33. Region completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 4, column 5).
34. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 6, column 6).
35. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 5, column 7).
36. Row completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 5, column 1).
37. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 4, column 1).
38. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 5, column 9).
39. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 4, column 9).
40. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 4, column 7).
41. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 3, column 7).
42. Two-option rule: Cell adjacent to both candidates (row 8, column 5).
43. Column completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 1, column 5).
44. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 1, column 6).
45. Row 1 complete: Mark 2 remaining cells as X (row 1, column 8).
46. Two-option rule: Cell adjacent to both candidates (row 2, column 8).
47. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 2, column 9).
48. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 3, column 9).
49. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 2, column 7).
50. Row 2 complete: Mark 1 remaining cell as X (row 2, column 1).
51. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 3, column 1).
52. Column 7 complete: Mark 1 remaining cell as X (row 9, column 7).
53. Column completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 7, column 8).
54. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 7, column 9).
55. Row completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 8, column 4).
56. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 9, column 4).
57. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 8, column 6).
58. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 9, column 6).
59. Column completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 9, column 8).
60. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 9, column 9).
61. Solved! Every row, column, and region has its two stars, none touching.