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