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