Expert Star Battle answer — June 30, 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 6): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 2, column 9).
3. Clump analysis (Region 5): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 4, column 8).
4. 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).
5. Clump analysis (Region 2): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 5, column 6).
6. Clump analysis (Region 9): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 4, column 3).
7. Generalized counting (rows 1-2): region star limits exclude these cells (row 3, column 1).
8. Squeeze (rows 3-4): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 5, column 7).
9. Composite container (rows 3-4): Region 7 is confined here, so the leftover cells owe exactly 2 of the band's 4 stars - a star on these cells would crowd them out (row 3, column 8).
10. Composite container (columns 1-6): Regions 1, 3, 4 and 9 are confined here, so the leftover cells owe exactly 4 of the band's 12 stars - a star on these cells would crowd them out (row 5, column 4).
11. Blocking rule: a star here would touch every other open cell in its region, leaving no room for the region's second star (row 4, column 2).
12. Clump analysis (Region 9): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 6, column 2).
13. Lookahead: Placing star here leads to contradiction - column 1 can only hold 2 stars but the regions there would be forced to place 3 (row 2, column 1).
14. Lookahead: Placing star here leads to contradiction - row 5 can only hold 2 stars but the regions there would be forced to place 3 (row 5, column 8).
15. Crowding (Column 8): a star here would leave too little room for its 2 remaining stars (row 8, column 7).
16. Squeeze (columns 7-8): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 3, column 6).
17. Crowding (Column 6): a star here would leave too little room for its 2 remaining stars (row 8, column 5).
18. Composite container (columns 1-6): Regions 1, 3, 4 and 9 are confined here, so the leftover cells owe exactly 4 of the band's 12 stars - a star on these cells would crowd them out (row 1, column 5).
19. Squeeze (columns 5-6): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 4, column 4).
20. Crowding (Column 4): a star here would leave too little room for its 2 remaining stars (row 8, column 3).
21. Squeeze (columns 3-4): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 6, column 3).
22. Clump analysis (Column 6): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 7, column 5).
23. Crowding (Row 8): a star here would leave too little room for its 2 remaining stars (row 9, column 7).
24. Clump analysis (Column 7): each clump must supply its full share of stars (row 6, column 7).
25. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 7, column 6).
26. Clump analysis (Column 6): each clump must supply its full share of stars (row 8, column 6).
27. Clump analysis (Column 8): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 1, column 9).
28. Crowding (Column 2): a star here would leave too little room for its 2 remaining stars (row 2, column 3).
29. Squeeze (columns 3-4): each clump in the band must supply its full share of stars (row 5, column 3).
30. Squeeze (rows 3-4): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 5, column 1).
31. Joint analysis (Row 2 + Row 3): every legal combination of their stars rules these cells out (row 2, column 8).
32. Three candidates in a column: Middle cell can't hold a star (row 5, column 5).
33. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 6, column 5).
34. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 7, column 4).
35. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 5, column 9).
36. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 6, column 9).
37. Row 6 complete: Mark 1 remaining cell as X (row 6, column 1).
38. Column completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 2, column 4).
39. Column completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 9, column 4).
40. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 9, column 3).
41. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 7, column 3).
42. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 7, column 2).
43. Column completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 4, column 5).
44. Three candidates in a column: Middle cell can't hold a star (row 2, column 2).
45. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 2, column 6).
46. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 1, column 6).
47. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 1, column 8).
48. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 4, column 7).
49. Row completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 3, column 2).
50. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 4, column 1).
51. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 3, column 9).
52. Region complete: Mark 1 remaining cell as X (row 7, column 9).
53. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 7, column 1).
54. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 8, column 1).
55. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 9, column 1).
56. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 8, column 8).
57. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 9, column 8).
58. Column 1 complete: Mark 1 remaining cell as X (row 1, column 1).
59. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 1, column 2).
60. Solved! Every row, column, and region has its two stars, none touching.