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