Hard Star Battle

Hard Star Battle answer — July 10, 2026

Stuck on the July 10, 2026 hard Star Battle (also called Two Not Touch)? Here's the complete step-by-step solution to the 9×9 grid — every star placed with pure logic, one deduction at a time, no guessing. Tap Next to step through it, or brush up on the rules first.

Solve walkthrough Step 1 of 52

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 2).
  3. Clump analysis (Region 8): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 7, column 4).
  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 8, column 9).
  5. Three candidates with two adjacent: Isolated candidate must hold a star (row 7, column 9).
  6. Mark 4 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 6, column 8).
  7. Clump analysis (Region 5): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 6, column 6).
  8. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 9, column 8).
  9. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 8, column 7).
  10. Column completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 5, column 9).
  11. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 4, column 8).
  12. Three candidates with two adjacent: Isolated candidate must hold a star (row 5, column 7).
  13. Mark 4 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 4, column 6).
  14. Row 5 complete: Mark 5 remaining cells as X (row 5, column 1).
  15. Three candidates with two adjacent: Isolated candidate must hold a star (row 4, column 1).
  16. Mark 3 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 3, column 1).
  17. Two-option rule: Cell adjacent to both candidates (row 7, column 2).
  18. Two-option rule: Cell adjacent to both candidates (row 7, column 3).
  19. Two-option rule: Cell adjacent to both candidates (row 2, column 7).
  20. Two-option rule: Cell adjacent to both candidates (row 3, column 7).
  21. Two-option rule: Cell adjacent to both candidates (row 8, column 6).
  22. Three candidates with two adjacent: Isolated candidate must hold a star (row 9, column 6).
  23. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 8, column 5).
  24. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 8, column 4).
  25. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 8, column 3).
  26. Row 9 complete: Mark 2 remaining cells as X (row 9, column 1).
  27. Two last candidates (row 8): Eliminate 1 cell adjacent to both (row 7, column 1).
  28. Clump analysis (Row 4): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 3, column 4).
  29. Clump analysis (Region 4): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 1, column 8).
  30. Clump analysis (Region 6): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 1, column 2).
  31. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 8, column 2).
  32. Column completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 6, column 2).
  33. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 6, column 3).
  34. Clump analysis (Column 3): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 1, column 4).
  35. Column completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 6, column 4).
  36. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 6, column 5).
  37. Clump analysis (Column 5): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 1, column 6).
  38. Column completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 7, column 6).
  39. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 7, column 7).
  40. Column completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 1, column 7).
  41. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 2, column 8).
  42. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 3, column 8).
  43. Clump analysis (Region 2): each clump must supply its full share of stars (row 1, column 5).
  44. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 2, column 5).
  45. Row 1 complete: Mark 2 remaining cells as X (row 1, column 1).
  46. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 4, column 3).
  47. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 3, column 3).
  48. Region completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 2, column 1).
  49. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 2, column 3).
  50. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 3, column 5).
  51. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 4, column 5).
  52. Solved! Every row, column, and region has its two stars, none touching.

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This step-by-step walkthrough is generated by the TryHard Puzzles solver to teach Star Battle (Two Not Touch) solving technique.