Expert Star Battle answer — July 11, 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. 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 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 7, column 6).
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 1, column 6).
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 2, column 6).
6. Three candidates with two adjacent: Isolated candidate must hold a star (row 1, column 7).
7. Mark 3 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 1, column 8).
8. Two-option rule: Cell adjacent to both candidates (row 1, column 4).
9. Two-option rule: Cell adjacent to both candidates (row 2, column 4).
10. 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 10).
11. Clump analysis (Region 2): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 4, column 9).
12. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 2, column 5).
13. Mark 3 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 3, column 4).
14. Clump analysis (Row 2): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 3, column 2).
15. Clump analysis (Region 7): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 7, column 7).
16. Clump analysis (Region 8): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 10, column 6).
17. Crowding (Column 6): a star here would leave too little room for its 2 remaining stars (row 5, column 5).
18. Undercounting: 6 regions fit in cols 5-10, eliminate 3 outside candidates (row 8, column 5).
19. Clump analysis (Region 5): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 8, column 3).
20. Squeeze (columns 4-5): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 9, column 3).
21. Squeeze (columns 5-6): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 8, column 7).
22. Clump analysis (Region 7): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 5, column 6).
23. Lookahead: Placing star here leads to contradiction - row 9 can only hold 2 stars but the regions there would be forced to place 3 (row 9, column 10).
24. Joint analysis (Column 3 + Column 2): every legal combination of their stars rules these cells out (row 9, column 1).
25. Joint analysis (Region 8 + Region 7): every legal combination of their stars rules these cells out (row 3, column 7).
26. Triple analysis (Region 5 + Column 3 + Region 6): every legal combination of their stars rules these cells out (row 5, column 2).
27. Triple analysis (Column 3 + Column 4 + Region 3): every legal combination of their stars rules these cells out (row 2, column 2).
28. Triple analysis (Region 5 + Column 2 + Region 6): every legal combination of their stars rules these cells out (row 7, column 3).
29. Crowding (Region 3): a star here would leave too little room for its 2 remaining stars (row 4, column 2).
30. Clump analysis (Column 2): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 7, column 1).
31. Clump analysis (Column 3): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 6, column 2).
32. Clump analysis (Column 2): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 8, column 1).
33. Composite container (rows 7-9): Region 5 is confined here, so the leftover cells owe exactly 4 of the band's 6 stars - a star on these cells would crowd them out (row 8, column 9).
34. Lookahead: Placing star here leads to contradiction - Region 1 would only have room for 0 of the 1 star it still needs (row 6, column 1).
35. Joint analysis (Row 9 + Region 6): every legal combination of their stars rules these cells out (row 10, column 7).
36. Column completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 6, column 7).
37. Mark 4 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 5, column 8).
38. Clump analysis (Column 6): each clump must supply its full share of stars (row 4, column 6).
39. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 4, column 5).
40. Column completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 6, column 5).
41. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 7, column 4).
42. Region complete: Mark 1 remaining cell as X (row 8, column 6).
43. Row 6 complete: Mark 3 remaining cells as X (row 6, column 3).
44. Column completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 9, column 6).
45. Three candidates in a column: Middle cell can't hold a star (row 9, column 4).
46. Region completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 8, column 4).
47. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 9, column 2).
48. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 8, column 2).
49. Region completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 5, column 1).
50. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 4, column 1).
51. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 10, column 4).
52. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 4, column 8).
53. Mark 3 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 3, column 8).
54. Row 9 complete: Mark 1 remaining cell as X (row 9, column 8).
55. Column completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 7, column 2).
56. Three candidates with two adjacent: Isolated candidate must hold a star (row 2, column 3).
57. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 3, column 3).
58. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 5, column 3).
59. Row 2 complete: Mark 1 remaining cell as X (row 2, column 1).
60. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 3, column 1).
61. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 3, column 10).
62. Row 5 complete: Mark 1 remaining cell as X (row 5, column 10).
63. Two last candidates (row 7): Eliminate 1 cell adjacent to both (row 8, column 10).
64. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 8, column 8).
65. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 7, column 9).
66. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 7, column 10).
67. Region complete: Mark 1 remaining cell as X (row 10, column 10).
68. Column 8 complete: Mark 1 remaining cell as X (row 10, column 8).
69. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 10, column 9).
70. Column completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 1, column 9).
71. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 1, column 10).
72. Solved! Every row, column, and region has its two stars, none touching.