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