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