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