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