Expert Star Battle answer — August 8, 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 8, column 8).
3. Clump analysis (Region 5): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 3, column 8).
4. Clump analysis (Region 9): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 2, column 9).
5. Clump analysis (Region 5): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 4, column 8).
6. Composite container (columns 1-7): Regions 2, 3, 4, 6, 7 and 8 are confined here, so the leftover cells owe exactly 2 of the band's 14 stars - a star on these cells would crowd them out (row 8, column 6).
7. Lookahead: Placing star here leads to contradiction - columns 1-3 must hold 6 stars but the regions there could only supply 5 (row 6, column 4).
8. Composite container (rows 6-9): Regions 1, 2 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 5, column 9).
9. Joint analysis (Column 8 + Column 7): every legal combination of their stars rules these cells out (row 4, column 6).
10. Joint analysis (Column 8 + Region 1): every legal combination of their stars rules these cells out (row 1, column 7).
11. Clump analysis (Region 9): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 1, column 5).
12. Blocking rule: This position would block too many candidates (row 3, column 5).
13. Clump analysis (Region 7): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 3, column 3).
14. Composite container (columns 1-5): Regions 2, 4 and 6 are confined here, so the leftover cells owe exactly 4 of the band's 10 stars - a star on these cells would crowd them out (row 5, column 4).
15. Composite container (columns 1-6): Regions 2, 4, 6, 7 and 8 are confined here, so the leftover cells owe exactly 2 of the band's 12 stars - a star on these cells would crowd them out (row 4, column 4).
16. Clump analysis (Region 7): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 2, column 3).
17. Triple analysis (Region 7 + Row 2 + Region 4): every legal combination of their stars rules these cells out (row 3, column 2).
18. Triple analysis (Column 5 + Column 6 + Region 8): every legal combination of their stars rules these cells out (row 8, column 4).
19. Quad analysis (Region 7 + Column 4 + Row 4 + Column 3): every legal combination of their stars rules these cells out (row 5, column 2).
20. Band-region constraint (columns 1-4): Region 2 confined, 1 cell eliminated (row 9, column 5).
21. Clump analysis (Column 5): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 7, column 4).
22. Squeeze (columns 3-4): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 6, column 2).
23. Squeeze (columns 4-5): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 6, column 6).
24. Generalized counting (columns 5-6): region star limits exclude these cells (row 5, column 5).
25. Crowding (Row 5): a star here would leave too little room for its 2 remaining stars (row 4, column 2).
26. Crowding (Column 2): a star here would leave too little room for its 2 remaining stars (row 8, column 1).
27. Squeeze (columns 4-5): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 1, column 3).
28. Squeeze (columns 2-3): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 1, column 1).
29. Composite container (columns 6-8): Region 9 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 7).
30. Composite container (columns 1-4): Regions 2, 4 and 6 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 4, column 3).
31. Clump analysis (Region 6): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 8, column 2).
32. Row completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 8, column 5).
33. Mark 3 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 7, column 5).
34. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 6, column 5).
35. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 8, column 9).
36. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 9, column 8).
37. Column 5 complete: Mark 1 remaining cells as X (row 4, column 5).
38. Three candidates in a column: Middle cell can't hold a star (row 2, column 4).
39. Region completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 3, column 4).
40. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 3, column 6).
41. Mark 3 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 2, column 6).
42. Region completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 5, column 3).
43. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 5, column 7).
44. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 6, column 8).
45. Row completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 2, column 2).
46. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 1, column 2).
47. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 1, column 4).
48. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 2, column 8).
49. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 1, column 8).
50. Region completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 4, column 9).
51. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 6, column 9).
52. Invalid state detected
53. Invalid state detected
54. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 1, column 6).
55. Invalid state detected
56. Invalid state detected
57. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 4, column 1).
58. Invalid state detected
59. Invalid state detected
60. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 5, column 1).
61. Invalid state detected
62. Invalid state detected
63. Row 6 complete: Mark 1 remaining cells as X (row 6, column 1).
64. Invalid state detected
65. Invalid state detected
66. Invalid state detected