Expert Star Battle

Expert Star Battle answer — August 22, 2026

Stuck on the August 22, 2026 expert Star Battle (also called Two Not Touch)? Here's the complete step-by-step solution to the 10×10 grid — every star placed with pure logic, one deduction at a time, no guessing. Tap Next to step through it, or brush up on the rules first.

Solve walkthrough Step 1 of 55

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 (Region 6): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 6, column 5).
  3. Clump analysis (Region 7): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 2, column 9).
  4. Clump analysis (Region 4): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 8, column 9).
  5. Clump analysis (Region 8): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 8, column 6).
  6. Undercounting: 8 regions fit in rows 1-8, eliminate 8 outside candidates (row 6, column 3).
  7. Row completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 8, column 7).
  8. Mark 6 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 7, column 6).
  9. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 8, column 10).
  10. Mark 4 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 7, column 9).
  11. Clump analysis (Row 7): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 6, column 1).
  12. Clump analysis (Row 6): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 5, column 7).
  13. Clump analysis (Row 9): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 10, column 2).
  14. Generalized counting (columns 9-10): region star limits exclude these cells (row 10, column 9).
  15. Three candidates in a row: Middle cell can't hold a star (row 10, column 7).
  16. Region completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 10, column 6).
  17. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 9, column 5).
  18. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 10, column 8).
  19. Generalized counting (columns 6-8): region star limits exclude these cells (row 1, column 6).
  20. Clump analysis (Region 2): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 2, column 4).
  21. Clump analysis (Region 10): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 3, column 2).
  22. Composite container (columns 1-5): Regions 1, 2, 8, 9 and 10 are confined here, so the leftover cells owe exactly 1 of the band's 10 stars - a star on these cells would crowd them out (row 4, column 4).
  23. Blocking rule: a star here would touch every other open cell in its region, leaving no room for the region's second star (row 3, column 3).
  24. Clump analysis (Region 10): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 5, column 2).
  25. Squeeze (columns 2-3): each clump in the band must supply its full share of stars (row 7, column 2).
  26. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 7, column 1).
  27. Joint analysis (Region 10 + Column 1): every legal combination of their stars rules these cells out (row 1, column 2).
  28. Squeeze (columns 2-3): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 1, column 4).
  29. Joint analysis (Column 6 + Region 6): every legal combination of their stars rules these cells out (row 3, column 6).
  30. Squeeze (columns 3-5): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 2, column 5).
  31. Clump analysis (Region 9): each clump must supply its full share of stars (row 9, column 1).
  32. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 9, column 2).
  33. Column completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 4, column 2).
  34. Mark 4 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 3, column 1).
  35. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 2, column 1).
  36. Clump analysis (Column 3): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 9, column 4).
  37. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 9, column 3).
  38. Squeeze (rows 5-6): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 6, column 7).
  39. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 4, column 9).
  40. Mark 3 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 3, column 9).
  41. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 6, column 10).
  42. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 1, column 9).
  43. Row completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 5, column 4).
  44. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 5, column 6).
  45. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 6, column 6).
  46. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 6, column 8).
  47. Clump analysis (Row 3): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 1, column 7).
  48. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 3, column 7).
  49. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 2, column 3).
  50. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 1, column 3).
  51. Region completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 1, column 5).
  52. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 3, column 5).
  53. Column completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 7, column 4).
  54. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 7, column 5).
  55. Solved! Every row, column, and region has its two stars, none touching.

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This step-by-step walkthrough is generated by the TryHard Puzzles solver to teach Star Battle (Two Not Touch) solving technique.