Hard Star Battle

Hard Star Battle answer — August 24, 2026

Stuck on the August 24, 2026 hard Star Battle (also called Two Not Touch)? Here's the complete step-by-step solution to the 9×9 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 54

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: a star here would touch every other open cell in its region, leaving no room for the region's second star (row 2, column 2).
  3. Clump analysis (Region 1): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 2, column 3).
  4. Clump analysis (Region 2): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 4, column 9).
  5. Clump analysis (Region 5): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 7, column 6).
  6. Blocking rule: a star here would touch every other open cell in its region, leaving no room for the region's second star (row 6, column 8).
  7. Blocking rule: a star here would touch every other open cell in its region, leaving no room for the region's second star (row 7, column 8).
  8. Clump analysis (Region 9): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 6, column 6).
  9. Clump analysis (Region 7): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 4, column 7).
  10. Three candidates with two adjacent: Isolated candidate must hold a star (row 7, column 9).
  11. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 8, column 8).
  12. Blocking rule: a star here would touch every other open cell in its region, leaving no room for the region's second star (row 2, column 8).
  13. Blocking rule: a star here would touch every other open cell in its region, leaving no room for the region's second star (row 2, column 9).
  14. Generalized counting (rows 1-1): region star limits exclude these cells (row 1, column 4).
  15. Clump analysis (Region 4): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 3, column 4).
  16. Squeeze (rows 1-2): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 3, column 6).
  17. Squeeze (columns 5-6): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 6, column 4).
  18. Generalized counting (columns 8-9): region star limits exclude these cells (row 9, column 8).
  19. Three candidates with two adjacent: Isolated candidate must hold a star (row 8, column 7).
  20. Mark 3 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 7, column 7).
  21. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 8, column 5).
  22. Mark 4 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 7, column 5).
  23. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 6, column 7).
  24. Mark 3 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 5, column 6).
  25. Region completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 4, column 6).
  26. Mark 4 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 3, column 5).
  27. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 5, column 9).
  28. Row 8 complete: Mark 3 remaining cells as X (row 8, column 1).
  29. Column completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 2, column 6).
  30. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 2, column 5).
  31. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 4, column 4).
  32. Mark 4 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 3, column 3).
  33. Row 4 complete: Mark 2 remaining cells as X (row 4, column 1).
  34. Column completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 2, column 4).
  35. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 1, column 3).
  36. Row 2 complete: Mark 1 remaining cell as X (row 2, column 1).
  37. Column completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 6, column 5).
  38. Row 6 complete: Mark 3 remaining cells as X (row 6, column 1).
  39. Column completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 7, column 3).
  40. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 7, column 2).
  41. Region complete: Mark 2 remaining cells as X (row 3, column 1).
  42. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 5, column 2).
  43. Row 7 complete: Mark 1 remaining cell as X (row 7, column 1).
  44. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 9, column 1).
  45. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 9, column 2).
  46. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 9, column 3).
  47. Column completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 1, column 1).
  48. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 1, column 2).
  49. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 3, column 2).
  50. Column completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 1, column 8).
  51. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 1, column 9).
  52. Column completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 3, column 8).
  53. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 3, column 9).
  54. 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.