Hard Star Battle answer — August 26, 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: a star here would touch every other open cell in its region, leaving no room for the region's second star (row 6, column 2).
3. Clump analysis (Region 2): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 2, column 4).
4. Clump analysis (Region 3): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 8, column 5).
5. Clump analysis (Region 4): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 1, column 7).
6. Clump analysis (Region 9): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 4, column 2).
7. Clump analysis (Region 6): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 8, column 4).
8. Composite container (rows 6-9): Regions 3, 5 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 5, column 5).
9. 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 7).
10. Blocking rule: a star here would touch every other open cell in its region, leaving no room for the region's second star (row 8, column 7).
11. Three candidates with two adjacent: Isolated candidate must hold a star (row 7, column 8).
12. Mark 5 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 6, column 7).
13. Crowding (Row 8): a star here would leave too little room for its 2 remaining stars (row 7, column 2).
14. Squeeze (rows 5-6): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 4, column 8).
15. Squeeze (rows 3-4): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 3, column 2).
16. 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 6).
17. Crowding (Row 4): a star here would leave too little room for its 2 remaining stars (row 5, column 6).
18. Squeeze (rows 3-4): each clump in the band must supply its full share of stars (row 3, column 3).
19. Generalized counting (rows 1-2): region star limits exclude these cells (row 3, column 5).
20. Three candidates with two adjacent: Isolated candidate must hold a star (row 2, column 7).
21. Mark 5 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 1, column 6).
22. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 2, column 5).
23. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 1, column 4).
24. Row 2 complete: Mark 2 remaining cells as X (row 2, column 1).
25. Region completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 1, column 9).
26. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 4, column 7).
27. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 5, column 7).
28. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 3, column 1).
29. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 4, column 1).
30. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 4, column 5).
31. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 5, column 4).
32. Region complete: Mark 1 remaining cell as X (row 5, column 1).
33. Column 5 complete: Mark 2 remaining cells as X (row 6, column 5).
34. Column 7 complete: Mark 1 remaining cell as X (row 9, column 7).
35. Column completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 9, column 8).
36. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 9, column 9).
37. Column completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 5, column 9).
38. Clump analysis (Column 4): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 7, column 3).
39. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 7, column 4).
40. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 6, column 4).
41. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 6, column 6).
42. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 7, column 6).
43. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 8, column 6).
44. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 6, column 1).
45. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 5, column 2).
46. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 5, column 3).
47. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 9, column 4).
48. Column 1 complete: Mark 2 remaining cells as X (row 1, column 1).
49. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 8, column 2).
50. Column completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 1, column 2).
51. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 1, column 3).
52. Solved! Every row, column, and region has its two stars, none touching.