Hard Star Battle

Hard Star Battle answer — August 29, 2026

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