Expert Star Battle

Expert Star Battle answer — August 30, 2026

Stuck on the August 30, 2026 expert 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 57

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 2).
  3. Clump analysis (Region 3): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 8, column 6).
  4. Clump analysis (Region 4): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 8, column 3).
  5. Clump analysis (Region 6): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 6, column 2).
  6. Clump analysis (Region 7): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 2, column 6).
  7. Clump analysis (Region 1): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 4, column 8).
  8. Star claim: Region 9 must place a star in row 4; cells touching all its options are eliminated (row 3, column 2).
  9. Star claim: Region 9 must place a star in column 3; cells touching all its options are eliminated (row 5, column 3).
  10. Generalized counting (rows 9-9): region star limits exclude these cells (row 9, column 1).
  11. Clump analysis (Region 6): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 7, column 2).
  12. Squeeze (columns 2-3): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 6, column 4).
  13. Lookahead: Placing star here leads to contradiction - row 9 can only hold 2 stars but the regions there would be forced to place 3 (row 7, column 5).
  14. Squeeze (columns 4-5): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 5, column 6).
  15. Composite container (rows 1-5): Regions 1, 7 and 8 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 3, column 3).
  16. Composite container (columns 1-6): Regions 2, 4, 6, 8 and 9 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 1, column 5).
  17. Clump analysis (Region 7): each clump must supply its full share of stars (row 1, column 6).
  18. Squeeze (columns 4-5): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 1, column 3).
  19. Squeeze (rows 2-3): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 4, column 6).
  20. Squeeze (columns 2-3): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 1, column 1).
  21. Generalized counting (rows 1-1): region star limits exclude these cells (row 1, column 8).
  22. Two-option rule: Cell adjacent to both candidates (row 3, column 8).
  23. Two-option rule: Cell adjacent to both candidates (row 3, column 9).
  24. Squeeze (columns 7-8): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 6, column 7).
  25. Composite container (rows 2-8): Regions 1, 2, 5, 6, 7 and 9 are confined here, so the leftover cells owe exactly 3 of the band's 14 stars - a star on these cells would crowd them out (row 7, column 3).
  26. Region completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 8, column 4).
  27. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 9, column 6).
  28. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 9, column 7).
  29. Column completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 4, column 3).
  30. Mark 3 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 3, column 4).
  31. Column completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 6, column 3).
  32. Region complete: Mark 1 remaining cell as X (row 4, column 1).
  33. Column 6 complete: Mark 1 remaining cell as X (row 3, column 6).
  34. Three candidates with two adjacent: Isolated candidate must hold a star (row 2, column 4).
  35. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 1, column 4).
  36. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 1, column 2).
  37. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 2, column 2).
  38. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 3, column 1).
  39. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 3, column 7).
  40. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 2, column 8).
  41. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 2, column 9).
  42. Column completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 8, column 2).
  43. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 7, column 1).
  44. Row completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 7, column 7).
  45. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 7, column 9).
  46. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 6, column 9).
  47. Column 7 complete: Mark 1 remaining cell as X (row 5, column 7).
  48. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 5, column 8).
  49. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 4, column 9).
  50. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 4, column 5).
  51. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 5, column 5).
  52. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 6, column 5).
  53. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 5, column 1).
  54. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 6, column 1).
  55. Column completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 9, column 8).
  56. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 9, column 9).
  57. 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.