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