Expert Star Battle answer — September 10, 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 5).
3. Clump analysis (Region 10): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 9, column 5).
4. Blocking rule: This position would block too many candidates (row 8, column 9).
5. Blocking rule: This position would block too many candidates (row 8, column 10).
6. Three candidates with two adjacent: Isolated candidate must hold a star (row 7, column 10).
7. Mark 3 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 6, column 9).
8. Blocking rule: This position would block too many candidates (row 7, column 6).
9. Three candidates with two adjacent: Isolated candidate must hold a star (row 6, column 6).
10. Mark 3 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 5, column 5).
11. Clump analysis (Region 1): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 8, column 2).
12. Composite container (columns 1-5): Regions 1, 4, 8 and 9 are confined here, so the leftover cells owe exactly 2 of the band's 10 stars - a star on these cells would crowd them out (row 2, column 5).
13. Three candidates with two adjacent: Isolated candidate must hold a star (row 10, column 5).
14. Deep lookahead: Placing star here leads to contradiction - stars at R1C9 and R2C9 would touch (row 2, column 3).
15. Deep lookahead: Placing star here leads to contradiction - stars at R1C2 and R2C2 would touch (row 2, column 4).
16. Composite container (columns 1-5): Regions 1, 4, 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 4).
17. Clump analysis (Region 9): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 5, column 3).
18. Composite container (rows 1-4): Regions 3, 5 and 8 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 3, column 2).
19. Triple analysis (Region 9 + Region 1 + Column 1): every legal combination of their stars rules these cells out (row 6, column 3).
20. Deep lookahead: Placing star here leads to contradiction - Column 8 would only have room for 0 of the 1 star it still needs (row 1, column 1).
21. Deep lookahead: Placing star here leads to contradiction - Column 8 would only have room for 0 of the 1 star it still needs (row 2, column 1).
22. Deep lookahead: Placing star here leads to contradiction - row 4 must hold 2 stars but the regions there could only supply 1 (row 1, column 6).
23. Deep lookahead: Placing star here leads to contradiction - stars at R1C3 and R1C4 would touch (row 2, column 6).
24. Squeeze (rows 1-2): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 3, column 3).
25. Joint analysis (Row 2 + Row 3): every legal combination of their stars rules these cells out (row 1, column 9).
26. Triple analysis (Row 7 + Column 3 + Column 2): every legal combination of their stars rules these cells out (row 7, column 1).
27. Triple analysis (Column 9 + Region 2 + Column 8): every legal combination of their stars rules these cells out (row 5, column 10).
28. Squeeze (rows 4-5): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 3, column 6).
29. Squeeze (rows 2-3): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 1, column 10).
30. Squeeze (columns 9-10): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 4, column 8).
31. Composite container (rows 3-5): Regions 3 and 9 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 4, column 1).
32. Three candidates with two adjacent: Isolated candidate must hold a star (row 3, column 1).
33. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 2, column 2).
34. Clump analysis (Row 2): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 1, column 7).
35. Crowding (Column 2): a star here would leave too little room for its 2 remaining stars (row 8, column 1).
36. Squeeze (rows 4-5): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 9, column 1).
37. Region completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 5, column 1).
38. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 7, column 2).
39. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 7, column 3).
40. Row 7 complete: Mark 2 remaining cells as X (row 7, column 4).
41. Squeeze (columns 2-3): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 5, column 4).
42. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 4, column 3).
43. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 3, column 4).
44. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 3, column 5).
45. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 4, column 6).
46. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 4, column 7).
47. Row 4 complete: Mark 1 remaining cells as X (row 4, column 9).
48. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 5, column 9).
49. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 6, column 8).
50. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 8, column 8).
51. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 8, column 7).
52. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 9, column 10).
53. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 8, column 6).
54. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 8, column 5).
55. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 6, column 4).
56. Row 8 complete: Mark 1 remaining cells as X (row 8, column 4).
57. Column completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 1, column 4).
58. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 1, column 3).
59. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 1, column 2).
60. Column 2 complete: Mark 1 remaining cells as X (row 9, column 2).
61. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 9, column 3).
62. Column completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 2, column 9).
63. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 2, column 8).
64. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 2, column 7).
65. Column 7 complete: Mark 1 remaining cells as X (row 10, column 7).
66. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 10, column 8).
67. Solved! Every row, column, and region has its two stars, none touching.