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