Hard Star Battle

Hard Star Battle answer — September 16, 2026

Stuck on the September 16, 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 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 2, column 5).
  3. Clump analysis (Region 2): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 2, column 7).
  4. Clump analysis (Region 3): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 7, column 3).
  5. Clump analysis (Region 4): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 6, column 6).
  6. Clump analysis (Region 3): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 5, column 4).
  7. Clump analysis (Region 5): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 4, column 8).
  8. Clump analysis (Region 7): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 7, column 6).
  9. Three candidates with two adjacent: Isolated candidate must hold a star (row 7, column 9).
  10. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 7, column 8).
  11. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 6, column 7).
  12. Mark 3 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 5, column 6).
  13. Crowding (Column 8): a star here would leave too little room for its 2 remaining stars (row 2, column 9).
  14. Squeeze (columns 7-8): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 1, column 9).
  15. Generalized counting (columns 9-9): region star limits exclude these cells (row 9, column 9).
  16. Three candidates with two adjacent: Isolated candidate must hold a star (row 9, column 8).
  17. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 8, column 7).
  18. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 8, column 6).
  19. Mark 3 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 7, column 5).
  20. Clump analysis (Region 2): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 4, column 6).
  21. Clump analysis (Column 9): each clump must supply its full share of stars (row 4, column 5).
  22. Mark 5 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 3, column 4).
  23. Blocking rule: a star here would touch every other open cell in its region, leaving no room for the region's second star (row 1, column 5).
  24. Column completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 6, column 5).
  25. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 6, column 4).
  26. Row 6 complete: Mark 3 remaining cells as X (row 6, column 1).
  27. Two-option rule: Cell adjacent to both candidates (row 9, column 3).
  28. Two-option rule: Cell adjacent to both candidates (row 9, column 4).
  29. 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 2).
  30. Two last candidates (row 7): Eliminate 2 cells adjacent to both (row 8, column 1).
  31. Two last candidates (column 6): Eliminate 1 cell adjacent to both (row 1, column 7).
  32. Two last candidates (column 7): Eliminate 1 cell adjacent to both (row 3, column 8).
  33. Clump analysis (Column 4): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 1, column 3).
  34. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 8, column 4).
  35. Three candidates in a column: Middle cell can't hold a star (row 4, column 3).
  36. Column completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 3, column 3).
  37. Mark 3 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 2, column 4).
  38. Column completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 5, column 3).
  39. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 5, column 2).
  40. Column completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 1, column 4).
  41. Crowding (Row 2): a star here would leave too little room for its 2 remaining stars (row 3, column 7).
  42. Column completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 4, column 7).
  43. Row 4 complete: Mark 2 remaining cells as X (row 4, column 1).
  44. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 7, column 2).
  45. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 7, column 1).
  46. Three candidates with two adjacent: Isolated candidate must hold a star (row 5, column 1).
  47. Row 5 complete: Mark 1 remaining cell as X (row 5, column 9).
  48. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 3, column 9).
  49. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 2, column 8).
  50. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 1, column 8).
  51. Row 1 complete: Mark 3 remaining cells as X (row 1, column 1).
  52. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 2, column 6).
  53. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 2, column 1).
  54. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 3, column 1).
  55. Column 1 complete: Mark 1 remaining cell as X (row 9, column 1).
  56. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 9, column 2).
  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.