Expert Star Battle answer — September 23, 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. Blocking rule: This position would block too many candidates (row 8, column 2).
3. Clump analysis (Region 5): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 4, column 2).
4. Undercounting: 6 regions fit in cols 1-6, eliminate 3 outside candidates (row 1, column 6).
5. Blocking rule: This position would block too many candidates (row 2, column 8).
6. Lookahead: Placing star here leads to contradiction - column 1 can only hold 2 stars but the regions there would be forced to place 3 (row 2, column 3).
7. Deep lookahead: Placing star here leads to contradiction - stars at R3C2 and R4C1 would touch (row 1, column 3).
8. Deep lookahead: Placing star here leads to contradiction - stars at R9C2 and R9C3 would touch (row 2, column 1).
9. Deep lookahead: Placing star here leads to contradiction - Row 6 would only have room for 1 of the 2 stars it still needs (row 5, column 7).
10. Deep lookahead: Placing star here leads to contradiction - stars at R4C3 and R4C4 would touch (row 2, column 6).
11. Squeeze (rows 1-2): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 1, column 8).
12. Triple analysis (Region 7 + Row 2 + Region 1): every legal combination of their stars rules these cells out (row 3, column 2).
13. Generalized counting (columns 1-1): region star limits exclude these cells (row 5, column 1).
14. Composite container (columns 2-6): Regions 1, 3, 4 and 6 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 1).
15. Joint analysis (Region 6 + Row 5): every legal combination of their stars rules these cells out (row 6, column 5).
16. Clump analysis (Region 4): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 6, column 7).
17. Squeeze (rows 5-6): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 5, column 3).
18. Crowding (Column 3): a star here would leave too little room for its 2 remaining stars (row 8, column 4).
19. Joint analysis (Region 6 + Row 6): every legal combination of their stars rules these cells out (row 7, column 5).
20. Composite container (columns 3-6): Regions 1 and 4 are confined here, so the leftover cells owe exactly 4 of the band's 8 stars - a star on these cells would crowd them out (row 4, column 4).
21. Clump analysis (Region 4): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 7, column 7).
22. Clump analysis (Region 2): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 3, column 8).
23. Squeeze (columns 7-8): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 6, column 9).
24. Generalized counting (rows 6-9): region star limits exclude these cells (row 5, column 9).
25. Composite container (rows 6-9): Regions 3, 8 and 9 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 7, column 3).
26. Clump analysis (Column 3): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 3, column 4).
27. Clump analysis (Column 3): each clump must supply its full share of stars (row 9, column 3).
28. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 9, column 2).
29. Clump analysis (Region 3): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 7, column 1).
30. Generalized counting (columns 2-2): region star limits exclude these cells (row 5, column 2).
31. Crowding (Row 5): a star here would leave too little room for its 2 remaining stars (row 4, column 5).
32. Three candidates with two adjacent: Isolated candidate must hold a star (row 7, column 6).
33. Mark 4 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 6, column 6).
34. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 5, column 6).
35. Column 6 complete: Mark 1 remaining cells as X (row 3, column 6).
36. Three candidates with two adjacent: Isolated candidate must hold a star (row 9, column 5).
37. Row 9 complete: Mark 4 remaining cells as X (row 9, column 1).
38. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 8, column 1).
39. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 7, column 2).
40. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 6, column 2).
41. Three candidates in a column: Middle cell can't hold a star (row 2, column 7).
42. Column completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 1, column 7).
43. Column completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 3, column 7).
44. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 4, column 8).
45. Region complete: Mark 1 remaining cells as X (row 1, column 9).
46. Blocking rule: This position would block too many candidates (row 2, column 4).
47. Blocking rule: This position would block too many candidates (row 7, column 8).
48. Blocking rule: This position would block too many candidates (row 7, column 9).
49. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 7, column 4).
50. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 6, column 4).
51. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 6, column 8).
52. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 5, column 8).
53. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 5, column 4).
54. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 4, column 3).
55. Row completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 4, column 1).
56. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 3, column 1).
57. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 4, column 9).
58. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 3, column 9).
59. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 2, column 9).
60. Column completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 3, column 3).
61. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 2, column 2).
62. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 1, column 2).
63. Row 1 complete: Mark 2 remaining cells as X (row 1, column 4).
64. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 2, column 5).
65. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 3, column 5).
66. Column completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 8, column 8).
67. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 8, column 9).
68. Solved! Every row, column, and region has its two stars, none touching.