Expert Star Battle

Expert Star Battle answer — September 24, 2026

Stuck on the September 24, 2026 expert 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 60

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 5): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 9, column 4).
  3. Blocking rule: This position would block too many candidates (row 8, column 2).
  4. Clump analysis (Region 7): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 6, column 8).
  5. Undercounting: 6 regions fit in cols 4-9, eliminate 1 outside candidates (row 1, column 4).
  6. Joint analysis (Region 9 + Region 2): every legal combination of their stars rules these cells out (row 4, column 8).
  7. Triple analysis (Region 9 + Row 2 + Row 3): every legal combination of their stars rules these cells out (row 4, column 6).
  8. Deep lookahead: Placing star here leads to contradiction - column 9 can only hold 2 stars but the regions there would be forced to place 3 (row 2, column 6).
  9. Deep lookahead: Placing star here leads to contradiction - Column 3 would only have room for 1 of the 2 stars it still needs (row 2, column 7).
  10. Deep lookahead: Placing star here leads to contradiction - stars at R3C1 and R3C2 would touch (row 2, column 8).
  11. Triple analysis (Region 9 + Region 2 + Column 8): every legal combination of their stars rules these cells out (row 6, column 9).
  12. Blocking rule: This position would block too many candidates (row 8, column 8).
  13. Generalized counting (rows 7-9): region star limits exclude these cells (row 7, column 4).
  14. Clump analysis (Region 3): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 5, column 4).
  15. Squeeze (columns 4-5): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 3, column 6).
  16. Squeeze (columns 5-6): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 3, column 4).
  17. Crowding (Column 4): a star here would leave too little room for its 2 remaining stars (row 7, column 3).
  18. Squeeze (columns 3-4): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 3, column 2).
  19. Blocking rule: This position would block too many candidates (row 5, column 2).
  20. Squeeze (columns 2-3): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 1, column 1).
  21. Squeeze (rows 2-3): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 3, column 8).
  22. Squeeze (rows 2-3): each clump in the band must supply its full share of stars (row 3, column 7).
  23. Squeeze (columns 1-2): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 1, column 3).
  24. Squeeze (columns 3-4): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 3, column 3).
  25. Region completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 2, column 4).
  26. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 4, column 5).
  27. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 5, column 5).
  28. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 3, column 9).
  29. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 2, column 9).
  30. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 2, column 2).
  31. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 1, column 2).
  32. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 4, column 3).
  33. Row 4 complete: Mark 1 remaining cells as X (row 4, column 1).
  34. Blocking rule: This position would block too many candidates (row 6, column 2).
  35. Column completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 9, column 2).
  36. Mark 4 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 8, column 1).
  37. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 7, column 1).
  38. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 6, column 1).
  39. Region completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 5, column 1).
  40. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 6, column 3).
  41. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 6, column 4).
  42. Column completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 8, column 4).
  43. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 8, column 5).
  44. Column completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 6, column 5).
  45. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 6, column 6).
  46. Row 6 complete: Mark 1 remaining cells as X (row 6, column 7).
  47. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 5, column 7).
  48. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 5, column 8).
  49. Row 5 complete: Mark 1 remaining cells as X (row 5, column 9).
  50. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 1, column 9).
  51. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 1, column 8).
  52. Column 7 complete: Mark 3 remaining cells as X (row 1, column 7).
  53. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 1, column 6).
  54. Column completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 7, column 8).
  55. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 7, column 9).
  56. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 8, column 6).
  57. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 9, column 6).
  58. Column completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 9, column 8).
  59. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 9, column 9).
  60. 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.