Expert Star Battle answer — October 12, 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: a star here would touch every other open cell in its region, leaving no room for the region's second star (row 6, column 2).
3. 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 8).
4. Clump analysis (Region 3): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 7, column 3).
5. Clump analysis (Region 5): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 9, column 8).
6. Clump analysis (Region 8): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 2, column 7).
7. Clump analysis (Region 9): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 6, column 4).
8. Undercounting: 6 regions fit in cols 4-9, eliminate 2 outside candidates (row 2, column 4).
9. Blocking rule: a star here would touch every other open cell in its region, leaving no room for the region's second star (row 8, column 2).
10. 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 3, column 8).
11. 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 4, column 1).
12. Triple analysis (Region 9 + Row 7 + Row 6): every legal combination of their stars rules these cells out (row 6, column 6).
13. Deep lookahead: Placing star here leads to contradiction - stars at R5C6 and R6C5 would touch (row 1, column 1).
14. Deep lookahead: Placing star here leads to contradiction - stars at R3C3 and R4C4 would touch (row 1, column 2).
15. Deep lookahead: Placing star here leads to contradiction - columns 4-5 must hold 4 stars but the regions there could only supply 3 (row 1, column 6).
16. Deep lookahead: Placing star here leads to contradiction - Row 5 would only have room for 0 of the 1 star it still needs (row 1, column 8).
17. Clump analysis (Column 8): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 5, column 7).
18. Composite container (rows 1-7): Regions 1, 3, 4, 6, 8 and 9 are confined here, so the leftover cells owe exactly 2 of the band's 14 stars - a star on these cells would crowd them out (row 6, column 1).
19. Three candidates with two adjacent: Isolated candidate must hold a star (row 6, column 3).
20. Mark 3 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 5, column 2).
21. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 5, column 1).
22. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 4, column 2).
23. Clump analysis (Column 2): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 2, column 1).
24. Clump analysis (Column 2): each clump must supply its full share of stars (row 9, column 2).
25. Mark 3 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 8, column 3).
26. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 7, column 1).
27. Squeeze (columns 3-4): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 8, column 5).
28. Composite container (rows 2-7): Regions 1 and 9 are confined here, so the leftover cells owe exactly 5 of the band's 12 stars - a star on these cells would crowd them out (row 3, column 4).
29. Squeeze (rows 2-3): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 2, column 6).
30. Clump analysis (Column 8): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 6, column 7).
31. Clump analysis (Region 8): each clump must supply its full share of stars (row 3, column 7).
32. Star claim: Region 1 must place a star in column 6; cells touching all its options are eliminated (row 6, column 5).
33. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 6, column 8).
34. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 5, column 8).
35. Column completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 8, column 8).
36. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 9, column 7).
37. Column completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 1, column 7).
38. Two last candidates (row 5): Eliminate 1 cell adjacent to both (row 4, column 5).
39. Two last candidates (row 7): Eliminate 1 cell adjacent to both (row 8, column 6).
40. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 8, column 4).
41. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 7, column 5).
42. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 9, column 6).
43. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 7, column 6).
44. Column 6 complete: Mark 1 remaining cell as X (row 5, column 6).
45. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 4, column 9).
46. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 3, column 9).
47. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 5, column 5).
48. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 4, column 4).
49. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 3, column 5).
50. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 2, column 5).
51. Row completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 2, column 2).
52. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 1, column 3).
53. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 4, column 3).
54. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 2, column 9).
55. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 1, column 9).
56. Column completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 1, column 4).
57. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 1, column 5).
58. Solved! Every row, column, and region has its two stars, none touching.