Expert Star Battle answer — October 24, 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 7, column 8).
3. Clump analysis (Region 1): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 4, column 8).
4. Clump analysis (Region 3): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 4, column 2).
5. Clump analysis (Region 8): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 2, column 2).
6. Clump analysis (Region 9): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 7, column 6).
7. Generalized counting (columns 8-9): region star limits exclude these cells (row 5, column 7).
8. Composite container (columns 4-9): Regions 1, 2, 4, 7 and 9 are confined here, so the leftover cells owe exactly 2 of the band's 12 stars - a star on these cells would crowd them out (row 4, column 4).
9. Composite container (rows 1-5): Regions 1, 2, 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 6, column 4).
10. Joint analysis (Region 7 + Region 6): every legal combination of their stars rules these cells out (row 8, column 4).
11. Deep lookahead: Placing star here leads to contradiction - Region 8 would only have room for 0 of the 1 star it still needs (row 1, column 1).
12. Deep lookahead: Placing star here leads to contradiction - stars at R5C4 and R6C5 would touch (row 2, column 7).
13. Deep lookahead: Placing star here leads to contradiction - Region 7 would end up with more than 2 stars (row 1, column 4).
14. Joint analysis (Column 4 + Region 7): every legal combination of their stars rules these cells out (row 6, column 5).
15. Deep lookahead: Placing star here leads to contradiction - stars at R5C3 and R5C4 would touch (row 1, column 5).
16. Clump analysis (Region 8): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 3, column 4).
17. Squeeze (columns 4-5): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 8, column 5).
18. Composite container (columns 4-9): Regions 1, 2, 4, 7 and 9 are confined here, so the leftover cells owe exactly 2 of the band's 12 stars - a star on these cells would crowd them out (row 3, column 6).
19. Three candidates with two adjacent: Isolated candidate must hold a star (row 7, column 4).
20. Mark 4 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 6, column 3).
21. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 6, column 6).
22. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 6, column 7).
23. Clump analysis (Region 2): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 3, column 8).
24. Clump analysis (Region 9): each clump must supply its full share of stars (row 8, column 7).
25. Mark 5 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 8, column 6).
26. Two last candidates (column 6): Eliminate 2 cells adjacent to both (row 1, column 7).
27. Column completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 4, column 5).
28. Column completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 9, column 5).
29. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 9, column 4).
30. Column completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 2, column 4).
31. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 1, column 3).
32. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 1, column 2).
33. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 2, column 1).
34. Clump analysis (Column 3): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 9, column 1).
35. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 8, column 9).
36. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 7, column 9).
37. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 7, column 2).
38. Mark 4 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 6, column 1).
39. Region completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 5, column 3).
40. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 4, column 3).
41. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 9, column 3).
42. Column 2 complete: Mark 1 remaining cell as X (row 3, column 2).
43. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 3, column 1).
44. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 4, column 1).
45. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 5, column 1).
46. Row 5 complete: Mark 2 remaining cells as X (row 5, column 8).
47. Two last candidates (row 3): Eliminate 1 cell adjacent to both (row 2, column 8).
48. Column completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 1, column 8).
49. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 1, column 9).
50. Row 1 complete: Mark 1 remaining cell as X (row 1, column 6).
51. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 2, column 6).
52. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 3, column 7).
53. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 4, column 7).
54. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 3, column 9).
55. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 4, column 9).
56. Column completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 6, column 8).
57. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 6, column 9).
58. Solved! Every row, column, and region has its two stars, none touching.