Hard Star Battle

Hard Star Battle answer — October 30, 2026

Stuck on the October 30, 2026 hard Star Battle (also called Two Not Touch)? Here's the complete step-by-step solution to the 10×10 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 55

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 5, column 6).
  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 9).
  4. 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 10).
  5. Three candidates with two adjacent: Isolated candidate must hold a star (row 3, column 10).
  6. Mark 3 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 3, column 9).
  7. Clump analysis (Region 2): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 4, column 5).
  8. Clump analysis (Region 4): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 6, column 7).
  9. Clump analysis (Region 2): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 4, column 7).
  10. Clump analysis (Region 9): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 5, column 9).
  11. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 1, column 9).
  12. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 1, column 8).
  13. 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 7).
  14. Clump analysis (Column 10): each clump must supply its full share of stars (row 6, column 9).
  15. Mark 6 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 5, column 8).
  16. Region completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 7, column 6).
  17. Mark 5 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 6, column 6).
  18. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 8, column 8).
  19. Mark 3 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 9, column 7).
  20. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 8, column 10).
  21. Row 8 complete: Mark 4 remaining cells as X (row 8, column 1).
  22. Column 9 complete: Mark 1 remaining cell as X (row 10, column 9).
  23. Three candidates with two adjacent: Isolated candidate must hold a star (row 5, column 7).
  24. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 4, column 6).
  25. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 5, column 5).
  26. Mark 3 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 4, column 4).
  27. Row 5 complete: Mark 3 remaining cells as X (row 5, column 1).
  28. Three candidates in a row: Middle cell can't hold a star (row 4, column 2).
  29. Row completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 4, column 1).
  30. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 3, column 1).
  31. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 4, column 3).
  32. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 3, column 3).
  33. Three candidates with two adjacent: Isolated candidate must hold a star (row 6, column 3).
  34. Mark 4 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 6, column 2).
  35. Row 6 complete: Mark 1 remaining cell as X (row 6, column 1).
  36. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 7, column 1).
  37. Column 1 complete: Mark 4 remaining cells as X (row 1, column 1).
  38. Column 3 complete: Mark 4 remaining cells as X (row 1, column 3).
  39. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 9, column 2).
  40. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 10, column 2).
  41. Clump analysis (Row 9): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 10, column 5).
  42. Clump analysis (Column 4): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 1, column 5).
  43. Column completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 3, column 5).
  44. Mark 3 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 2, column 4).
  45. Row completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 2, column 2).
  46. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 1, column 2).
  47. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 2, column 7).
  48. Mark 4 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 1, column 6).
  49. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 1, column 4).
  50. Column completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 9, column 6).
  51. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 10, column 7).
  52. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 10, column 8).
  53. Row 9 complete: Mark 1 remaining cell as X (row 9, column 4).
  54. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 10, column 4).
  55. 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.