Expert Star Battle answer — November 2, 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. Clump analysis (Region 4): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 8, column 2).
3. Clump analysis (Region 8): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 2, column 7).
4. Clump analysis (Region 9): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 6, column 4).
5. Triple analysis (Region 8 + Column 4 + Region 7): every legal combination of their stars rules these cells out (row 2, column 5).
6. Deep lookahead: Placing star here leads to contradiction - stars at R1C5 and R2C6 would touch (row 3, column 4).
7. Clump analysis (Region 8): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 4, column 6).
8. Joint analysis (Region 9 + Region 7): every legal combination of their stars rules these cells out (row 6, column 6).
9. Composite container (rows 1-6): Regions 1, 2, 5, 7 and 8 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 5, column 2).
10. Quad analysis (Column 2 + Region 2 + Row 2 + Row 3): every legal combination of their stars rules these cells out (row 1, column 3).
11. Deep lookahead: Placing star here leads to contradiction - Column 5 would only have room for 1 of the 2 stars it still needs (row 1, column 1).
12. Deep lookahead: Placing star here leads to contradiction - stars at R6C3 and R7C4 would touch (row 1, column 5).
13. Deep lookahead: Placing star here leads to contradiction - Column 5 would only have room for 1 of the 2 stars it still needs (row 2, column 1).
14. 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 3).
15. Deep lookahead: Placing star here leads to contradiction - Row 4 would only have room for 0 of the 1 star it still needs (row 3, column 2).
16. Deep lookahead: Placing star here leads to contradiction - Row 4 would only have room for 0 of the 1 star it still needs (row 3, column 3).
17. Squeeze (columns 2-3): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 9, column 4).
18. Composite container (columns 3-9): Regions 3, 5, 6, 7, 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 5, column 3).
19. 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 4).
20. Clump analysis (Column 4): each clump must supply its full share of stars (row 4, column 4).
21. Mark 4 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 3, column 5).
22. 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 6).
23. Three candidates with two adjacent: Isolated candidate must hold a star (row 1, column 6).
24. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 1, column 7).
25. Two-option rule: Cell adjacent to both candidates (row 4, column 7).
26. Clump analysis (Column 3): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 6, column 2).
27. Clump analysis (Column 2): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 3, column 1).
28. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 4, column 2).
29. Clump analysis (Row 3): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 2, column 8).
30. Row completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 2, column 2).
31. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 1, column 2).
32. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 2, column 4).
33. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 1, column 4).
34. Clump analysis (Row 5): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 6, column 7).
35. Clump analysis (Column 5): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 7, column 6).
36. Squeeze (rows 1-3): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 5, column 9).
37. Three candidates in a row: Middle cell can't hold a star (row 5, column 7).
38. Row completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 5, column 6).
39. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 6, column 5).
40. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 5, column 8).
41. Row completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 6, column 1).
42. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 7, column 1).
43. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 6, column 3).
44. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 7, column 3).
45. Column 6 complete: Mark 1 remaining cell as X (row 3, column 6).
46. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 3, column 7).
47. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 3, column 8).
48. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 3, column 9).
49. Three candidates in a column: Middle cell can't hold a star (row 8, column 5).
50. Column completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 7, column 5).
51. Region complete: Mark 1 remaining cell as X (row 8, column 3).
52. Column completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 9, column 3).
53. Column completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 9, column 5).
54. Region complete: Mark 4 remaining cells as X (row 8, column 7).
55. Row 9 complete: Mark 1 remaining cell as X (row 9, column 1).
56. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 8, column 1).
57. Column completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 7, column 7).
58. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 7, column 8).
59. Row 7 complete: Mark 1 remaining cell as X (row 7, column 9).
60. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 8, column 9).
61. Column completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 1, column 8).
62. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 1, column 9).
63. Solved! Every row, column, and region has its two stars, none touching.