Hard Star Battle

Hard Star Battle answer — November 9, 2026

Stuck on the November 9, 2026 hard 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 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. Clump analysis (Region 1): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 8, column 5).
  3. Clump analysis (Region 4): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 1, column 8).
  4. Clump analysis (Region 5): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 7, column 8).
  5. Clump analysis (Region 7): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 8, column 2).
  6. Clump analysis (Region 9): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 2, column 5).
  7. Undercounting: 5 regions fit in rows 5-9, eliminate 7 outside candidates (row 5, column 2).
  8. Row completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 5, column 1).
  9. Mark 4 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 4, column 1).
  10. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 5, column 5).
  11. Mark 6 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 4, column 4).
  12. Star claim: Region 6 must place a star in column 1; cells touching all its options are eliminated (row 2, column 2).
  13. Crowding (Row 4): a star here would leave too little room for its 2 remaining stars (row 3, column 8).
  14. Crowding (Region 6): a star here would leave too little room for its 2 remaining stars (row 3, column 2).
  15. Crowding (Column 2): a star here would leave too little room for its 2 remaining stars (row 8, column 1).
  16. Squeeze (columns 2-3): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 3, column 4).
  17. Column constraint forcing: Column 1 can only take 1 star, region needs 2 (row 4, column 3).
  18. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 3, column 3).
  19. Clump analysis (Region 6): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 7, column 1).
  20. Two-option rule: Cell adjacent to both candidates (row 6, column 3).
  21. Three candidates in a row: Middle cell can't hold a star (row 6, column 8).
  22. Row completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 6, column 7).
  23. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 7, column 6).
  24. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 8, column 8).
  25. Mark 6 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 7, column 9).
  26. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 6, column 9).
  27. Blocking rule: a star here would touch every other open cell in its region, leaving no room for the region's second star (row 9, column 5).
  28. Three candidates with two adjacent: Isolated candidate must hold a star (row 9, column 4).
  29. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 8, column 4).
  30. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 8, column 6).
  31. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 7, column 5).
  32. Region completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 7, column 4).
  33. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 7, column 3).
  34. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 7, column 2).
  35. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 9, column 2).
  36. Column 2 complete: Mark 1 remaining cell as X (row 1, column 2).
  37. Column 4 complete: Mark 2 remaining cells as X (row 1, column 4).
  38. Two last candidates (column 5): Eliminate 1 cell adjacent to both (row 2, column 6).
  39. Two last candidates (column 6): Eliminate 1 cell adjacent to both (row 2, column 7).
  40. Two last candidates (column 8): Eliminate 2 cells adjacent to both (row 3, column 7).
  41. Clump analysis (Row 3): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 1, column 1).
  42. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 3, column 1).
  43. Clump analysis (Row 2): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 1, column 9).
  44. Column completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 2, column 3).
  45. Three candidates in a row: Middle cell can't hold a star (row 1, column 6).
  46. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 1, column 5).
  47. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 1, column 7).
  48. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 2, column 8).
  49. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 2, column 9).
  50. Column 5 complete: Mark 1 remaining cell as X (row 3, column 5).
  51. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 3, column 6).
  52. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 4, column 7).
  53. Column completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 4, column 8).
  54. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 4, column 9).
  55. Solved! Every row, column, and region has its two stars, none touching.

Rather solve it yourself?

This puzzle is free to play, along with a new hard Star Battle every day.

All solutions

This step-by-step walkthrough is generated by the TryHard Puzzles solver to teach Star Battle (Two Not Touch) solving technique.