Inkwell Stars solution — November 30, 2025

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: This position would block too many candidates (row 3, column 1).
3. Blocking rule: This position would block too many candidates (row 3, column 2).
4. Clump analysis (Region 3): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 1, column 1).
5. Composite container (rows 3-10): Regions 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 are confined here, so the leftover cells owe exactly 2 of the band's 16 stars - a star on these cells would crowd them out (row 4, column 9).
6. Composite container (columns 3-10): Regions 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 8 and 10 are confined here, so the leftover cells owe exactly 2 of the band's 16 stars - a star on these cells would crowd them out (row 10, column 6).
7. Clump analysis (Region 10): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 8, column 8).
8. Composite container (rows 1-8): Regions 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 8 are confined here, so the leftover cells owe exactly 4 of the band's 16 stars - a star on these cells would crowd them out (row 5, column 10).
9. Lookahead: Placing star here leads to contradiction - row 2 can only hold 2 stars but the regions there would be forced to place 3 (row 2, column 10).
10. Joint analysis (Region 10 + Region 6): every legal combination of their stars rules these cells out (row 9, column 7).
11. Clump analysis (Region 9): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 8, column 3).
12. Clump analysis (Region 8): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 6, column 7).
13. Composite container (columns 3-10): Regions 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 8 and 10 are confined here, so the leftover cells owe exactly 2 of the band's 16 stars - a star on these cells would crowd them out (row 8, column 6).
14. Clump analysis (Region 8): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 5, column 7).
15. Clump analysis (Region 6): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 7, column 9).
16. Blocking rule: This position would block too many candidates (row 9, column 8).
17. Three candidates with two adjacent: Isolated candidate must have star (row 8, column 9).
18. Mark 3 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 7, column 8).
19. Three candidates with two adjacent: Isolated candidate must have star (row 6, column 10).
20. Clump analysis (Row 7): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 6, column 4).
21. Clump analysis (Row 9): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 10, column 3).
22. Clump analysis (Region 4): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 6, column 2).
23. Clump analysis (Region 8): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 7, column 6).
24. Crowding (Column 2): a star here would leave too little room for its 2 remaining stars (row 3, column 3).
25. Squeeze (columns 2-3): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 7, column 4).
26. Generalized counting (rows 10-10): region star limits exclude these cells (row 10, column 1).
27. Region completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 6, column 1).
28. Region completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 8, column 1).
29. Row 6 complete: Mark 3 remaining cells as X (row 6, column 3).
30. Row 8 complete: Mark 1 remaining cells as X (row 8, column 7).
31. Region completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 5, column 8).
32. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 4, column 7).
33. Region completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 7, column 7).
34. Column 1 complete: Mark 2 remaining cells as X (row 2, column 1).
35. Region completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 2, column 2).
36. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 1, column 3).
37. Region completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 4, column 2).
38. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 4, column 3).
39. Column completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 7, column 3).
40. Row 7 complete: Mark 1 remaining cells as X (row 7, column 5).
41. Column completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 9, column 3).
42. Mark 1 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 9, column 4).
43. Two-option rule: Cell adjacent to both candidates (row 3, column 5).
44. Two-option rule: Cell adjacent to both candidates (row 4, column 5).
45. Clump analysis (Column 4): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 2, column 5).
46. Squeeze (columns 4-5): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 2, column 4).
47. Region completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 3, column 4).
48. Region completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 9, column 5).
49. Clump analysis (Column 6): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 1, column 5).
50. Column completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 5, column 5).
51. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 4, column 6).
52. Row completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 4, column 10).
53. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 3, column 9).
54. Column completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 1, column 4).
55. Column completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 10, column 7).
56. Mark 1 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 10, column 8).
57. Column 10 complete: Mark 2 remaining cells as X (row 1, column 10).
58. Region completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 10, column 9).
59. Column 9 complete: Mark 2 remaining cells as X (row 1, column 9).
60. Column 3 candidates: Middle cell cannot have star (row 2, column 6).
61. Region completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 2, column 8).
62. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 1, column 8).
63. Region completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 1, column 6).
64. Region completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 3, column 6).
65. Solved! Every row, column, and region has its two stars, none touching.