Inkwell Games · Stars

Inkwell Stars solution — December 13, 2025

Stuck on today's Inkwell Games Stars puzzle? Here's the complete step-by-step solution to the 10×10 grid for December 13, 2025 — every star placed with pure logic, one deduction at a time, no guessing. Step through it below.

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Solve walkthrough Step 1 of 64

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 6): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 1, column 1).
  3. Clump analysis (Region 3): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 1, column 2).
  4. Clump analysis (Region 7): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 5, column 9).
  5. Clump analysis (Region 10): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 9, column 2).
  6. Region confined to column: Eliminate other column candidates (row 1, column 9).
  7. Clump analysis (Region 2): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 2, column 7).
  8. Region confined to column: Eliminate other column candidates (row 10, column 9).
  9. Clump analysis (Region 9): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 9, column 7).
  10. Squeeze (rows 9-10): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 10, column 4).
  11. Three candidates with two adjacent: Isolated candidate must have star (row 10, column 7).
  12. Two-option rule: Cell adjacent to both candidates (row 6, column 7).
  13. Two-option rule: Cell adjacent to both candidates (row 6, column 9).
  14. Two-option rule: Cell adjacent to both candidates (row 7, column 7).
  15. Clump analysis (Column 10): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 4, column 9).
  16. Three candidates with two adjacent: Isolated candidate must have star (row 9, column 9).
  17. Two-option rule: Cell adjacent to both candidates (row 2, column 8).
  18. Two-option rule: Cell adjacent to both candidates (row 3, column 8).
  19. Two last candidates (row 9): Eliminate 1 cell adjacent to both (row 8, column 4).
  20. Composite container (rows 6-9): Regions 8 and 9 are confined here, so the leftover cells owe exactly 4 of the band's 8 stars - a star on these cells would crowd them out (row 7, column 2).
  21. Squeeze (columns 1-2): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 3, column 1).
  22. Clump analysis (Row 1): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 2, column 5).
  23. Squeeze (rows 1-2): each clump in the band must supply its full share of stars (row 2, column 2).
  24. Squeeze (rows 2-3): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 4, column 4).
  25. Squeeze (rows 4-5): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 4, column 2).
  26. Two-option rule: Cell adjacent to both candidates (row 7, column 3).
  27. Squeeze (rows 4-5): each clump in the band must supply its full share of stars (row 4, column 1).
  28. Generalized counting (rows 1-5): region star limits exclude these cells (row 6, column 3).
  29. Clump analysis (Region 1): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 2, column 4).
  30. Composite container (rows 6-9): Regions 3, 6, 8 and 9 are confined here, so the leftover cells owe exactly 2 of the band's 8 stars - a star on these cells would crowd them out (row 8, column 2).
  31. Region completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 6, column 2).
  32. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 5, column 3).
  33. Region completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 8, column 1).
  34. Row completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 5, column 8).
  35. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 4, column 8).
  36. Region completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 7, column 8).
  37. Mark 1 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 8, column 7).
  38. Row completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 5, column 10).
  39. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 4, column 10).
  40. Region completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 7, column 10).
  41. Row completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 4, column 3).
  42. Mark 1 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 3, column 4).
  43. Row 7 complete: Mark 3 remaining cells as X (row 7, column 4).
  44. Column completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 1, column 4).
  45. Mark 1 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 1, column 5).
  46. Column completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 6, column 4).
  47. Mark 1 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 6, column 5).
  48. Row 6 complete: Mark 1 remaining cells as X (row 6, column 6).
  49. Column 8 complete: Mark 1 remaining cells as X (row 1, column 8).
  50. Two-option rule: Cell adjacent to both candidates (row 2, column 6).
  51. Row completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 2, column 9).
  52. Mark 1 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 3, column 9).
  53. Row 3 candidates: Middle cell cannot have star (row 3, column 6).
  54. Region completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 3, column 5).
  55. Region completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 3, column 7).
  56. Column completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 1, column 6).
  57. Mark 1 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 1, column 7).
  58. Column completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 8, column 6).
  59. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 8, column 5).
  60. Row 8 complete: Mark 1 remaining cells as X (row 8, column 3).
  61. Row completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 9, column 3).
  62. Mark 1 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 10, column 3).
  63. Region completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 10, column 5).
  64. Solved! Every row, column, and region has its two stars, none touching.

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This is an independent, logic-based walkthrough created by TryHard Puzzles to teach Star Battle solving technique. TryHard Puzzles is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Inkwell Games.