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