Inkwell Games · Stars

Inkwell Stars solution — February 7, 2026

Stuck on today's Inkwell Games Stars puzzle? Here's the complete step-by-step solution to the 10×10 grid for February 7, 2026 — 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 62

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 7): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 6, column 4).
  3. Clump analysis (Region 8): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 7, column 2).
  4. Joint analysis (Region 6 + Row 5): every legal combination of their stars rules these cells out (row 5, column 5).
  5. Joint analysis (Region 8 + Column 3): every legal combination of their stars rules these cells out (row 5, column 3).
  6. Joint analysis (Region 2 + Column 4): every legal combination of their stars rules these cells out (row 5, column 4).
  7. Blocking rule: This position would block too many candidates (row 7, column 5).
  8. Clump analysis (Region 7): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 6, column 6).
  9. Clump analysis (Region 6): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 4, column 7).
  10. Clump analysis (Region 3): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 2, column 6).
  11. Clump analysis (Region 8): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 8, column 2).
  12. Lookahead: Placing star here leads to contradiction - column 3 can only hold 2 stars but the regions there would be forced to place 3 (row 1, column 3).
  13. Joint analysis (Region 7 + Region 9): every legal combination of their stars rules these cells out (row 7, column 7).
  14. Region dichotomy: Region 7 has only two ways to place its stars, and both rule these cells out (row 6, column 3).
  15. Star claim: Region 9 must place a star in column 7; cells touching all its options are eliminated (row 7, column 6).
  16. Three candidates with two adjacent: Isolated candidate must have star (row 8, column 5).
  17. Mark 3 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 7, column 4).
  18. Region completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 6, column 5).
  19. Mark 1 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 5, column 6).
  20. Region completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 6, column 7).
  21. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 5, column 7).
  22. Region completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 8, column 7).
  23. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 9, column 7).
  24. Row 6 complete: Mark 4 remaining cells as X (row 6, column 1).
  25. Row 8 complete: Mark 4 remaining cells as X (row 8, column 1).
  26. Region completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 7, column 3).
  27. Region completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 9, column 3).
  28. Mark 3 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 10, column 2).
  29. Column 3 complete: Mark 3 remaining cells as X (row 2, column 3).
  30. Column 5 complete: Mark 5 remaining cells as X (row 1, column 5).
  31. Column 7 complete: Mark 4 remaining cells as X (row 1, column 7).
  32. Three candidates with two adjacent: Isolated candidate must have star (row 4, column 6).
  33. Mark 1 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 3, column 6).
  34. Clump analysis (Row 5): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 4, column 1).
  35. Clump analysis (Region 3): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 2, column 8).
  36. Column completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 1, column 6).
  37. Crowding (Row 10): a star here would leave too little room for its 2 remaining stars (row 9, column 9).
  38. Crowding (Column 2): a star here would leave too little room for its 2 remaining stars (row 2, column 1).
  39. Region confined to column: Eliminate other column candidates (row 1, column 1).
  40. Region confined to column: Eliminate other column candidates (row 3, column 1).
  41. Squeeze (rows 2-3): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 2, column 9).
  42. Region completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 5, column 9).
  43. Row completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 4, column 4).
  44. Mark 1 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 3, column 4).
  45. Row completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 9, column 1).
  46. Mark 1 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 10, column 1).
  47. Row 3 candidates: Middle cell cannot have star (row 10, column 9).
  48. Row completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 10, column 8).
  49. Row completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 10, column 10).
  50. Region complete: Mark 1 remaining cells as X (row 7, column 9).
  51. Row completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 7, column 1).
  52. Region complete: Mark 1 remaining cells as X (row 5, column 1).
  53. Row completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 5, column 2).
  54. Column completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 1, column 9).
  55. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 1, column 8).
  56. Region completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 3, column 8).
  57. Region completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 3, column 10).
  58. Row 1 complete: Mark 2 remaining cells as X (row 1, column 2).
  59. Region completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 2, column 4).
  60. Row completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 2, column 2).
  61. Mark 1 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 3, column 2).
  62. 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.