Inkwell Stars solution — February 13, 2026

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 2, column 2).
3. Clump analysis (Region 2): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 2, column 6).
4. Clump analysis (Region 3): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 2, column 8).
5. Clump analysis (Region 4): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 4, column 7).
6. Clump analysis (Region 9): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 8, column 2).
7. Squeeze (rows 4-5): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 3, column 6).
8. Composite container (rows 6-8): Region 8 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 8).
9. Composite container (rows 4-7): Regions 5 and 6 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 6, column 3).
10. Crowding (Row 6): a star here would leave too little room for its 2 remaining stars (row 5, column 8).
11. Clump analysis (Region 4): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 7, column 7).
12. Squeeze (rows 5-6): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 4, column 4).
13. Squeeze (rows 6-7): each clump in the band must supply its full share of stars (row 7, column 4).
14. Generalized counting (rows 6-9): region star limits exclude these cells (row 5, column 9).
15. Squeeze (rows 4-5): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 3, column 8).
16. Composite container (rows 7-8): Region 8 is confined here, so the leftover cells owe exactly 2 of the band's 4 stars - a star on these cells would crowd them out (row 8, column 8).
17. Composite container (columns 1-6): Regions 1, 2, 5, 6 and 9 are confined here, so the leftover cells owe exactly 1 of the band's 12 stars - a star on these cells would crowd them out (row 8, column 7).
18. Generalized counting (columns 7-9): region star limits exclude these cells (row 9, column 6).
19. Joint analysis (Region 2 + Row 3): every legal combination of their stars rules these cells out (row 4, column 6).
20. Joint analysis (Row 5 + Row 4): every legal combination of their stars rules these cells out (row 5, column 2).
21. Triple analysis (Region 6 + Region 1 + Column 1): every legal combination of their stars rules these cells out (row 2, column 3).
22. Blocking rule: a star here would touch every other open cell in its region, leaving no room for the region's second star (row 2, column 5).
23. Joint analysis (Row 2 + Row 3): every legal combination of their stars rules these cells out (row 1, column 8).
24. Squeeze (columns 7-8): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 1, column 6).
25. Three candidates with two adjacent: Isolated candidate must hold a star (row 3, column 5).
26. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 2, column 4).
27. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 1, column 5).
28. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 1, column 4).
29. Column 5 complete: Mark 2 remaining cells as X (row 5, column 5).
30. Clump analysis (Column 6): each clump must supply its full share of stars (row 5, column 6).
31. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 6, column 7).
32. Three candidates with two adjacent: Isolated candidate must hold a star (row 6, column 8).
33. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 6, column 9).
34. 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 8).
35. Column completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 4, column 8).
36. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 3, column 7).
37. Three candidates with two adjacent: Isolated candidate must hold a star (row 9, column 7).
38. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 8, column 6).
39. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 7, column 6).
40. Row 7 complete: Mark 2 remaining cells as X (row 7, column 1).
41. Row completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 8, column 1).
42. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 9, column 1).
43. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 8, column 9).
44. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 9, column 9).
45. Blocking rule: a star here would touch every other open cell in its region, leaving no room for the region's second star (row 5, column 1).
46. Two last candidates (row 5): Eliminate 1 cell adjacent to both (row 4, column 3).
47. Two last candidates (row 4): Eliminate 2 cells adjacent to both (row 3, column 1).
48. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 3, column 3).
49. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 4, column 2).
50. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 4, column 1).
51. Column 1 complete: Mark 3 remaining cells as X (row 1, column 1).
52. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 6, column 2).
53. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 5, column 3).
54. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 5, column 4).
55. Row completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 2, column 7).
56. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 1, column 7).
57. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 2, column 9).
58. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 1, column 9).
59. Column completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 1, column 2).
60. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 1, column 3).
61. Column completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 9, column 3).
62. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 9, column 4).
63. Solved! Every row, column, and region has its two stars, none touching.