Inkwell Games · Stars

Inkwell Stars solution — February 18, 2026

Stuck on today's Inkwell Games Stars puzzle? Here's the complete step-by-step solution to the 9×9 grid for February 18, 2026 — every star placed with pure logic, one deduction at a time, no guessing. Step through it below.

⭐ A free tool made by puzzle fans, for the Inkwell Stars community.

Done with today's Stars? We publish four free Star Battle puzzles every day, easy to expert — no app, no account.

Solve walkthrough Step 1 of 68

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 4, column 2).
  3. Clump analysis (Region 1): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 2, column 2).
  4. Clump analysis (Region 2): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 2, column 8).
  5. Clump analysis (Region 5): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 3, column 7).
  6. Clump analysis (Region 6): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 5, column 8).
  7. Clump analysis (Region 7): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 8, column 2).
  8. Lookahead: Placing star here leads to contradiction - row 1 can only hold 2 stars but the regions there would be forced to place 3 (row 1, column 1).
  9. Lookahead: Placing star here leads to contradiction - column 9 can only hold 2 stars but the regions there would be forced to place 3 (row 1, column 9).
  10. Clump analysis (Region 2): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 2, column 7).
  11. Lookahead: Placing star here leads to contradiction - row 1 can only hold 2 stars but the regions there would be forced to place 3 (row 3, column 1).
  12. Clump analysis (Region 4): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 5, column 2).
  13. Lookahead: Placing star here leads to contradiction - row 1 can only hold 2 stars but the regions there would be forced to place 3 (row 3, column 8).
  14. Clump analysis (Region 5): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 5, column 7).
  15. Lookahead: Placing star here leads to contradiction - row 1 can only hold 2 stars but the regions there would be forced to place 3 (row 6, column 3).
  16. Lookahead: Placing star here leads to contradiction - row 1 can only hold 2 stars but the regions there would be forced to place 3 (row 6, column 9).
  17. Lookahead: Placing star here leads to contradiction - row 1 can only hold 2 stars but the regions there would be forced to place 3 (row 5, column 9).
  18. Squeeze (rows 5-6): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 7, column 7).
  19. Lookahead: Placing star here leads to contradiction - row 5 must hold 2 stars but the regions there could only supply 1 (row 6, column 2).
  20. Lookahead: Placing star here leads to contradiction - row 1 can only hold 2 stars but the regions there would be forced to place 3 (row 7, column 1).
  21. Lookahead: Placing star here leads to contradiction - row 1 can only hold 2 stars but the regions there would be forced to place 3 (row 7, column 3).
  22. Blocking rule: This position would block too many candidates (row 6, column 5).
  23. Blocking rule: This position would block too many candidates (row 7, column 5).
  24. Clump analysis (Region 8): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 6, column 7).
  25. Squeeze (rows 5-6): each clump in the band must supply its full share of stars (row 6, column 8).
  26. Mark 1 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 7, column 9).
  27. Crowding (Row 7): a star here would leave too little room for its 2 remaining stars (row 8, column 3).
  28. Squeeze (rows 7-8): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 9, column 8).
  29. Clump analysis (Region 9): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 8, column 7).
  30. Generalized counting (columns 7-9): region star limits exclude these cells (row 1, column 6).
  31. Lookahead: Placing star here leads to contradiction - row 1 can only hold 2 stars but the regions there would be forced to place 3 (row 8, column 9).
  32. Region completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 4, column 9).
  33. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 3, column 9).
  34. Column completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 2, column 9).
  35. Mark 1 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 1, column 8).
  36. Region completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 1, column 7).
  37. Mark 1 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 2, column 6).
  38. Column completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 8, column 8).
  39. Mark 1 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 9, column 7).
  40. Column completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 4, column 7).
  41. Mark 3 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 3, column 6).
  42. Row 4 complete: Mark 4 remaining cells as X (row 4, column 1).
  43. Region completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 3, column 5).
  44. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 2, column 5).
  45. Three candidates with two adjacent: Isolated candidate must have star (row 5, column 1).
  46. Mark 1 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 6, column 1).
  47. Two-option rule: Cell adjacent to both candidates (row 2, column 3).
  48. Row completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 2, column 1).
  49. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 1, column 2).
  50. Region completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 3, column 3).
  51. Column 1 complete: Mark 2 remaining cells as X (row 8, column 1).
  52. Column completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 7, column 2).
  53. Column completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 9, column 2).
  54. Mark 1 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 9, column 3).
  55. Two last candidates (row 6): Eliminate 1 cell adjacent to both (row 5, column 5).
  56. Two last candidates (row 5): Eliminate 1 cell adjacent to both (row 6, column 4).
  57. Row completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 6, column 6).
  58. Mark 1 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 7, column 6).
  59. Region completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 7, column 4).
  60. Mark 1 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 8, column 4).
  61. Row completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 8, column 6).
  62. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 9, column 5).
  63. Region completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 9, column 4).
  64. Column 4 complete: Mark 2 remaining cells as X (row 1, column 4).
  65. Region completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 5, column 3).
  66. Column 3 complete: Mark 1 remaining cells as X (row 1, column 3).
  67. Region completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 1, column 5).
  68. Solved! Every row, column, and region has its two stars, none touching.

Want to solve the next one yourself?

Play free daily Star Battle (the same puzzle, also called Two Not Touch) — easy to expert, no app.

Play now Sign up free
← Previous day
All solutions
Next day →

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.