Inkwell Stars solution — February 19, 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 (Column 1): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 9, column 2).
3. Row completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 9, column 1).
4. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 8, column 1).
5. Row completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 9, column 9).
6. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 8, column 8).
7. Clump analysis (Row 8): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 7, column 4).
8. Clump analysis (Column 3): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 1, column 4).
9. Clump analysis (Column 8): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 8, column 6).
10. Row 3 candidates: Middle cell cannot have star (row 8, column 4).
11. Row completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 8, column 3).
12. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 7, column 2).
13. Row completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 8, column 5).
14. Mark 1 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 7, column 5).
15. Clump analysis (Column 4): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 3, column 3).
16. Crowding (Row 7): a star here would leave too little room for its 2 remaining stars (row 6, column 8).
17. Squeeze (rows 6-7): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 5, column 4).
18. Squeeze (columns 4-5): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 3, column 4).
19. Joint analysis (Column 5 + Column 6): every legal combination of their stars rules these cells out (row 5, column 6).
20. Crowding (Row 5): a star here would leave too little room for its 2 remaining stars (row 4, column 8).
21. Squeeze (columns 6-7): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 2, column 6).
22. Region completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 1, column 6).
23. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 1, column 7).
24. Region completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 3, column 6).
25. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 3, column 7).
26. Region completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 5, column 7).
27. Region completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 7, column 7).
28. Region completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 6, column 5).
29. Mark 1 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 6, column 4).
30. Region completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 2, column 4).
31. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 1, column 3).
32. Region completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 4, column 4).
33. Mark 1 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 4, column 3).
34. Region completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 6, column 3).
35. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 5, column 2).
36. Row 6 complete: Mark 2 remaining cells as X (row 6, column 1).
37. Column 3 candidates: Middle cell cannot have star (row 2, column 8).
38. Region completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 1, column 8).
39. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 1, column 9).
40. Region completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 3, column 8).
41. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 3, column 9).
42. Row 1 complete: Mark 2 remaining cells as X (row 1, column 1).
43. Row 3 complete: Mark 2 remaining cells as X (row 3, column 1).
44. Region completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 2, column 2).
45. Mark 1 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 2, column 1).
46. Region completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 4, column 2).
47. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 4, column 1).
48. Region completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 7, column 1).
49. Row completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 5, column 9).
50. Region complete: Mark 1 remaining cells as X (row 7, column 9).
51. Solved! Every row, column, and region has its two stars, none touching.