Inkwell Stars solution — March 26, 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 3): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 5, column 3).
3. Clump analysis (Region 4): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 2, column 7).
4. Clump analysis (Region 5): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 5, column 5).
5. Clump analysis (Region 6): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 6, column 5).
6. Clump analysis (Region 9): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 8, column 5).
7. Clump analysis (Region 10): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 9, column 6).
8. Blocking rule: a star here would touch every other open cell in its region, leaving no room for the region's second star (row 7, column 6).
9. Blocking rule: a star here would touch every other open cell in its region, leaving no room for the region's second star (row 7, column 7).
10. Three candidates with two adjacent: Isolated candidate must hold a star (row 8, column 6).
11. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 7, column 5).
12. Two-option rule: Cell adjacent to both candidates (row 5, column 6).
13. Two-option rule: Cell adjacent to both candidates (row 5, column 7).
14. Clump analysis (Region 5): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 3, column 5).
15. Clump analysis (Region 6): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 6, column 3).
16. Clump analysis (Region 4): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 4, column 7).
17. Three candidates with two adjacent: Isolated candidate must hold a star (row 5, column 8).
18. Mark 5 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 4, column 9).
19. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 6, column 6).
20. Column 6 complete: Mark 5 remaining cells as X (row 1, column 6).
21. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 4, column 5).
22. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 5, column 4).
23. Three candidates with two adjacent: Isolated candidate must hold a star (row 2, column 5).
24. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 1, column 5).
25. Column 5 complete: Mark 1 remaining cell as X (row 10, column 5).
26. 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).
27. Blocking rule: a star here would touch every other open cell in its region, leaving no room for the region's second star (row 10, column 8).
28. Three candidates with two adjacent: Isolated candidate must hold a star (row 10, column 7).
29. Two-option rule: Cell adjacent to both candidates (row 9, column 10).
30. Two-option rule: Cell adjacent to both candidates (row 10, column 10).
31. Blocking rule: a star here would touch every other open cell in its region, leaving no room for the region's second star (row 7, column 9).
32. Blocking rule: a star here would touch every other open cell in its region, leaving no room for the region's second star (row 8, column 9).
33. Three candidates with two adjacent: Isolated candidate must hold a star (row 8, column 10).
34. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 7, column 10).
35. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 10, column 9).
36. Row 8 complete: Mark 4 remaining cells as X (row 8, column 1).
37. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 7, column 8).
38. Row 10 complete: Mark 3 remaining cells as X (row 10, column 1).
39. Column 8 complete: Mark 2 remaining cells as X (row 1, column 8).
40. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 3, column 7).
41. Column 7 complete: Mark 1 remaining cell as X (row 1, column 7).
42. Three candidates with two adjacent: Isolated candidate must hold a star (row 9, column 4).
43. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 9, column 3).
44. Three candidates with two adjacent: Isolated candidate must hold a star (row 9, column 2).
45. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 9, column 1).
46. Two-option rule: Cell adjacent to both candidates (row 7, column 3).
47. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 7, column 2).
48. Mark 3 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 6, column 1).
49. Row 7 complete: Mark 1 remaining cell as X (row 7, column 4).
50. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 6, column 4).
51. Row 6 complete: Mark 1 remaining cell as X (row 6, column 10).
52. Column 2 complete: Mark 5 remaining cells as X (row 1, column 2).
53. Three candidates with two adjacent: Isolated candidate must hold a star (row 4, column 3).
54. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 3, column 3).
55. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 2, column 3).
56. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 1, column 3).
57. Row 2 complete: Mark 3 remaining cells as X (row 2, column 1).
58. Row 4 complete: Mark 2 remaining cells as X (row 4, column 1).
59. Clump analysis (Row 1): each clump must supply its full share of stars (row 1, column 1).
60. Column constraint forcing: Column 10 can only take 1 star, region needs 2 (row 3, column 9).
61. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 3, column 10).
62. Row 3 complete: Mark 1 remaining cell as X (row 3, column 1).
63. Column completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 5, column 1).
64. Region complete: Mark 1 remaining cell as X (row 1, column 9).
65. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 1, column 10).
66. Region complete: Mark 1 remaining cell as X (row 5, column 10).
67. Solved! Every row, column, and region has its two stars, none touching.