Inkwell Stars solution — March 29, 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. Blocking rule: This position would block too many candidates (row 5, column 7).
3. Blocking rule: This position would block too many candidates (row 5, column 10).
4. Blocking rule: This position would block too many candidates (row 7, column 3).
5. Blocking rule: This position would block too many candidates (row 7, column 6).
6. Clump analysis (Region 1): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 11, column 1).
7. Clump analysis (Region 11): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 10, column 3).
8. Lookahead: Placing star here leads to contradiction - row 1 must hold 2 stars but the regions there could only supply 1 (row 2, column 2).
9. Lookahead: Placing star here leads to contradiction - rows 1-3 must hold 6 stars but the regions there could only supply 5 (row 4, column 2).
10. Lookahead: Placing star here leads to contradiction - rows 8-11 must hold 8 stars but the regions there could only supply 7 (row 9, column 2).
11. Joint analysis (Region 7 + Region 4): every legal combination of their stars rules these cells out (row 6, column 5).
12. Triple analysis (Region 8 + Region 7 + Region 4): every legal combination of their stars rules these cells out (row 5, column 6).
13. Clump analysis (Region 5): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 3, column 6).
14. Triple analysis (Region 8 + Region 5 + Column 6): every legal combination of their stars rules these cells out (row 7, column 8).
15. Triple analysis (Region 7 + Region 11 + Row 8): every legal combination of their stars rules these cells out (row 8, column 1).
16. Triple analysis (Region 8 + Region 11 + Row 8): every legal combination of their stars rules these cells out (row 8, column 3).
17. Clump analysis (Region 7): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 7, column 1).
18. Triple analysis (Region 7 + Region 11 + Column 2): every legal combination of their stars rules these cells out (row 6, column 2).
19. Triple analysis (Region 8 + Region 4 + Column 5): every legal combination of their stars rules these cells out (row 4, column 3).
20. Deep lookahead: Placing star here leads to contradiction - stars at R7C4 and R7C5 would touch (row 2, column 4).
21. Deep lookahead: Placing star here leads to contradiction - column 5 can only hold 2 stars but the regions there would be forced to place 3 (row 2, column 5).
22. Deep lookahead: Placing star here leads to contradiction - stars at R8C6 and R8C7 would touch (row 3, column 10).
23. Deep lookahead: Placing star here leads to contradiction - stars at R8C6 and R8C7 would touch (row 3, column 11).
24. Deep lookahead: Placing star here leads to contradiction - stars at R8C6 and R8C7 would touch (row 4, column 1).
25. Deep lookahead: Placing star here leads to contradiction - rows 4-5 can only hold 4 stars but the regions there would be forced to place 5 (row 4, column 4).
26. Deep lookahead: Placing star here leads to contradiction - rows 4-5 can only hold 4 stars but the regions there would be forced to place 5 (row 4, column 5).
27. Deep lookahead: Placing star here leads to contradiction - stars at R7C4 and R7C5 would touch (row 4, column 8).
28. Deep lookahead: Placing star here leads to contradiction - stars at R7C4 and R7C5 would touch (row 4, column 9).
29. Clump analysis (Row 4): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 5, column 11).
30. Deep lookahead: Placing star here leads to contradiction - stars at R8C6 and R8C7 would touch (row 5, column 1).
31. Quad analysis (Region 8 + Region 5 + Row 5 + Column 7): every legal combination of their stars rules these cells out (row 6, column 3).
32. Clump analysis (Region 7): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 7, column 5).
33. Blocking rule: This position would block too many candidates (row 7, column 7).
34. Three candidates with two adjacent: Isolated candidate must have star (row 6, column 6).
35. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 5, column 5).
36. Two-option rule: Cell adjacent to both candidates (row 9, column 6).
37. Two-option rule: Cell adjacent to both candidates (row 9, column 7).
38. Clump analysis (Region 5): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 5, column 9).
39. Three candidates with two adjacent: Isolated candidate must have star (row 6, column 10).
40. Mark 4 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 6, column 11).
41. Row 6 complete: Mark 3 remaining cells as X (row 6, column 1).
42. Row completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 7, column 2).
43. Mark 1 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 8, column 2).
44. Region completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 7, column 4).
45. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 8, column 4).
46. Three candidates with two adjacent: Isolated candidate must have star (row 5, column 8).
47. Mark 1 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 4, column 7).
48. Region completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 4, column 6).
49. Mark 1 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 3, column 5).
50. Column 6 complete: Mark 5 remaining cells as X (row 1, column 6).
51. Region completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 8, column 7).
52. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 8, column 8).
53. Clump analysis (Row 5): each clump must supply its full share of stars (row 3, column 4).
54. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 2, column 3).
55. Column 4 complete: Mark 5 remaining cells as X (row 1, column 4).
56. Three candidates with two adjacent: Isolated candidate must have star (row 11, column 2).
57. Mark 3 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 10, column 1).
58. Region completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 9, column 3).
59. Column 2 complete: Mark 3 remaining cells as X (row 1, column 2).
60. Region completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 5, column 3).
61. Column 3 complete: Mark 1 remaining cells as X (row 1, column 3).
62. Blocking rule: This position would block too many candidates (row 2, column 8).
63. Three candidates with two adjacent: Isolated candidate must have star (row 2, column 9).
64. Mark 6 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 1, column 8).
65. Region completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 2, column 7).
66. Mark 1 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 1, column 7).
67. Row 2 complete: Mark 2 remaining cells as X (row 2, column 1).
68. Region completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 1, column 5).
69. Region completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 1, column 11).
70. Row 1 complete: Mark 1 remaining cells as X (row 1, column 1).
71. Region completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 3, column 1).
72. Region completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 9, column 1).
73. Row 9 complete: Mark 4 remaining cells as X (row 9, column 5).
74. Region completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 10, column 5).
75. Mark 1 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 11, column 5).
76. Region completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 10, column 10).
77. Mark 5 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 10, column 9).
78. Row 10 complete: Mark 2 remaining cells as X (row 10, column 7).
79. Column 7 complete: Mark 1 remaining cells as X (row 11, column 7).
80. Row completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 11, column 8).
81. Column completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 8, column 9).
82. Mark 1 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 8, column 10).
83. Region complete: Mark 1 remaining cells as X (row 8, column 11).
84. Column 10 complete: Mark 1 remaining cells as X (row 4, column 10).
85. Region completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 4, column 11).
86. Solved! Every row, column, and region has its two stars, none touching.