Inkwell Stars solution — April 11, 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 6): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 6, column 9).
3. Clump analysis (Region 9): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 9, column 2).
4. Clump analysis (Region 10): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 9, column 5).
5. Generalized counting (rows 10-10): region star limits exclude these cells (row 10, column 8).
6. Lookahead: Placing star here leads to contradiction - column 10 can only hold 2 stars but the regions there would be forced to place 3 (row 4, column 10).
7. Lookahead: Placing star here leads to contradiction - row 10 can only hold 2 stars but the regions there would be forced to place 3 (row 8, column 2).
8. Blocking rule: This position would block too many candidates (row 8, column 4).
9. Lookahead: Placing star here leads to contradiction - row 10 can only hold 2 stars but the regions there would be forced to place 3 (row 8, column 5).
10. Blocking rule: This position would block too many candidates (row 8, column 3).
11. Clump analysis (Region 8): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 6, column 3).
12. Blocking rule: This position would block too many candidates (row 9, column 1).
13. Three candidates with two adjacent: Isolated candidate must have star (row 8, column 1).
14. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 7, column 1).
15. Blocking rule: This position would block too many candidates (row 9, column 6).
16. Lookahead: Placing star here leads to contradiction - row 10 can only hold 2 stars but the regions there would be forced to place 3 (row 8, column 7).
17. Lookahead: Placing star here leads to contradiction - row 10 can only hold 2 stars but the regions there would be forced to place 3 (row 8, column 8).
18. Joint analysis (Region 8 + Region 7): every legal combination of their stars rules these cells out (row 6, column 7).
19. Clump analysis (Region 6): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 9, column 9).
20. Clump analysis (Column 9): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 2, column 8).
21. Squeeze (columns 9-10): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 1, column 8).
22. Generalized counting (rows 8-10): region star limits exclude these cells (row 9, column 8).
23. Clump analysis (Row 9): each clump must supply its full share of stars (row 9, column 10).
24. Mark 1 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 8, column 10).
25. Row completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 8, column 6).
26. Mark 3 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 7, column 5).
27. Clump analysis (Row 7): each clump must supply its full share of stars (row 7, column 8).
28. Mark 1 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 6, column 8).
29. Three candidates with two adjacent: Isolated candidate must have star (row 5, column 8).
30. Mark 4 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 4, column 7).
31. Column 8 complete: Mark 1 remaining cells as X (row 3, column 8).
32. Region completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 3, column 7).
33. Mark 4 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 2, column 6).
34. Column 3 candidates: Middle cell cannot have star (row 2, column 9).
35. Column completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 1, column 9).
36. Mark 1 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 1, column 10).
37. Column completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 3, column 9).
38. Mark 1 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 3, column 10).
39. Row 3 complete: Mark 5 remaining cells as X (row 3, column 1).
40. Clump analysis (Row 2): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 1, column 2).
41. Clump analysis (Row 4): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 5, column 2).
42. Clump analysis (Region 3): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 5, column 5).
43. Region completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 6, column 2).
44. Mark 4 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 5, column 1).
45. Row completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 7, column 4).
46. Squeeze (rows 5-6): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 1, column 6).
47. Row completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 1, column 7).
48. Column 7 complete: Mark 1 remaining cells as X (row 10, column 7).
49. Region completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 10, column 5).
50. Mark 1 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 9, column 4).
51. Region completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 9, column 3).
52. Mark 1 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 10, column 2).
53. Region completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 10, column 1).
54. Column 1 complete: Mark 2 remaining cells as X (row 2, column 1).
55. Region completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 2, column 2).
56. Mark 1 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 2, column 3).
57. Region completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 4, column 5).
58. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 4, column 4).
59. Region completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 6, column 6).
60. Row completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 5, column 10).
61. Mark 1 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 6, column 10).
62. Column 2 complete: Mark 1 remaining cells as X (row 4, column 2).
63. Row completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 4, column 3).
64. Column completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 2, column 4).
65. Mark 1 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 2, column 5).
66. Solved! Every row, column, and region has its two stars, none touching.