Inkwell Games · Stars

Inkwell Stars solution — April 19, 2026

Stuck on today's Inkwell Games Stars puzzle? Here's the complete step-by-step solution to the 10×10 grid for April 19, 2026 — every star placed with pure logic, one deduction at a time, no guessing. Step through it below.

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Solve walkthrough Step 1 of 61

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

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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.