Inkwell Stars solution — May 2, 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 1, column 2).
3. Clump analysis (Region 3): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 3, column 3).
4. Clump analysis (Region 4): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 3, column 7).
5. Clump analysis (Region 7): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 7, column 3).
6. Clump analysis (Region 6): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 6, column 5).
7. Clump analysis (Region 8): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 7, column 7).
8. Composite container (rows 1-6): Regions 2, 3, 4 and 5 are confined here, so the leftover cells owe exactly 4 of the band's 12 stars - a star on these cells would crowd them out (row 5, column 7).
9. Lookahead: Placing star here leads to contradiction - column 2 can only hold 2 stars but the regions there would be forced to place 3 (row 1, column 4).
10. Lookahead: Placing star here leads to contradiction - row 2 can only hold 2 stars but the regions there would be forced to place 3 (row 4, column 7).
11. Lookahead: Placing star here leads to contradiction - row 2 can only hold 2 stars but the regions there would be forced to place 3 (row 4, column 9).
12. Lookahead: Placing star here leads to contradiction - row 8 can only hold 2 stars but the regions there would be forced to place 3 (row 6, column 1).
13. Composite container (rows 1-7): Regions 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 are confined here, so the leftover cells owe exactly 4 of the band's 14 stars - a star on these cells would crowd them out (row 2, column 2).
14. Clump analysis (Region 3): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 3, column 4).
15. Squeeze (rows 3-4): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 5, column 3).
16. Joint analysis (Row 1 + Region 4): every legal combination of their stars rules these cells out (row 2, column 9).
17. Joint analysis (Region 3 + Row 2): every legal combination of their stars rules these cells out (row 2, column 1).
18. Joint analysis (Row 3 + Row 2): every legal combination of their stars rules these cells out (row 4, column 1).
19. Squeeze (rows 4-5): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 6, column 2).
20. Joint analysis (Region 6 + Row 6): every legal combination of their stars rules these cells out (row 5, column 5).
21. Squeeze (rows 5-6): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 7, column 4).
22. Clump analysis (Region 6): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 4, column 5).
23. Crowding (Column 5): a star here would leave too little room for its 2 remaining stars (row 8, column 4).
24. Clump analysis (Region 7): each clump must supply its full share of stars (row 5, column 2).
25. Mark 3 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 4, column 3).
26. Clump analysis (Column 3): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 8, column 2).
27. Clump analysis (Column 3): each clump must supply its full share of stars (row 2, column 3).
28. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 2, column 4).
29. Region completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 2, column 5).
30. Mark 3 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 1, column 6).
31. Row 2 complete: Mark 2 remaining cells as X (row 2, column 7).
32. Column completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 7, column 2).
33. Mark 3 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 7, column 1).
34. Column completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 9, column 3).
35. Column completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 4, column 4).
36. Column completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 6, column 4).
37. Mark 1 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 7, column 5).
38. Region complete: Mark 1 remaining cells as X (row 6, column 7).
39. Three candidates with two adjacent: Isolated candidate must have star (row 5, column 8).
40. Mark 4 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 4, column 8).
41. Region completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 3, column 8).
42. Mark 1 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 3, column 9).
43. Row completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 3, column 1).
44. Row completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 4, column 6).
45. Mark 1 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 5, column 6).
46. Row completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 6, column 6).
47. Mark 1 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 7, column 6).
48. Column 6 complete: Mark 1 remaining cells as X (row 9, column 6).
49. Column 8 complete: Mark 4 remaining cells as X (row 1, column 8).
50. Region completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 1, column 7).
51. Region completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 1, column 9).
52. Region completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 8, column 5).
53. Mark 1 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 9, column 5).
54. Region completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 8, column 7).
55. Mark 1 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 9, column 7).
56. Row 1 complete: Mark 1 remaining cells as X (row 1, column 1).
57. Region completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 9, column 1).
58. Row completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 7, column 9).
59. Mark 1 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 8, column 9).
60. Region complete: Mark 1 remaining cells as X (row 9, column 9).
61. Solved! Every row, column, and region has its two stars, none touching.