Inkwell Stars solution — May 3, 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 5): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 4, column 6).
3. Lookahead: Placing star here leads to contradiction - rows 1-4 must hold 8 stars but the regions there could only supply 7 (row 3, column 9).
4. Lookahead: Placing star here leads to contradiction - row 3 can only hold 2 stars but the regions there would be forced to place 3 (row 5, column 6).
5. Joint analysis (Region 5 + Row 3): every legal combination of their stars rules these cells out (row 3, column 4).
6. Lookahead: Placing star here leads to contradiction - column 3 can only hold 2 stars but the regions there would be forced to place 3 (row 7, column 5).
7. Triple analysis (Row 1 + Row 2 + Region 2): every legal combination of their stars rules these cells out (row 3, column 1).
8. Composite container (columns 1-2): Region 7 is confined here, so the leftover cells owe exactly 2 of the band's 4 stars - a star on these cells would crowd them out (row 2, column 1).
9. Blocking rule: This position would block too many candidates (row 5, column 5).
10. Clump analysis (Region 1): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 1, column 9).
11. Clump analysis (Region 4): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 4, column 5).
12. Clump analysis (Region 5): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 2, column 5).
13. Clump analysis (Region 8): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 9, column 4).
14. Squeeze (rows 4-5): each clump in the band must supply its full share of stars (row 5, column 1).
15. Mark 1 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 6, column 1).
16. Composite container (columns 1-2): Region 7 is confined here, so the leftover cells owe exactly 2 of the band's 4 stars - impossible without stars on these cells (row 3, column 2).
17. Clump analysis (Region 5): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 3, column 10).
18. Clump analysis (Row 3): each clump must supply its full share of stars (row 4, column 7).
19. Mark 5 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 3, column 6).
20. Region completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 3, column 5).
21. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 2, column 4).
22. Three candidates with two adjacent: Isolated candidate must have star (row 6, column 6).
23. Mark 3 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 6, column 5).
24. Region completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 5, column 4).
25. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 6, column 3).
26. Row 5 complete: Mark 2 remaining cells as X (row 5, column 9).
27. Three candidates with two adjacent: Isolated candidate must have star (row 4, column 9).
28. Mark 1 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 4, column 10).
29. Two-option rule: Cell adjacent to both candidates (row 9, column 6).
30. Two-option rule: Cell adjacent to both candidates (row 9, column 7).
31. Clump analysis (Row 2): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 1, column 7).
32. Clump analysis (Row 6): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 7, column 9).
33. Clump analysis (Region 2): each clump must supply its full share of stars (row 2, column 10).
34. Mark 1 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 2, column 9).
35. Clump analysis (Row 6): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 7, column 10).
36. Clump analysis (Region 8): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 9, column 2).
37. Squeeze (rows 7-8): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 9, column 5).
38. Crowding (Row 9): a star here would leave too little room for its 2 remaining stars (row 10, column 9).
39. Squeeze (columns 9-10): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 6, column 8).
40. Generalized counting (columns 1-4): region star limits exclude these cells (row 1, column 5).
41. Composite container (rows 9-10): Region 10 is confined here, so the leftover cells owe exactly 2 of the band's 4 stars - a star on these cells would crowd them out (row 8, column 8).
42. Crowding (Column 8): a star here would leave too little room for its 2 remaining stars (row 8, column 7).
43. Region completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 8, column 6).
44. Mark 1 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 8, column 5).
45. Column completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 10, column 5).
46. Mark 1 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 10, column 6).
47. Three candidates with two adjacent: Isolated candidate must have star (row 7, column 8).
48. Mark 1 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 6, column 9).
49. Region completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 6, column 10).
50. Column completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 9, column 9).
51. Mark 3 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 9, column 8).
52. Region completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 10, column 7).
53. Row completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 9, column 3).
54. Mark 4 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 8, column 2).
55. Row completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 8, column 1).
56. Mark 1 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 7, column 1).
57. Column 1 complete: Mark 1 remaining cells as X (row 1, column 1).
58. Column completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 1, column 2).
59. Mark 1 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 1, column 3).
60. Region completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 1, column 4).
61. Column completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 7, column 3).
62. Mark 1 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 7, column 4).
63. Column 7 complete: Mark 1 remaining cells as X (row 2, column 7).
64. Region completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 2, column 8).
65. Solved! Every row, column, and region has its two stars, none touching.