Inkwell Stars solution — May 7, 2026
Stuck on today's Inkwell Games Stars puzzle? Here's the complete step-by-step solution to the 9×9 grid for May 7, 2026 — every star placed with pure logic, one deduction at a time, no guessing. Tap Next to step through it.
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Full written solution
Every deduction from the walkthrough above, in order. Each technique is explained in the Star Battle strategy guide.
- 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.
- Clump analysis (Row 9): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 8, column 1).
- Row completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 8, column 3).
- Mark 6 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 7, column 2).
- Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 8, column 8).
- Mark 6 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 7, column 7).
- Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 7, column 6).
- Mark 4 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 6, column 5).
- Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 7, column 1).
- Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 6, column 1).
- Three candidates with two adjacent: Isolated candidate must hold a star (row 9, column 1).
- Column 1 complete: Mark 5 remaining cells as X (row 1, column 1).
- Clump analysis (Row 6): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 5, column 3).
- Clump analysis (Column 2): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 2, column 3).
- Clump analysis (Column 7): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 2, column 6).
- Squeeze (rows 4-5): each clump in the band must supply its full share of stars (row 4, column 9).
- Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 3, column 8).
- Squeeze (rows 2-3): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 1, column 9).
- Column completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 2, column 9).
- Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 1, column 8).
- Column completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 6, column 8).
- Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 5, column 7).
- Three candidates with two adjacent: Isolated candidate must hold a star (row 5, column 2).
- Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 4, column 2).
- Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 6, column 4).
- Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 5, column 5).
- Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 5, column 6).
- Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 4, column 5).
- Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 4, column 4).
- Mark 3 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 3, column 3).
- Column completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 1, column 3).
- Mark 4 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 1, column 2).
- Column completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 3, column 2).
- Column 6 complete: Mark 3 remaining cells as X (row 1, column 6).
- Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 3, column 7).
- Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 2, column 7).
- Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 2, column 5).
- Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 1, column 5).
- Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 1, column 7).
- Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 9, column 5).
- 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.