Inkwell Stars solution — May 22, 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 4).
3. Clump analysis (Region 6): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 6, column 2).
4. Clump analysis (Region 7): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 6, column 8).
5. Clump analysis (Region 8): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 7, column 4).
6. Crowding (Column 4): a star here would leave too little room for its 2 remaining stars (row 2, column 3).
7. Clump analysis (Region 2): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 1, column 7).
8. Generalized counting (columns 1-2): region star limits exclude these cells (row 1, column 3).
9. Clump analysis (Column 3): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 6, column 4).
10. Clump analysis (Region 8): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 7, column 2).
11. Clump analysis (Column 2): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 2, column 1).
12. Clump analysis (Region 5): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 3, column 6).
13. Crowding (Column 4): a star here would leave too little room for its 2 remaining stars (row 4, column 5).
14. Clump analysis (Region 5): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 6, column 5).
15. Squeeze (rows 2-3): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 1, column 6).
16. Squeeze (rows 3-4): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 2, column 4).
17. Composite container (rows 1-4): Regions 1, 2 and 3 are confined here, so the leftover cells owe exactly 2 of the band's 8 stars - a star on these cells would crowd them out (row 3, column 8).
18. Composite container (columns 8-9): Region 4 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 4, column 7).
19. Row completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 4, column 2).
20. Mark 4 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 3, column 1).
21. Row completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 4, column 6).
22. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 3, column 5).
23. Region completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 5, column 4).
24. Mark 1 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 6, column 3).
25. Row completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 3, column 4).
26. Row completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 3, column 9).
27. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 2, column 8).
28. Row completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 5, column 8).
29. Row completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 6, column 1).
30. Mark 1 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 7, column 1).
31. Row completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 6, column 6).
32. Mark 3 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 7, column 5).
33. Column 4 complete: Mark 1 remaining cells as X (row 1, column 4).
34. Column 6 complete: Mark 2 remaining cells as X (row 2, column 6).
35. Region completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 1, column 5).
36. Region completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 2, column 7).
37. Mark 1 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 1, column 8).
38. Region completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 1, column 9).
39. Row 1 complete: Mark 2 remaining cells as X (row 1, column 1).
40. Region completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 2, column 2).
41. Column 9 complete: Mark 3 remaining cells as X (row 7, column 9).
42. Row completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 7, column 3).
43. Mark 1 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 8, column 3).
44. Region completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 9, column 3).
45. Row completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 7, column 8).
46. Mark 1 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 8, column 7).
47. Region complete: Mark 1 remaining cells as X (row 9, column 8).
48. Region completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 9, column 7).
49. Row completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 8, column 1).
50. Mark 1 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 9, column 1).
51. Row completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 8, column 5).
52. Mark 1 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 9, column 5).
53. Solved! Every row, column, and region has its two stars, none touching.