Inkwell Stars solution — June 6, 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. Blocking rule: a star here would touch every other open cell in its region, leaving no room for the region's second star (row 2, column 9).
3. Clump analysis (Region 1): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 3, column 3).
4. Generalized counting (rows 1-2): region star limits exclude these cells (row 2, column 6).
5. Generalized counting (rows 1-4): region star limits exclude these cells (row 3, column 1).
6. Composite container (rows 5-10): Regions 5, 7, 8, 9 and 10 are confined here, so the leftover cells owe exactly 2 of the band's 12 stars - a star on these cells would crowd them out (row 5, column 9).
7. Blocking rule: a star here would touch every other open cell in its region, leaving no room for the region's second star (row 8, column 9).
8. Clump analysis (Region 8): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 10, column 9).
9. Composite container (rows 3-10): Regions 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 are confined here, so the leftover cells owe exactly 2 of the band's 16 stars - a star on these cells would crowd them out (row 2, column 8).
10. Composite container (columns 1-8): Regions 1, 2, 5, 6, 7 and 9 are confined here, so the leftover cells owe exactly 4 of the band's 16 stars - a star on these cells would crowd them out (row 9, column 3).
11. Crowding (Column 9): a star here would leave too little room for its 2 remaining stars (row 2, column 10).
12. Clump analysis (Row 2): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 1, column 2).
13. Squeeze (rows 3-4): each clump in the band must supply its full share of stars (row 4, column 2).
14. Mark 3 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 5, column 1).
15. Clump analysis (Row 2): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 1, column 1).
16. Clump analysis (Region 5): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 7, column 2).
17. Blocking rule: a star here would touch every other open cell in its region, leaving no room for the region's second star (row 7, column 3).
18. Star claim: Region 9 must place a star in column 2; cells touching all its options are eliminated (row 7, column 1).
19. Crowding (Column 3): a star here would leave too little room for its 2 remaining stars (row 7, column 4).
20. Squeeze (columns 3-4): each clump in the band must supply its full share of stars (row 10, column 4).
21. Generalized counting (columns 2-2): region star limits exclude these cells (row 2, column 2).
22. Region confined to column: Eliminate other column candidates (row 2, column 1).
23. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 2, column 3).
24. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 1, column 3).
25. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 2, column 5).
26. Mark 4 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 1, column 5).
27. Three candidates with two adjacent: Isolated candidate must hold a star (row 4, column 6).
28. Mark 5 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 3, column 7).
29. Row 4 complete: Mark 1 remaining cell as X (row 4, column 10).
30. Three candidates in a row: Middle cell can't hold a star (row 3, column 9).
31. Row completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 3, column 8).
32. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 3, column 10).
33. Column completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 1, column 9).
34. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 1, column 8).
35. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 1, column 7).
36. Column completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 7, column 9).
37. Mark 6 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 6, column 8).
38. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 5, column 10).
39. Column 10 complete: Mark 2 remaining cells as X (row 9, column 10).
40. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 9, column 8).
41. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 8, column 7).
42. Column 8 complete: Mark 1 remaining cell as X (row 5, column 8).
43. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 5, column 4).
44. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 6, column 3).
45. Column completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 8, column 3).
46. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 8, column 2).
47. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 6, column 2).
48. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 6, column 1).
49. Three candidates in a column: Middle cell can't hold a star (row 9, column 1).
50. Region completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 8, column 1).
51. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 10, column 1).
52. Row 8 complete: Mark 2 remaining cells as X (row 8, column 5).
53. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 9, column 6).
54. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 10, column 6).
55. Column completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 7, column 5).
56. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 6, column 6).
57. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 6, column 7).
58. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 7, column 7).
59. Solved! Every row, column, and region has its two stars, none touching.