Inkwell Stars solution — June 7, 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 9, column 9).
3. Blocking rule: a star here would touch every other open cell in its region, leaving no room for the region's second star (row 9, column 10).
4. Three candidates with two adjacent: Isolated candidate must hold a star (row 8, column 10).
5. Mark 3 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 7, column 9).
6. Clump analysis (Region 4): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 4, column 2).
7. Generalized counting (rows 3-7): region star limits exclude these cells (row 3, column 9).
8. Generalized counting (rows 3-9): region star limits exclude these cells (row 8, column 2).
9. Clump analysis (Row 9): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 8, column 5).
10. Clump analysis (Row 9): each clump must supply its full share of stars (row 9, column 1).
11. Mark 3 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 8, column 1).
12. Composite container (rows 1-2): Region 1 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 1, column 7).
13. Clump analysis (Region 3): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 2, column 6).
14. Clump analysis (Region 7): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 5, column 6).
15. Clump analysis (Region 6): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 4, column 4).
16. Clump analysis (Region 9): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 7, column 4).
17. Clump analysis (Region 8): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 6, column 2).
18. Generalized counting (rows 6-7): region star limits exclude these cells (row 6, column 1).
19. Squeeze (rows 7-8): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 6, column 3).
20. Generalized counting (rows 4-5): region star limits exclude these cells (row 4, column 1).
21. Clump analysis (Column 1): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 2, column 2).
22. Clump analysis (Region 4): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 2, column 4).
23. Clump analysis (Region 3): each clump must supply its full share of stars (row 2, column 7).
24. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 1, column 6).
25. Crowding (Column 6): a star here would leave too little room for its 2 remaining stars (row 5, column 5).
26. Crowding (Row 5): a star here would leave too little room for its 2 remaining stars (row 4, column 3).
27. Squeeze (rows 5-6): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 7, column 7).
28. Squeeze (columns 5-6): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 1, column 4).
29. Squeeze (columns 8-9): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 2, column 1).
30. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 2, column 9).
31. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 1, column 10).
32. Column completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 10, column 10).
33. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 10, column 9).
34. Squeeze (columns 5-6): each clump in the band must supply its full share of stars (row 1, column 5).
35. Squeeze (columns 8-9): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 10, column 3).
36. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 10, column 8).
37. Squeeze (columns 2-3): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 1, column 1).
38. Column completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 3, column 1).
39. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 3, column 2).
40. Squeeze (columns 2-3): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 3, column 4).
41. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 3, column 3).
42. Clump analysis (Column 4): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 5, column 3).
43. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 5, column 2).
44. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 8, column 4).
45. Mark 3 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 7, column 3).
46. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 7, column 2).
47. Region completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 6, column 4).
48. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 5, column 4).
49. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 9, column 6).
50. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 5, column 9).
51. Mark 4 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 4, column 8).
52. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 7, column 8).
53. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 6, column 7).
54. Region completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 4, column 5).
55. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 4, column 6).
56. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 6, column 6).
57. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 4, column 7).
58. Column 2 complete: Mark 1 remaining cell as X (row 1, column 2).
59. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 1, column 3).
60. Solved! Every row, column, and region has its two stars, none touching.