Inkwell Stars solution — June 14, 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 6): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 5, column 7).
3. Composite container (columns 2-7): Regions 2, 4, 7, 8 and 9 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 6).
4. Clump analysis (Region 6): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 5, column 9).
5. Crowding (Region 8): a star here would leave too little room for its 2 remaining stars (row 7, column 4).
6. Clump analysis (Region 7): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 7, column 2).
7. Generalized counting (rows 8-10): region star limits exclude these cells (row 8, column 1).
8. Squeeze (rows 8-9): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 10, column 8).
9. Clump analysis (Region 10): each clump must supply its full share of stars (row 8, column 7).
10. Squeeze (rows 9-10): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 8, column 9).
11. Composite container (columns 2-8): Regions 2, 4, 6, 7, 8 and 9 are confined here, so the leftover cells owe exactly 1 of the band's 14 stars - a star on these cells would crowd them out (row 2, column 7).
12. Lookahead: Placing star here leads to contradiction - column 5 can only hold 2 stars but the regions there would be forced to place 3 (row 5, column 5).
13. Lookahead: Placing star here leads to contradiction - Region 7 would only have room for 1 of the 2 stars it still needs (row 8, column 5).
14. Clump analysis (Row 8): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 7, column 3).
15. Composite container (rows 1-7): Regions 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 are confined here, so the leftover cells owe exactly 2 of the band's 14 stars - a star on these cells would crowd them out (row 5, column 2).
16. Joint analysis (Row 9 + Region 9): every legal combination of their stars rules these cells out (row 8, column 3).
17. Squeeze (rows 7-8): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 6, column 9).
18. Generalized counting (rows 6-6): region star limits exclude these cells (row 6, column 1).
19. Three candidates with two adjacent: Isolated candidate must have star (row 7, column 5).
20. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 6, column 6).
21. Row completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 8, column 2).
22. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 7, column 1).
23. Blocking rule: This position would block too many candidates (row 5, column 8).
24. Three candidates with two adjacent: Isolated candidate must have star (row 4, column 8).
25. Mark 5 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 3, column 7).
26. Blocking rule: This position would block too many candidates (row 1, column 9).
27. Column completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 7, column 9).
28. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 6, column 8).
29. Region completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 6, column 7).
30. Column 7 complete: Mark 2 remaining cells as X (row 1, column 7).
31. Region completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 10, column 6).
32. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 9, column 5).
33. Column completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 9, column 9).
34. Mark 1 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 9, column 10).
35. Row completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 9, column 4).
36. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 10, column 3).
37. Region completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 10, column 2).
38. Column 2 complete: Mark 5 remaining cells as X (row 1, column 2).
39. Region completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 6, column 3).
40. Mark 1 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 5, column 4).
41. Row completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 5, column 1).
42. Mark 1 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 4, column 1).
43. Row completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 5, column 10).
44. Mark 1 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 4, column 10).
45. Region complete: Mark 2 remaining cells as X (row 2, column 10).
46. Column completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 1, column 10).
47. Squeeze (rows 2-3): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 1, column 1).
48. Region completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 2, column 8).
49. Squeeze (rows 3-4): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 2, column 1).
50. Region completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 3, column 1).
51. Joint analysis (Row 2 + Column 4): every legal combination of their stars rules these cells out (row 3, column 5).
52. Squeeze (rows 1-3): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 4, column 3).
53. Clump analysis (Column 3): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 2, column 4).
54. Lookahead: Placing star here leads to contradiction - Column 5 would only have room for 0 of the 1 star it still needs (row 1, column 6).
55. Lookahead: Placing star here leads to contradiction - Column 3 would end up with more than 2 stars (row 2, column 5).
56. Clump analysis (Region 4): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 3, column 3).
57. Two last candidates (row 3): Eliminate 1 cell adjacent to both (row 4, column 5).
58. Column completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 1, column 5).
59. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 1, column 4).
60. Row 1 complete: Mark 1 remaining cells as X (row 1, column 3).
61. Region completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 3, column 6).
62. Mark 1 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 4, column 6).
63. Row completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 2, column 3).
64. Mark 1 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 3, column 4).
65. Region completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 4, column 4).
66. Solved! Every row, column, and region has its two stars, none touching.