Inkwell Stars solution — June 21, 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 1): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 2, column 2).
3. Clump analysis (Region 2): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 1, column 5).
4. Clump analysis (Region 1): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 2, column 1).
5. Clump analysis (Region 3): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 2, column 8).
6. 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 6).
7. Clump analysis (Region 2): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 3, column 6).
8. Clump analysis (Region 7): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 6, column 2).
9. Clump analysis (Region 9): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 8, column 8).
10. Composite container (rows 3-9): Regions 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 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 2, column 7).
11. Three candidates with two adjacent: Isolated candidate must hold a star (row 3, column 7).
12. Clump analysis (Region 5): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 6, column 5).
13. Crowding (Row 2): a star here would leave too little room for its 2 remaining stars (row 1, column 4).
14. Composite container (columns 4-6): Regions 2 and 5 are confined here, so the leftover cells owe exactly 3 of the band's 6 stars - a star on these cells would crowd them out (row 8, column 5).
15. Joint analysis (Region 8 + Region 7): every legal combination of their stars rules these cells out (row 6, column 4).
16. Squeeze (columns 4-5): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 8, column 4).
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 4, column 5).
18. Squeeze (columns 4-5): each clump in the band must supply its full share of stars (row 7, column 5).
19. Composite container (rows 3-8): Regions 4, 5 and 6 are confined here, so the leftover cells owe exactly 4 of the band's 12 stars - a star on these cells would crowd them out (row 7, column 2).
20. Composite container (columns 1-4): Regions 1, 4, 7 and 8 are confined here, so the leftover cells owe exactly 1 of the band's 8 stars - a star on these cells would crowd them out (row 4, column 3).
21. Squeeze (rows 4-5): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 6, column 7).
22. Crowding (Row 6): a star here would leave too little room for its 2 remaining stars (row 5, column 2).
23. Composite container (columns 2-4): Region 8 is confined here, so the leftover cells owe exactly 5 of the band's 6 stars - a star on these cells would crowd them out (row 3, column 3).
24. Three candidates with two adjacent: Isolated candidate must hold a star (row 5, column 6).
25. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 5, column 7).
26. Squeeze (rows 3-4): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 5, column 4).
27. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 4, column 4).
28. Squeeze (rows 5-6): each clump in the band must supply its full share of stars (row 6, column 3).
29. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 7, column 3).
30. Squeeze (columns 2-3): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 3, column 1).
31. Squeeze (columns 3-4): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 9, column 2).
32. Deep lookahead: Placing star here leads to contradiction - stars at R6C8 and R7C8 would touch (row 1, column 2).
33. Clump analysis (Column 2): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 7, column 1).
34. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 8, column 2).
35. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 8, column 3).
36. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 9, column 4).
37. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 9, column 5).
38. Column 4 complete: Mark 1 remaining cell as X (row 2, column 4).
39. Column completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 2, column 5).
40. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 1, column 6).
41. Column completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 9, column 6).
42. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 8, column 7).
43. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 8, column 9).
44. Mark 4 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 7, column 8).
45. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 7, column 7).
46. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 6, column 8).
47. Column 7 complete: Mark 1 remaining cell as X (row 1, column 7).
48. Column completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 1, column 8).
49. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 1, column 9).
50. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 2, column 3).
51. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 1, column 3).
52. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 1, column 1).
53. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 3, column 9).
54. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 4, column 9).
55. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 4, column 2).
56. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 5, column 1).
57. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 6, column 1).
58. Row 6 complete: Mark 1 remaining cell as X (row 6, column 9).
59. Column completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 5, column 8).
60. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 5, column 9).
61. Solved! Every row, column, and region has its two stars, none touching.