Inkwell Stars solution — June 28, 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 3, column 8).
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 8, column 3).
4. 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 8).
5. Clump analysis (Region 5): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 1, column 8).
6. Clump analysis (Region 9): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 8, column 1).
7. Clump analysis (Region 10): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 8, column 10).
8. Generalized counting (rows 9-9): region star limits exclude these cells (row 9, column 1).
9. Generalized counting (columns 2-2): region star limits exclude these cells (row 1, column 2).
10. Generalized counting (columns 9-9): region star limits exclude these cells (row 1, column 9).
11. Clump analysis (Region 2): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 2, column 4).
12. Clump analysis (Region 4): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 4, column 1).
13. Composite container (columns 3-8): Regions 2, 6, 7 and 8 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 1, column 7).
14. Clump analysis (Region 2): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 2, column 3).
15. Three candidates with two adjacent: Isolated candidate must hold a star (row 5, column 2).
16. Mark 3 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 4, column 2).
17. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 3, column 3).
18. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 4, column 4).
19. Joint analysis (Region 5 + Row 4): every legal combination of their stars rules these cells out (row 3, column 6).
20. Triple analysis (Row 4 + Column 9 + Column 8): every legal combination of their stars rules these cells out (row 3, column 9).
21. Triple analysis (Column 9 + Row 6 + Column 8): every legal combination of their stars rules these cells out (row 7, column 7).
22. Squeeze (columns 7-8): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 4, column 6).
23. Joint analysis (Row 8 + Row 7): every legal combination of their stars rules these cells out (row 7, column 5).
24. Joint analysis (Column 7 + Column 6): every legal combination of their stars rules these cells out (row 5, column 8).
25. Triple analysis (Row 8 + Region 9 + Row 7): every legal combination of their stars rules these cells out (row 8, column 5).
26. Squeeze (rows 8-9): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 9, column 3).
27. Three candidates with two adjacent: Isolated candidate must hold a star (row 9, column 4).
28. Clump analysis (Region 10): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 9, column 2).
29. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 8, column 2).
30. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 7, column 1).
31. Column completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 1, column 3).
32. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 1, column 4).
33. Clump analysis (Column 4): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 6, column 5).
34. Clump analysis (Column 5): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 2, column 6).
35. Squeeze (rows 6-7): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 6, column 7).
36. 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 8).
37. Three candidates with two adjacent: Isolated candidate must hold a star (row 9, column 7).
38. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 8, column 6).
39. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 8, column 9).
40. Mark 3 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 7, column 8).
41. Row completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 7, column 4).
42. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 6, column 4).
43. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 7, column 6).
44. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 6, column 6).
45. Row completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 6, column 8).
46. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 5, column 7).
47. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 6, column 10).
48. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 5, column 10).
49. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 5, column 5).
50. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 4, column 5).
51. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 3, column 5).
52. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 2, column 5).
53. Row 3 complete: Mark 1 remaining cell as X (row 3, column 1).
54. Row completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 10, column 1).
55. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 10, column 10).
56. Region complete: Mark 3 remaining cells as X (row 1, column 10).
57. Column 5 complete: Mark 1 remaining cell as X (row 1, column 5).
58. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 1, column 6).
59. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 2, column 7).
60. Row 1 complete: Mark 1 remaining cell as X (row 1, column 1).
61. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 2, column 1).
62. Column completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 4, column 7).
63. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 4, column 8).
64. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 4, column 9).
65. Column completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 2, column 8).
66. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 2, column 9).
67. Solved! Every row, column, and region has its two stars, none touching.