Inkwell Stars solution — July 5, 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. Clump analysis (Region 3): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 1, column 7).
5. Clump analysis (Region 9): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 6, column 2).
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 4, column 2).
7. Clump analysis (Region 8): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 7, column 2).
8. Three candidates with two adjacent: Isolated candidate must hold a star (row 9, column 4).
9. Mark 4 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 8, column 4).
10. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 7, column 3).
11. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 6, column 4).
12. Generalized counting (rows 1-4): region star limits exclude these cells (row 5, column 5).
13. Squeeze (rows 5-6): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 4, column 3).
14. Squeeze (columns 5-6): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 9, column 7).
15. Composite container (rows 1-4): Regions 1, 2 and 3 are confined here, so the leftover cells owe exactly 2 of the band's 8 stars - a star on these cells would crowd them out (row 3, column 6).
16. Squeeze (rows 5-6): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 7, column 8).
17. Squeeze (columns 5-6): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 3, column 4).
18. Composite container (rows 1-4): Regions 1, 2 and 3 are confined here, so the leftover cells owe exactly 2 of the band's 8 stars - impossible without stars on these cells (row 4, column 7).
19. Squeeze (rows 5-6): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 7, column 10).
20. Composite container (rows 5-6): Region 5 is confined here, so the leftover cells owe exactly 3 of the band's 4 stars - a star on these cells would crowd them out (row 6, column 8).
21. Crowding (Column 8): a star here would leave too little room for its 2 remaining stars (row 9, column 9).
22. Squeeze (rows 5-6): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 2, column 7).
23. Column completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 6, column 7).
24. Three candidates with two adjacent: Isolated candidate must hold a star (row 4, column 9).
25. Mark 3 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 3, column 9).
26. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 2, column 8).
27. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 1, column 9).
28. Row 4 complete: Mark 2 remaining cells as X (row 4, column 1).
29. Two-option rule: Cell adjacent to both candidates (row 7, column 9).
30. Clump analysis (Row 5): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 6, column 1).
31. Clump analysis (Region 8): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 10, column 2).
32. Clump analysis (Region 10): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 9, column 8).
33. Crowding (Row 3): a star here would leave too little room for its 2 remaining stars (row 2, column 2).
34. Crowding (Column 5): a star here would leave too little room for its 2 remaining stars (row 2, column 6).
35. Squeeze (columns 5-6): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 2, column 5).
36. Squeeze (columns 5-6): each clump in the band must supply its full share of stars (row 3, column 5).
37. Generalized counting (rows 1-2): region star limits exclude these cells (row 3, column 3).
38. Two last candidates (row 3): Eliminate 1 cell adjacent to both (row 2, column 1).
39. Squeeze (columns 3-4): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 1, column 1).
40. Squeeze (columns 1-2): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 5, column 3).
41. Two last candidates (column 3): Eliminate 1 cell adjacent to both (row 1, column 4).
42. Column completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 5, column 4).
43. Squeeze (rows 7-8): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 10, column 6).
44. Clump analysis (Column 6): each clump must supply its full share of stars (row 1, column 6).
45. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 1, column 5).
46. Column completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 7, column 5).
47. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 8, column 6).
48. Row 7 complete: Mark 1 remaining cell as X (row 7, column 1).
49. Column completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 9, column 6).
50. Region complete: Mark 1 remaining cell as X (row 8, column 8).
51. Row completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 8, column 1).
52. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 9, column 1).
53. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 10, column 1).
54. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 8, column 9).
55. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 9, column 10).
56. Column 1 complete: Mark 2 remaining cells as X (row 3, column 1).
57. Region completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 3, column 2).
58. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 2, column 3).
59. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 1, column 3).
60. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 5, column 2).
61. Row 1 complete: Mark 1 remaining cell as X (row 1, column 10).
62. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 2, column 10).
63. Column completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 10, column 8).
64. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 10, column 9).
65. Region complete: Mark 1 remaining cell as X (row 10, column 10).
66. Column 9 complete: Mark 1 remaining cell as X (row 6, column 9).
67. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 6, column 10).
68. Solved! Every row, column, and region has its two stars, none touching.