Inkwell Games · Stars

Inkwell Stars solution — July 24, 2026

Stuck on today's Inkwell Games Stars puzzle? Here's the complete step-by-step solution to the 10×10 grid for July 24, 2026 — every star placed with pure logic, one deduction at a time, no guessing. Step through it below.

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Solve walkthrough Step 1 of 62

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 4): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 6, column 2).
  3. Clump analysis (Region 6): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 6, column 6).
  4. Crowding (Region 5): a star here would leave too little room for its 2 remaining stars (row 6, column 3).
  5. Crowding (Region 7): a star here would leave too little room for its 2 remaining stars (row 6, column 7).
  6. Row completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 6, column 1).
  7. Mark 4 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 5, column 1).
  8. Row completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 6, column 10).
  9. Mark 4 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 5, column 9).
  10. Generalized counting (rows 1-2): region star limits exclude these cells (row 3, column 10).
  11. Generalized counting (rows 5-7): region star limits exclude these cells (row 5, column 5).
  12. Clump analysis (Row 5): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 4, column 3).
  13. Clump analysis (Row 7): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 8, column 3).
  14. Clump analysis (Region 9): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 8, column 5).
  15. Crowding (Region 3): a star here would leave too little room for its 2 remaining stars (row 3, column 2).
  16. Squeeze (columns 5-6): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 9, column 6).
  17. Blocking rule: This position would block too many candidates (row 4, column 6).
  18. Three candidates with two adjacent: Isolated candidate must have star (row 5, column 7).
  19. Mark 1 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 5, column 8).
  20. Two-option rule: Cell adjacent to both candidates (row 2, column 6).
  21. Two-option rule: Cell adjacent to both candidates (row 2, column 7).
  22. Clump analysis (Row 7): each clump must supply its full share of stars (row 7, column 8).
  23. Mark 1 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 8, column 9).
  24. Clump analysis (Region 9): each clump must supply its full share of stars (row 8, column 6).
  25. Generalized counting (rows 9-10): region star limits exclude these cells (row 8, column 1).
  26. Row completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 8, column 2).
  27. Mark 4 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 7, column 3).
  28. Row completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 7, column 4).
  29. Three candidates with two adjacent: Isolated candidate must have star (row 5, column 3).
  30. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 4, column 2).
  31. Region completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 3, column 3).
  32. Mark 4 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 2, column 2).
  33. Column 3 complete: Mark 2 remaining cells as X (row 1, column 3).
  34. Two-option rule: Cell adjacent to both candidates (row 3, column 6).
  35. Region completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 3, column 7).
  36. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 2, column 8).
  37. Row 3 complete: Mark 3 remaining cells as X (row 3, column 1).
  38. Region completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 4, column 5).
  39. Region completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 4, column 9).
  40. Row 4 complete: Mark 1 remaining cells as X (row 4, column 1).
  41. Region completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 2, column 1).
  42. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 1, column 1).
  43. Column 1 complete: Mark 1 remaining cells as X (row 10, column 1).
  44. Region completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 9, column 4).
  45. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 10, column 4).
  46. Column completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 10, column 2).
  47. Column 4 complete: Mark 1 remaining cells as X (row 1, column 4).
  48. Column 7 complete: Mark 2 remaining cells as X (row 1, column 7).
  49. Two-option rule: Cell adjacent to both candidates (row 10, column 9).
  50. Two-option rule: Cell adjacent to both candidates (row 10, column 10).
  51. Two last candidates (column 5): Eliminate 1 cell adjacent to both (row 1, column 6).
  52. Column completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 10, column 6).
  53. Region complete: Mark 2 remaining cells as X (row 9, column 8).
  54. Column completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 1, column 8).
  55. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 1, column 9).
  56. Region completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 1, column 5).
  57. Mark 1 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 2, column 5).
  58. Row 1 complete: Mark 1 remaining cells as X (row 1, column 10).
  59. Region completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 2, column 10).
  60. Column completion: 1 stars needed, 1 candidates (row 9, column 9).
  61. Mark 1 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 9, column 10).
  62. Solved! Every row, column, and region has its two stars, none touching.

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This is an independent, logic-based walkthrough created by TryHard Puzzles to teach Star Battle solving technique. TryHard Puzzles is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Inkwell Games.