Inkwell Stars solution — August 7, 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 3): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 2, column 5).
4. Clump analysis (Region 2): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 2, column 4).
5. Clump analysis (Region 6): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 4, column 4).
6. Clump analysis (Region 10): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 9, column 9).
7. Generalized counting (rows 1-5): region star limits exclude these cells (row 5, column 1).
8. Composite container (rows 6-10): Regions 7, 8, 9 and 10 are confined here, so the leftover cells owe exactly 2 of the band's 10 stars - a star on these cells would crowd them out (row 5, column 6).
9. Crowding (Row 5): a star here would leave too little room for its 2 remaining stars (row 6, column 4).
10. Squeeze (columns 8-9): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 9, column 8).
11. Composite container (rows 6-10): Regions 7, 8, 9 and 10 are confined here, so the leftover cells owe exactly 2 of the band's 10 stars - impossible without stars on these cells (row 6, column 7).
12. Squeeze (columns 8-9): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 3, column 6).
13. Composite container (columns 8-9): 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 2, column 8).
14. Lookahead: Placing star here leads to contradiction - column 10 can only hold 2 stars but the regions there would be forced to place 3 (row 1, column 1).
15. Lookahead: Placing star here leads to contradiction - row 1 can only hold 2 stars but the regions there would be forced to place 3 (row 1, column 8).
16. Crowding (Column 8): a star here would leave too little room for its 2 remaining stars (row 9, column 7).
17. Squeeze (columns 8-9): each clump in the band must supply its full share of stars (row 1, column 9).
18. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 1, column 10).
19. Clump analysis (Row 1): each clump must supply its full share of stars (row 2, column 7).
20. Mark 3 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 1, column 6).
21. Column 7 complete: Mark 2 remaining cells as X (row 8, column 7).
22. Two last candidates (row 2): Eliminate 1 cell adjacent to both (row 1, column 2).
23. 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 1).
24. Three candidates with two adjacent: Isolated candidate must hold a star (row 2, column 1).
25. Row 2 complete: Mark 1 remaining cell as X (row 2, column 3).
26. Clump analysis (Region 3): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 1, column 3).
27. Three candidates with two adjacent: Isolated candidate must hold a star (row 3, column 5).
28. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 3, column 4).
29. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 3, column 3).
30. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 4, column 2).
31. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 4, column 1).
32. Row 3 complete: Mark 2 remaining cells as X (row 3, column 9).
33. Column 1 complete: Mark 5 remaining cells as X (row 6, column 1).
34. Three candidates in a column: Middle cell can't hold a star (row 9, column 6).
35. Column completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 8, column 6).
36. Mark 3 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 7, column 5).
37. Column completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 10, column 6).
38. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 10, column 5).
39. Three candidates with two adjacent: Isolated candidate must hold a star (row 5, column 5).
40. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 5, column 4).
41. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 5, column 3).
42. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 6, column 2).
43. Row 5 complete: Mark 1 remaining cell as X (row 5, column 10).
44. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 6, column 10).
45. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 7, column 10).
46. Region complete: Mark 1 remaining cell as X (row 4, column 10).
47. Column 3 complete: Mark 4 remaining cells as X (row 7, column 3).
48. Region completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 7, column 2).
49. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 8, column 2).
50. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 9, column 2).
51. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 10, column 2).
52. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 7, column 4).
53. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 8, column 4).
54. Region complete: Mark 2 remaining cells as X (row 9, column 4).
55. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 9, column 10).
56. Mark 4 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 8, column 9).
57. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 8, column 8).
58. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 10, column 8).
59. Column completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 1, column 4).
60. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 1, column 5).
61. Column 8 complete: Mark 1 remaining cell as X (row 4, column 8).
62. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 4, column 9).
63. Solved! Every row, column, and region has its two stars, none touching.