Inkwell Stars solution — September 13, 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 6, column 2).
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 9, column 8).
4. Clump analysis (Region 4): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 1, column 9).
5. Clump analysis (Region 2): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 2, column 8).
6. Clump analysis (Region 4): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 4, column 7).
7. Clump analysis (Region 5): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 2, column 10).
8. Three candidates with two adjacent: Isolated candidate must hold a star (row 3, column 7).
9. Mark 4 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 2, column 6).
10. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 2, column 9).
11. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 1, column 8).
12. Region completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 1, column 7).
13. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 1, column 6).
14. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 3, column 5).
15. Mark 4 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 2, column 4).
16. Row 3 complete: Mark 3 remaining cells as X (row 3, column 1).
17. Column 7 complete: Mark 6 remaining cells as X (row 5, column 7).
18. 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 9).
19. Three candidates with two adjacent: Isolated candidate must hold a star (row 8, column 9).
20. Mark 6 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 7, column 8).
21. Column 9 complete: Mark 4 remaining cells as X (row 4, column 9).
22. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 10, column 8).
23. Clump analysis (Row 2): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 1, column 2).
24. Clump analysis (Region 7): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 7, column 2).
25. Crowding (Row 4): a star here would leave too little room for its 2 remaining stars (row 5, column 2).
26. Clump analysis (Region 7): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 5, column 4).
27. Undercounting: 3 regions fit in rows 1-3, eliminate 1 outside candidate (row 2, column 1).
28. 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).
29. Three candidates with two adjacent: Isolated candidate must hold a star (row 4, column 3).
30. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 5, column 3).
31. Three candidates with two adjacent: Isolated candidate must hold a star (row 6, column 3).
32. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 7, column 3).
33. Column 3 complete: Mark 5 remaining cells as X (row 1, column 3).
34. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 2, column 2).
35. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 1, column 1).
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 5).
37. Clump analysis (Row 7): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 6, column 5).
38. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 7, column 1).
39. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 8, column 1).
40. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 8, column 4).
41. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 7, column 5).
42. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 7, column 6).
43. Two last candidates (column 2): Eliminate 2 cells adjacent to both (row 9, column 1).
44. Row completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 9, column 2).
45. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 10, column 2).
46. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 10, column 4).
47. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 10, column 5).
48. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 9, column 6).
49. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 10, column 6).
50. Row 10 complete: Mark 1 remaining cell as X (row 10, column 10).
51. Column 4 complete: Mark 1 remaining cell as X (row 1, column 4).
52. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 1, column 5).
53. Column 5 complete: Mark 1 remaining cell as X (row 5, column 5).
54. Column 6 complete: Mark 1 remaining cell as X (row 5, column 6).
55. Three candidates in a column: Middle cell can't hold a star (row 5, column 10).
56. Region completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 4, column 10).
57. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 6, column 10).
58. Row 4 complete: Mark 1 remaining cell as X (row 4, column 1).
59. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 5, column 1).
60. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 5, column 8).
61. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 6, column 8).
62. Solved! Every row, column, and region has its two stars, none touching.