Inkwell Stars solution — September 27, 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 (Column 10): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 10, column 3).
3. Clump analysis (Row 10): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 9, column 1).
4. Clump analysis (Row 10): each clump must supply its full share of stars (row 10, column 10).
5. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 9, column 9).
6. Clump analysis (Region 5): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 2, column 4).
7. Clump analysis (Region 7): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 2, column 8).
8. Clump analysis (Region 9): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 8, column 2).
9. Clump analysis (Region 10): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 7, column 8).
10. Generalized counting (rows 3-3): region star limits exclude these cells (row 3, column 1).
11. Generalized counting (rows 9-9): region star limits exclude these cells (row 9, column 6).
12. Generalized counting (columns 3-3): region star limits exclude these cells (row 1, column 3).
13. Generalized counting (columns 9-9): region star limits exclude these cells (row 1, column 9).
14. Composite container (columns 4-8): Regions 3, 6 and 8 are confined here, so the leftover cells owe exactly 4 of the band's 10 stars - a star on these cells would crowd them out (row 2, column 5).
15. Clump analysis (Region 8): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 6, column 5).
16. Composite container (columns 5-9): Regions 6, 7 and 10 are confined here, so the leftover cells owe exactly 4 of the band's 10 stars - a star on these cells would crowd them out (row 4, column 6).
17. Crowding (Row 4): a star here would leave too little room for its 2 remaining stars (row 5, column 2).
18. Lookahead: Placing star here leads to contradiction - Row 4 would only have room for 1 of the 2 stars it still needs (row 2, column 6).
19. Clump analysis (Row 2): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 1, column 1).
20. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 2, column 10).
21. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 3, column 9).
22. Clump analysis (Column 9): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 5, column 8).
23. Composite container (rows 6-8): Region 6 is confined here, so the leftover cells owe exactly 4 of the band's 6 stars - a star on these cells would crowd them out (row 7, column 2).
24. Lookahead: Placing star here leads to contradiction - row 9 can only hold 2 stars but the regions there would be forced to place 3 (row 7, column 4).
25. Clump analysis (Region 8): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 6, column 6).
26. Squeeze (rows 6-7): the band's clumps can only just fit its stars (row 8, column 6).
27. Joint analysis (Region 8 + Row 5): every legal combination of their stars rules these cells out (row 5, column 3).
28. Blocking rule: This position would block too many candidates (row 3, column 4).
29. Three candidates with two adjacent: Isolated candidate must hold a star (row 3, column 5).
30. Clump analysis (Region 7): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 3, column 3).
31. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 4, column 3).
32. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 5, column 4).
33. Squeeze (columns 3-4): each clump in the band must supply its full share of stars (row 1, column 4).
34. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 1, column 5).
35. Generalized counting (columns 3-5): region star limits exclude these cells (row 7, column 5).
36. Three candidates with two adjacent: Isolated candidate must hold a star (row 7, column 6).
37. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 7, column 7).
38. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 6, column 8).
39. Mark 3 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 5, column 7).
40. Column completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 4, column 9).
41. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 3, column 8).
42. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 3, column 7).
43. Row 4 complete: Mark 1 remaining cells as X (row 4, column 1).
44. Column completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 8, column 9).
45. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 9, column 8).
46. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 9, column 7).
47. Column 7 complete: Mark 1 remaining cells as X (row 1, column 7).
48. Column completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 1, column 8).
49. Region complete: Mark 1 remaining cells as X (row 1, column 6).
50. Column completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 5, column 6).
51. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 5, column 5).
52. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 6, column 4).
53. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 7, column 3).
54. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 5, column 1).
55. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 6, column 1).
56. Region completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 2, column 2).
57. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 2, column 1).
58. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 10, column 2).
59. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 9, column 3).
60. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 7, column 1).
61. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 8, column 1).
62. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 8, column 3).
63. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 9, column 4).
64. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 9, column 5).
65. Solved! Every row, column, and region has its two stars, none touching.