Inkwell Stars solution — October 23, 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 2): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 2, column 3).
3. Clump analysis (Region 3): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 2, column 8).
4. 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 7).
5. Clump analysis (Region 5): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 2, column 7).
6. Generalized counting (rows 1-1): region star limits exclude these cells (row 1, column 1).
7. 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 4).
8. 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 2, column 5).
9. Triple analysis (Region 2 + Region 3 + Row 1): every legal combination of their stars rules these cells out (row 1, column 3).
10. Three candidates with two adjacent: Isolated candidate must hold a star (row 3, column 8).
11. Mark 3 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 2, column 9).
12. Clump analysis (Column 5): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 7, column 4).
13. Clump analysis (Region 6): candidate clumps can only just supply the remaining stars (row 5, column 4).
14. Lookahead: This cell must be a star - eliminating it leads to contradiction (Row 2 would only have room for 1 of the 2 stars it still needs) (row 2, column 4).
15. Joint analysis (Region 6 + Region 1): every legal combination of their stars rules these cells out (row 5, column 3).
16. Triple analysis (Region 6 + Region 1 + Row 5): every legal combination of their stars rules these cells out (row 6, column 9).
17. Triple analysis (Column 4 + Region 6 + Region 1): every legal combination of their stars rules these cells out (row 5, column 2).
18. Triple analysis (Region 5 + Region 3 + Column 6): every legal combination of their stars rules these cells out (row 1, column 6).
19. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 1, column 2).
20. Mark 2 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 2, column 1).
21. Joint analysis (Region 1 + Region 6): every legal combination of their stars rules these cells out (row 4, column 1).
22. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 4, column 6).
23. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 3, column 6).
24. Clump analysis (Row 1): each clump must supply its full share of stars (row 2, column 6).
25. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 1, column 7).
26. Row 2 complete: Mark 1 remaining cell as X (row 2, column 10).
27. Region completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 5, column 8).
28. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 5, column 9).
29. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 7, column 7).
30. Mark 5 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 6, column 6).
31. Column 6 complete: Mark 1 remaining cell as X (row 10, column 6).
32. Column 8 complete: Mark 3 remaining cells as X (row 1, column 8).
33. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 1, column 9).
34. Three candidates in a row: Middle cell can't hold a star (row 6, column 4).
35. Row completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 6, column 3).
36. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 7, column 2).
37. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 6, column 5).
38. Generalized counting (rows 3-4): region star limits exclude these cells (row 3, column 10).
39. Region completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 5, column 10).
40. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 7, column 9).
41. Mark 3 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 7, column 10).
42. Row 5 complete: Mark 1 remaining cell as X (row 5, column 1).
43. Row 7 complete: Mark 1 remaining cell as X (row 7, column 1).
44. Column 9 complete: Mark 2 remaining cells as X (row 9, column 9).
45. Three candidates with two adjacent: Isolated candidate must hold a star (row 9, column 7).
46. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 10, column 7).
47. 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 4).
48. Three candidates with two adjacent: Isolated candidate must hold a star (row 8, column 3).
49. Mark 3 cells adjacent to stars as X (row 8, column 2).
50. Column 3 complete: Mark 2 remaining cells as X (row 4, column 3).
51. Two-option rule: Cell adjacent to both candidates (row 3, column 1).
52. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 4, column 4).
53. Row completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 3, column 2).
54. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 4, column 2).
55. Column 2 complete: Mark 1 remaining cell as X (row 10, column 2).
56. Column 4 complete: Mark 1 remaining cell as X (row 10, column 4).
57. Three candidates in a column: Middle cell can't hold a star (row 9, column 1).
58. Column completion: 2 stars needed, 2 candidates (row 8, column 1).
59. Row 8 complete: Mark 1 remaining cell as X (row 8, column 5).
60. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 9, column 5).
61. Mark 1 cell adjacent to stars as X (row 10, column 5).
62. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 10, column 1).
63. Row 9 complete: Mark 1 remaining cell as X (row 9, column 10).
64. Region completion: 1 star needed, 1 candidate (row 10, column 10).
65. Solved! Every row, column, and region has its two stars, none touching.