The full logical solve of the hard Star Battle for September 29 to October 5, 2026, 11 × 11. 64 steps, 11 techniques, no guessing. Step through it, or jump to any step below.
Every square of column 11 that can still hold a star is in the region at row 1, column 10. So that region’s stars are in column 11, and the region’s other squares are empty.
Suppose a star sat at row 2, column 6. Then the region at row 2, column 5 would have no room left for its two stars. So row 2, column 6 is empty.
Suppose a star sat at row 2, column 8. Then the region at row 1, column 8 would have no room left for its two stars. So row 2, column 8 is empty.
Suppose a star sat at row 4, column 3. Then the region at row 5, column 3 would have no room left for its two stars. So row 4, column 3 is empty.
Suppose a star sat at row 4, column 4. Then the region at row 5, column 3 would have no room left for its two stars. So row 4, column 4 is empty.
Suppose a star sat at row 6, column 3. Then the region at row 5, column 3 would have no room left for its two stars. So row 6, column 3 is empty.
Suppose a star sat at row 6, column 4. Then the region at row 5, column 3 would have no room left for its two stars. So row 6, column 4 is empty.
Suppose a star sat at row 6, column 5. Then the region at row 5, column 3 would have no room left for its two stars. So row 6, column 5 is empty.
Suppose a star sat at row 7, column 3. Then the region at row 5, column 3 would have no room left for its two stars. So row 7, column 3 is empty.
Suppose a star sat at row 7, column 5. Then the region at row 5, column 3 would have no room left for its two stars. So row 7, column 5 is empty.
Suppose a star sat at row 7, column 6. Then the region at row 6, column 5 would have no room left for its two stars. So row 7, column 6 is empty.
Suppose a star sat at row 8, column 3. Then the region at row 5, column 3 would have no room left for its two stars. So row 8, column 3 is empty.
Suppose a star sat at row 8, column 4. Then the region at row 5, column 3 would have no room left for its two stars. So row 8, column 4 is empty.
Suppose a star sat at row 5, column 1. Then the region at row 5, column 2 would have no room left for its two stars. So row 5, column 1 is empty.
Suppose a star sat at row 5, column 3. Then the region at row 5, column 2 would have no room left for its two stars. So row 5, column 3 is empty.
The region at row 5, column 3 needs two stars and has exactly two open squares left, at row 5, column 4 and row 7, column 4. Both get stars.
Suppose a star sat at row 3, column 6. Then the region at row 2, column 5 would have no room left for its two stars. So row 3, column 6 is empty.
Suppose a star sat at row 4, column 7. Then the region at row 2, column 5 would have no room left for its two stars. So row 4, column 7 is empty.
Suppose a star sat at row 5, column 6. Then the region at row 6, column 5 would have no room left for its two stars. So row 5, column 6 is empty.
Suppose a star sat at row 5, column 7. Then the region at row 6, column 5 would have no room left for its two stars. So row 5, column 7 is empty.
Suppose a star sat at row 6, column 1. Then the region at row 5, column 2 would have no room left for its two stars. So row 6, column 1 is empty.
Suppose a star sat at row 1, column 2. Then the region at row 2, column 1 would have no room left for its two stars. So row 1, column 2 is empty.
Suppose a star sat at row 3, column 2. Then the region at row 2, column 1 would have no room left for its two stars. So row 3, column 2 is empty.
Suppose a star sat at row 6, column 7. Then the region at row 6, column 5 would have no room left for its two stars. So row 6, column 7 is empty.
Suppose a star sat at row 7, column 7. Then the region at row 6, column 5 would have no room left for its two stars. So row 7, column 7 is empty.
Suppose a star sat at row 9, column 6. Then the region at row 6, column 5 would have no room left for its two stars. So row 9, column 6 is empty.
Suppose a star sat at row 9, column 7. Then the region at row 6, column 5 would have no room left for its two stars. So row 9, column 7 is empty.
The open squares of columns 8, 9 and 10 all sit inside the regions at row 9, column 7, row 1, column 8 and row 4, column 7. Those three regions hold exactly six stars, and the columns need all of them. So the other squares of the regions at row 9, column 7, row 1, column 8 and row 4, column 7 are empty.
Suppose a star sat at row 2, column 9. Then the region at row 1, column 8 would have no room left for its two stars. So row 2, column 9 is empty.
Suppose a star sat at row 4, column 8. Then the region at row 1, column 8 would have no room left for its two stars. So row 4, column 8 is empty.
Suppose a star sat at row 4, column 9. Then the region at row 1, column 8 would have no room left for its two stars. So row 4, column 9 is empty.
Suppose a star sat at row 10, column 9. Then the region at row 9, column 7 would have no room left for its two stars. So row 10, column 9 is empty.
Suppose a star sat at row 10, column 10. Then the region at row 9, column 7 would have no room left for its two stars. So row 10, column 10 is empty.
Suppose a star sat at row 10, column 11. Then the region at row 9, column 7 would have no room left for its two stars. So row 10, column 11 is empty.
Suppose a star sat at row 11, column 9. Then the region at row 9, column 7 would have no room left for its two stars. So row 11, column 9 is empty.
Suppose a star sat at row 11, column 11. Then the region at row 9, column 7 would have no room left for its two stars. So row 11, column 11 is empty.
The open squares of the regions at row 1, column 1 and row 1, column 8 all sit inside rows 1 and 3. Those two rows hold exactly four stars, and the regions need all of them. So the other squares of rows 1 and 3 are empty.
The region at row 2, column 5 needs two stars and has exactly two open squares left, at row 2, column 5 and row 4, column 6. Both get stars.
Column 7 needs two stars and has exactly two open squares left, at row 1, column 7 and row 8, column 7. Both get stars.
The region at row 6, column 5 needs one more star and has one open square left, at row 6, column 6. The star goes there.
Suppose a star sat at row 1, column 1. Then row 3 would have no room left for its two stars. So row 1, column 1 is empty.
Suppose a star sat at row 1, column 3. Then row 3 would have no room left for its two stars. So row 1, column 3 is empty.
The region at row 1, column 1 needs one more star and has one open square left, at row 3, column 3. The star goes there.
The region at row 2, column 1 needs two stars and has exactly two open squares left, at row 2, column 1 and row 4, column 1. Both get stars.
Row 1 needs one more star and has one open square left, at row 1, column 9. The star goes there.
Every square of the region at row 5, column 2 that can still hold a star is in column 2. So column 2’s stars belong to that region, and the rest of column 2 is empty.
Suppose a star sat at row 6, column 8. Then column 2 would have no room left for its two stars. So row 6, column 8 is empty.
Suppose a star sat at row 6, column 9. Then column 2 would have no room left for its two stars. So row 6, column 9 is empty.
Suppose a star sat at row 6, column 10. Then column 2 would have no room left for its two stars. So row 6, column 10 is empty.
Suppose a star sat at row 6, column 11. Then column 2 would have no room left for its two stars. So row 6, column 11 is empty.
Row 6 needs one more star and has one open square left, at row 6, column 2. The star goes there.
The region at row 5, column 2 needs one more star and has one open square left, at row 8, column 2. The star goes there.
The open squares of rows 10 and 11 all sit inside the regions at row 9, column 7 and row 9, column 1. Those two regions hold exactly four stars, and the rows need all of them. So the other squares of the regions at row 9, column 7 and row 9, column 1 are empty.
Suppose a star sat at row 3, column 9. Then row 9 would have no room left for its two stars. So row 3, column 9 is empty.
The region at row 1, column 8 needs one more star and has one open square left, at row 3, column 8. The star goes there.
Suppose a star sat at row 5, column 8. Then the region at row 9, column 7 would have no room left for its two stars. So row 5, column 8 is empty.
Suppose a star sat at row 5, column 9. Then row 9 would have no room left for its two stars. So row 5, column 9 is empty.
Suppose a star sat at row 7, column 9. Then row 9 would have no room left for its two stars. So row 7, column 9 is empty.
Row 7 needs one more star and has one open square left, at row 7, column 11. The star goes there.
Column 9 needs one more star and has one open square left, at row 9, column 9. The star goes there.
The region at row 9, column 7 needs two stars and has exactly two open squares left, at row 11, column 8 and row 11, column 10. Both get stars.
The region at row 4, column 7 needs one more star and has one open square left, at row 5, column 10. The star goes there.
The region at row 1, column 10 needs one more star and has one open square left, at row 9, column 11. The star goes there.
The region at row 9, column 1 needs two stars and has exactly two open squares left, at row 10, column 3 and row 10, column 5. Both get stars.