Star Battle Puzzle Online Free
Place stars in the grid so every row, every column and every coloured region holds the same number of stars, and no two stars touch, not even at a corner.
Tap a square once for a star, again for a dot (no star here), and a third time to clear it. Drag to mark several squares.
What is Star Battle?
Star Battle is a logic puzzle played on a grid split into regions. You place stars so that every row, every column and every region holds exactly the same number of stars, and no two stars sit in squares that touch, across, down or diagonally. On the 6 × 6 and 8 × 8 grids that number is one; the 10 × 10 grid needs two stars in each. The two-star version is also published as Two Not Touch, so if you know that name, it’s the same puzzle.
The puzzle was invented by Hans Eendebak and became famous through the World Puzzle Championship. It needs no arithmetic, just careful ruling out. If you enjoy marking squares that can’t hold anything, try Nurikabe or Heyawake.
How to play Star Battle Puzzle
- The grid is split into coloured regions with thick borders. There are as many regions as rows.
- Place stars so that every row, every column and every region has the same number of stars: one on 6 × 6 and 8 × 8, two on 10 × 10.
- Two stars can never be in squares that touch, including diagonally.
- Tap a square for a star, tap again for a dot to mark a square that can’t hold a star, and tap a third time to clear it. A star that breaks a rule turns red.
- Every puzzle is made fresh and checked to have exactly one solution, so it can always be solved by logic without guessing. Use Hint if you’re stuck, and pick a size at the top of the board.
Star Battle Puzzle skills
- Logical deduction
- Reasoning about regions
- Ruling out squares
Level: Ages 9 and up
Tips for Star Battle
Start with the smallest region. A region that fits inside one row or column puts that row’s or column’s star there, so dot out the rest of that line.
As soon as you place a star, dot all eight squares around it, plus the rest of its row, column and region.
If two regions sit entirely inside the same two rows, those two rows’ stars must be in those regions, so every other square in those rows can be dotted.
On the two-star 10 × 10 grid, a region of three squares in a row can only hold its two stars at the two ends.
Star Battle Puzzle questions and answers
How do you play Star Battle?
Place stars so every row, column and outlined region holds the same number of stars (one or two, depending on the grid), with no two stars touching, even diagonally.
What does two-star mean?
In a two-star Star Battle every row, column and region needs two stars instead of one. Our 10 × 10 puzzles are two-star, like the ones used in puzzle championships.
Is Star Battle the same as Two Not Touch?
Yes. Two Not Touch is another name for the two-star Star Battle on a 10 × 10 grid. Pick 10 × 10 ★★ above to play a Two Not Touch puzzle online, with the same rules: two stars in every row, column and region, and no stars touching.
Are these Star Battle puzzles free?
Yes. Every Star Battle puzzle here is free, with no sign-up or download, and a new one is made each time you press New, so you never run out.
Who invented Star Battle?
Star Battle was created by Dutch puzzle designer Hans Eendebak, and it’s a regular puzzle at the World Puzzle Championship.
Does every Star Battle puzzle have one solution?
Yes. Every puzzle here is checked by a solver when it’s made, so there is exactly one way to place the stars.