puzzlerzone
What Puzzle Star Battle is
Star Battle (also known as Queens) is a logic puzzle with simple rules and challenging solutions. You place stars on a grid so that each row, column, and outlined shape contains the same number of stars — the count is set by the puzzle's star level (1★, 2★, 3★, etc.). A key constraint is that no two stars may be adjacent, even diagonally, which makes the puzzle surprisingly difficult to solve. This web version offers a wide range of sizes and difficulties, from 5x5/1★ beginners to 14x14/3★ hard puzzles, plus special Daily, Weekly, and Monthly challenges with higher star counts. There are also Shapeless variants that keep the row and column rules but drop the shape restriction. The site includes useful controls like highlighting, error marking, a timer, checkpoints, and print options, so you can play exactly the way you like.
How to play
The objective is to place stars on the grid so that every row, column, and outlined shape (in Normal mode) contains the same number of stars — matching the puzzle's star count (1★, 2★, 3★, etc.). For example, in a 1★ puzzle you need exactly one star per row, column, and shape; in a 2★ puzzle, exactly two, and so on. The only other rule is that no two stars can be adjacent horizontally, vertically, or diagonally. To play, click cells to place a star. As you work, you can use optional display aids such as highlighting the current row, column, or block, marking errors in blue, or auto-placing an X around any star you place (which shows cells that cannot contain another star). The game provides a timer, checkpoints, and a submit option to check your solution. If you make a mistake, you can clear or restart the puzzle at any time.
Tips
- Turn on the 'Auto place X around the stars' option to automatically mark all cells adjacent to a placed star — this prevents accidental adjacency mistakes.
- Use the 'Highlight current row and column' and 'Highlight current block' options to quickly see which rows, columns, and shapes still need stars.
- Enable 'Highlight errors' and 'Use blue for errors' to visually catch placement mistakes before submitting.
- For larger puzzles, use the 'Show checkpoints' feature to save your progress and return to a known good state if you get stuck.
- If you prefer not to race the clock, switch to the non-competitive (personal) timer or hide the timer entirely to focus on solving.
- Start with smaller 1★ puzzles to learn the logic, then move up to 2★ and 3★ puzzles for a tougher challenge.
Common questions
What is Star Battle?
Star Battle (also known as Queens) is a logic puzzle with simple rules but challenging solutions. You must place stars on the grid so that no two stars are adjacent horizontally, vertically, or diagonally. For a 1★ puzzle, each row, column, and shape must contain exactly 1 star; for a 2★ puzzle, exactly 2 stars, and so on.
What is the difference between Normal and Shapeless Star Battle?
Normal Star Battle requires that every row, column, and outlined shape contains the same number of stars, matching the puzzle's star count (1★, 2★, 3★, etc.). Shapeless Star Battle uses the same rules but removes the shape restriction, so you only need to satisfy row and column counts.
Can I print the puzzles?
Yes. The page has a print option that lets you print a copy of the puzzle, and it also notes that you need JavaScript enabled to play online but printing is still possible without it.
Is there a timer, and can I turn it off?
The game includes a timer, and you can switch to a non-competitive (personal) timer if you prefer not to be timed in a competitive sense. There are also options to hide the timer entirely.
What puzzle sizes and difficulties are available?
The site offers many puzzle sizes and star counts, including 5x5/1★, 6x6/1★, 8x8/1★, 10x10/2★, and 14x14/3★ as Normal and Hard variants. There are also special Daily (4★), Weekly (5★), and Monthly (6★) puzzles, plus Shapeless versions in 6x6/1★, 8x8/1★, and 10x10/2★.
Are there any progress or sharing features?
Yes, the game includes an auto-submit option, checkpoints you can show to save progress, and a coordinates display you can toggle on the board. You can also use a progress screenshot and share a permalink for the current puzzle.