How to solve Star Battle / Two Not Touch / Queens puzzles
The board is split into colored regions (territories). Place one bird (star / queen) in every row, column and region so that no two touch, even diagonally. Every Birdzzle puzzle has a unique solution and can be solved with the six techniques below, no guessing needed. Easy puzzles need (1)-(2), Normal adds (3)-(4), Hard adds (5)-(6).
1. Forced placement
If a row, column or region has only one candidate cell left, the bird goes there. Start with tiny or thin regions.
2. Basic elimination
Once a bird is placed, no other bird can go in the same row, column or region, or in the 8 surrounding cells. Mark them with an X to shrink the candidates.
3. Region to line
If all candidate cells of a region lie in one row (or column), that region's bird is in that row. So no other region can use cells of that row.
4. Line to region
If all candidate cells of a row (or column) lie in one region, that row's bird belongs to that region, so the region's cells in other rows are eliminated.
5. Generalized sets
If k regions' candidates lie within exactly k rows (or columns), those rows' birds belong to those regions. Eliminate other regions' cells in those rows. (3) and (4) are the k=1 case; it also works with rows and regions swapped.
6. Adjacent chain
If a row's candidates are two side-by-side cells, then whichever one holds the bird, the cells directly above and below that touch both of them (the same two columns) cannot hold a bird.
Tips
- Attack the smallest regions (1-3 cells) first.
- Add X marks, then look for the row, column or region with the fewest candidates.
- When stuck, list every region's candidates once (the app highlights a row, column and region on long press).
- A hint reveals one cell. You get 3 free hints a day.
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