[This is a repost from our archives with new notes at the top (original post here): This very tough Star Battle from our early 2013 posts had an unusual grid layout. If I were to revisit this theme, I might use tools/different ideas to avoid the shaded cells which are not very common in our Star Battle puzzles. But even with these markings the logical path is a great example of human-designed puzzles with intriguing Aha moments.]

PDF

or solve online (using our beta test of Penpa-Edit tools)

Theme: Boxed In (but it plays out differently than yesterday’s “Boxed In”)

Rules: Standard Star Battle rules. Two stars per row, column, and region.

Estimated Difficulty*: 4.5 stars

Time Standards (highlight to view): Grandmaster = 6:45, Master = 13:30, Expert = 27:00

Solution: PDF and solving video.

Note: Follow this link for other classic Star Battles and this link for Star Battle variations. If you are new to this puzzle type, here are our easiest Star Battles to get started on. More Star Battle puzzles can be found in The Art of Puzzles, in the books Star Battle and Star Battle 2, and in our beginner-friendly collection Intro to GMPuzzles by Serkan Yürekli.