The rules
- Place two stars in every row and every column.
- Place two stars in every outlined region.
- Stars can't touch, not even diagonally.
Every puzzle has exactly one solution, and logic alone will get you there. For pictures and worked examples, see how to play.
Where to play the same format
Two formats here match it exactly:
- Today's puzzle: a new 10×10 two-star grid every day. Monday and Tuesday ease in, the weekend is hardest.
- The Advanced level: a library of 10×10 two-star puzzles in Easy, Medium and Hard, free to play at any time.
If two stars feel like a stretch, warm up on the one-star 8×8 boards. If you want more of a fight, try three stars on 14×14.
Tips if you're stuck on Two Not Touch
The same moves work for any two-star puzzle. Start with the smallest region: a three-cell region has to be a straight line with a star at each end. Next, look for regions that sit entirely inside two neighbouring rows or columns: those lines need four stars, so two such regions fill them completely. The strategy guide covers all of it.
Questions
Is Two Not Touch the same as Star Battle?
Yes. Two Not Touch is the name The New York Times uses for Star Battle with two stars per row, column and region on a 10×10 grid. The rules are identical.
Where can I play Two Not Touch online for free?
You can play the same type of puzzle free on this site. Our daily puzzle and our Advanced level both use the 10×10 two-star format. We make our own puzzles, so these are not the puzzles printed in The New York Times.
What are the Two Not Touch rules?
Place two stars in every row, every column and every outlined region of a 10×10 grid. No two stars can touch, not even diagonally.
Star Battle Daily is an independent site and is not affiliated with or endorsed by The New York Times. "Two Not Touch" is used here only to describe the puzzle format. All puzzles on this site are our own.