Guide
How to Play
Place stars on the grid so every row, column, and coloured region contains exactly one star.
The four rules
- One star per row. Each horizontal row must contain exactly one star.
- One star per column. Each vertical column must contain exactly one star.
- One star per region. Each coloured region must contain exactly one star.
- No touching stars. Stars cannot touch horizontally, vertically, or diagonally.
Tap to place
Tap a cell to cycle through three states: empty, pencil mark, and star. Use pencil marks to note possible placements before committing.
Turn on mistake validation in Settings to block illegal placements as you play.
Illustrated example
In a 5×5 grid, coloured regions divide the board into zones. Each zone needs exactly one star, and no two stars may sit in adjacent cells — including diagonals.
Game modes
- Daily Challenge — one new puzzle each UTC day. Build your streak and submit your time to the global leaderboard.
- Training — unlimited practice with your chosen grid size and difficulty.
- Archive — replay past daily puzzles and improve on previous completions.
Difficulty levels (Training)
Easy
Gentle patterns for a calm meditative flow.
Medium
Standard logical constraints. Requires focus.
Hard
Complex deduction layers. For experienced observers.
Streaks & scoring
The global leaderboard tracks your fastest daily completion time. Faster completions rank higher. Complete at least one daily challenge each UTC day to build your streak. Every five consecutive days earns a streak freeze (up to two stored).
FAQ
- Does StarBoxed work offline?
- Training and archive replays work offline. Daily leaderboard submission requires an internet connection.
- How do leaderboards work?
- Sign in to Game Center to appear on the global leaderboard. Only completed daily challenges count — training and archive runs do not submit scores.
- How do hints work?
- Watch a rewarded ad to receive a hint. Hints reveal either one impossible cell or one correct star placement.
- Can I get reminders?
- Enable daily reminders in Settings to get notified when a new daily puzzle is ready.
- Is the app free?
- Yes. StarBoxed is free to download and play, supported by banner and rewarded ads. There is no premium tier or ad-removal purchase.