As Dundee faltered at Airdrie neither Ross County nor Caley Thistle could take full advantage in an intriguing stalemate in the fourth Highland derby of the season at Victoria Park.
Despite the draw, both clubs gained a point on the league leaders who sacked manager Jocky Scott following their surprise three-goal defeat in North Lanarkshire.
Caley Jags are just three points behind the Tayside club after extending their unbeaten league run to 12 games, while County are a further six adrift with two games in hand over the league leaders.
After winning the previous two derby games in the First Division, County looked set to claim a third victory after dominating the first period against a guarded Inverness in front of a near capacity crowd in Dingwall.
Derek Adams' side passed the ball quickly and with purpose, peppering Ryan Esson's goal with shots but finished the period without reward for their attacking intent.
Caley Thistle improved after the break and substitute Robert Eagle struck the post after Esson made an important save to deny Michael Gardyne.
The home side made a late charge to claim a winner but Inverness showed discipline and resilience to hold on for a point.
It was certainly not as scintillating as the first Highland derby at Victoria Park last November when County's slick passing game led to two first-half goals and the Staggies survived a late Adam Rooney strike to register a deserved victory.
After narrowly failing to knock SPL side Hibs out of the Scottish Cup the previous week, County displayed a similar energy, while continuing to pass the ball with precision and alacrity.
Adams' brand of aesthetically pleasing football has produced consistent results and despite his repeated and now somewhat tiresome denials, the Dingwall club are definite contenders for promotion.
Scott's dismissal at Dundee could damage the Dens Park club's title bid, although they still lead the division.
Of the chasing pack, Caley Thistle, along with County and Dunfermline, look likely to provide the most serious challenge to win promotion to the SPL.
After a disappointing sequence of results almost resulted in Butcher's side becoming detached from the top of the table, the former England captain has guided the Caley Jags to 12 games without defeat in the league.
Considering Scottish football's second tier is by far the most competitive in the country it is quite an achievement and in the Irish trio of Rooney, Jonny Hayes and Richie Foran, Inverness have three of the most effective attackers in the league.
It was County, however, who looked more potent going forward at Victoria Park in a one-sided first half.
Andy Barrowman, who faced his former team-mates for the first time since moving back to County in January, shot wide after a good move involving Richard Brittain and Gardyne on 21 minutes.
Boyd headed wide from Brittain's free kick five minutes later and Iain Vigurs rose above Ross Tokely at the back post but could not direct his header on target from Gardyne's pinpoint centre.
Esson managed to parry Scott Morrison's powerfully accurate free kick from 30 yards nine minutes before half-time and both Alex Keddie and Vigurs had further efforts for the home side before the period expired.
Caley Thistle rarely threatened in the first half but after Eagle replaced Nauris Bulvitis at the break they began to create chances.
Hayes played Rooney through but Boyd did well to partially block the forward's shot before it was saved by Michael McGovern on 59 minutes.
County immediately responded, Barrowman sent Gardyne clear on the left of the penalty box but Esson blocked his goal bound shot.
Inverness went closest to scoring when Rooney knocked on Tokely's cross and Eagle struck the base of the post from six yards.
Hayes dragged a shot wide with 15 minutes left but it was County who looked most likely to break the deadlock in the last 10 minutes.
Martin Scott and substitute Garry Wood combined to set-up fellow replacement Paul Di Giacomo but the former Airdrie attacker scooped his shot over from 10 yards with just five minutes remaining.