{"id":2951,"job_id":6178,"problem_id":6,"lane_id":33,"type":"explore","user_id":73,"model":"claude-opus-5-5","provider":"anthropic","report_md":"# Self match: the word and step dependence comparison is still covered (re-issue after my #2941)\n\n**Decision: covered.** This is an assignment decision, not scientific acceptance. The scope (d5528577...) was decided covered by #2900, #2917 and my #2941; there is no new evidence since.\n\n**Covered answer** (#2618; #2667, reviews 718/781):\n- H0 = IV_A + Q61 is final after one-based step 61.\n- All of M0..M7 decide it (last uses 49, 56, 48, 54, 61, 52, 59, 50); M11, M2 and M9 are used only after the gate.\n- The prefix-search implications are constant-factor only.\n\n**Source check (reused).** #2941's word_dependence_check (attached by hash) recomputed the schedule, and a single-character change altered H0 in 16,000 of 16,000 hashlib trials. Repeating it would duplicate it.","patch":null,"cpu_hours":0,"hashes":{},"author_rung":"heuristic","status":"recorded","final_rung":"recorded","created_at":"2026-10-11T09:36:33.882Z","repo_url":null,"commit":null,"cites":{"files":["4d8f45910ba8867ff074b0e22167118ed835619f2b9b2c90f4432b15a85b70ba","378f8811cd176575ea97bdf00af1b33c84b279ec8576a5323ea371677c950fde"],"handles":["Benjaminsen"],"returns":[2941,2917,2900,2618,2667],"messages":[]},"tokens":{"log":"summary","input":2,"models":{"claude-opus-5-5":1986},"output":1986,"source":"reported","entries":0,"cache_read":707027,"cache_write":1179,"observed_models":[]},"paper_slug":null,"revision_path":null,"revision_sha":null,"recipe_md":null,"verification":null,"target":null,"finding":null,"human_md":null,"provisional":false,"effects_applied_at":null,"effort":"high","also_fix":null,"transcript_omitted":{"share":0,"omitted":0,"outputs":0},"patch_hash":null,"superseded_by":null,"duplicate_of":null,"transcript_resubmitted_at":null,"file_notes":null,"research":null,"research_route_id":null,"verification_plan":null,"verification_fingerprint":null,"review_admitted_at":null,"department_id":"dept_ef09d64fbbd7ddb34ab67f81","run_id":"run_c2ccb63b450f473296a41c24","triage_lead":null,"revision_base_sha":null,"integration":null,"resolves":null,"paper_exposition":null,"research_evidence":null,"transcript_mode":"summary","known_work":null,"work_disposition":{"task":{"intent":"consolidation","schema":"research-task-v1","domain_md":"self-match.methods: The candidate is exactly 32 lowercase ASCII characters from `0123456789abcdef`, in any order, repeats allowed. Its **32 literal ASCII bytes** are hashed; it is not decoded as hex. The score is the length of the common prefix of the candidate and its digest, 0 to 32, stopping at the first mismatch: later matches do not count. The final goal is a candidate equal to its own digest (a fixed point). None is known, and none is proven to exist: a random-map heuristic gives roughly a 63% chance that one exists.\n\nSubmit `candidate`. Fixture: `54db1011d76dc70a0a9df3ff3e0b390f` has digest `54db1011d76d137956603122ad86d762`, score 12. Distinguish input records, throughput, restricted facts and attack methods; compare identical domains, baselines, compute and luck.\nself-match.study-1: The candidate is exactly 32 lowercase ASCII characters from `0123456789abcdef`, in any order, repeats allowed. Its **32 literal ASCII bytes** are hashed; it is not decoded as hex. The score is the length of the common prefix of the candidate and its digest, 0 to 32, stopping at the first mismatch: later matches do not count. The final goal is a candidate equal to its own digest (a fixed point). None is known, and none is proven to exist: a random-map heuristic gives roughly a 63% chance that one exists.\n\nSubmit `candidate`. Fixture: `54db1011d76dc70a0a9df3ff3e0b390f` has digest `54db1011d76d137956603122ad86d762`, score 12. Full 64-step MD5, RFC IV, exact padding; reductions or different IVs are separate scopes. Negative evidence closes only its tested method and scope.","topic_ids":["self-match.methods","self-match.study-1"],"stop_if_md":"The exact obligation is already answered, a decisive counterexample defeats this attempt, or the required evidence cannot be obtained within actual consent and controls.","changed_premise_md":"Establish the exact uncovered difference from existing research before substantial work.","predecessor_returns":[],"expected_evidence_md":"An attributable scoped claim, source, measured comparison or negative result with its cheapest decisive check.","unresolved_obligation_md":"Which message words and steps decide the first 8 hex characters of MD5 for a 32-character candidate? Measure the dependence and say what it implies for a prefix search."},"schema":"work-disposition-v2","sources":{"topic_ids":["self-match.methods","self-match.study-1"],"review_ids":[718,781],"message_ids":[],"predecessor_returns":[2618,2667]},"trusted":true,"decision":"covered","effective":true,"input_sha256":"59fbc00e694b938f2342ac54ca30c5de3635841bf6333348a08a3735e77547e3","rationale_md":"The question is unchanged. The answer from 2618/2667 (718/781), carried by 2900, 2917 and 2941, stands. There is no new return, review or defect since #2941, whose independent check is reused by hash.","scope_sha256":"d5528577c5f002b635e235d1052a514188031289a11a40bcba77f79e1bd1f12a","allow_covered":true,"reopen_when_md":"Reopen only for a state-dependent perturbation with charged full-MD5 evidence beating complete-MD5 prefix search, a calibrated word-ranking objective, or a defect in 2618/2667. Re-issues do not reopen it.","work_check_job_id":6178,"base_decision_return_id":2941},"handle":"danieljmt","job_brief":"Compare this exact assignment with its predecessors and corrections before further investment. This is an assignment decision, not scientific acceptance. Read the cited messages and the lane's current claims; chat is evidence only.  Nomination: return #2941, message #none, review #none. Use existing packages and the cheapest source check; do not repeat large experiments.\n\nQuestion: Which message words and steps decide the first 8 hex characters of MD5 for a 32-character candidate? Measure the dependence and say what it implies for a prefix search.\nDomain: self-match.methods: The candidate is exactly 32 lowercase ASCII characters from `0123456789abcdef`, in any order, repeats allowed. Its **32 literal ASCII bytes** are hashed; it is not decoded as hex. The score is the length of the common prefix of the candidate and its digest, 0 to 32, stopping at the first mismatch: later matches do not count. The final goal is a candidate equal to its own digest (a fixed point). None is known, and none is proven to exist: a random-map heuristic gives roughly a 63% chance that one exists.\n\nSubmit `candidate`. Fixture: `54db1011d76dc70a0a9df3ff3e0b390f` has digest `54db1011d76d137956603122ad86d762`, score 12. Distinguish input records, throughput, restricted facts and attack methods; compare identical domains, baselines, compute and luck.\nself-match.study-1: The candidate is exactly 32 lowercase ASCII characters from `0123456789abcdef`, in any order, repeats allowed. Its **32 literal ASCII bytes** are hashed; it is not decoded as hex. The score is the length of the common prefix of the candidate and its digest, 0 to 32, stopping at the first mismatch: later matches do not count. The final goal is a candidate equal to its own digest (a fixed point). None is known, and none is proven to exist: a random-map heuristic gives roughly a 63% chance that one exists.\n\nSubmit `candidate`. Fixture: `54db1011d76dc70a0a9df3ff3e0b390f` has digest `54db1011d76d137956603122ad86d762`, score 12. Full 64-step MD5, RFC IV, exact padding; reductions or different IVs are separate scopes. Negative evidence closes only its tested method and scope.\nPremise: Establish the exact uncovered difference from existing research before substantial work.\nReturns: 2618, 2667; reviews: 718, 781; messages: none nominated.\n\nCovered means only this unchanged obligation need not be dispatched again.\nReturn work_disposition:{decision:\"covered|open\",scope_sha256:\"d5528577c5f002b635e235d1052a514188031289a11a40bcba77f79e1bd1f12a\",input_sha256:\"59fbc00e694b938f2342ac54ca30c5de3635841bf6333348a08a3735e77547e3\",rationale_md,reopen_when_md,next_task?:<research-task-v1>}. Name replication explicitly. Only a fresh trusted open decision explicitly reopens this exact scope. Changed evidence or chat requests reconsideration and never removes prior suppression. A changed source snapshot or superseded base decision makes this response ineffective; it grants no scientific authority.","review_deferred":false,"in_triage":false,"triage":[],"lean_statement_binding":null,"lean_execution_binding":null,"lean_scientific_identity":null,"lean_execution_identity":null,"verification_runs":[],"verification_state":null,"verification_summary":null,"canonical_return":null,"review_history":[],"dependencies":[],"cited_by":[{"id":2990,"handle":"Benjaminsen","status":"recorded"}],"route_dependents":[],"research_url":null,"transcript_url":"/projects/md5/return/2951/transcript","files":[{"sha256":"4d8f45910ba8867ff074b0e22167118ed835619f2b9b2c90f4432b15a85b70ba","name":"word_dependence_check.py","bytes":1206},{"sha256":"378f8811cd176575ea97bdf00af1b33c84b279ec8576a5323ea371677c950fde","name":"word_dependence_check.json","bytes":375}],"decided_by_author_handle":false,"reviews":[],"decisions":[],"decision":null,"report_sha256":"64322925c80029e9964ec066f9395fa1d73bcbbf14fd510aa452a5f9b2b2b6d8","research_authority":{"witness_status":null,"research_status":"recorded","scopes":[]},"research_links":[],"duplicates":[],"cited_messages":[]}