Do this only if the format matches
Confirm the round with recruiting first. This is an original practice exercise, not a claim that a specific company uses this exact prompt.
Protocol
- Run the tests and write a five-line codebase map before opening the agent.
- State the merge invariant and slice-report contract in your own words.
- Delegate one bounded behavior at a time. Include the file, constraint, and verification command.
- Inspect every diff. Revert unrelated edits and explain one rejected suggestion.
- Add one edge test the agent did not propose, then run focused and full verification.
- End with a two-minute summary of the change, residual risk, and what you would inspect next.
Deliverables
- A repaired merge operation and implemented slice report.
- One candidate-written regression test.
- A short prompt log showing bounded delegation.
- A final diff you can explain line by line.
Graduation gates
Merged shard metrics equal single-pass metrics.
Low-support slices cannot trip the guardrail.
The public API remains stable.
No generated change survives without review and a verification path.