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FA-96741 / Phone number formatting / Open access

Number list range compression: numbers are sorted as text · case 01

"100" sorts before "98".

Verified by executionVariant 1 · 8 checks per implementationDownload source bundle ↓JSON ↗

ROOT CAUSE

The list is sorted lexicographically.

THE FAILURE

The list is sorted lexicographically.

Unsuccessful approach: Sorting by integer value orders "0050" before "100" although it is longer.

Case contract

Input a list of digit strings. Deduplicate and sort by (length, text). Consecutive numbers of equal length (each one greater than the previous) form a run. A run of one is emitted as is; a longer run is emitted as START-TAIL where TAIL is END without the prefix it shares with START.

Why this case matters

Number inventories are displayed and exported as compressed ranges; a wrong run boundary or tail misstates which numbers are owned.

1 / The failure

Exit 1
"""Failure Map reference implementation. Python standard library only."""
import json

N = 1
observations = []
def solve(x):
    nums = sorted(set(x))
    out = []
    i = 0
    while i < len(nums):
        j = i
        while j + 1 < len(nums) and int(nums[j + 1]) == int(nums[j]) + 1 and len(nums[j + 1]) == len(nums[i]):
            j += 1
        a, b = nums[i], nums[j]
        if a == b:
            out.append(a)
        else:
            k = 0
            while a[k] == b[k]:
                k += 1
            out.append(a + '-' + b[k:])
        i = j + 1
    return out
def check(label, actual, expected):
    observations.append({"check": label, "actual": actual, "expected": expected, "passed": actual == expected})
fixtures = [[['run and singleton', ['5550110', '5550111', '5550112', '5550160'], ['5550110-2', '5550160']], ['duplicates inside a run', ['5550115', '5550115', '5550116'], ['5550115-6']], ['unsorted input', ['5550112', '5550110', '5550111'], ['5550110-2']], ['run crossing a hundred', ['5550198', '5550199', '5550200', '5550201'], ['5550198-201']], ['different lengths do not join', ['98', '99', '100', '101'], ['98-9', '100-1']], ['run crossing a thousand', ['1998', '1999', '2000'], ['1998-2000']], ['shorter number sorts first', ['0050', '100'], ['100', '0050']], ['gap of two', ['5550130', '5550132'], ['5550130', '5550132']]], [['run and singleton', ['5550120', '5550121', '5550122', '5550170'], ['5550120-2', '5550170']], ['duplicates inside a run', ['5550125', '5550125', '5550126'], ['5550125-6']], ['unsorted input', ['5550122', '5550120', '5550121'], ['5550120-2']], ['run crossing a hundred', ['5550198', '5550199', '5550200', '5550201'], ['5550198-201']], ['different lengths do not join', ['98', '99', '100', '101'], ['98-9', '100-1']], ['run crossing a thousand', ['1998', '1999', '2000'], ['1998-2000']], ['shorter number sorts first', ['0050', '100'], ['100', '0050']], ['gap of two', ['5550140', '5550142'], ['5550140', '5550142']]], [['run and singleton', ['5550130', '5550131', '5550132', '5550180'], ['5550130-2', '5550180']], ['duplicates inside a run', ['5550135', '5550135', '5550136'], ['5550135-6']], ['unsorted input', ['5550132', '5550130', '5550131'], ['5550130-2']], ['run crossing a hundred', ['5550198', '5550199', '5550200', '5550201'], ['5550198-201']], ['different lengths do not join', ['98', '99', '100', '101'], ['98-9', '100-1']], ['run crossing a thousand', ['1998', '1999', '2000'], ['1998-2000']], ['shorter number sorts first', ['0050', '100'], ['100', '0050']], ['gap of two', ['5550150', '5550152'], ['5550150', '5550152']]], [['run and singleton', ['5550140', '5550141', '5550142', '5550190'], ['5550140-2', '5550190']], ['duplicates inside a run', ['5550145', '5550145', '5550146'], ['5550145-6']], ['unsorted input', ['5550142', '5550140', '5550141'], ['5550140-2']], ['run crossing a hundred', ['5550198', '5550199', '5550200', '5550201'], ['5550198-201']], ['different lengths do not join', ['98', '99', '100', '101'], ['98-9', '100-1']], ['run crossing a thousand', ['1998', '1999', '2000'], ['1998-2000']], ['shorter number sorts first', ['0050', '100'], ['100', '0050']], ['gap of two', ['5550160', '5550162'], ['5550160', '5550162']]], [['run and singleton', ['5550150', '5550151', '5550152', '5550200'], ['5550150-2', '5550200']], ['duplicates inside a run', ['5550155', '5550155', '5550156'], ['5550155-6']], ['unsorted input', ['5550152', '5550150', '5550151'], ['5550150-2']], ['run crossing a hundred', ['5550198', '5550199', '5550200', '5550201'], ['5550198-201']], ['different lengths do not join', ['98', '99', '100', '101'], ['98-9', '100-1']], ['run crossing a thousand', ['1998', '1999', '2000'], ['1998-2000']], ['shorter number sorts first', ['0050', '100'], ['100', '0050']], ['gap of two', ['5550170', '5550172'], ['5550170', '5550172']]]]
for label, arg, expected in fixtures[N - 1]:
    check(label, solve(arg), expected)
print(json.dumps({"observations": observations, "passed": all(x["passed"] for x in observations)}, ensure_ascii=False))
raise SystemExit(0 if all(x["passed"] for x in observations) else 1)
Boundary fixtureActualExpectedOutcome
run and singleton['5550110-2', '5550160']['5550110-2', '5550160']Passed
duplicates inside a run['5550115-6']['5550115-6']Passed
unsorted input['5550110-2']['5550110-2']Passed
run crossing a hundred['5550198-201']['5550198-201']Passed
different lengths do not join['100-1', '98-9']['98-9', '100-1']Failed
run crossing a thousand['1998-2000']['1998-2000']Passed
shorter number sorts first['0050', '100']['100', '0050']Failed
gap of two['5550130', '5550132']['5550130', '5550132']Passed

SHA-256 / 34fef17309df6197de74cca0d3771c81a76fbda6adfeb8b6b6d9d27236eabc6b

2 / The unsuccessful fix

Exit 1
"""Failure Map reference implementation. Python standard library only."""
import json

N = 1
observations = []
def solve(x):
    nums = sorted(set(x), key=int)
    out = []
    i = 0
    while i < len(nums):
        j = i
        while j + 1 < len(nums) and int(nums[j + 1]) == int(nums[j]) + 1 and len(nums[j + 1]) == len(nums[i]):
            j += 1
        a, b = nums[i], nums[j]
        if a == b:
            out.append(a)
        else:
            k = 0
            while a[k] == b[k]:
                k += 1
            out.append(a + '-' + b[k:])
        i = j + 1
    return out
def check(label, actual, expected):
    observations.append({"check": label, "actual": actual, "expected": expected, "passed": actual == expected})
fixtures = [[['run and singleton', ['5550110', '5550111', '5550112', '5550160'], ['5550110-2', '5550160']], ['duplicates inside a run', ['5550115', '5550115', '5550116'], ['5550115-6']], ['unsorted input', ['5550112', '5550110', '5550111'], ['5550110-2']], ['run crossing a hundred', ['5550198', '5550199', '5550200', '5550201'], ['5550198-201']], ['different lengths do not join', ['98', '99', '100', '101'], ['98-9', '100-1']], ['run crossing a thousand', ['1998', '1999', '2000'], ['1998-2000']], ['shorter number sorts first', ['0050', '100'], ['100', '0050']], ['gap of two', ['5550130', '5550132'], ['5550130', '5550132']]], [['run and singleton', ['5550120', '5550121', '5550122', '5550170'], ['5550120-2', '5550170']], ['duplicates inside a run', ['5550125', '5550125', '5550126'], ['5550125-6']], ['unsorted input', ['5550122', '5550120', '5550121'], ['5550120-2']], ['run crossing a hundred', ['5550198', '5550199', '5550200', '5550201'], ['5550198-201']], ['different lengths do not join', ['98', '99', '100', '101'], ['98-9', '100-1']], ['run crossing a thousand', ['1998', '1999', '2000'], ['1998-2000']], ['shorter number sorts first', ['0050', '100'], ['100', '0050']], ['gap of two', ['5550140', '5550142'], ['5550140', '5550142']]], [['run and singleton', ['5550130', '5550131', '5550132', '5550180'], ['5550130-2', '5550180']], ['duplicates inside a run', ['5550135', '5550135', '5550136'], ['5550135-6']], ['unsorted input', ['5550132', '5550130', '5550131'], ['5550130-2']], ['run crossing a hundred', ['5550198', '5550199', '5550200', '5550201'], ['5550198-201']], ['different lengths do not join', ['98', '99', '100', '101'], ['98-9', '100-1']], ['run crossing a thousand', ['1998', '1999', '2000'], ['1998-2000']], ['shorter number sorts first', ['0050', '100'], ['100', '0050']], ['gap of two', ['5550150', '5550152'], ['5550150', '5550152']]], [['run and singleton', ['5550140', '5550141', '5550142', '5550190'], ['5550140-2', '5550190']], ['duplicates inside a run', ['5550145', '5550145', '5550146'], ['5550145-6']], ['unsorted input', ['5550142', '5550140', '5550141'], ['5550140-2']], ['run crossing a hundred', ['5550198', '5550199', '5550200', '5550201'], ['5550198-201']], ['different lengths do not join', ['98', '99', '100', '101'], ['98-9', '100-1']], ['run crossing a thousand', ['1998', '1999', '2000'], ['1998-2000']], ['shorter number sorts first', ['0050', '100'], ['100', '0050']], ['gap of two', ['5550160', '5550162'], ['5550160', '5550162']]], [['run and singleton', ['5550150', '5550151', '5550152', '5550200'], ['5550150-2', '5550200']], ['duplicates inside a run', ['5550155', '5550155', '5550156'], ['5550155-6']], ['unsorted input', ['5550152', '5550150', '5550151'], ['5550150-2']], ['run crossing a hundred', ['5550198', '5550199', '5550200', '5550201'], ['5550198-201']], ['different lengths do not join', ['98', '99', '100', '101'], ['98-9', '100-1']], ['run crossing a thousand', ['1998', '1999', '2000'], ['1998-2000']], ['shorter number sorts first', ['0050', '100'], ['100', '0050']], ['gap of two', ['5550170', '5550172'], ['5550170', '5550172']]]]
for label, arg, expected in fixtures[N - 1]:
    check(label, solve(arg), expected)
print(json.dumps({"observations": observations, "passed": all(x["passed"] for x in observations)}, ensure_ascii=False))
raise SystemExit(0 if all(x["passed"] for x in observations) else 1)
Boundary fixtureActualExpectedOutcome
run and singleton['5550110-2', '5550160']['5550110-2', '5550160']Passed
duplicates inside a run['5550115-6']['5550115-6']Passed
unsorted input['5550110-2']['5550110-2']Passed
run crossing a hundred['5550198-201']['5550198-201']Passed
different lengths do not join['98-9', '100-1']['98-9', '100-1']Passed
run crossing a thousand['1998-2000']['1998-2000']Passed
shorter number sorts first['0050', '100']['100', '0050']Failed
gap of two['5550130', '5550132']['5550130', '5550132']Passed

SHA-256 / 1a0b7c13481331313e1c9931cc92a7d4f7b1592e5e41937c059229fef0dc2f28

HELD IN THE MEMBER ARCHIVE

The verified repair and its recorded checks are member-only.

This mechanism has 8 recorded checks per implementation. The open-access tier publishes the failure and the unsuccessful fix; the repaired source that passes every check, and the observations that prove it, are available to members.

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Verification & scope

A deterministic toy contract over synthetic, obviously fictitious telephone numbers and toy country tables. The rules are stipulated for this model only and make no claim of conformance with any numbering plan or telecommunications standard. This reproducer isolates one failure mechanism. Results cover the supplied fixtures. Variants within a family share a test contract and should remain grouped when constructing evaluation splits. Related mechanisms with a shared evaluation_group must also remain together; these controlled models are not independent production incidents.

Observations recorded using Python 3.12.14 at 2026-09-29T14:52:25.575583+00:00.

Case digest / 752e1a801b475cfa7589a2277013c5ef277aeb90fe63a73fe43d08d7e916bc96