# HyperTwist Retroactive Authority And Cleanup Backfill - 2026-05-20

## Status

This document is now the governing HyperTwist doctrine for retroactive
authority backfill and retroactive cleanup backfill.

If a packet, standing note, workflow doc, or prompt implies blanket
relabeling, fake whole-corpus rewrite, blind full reset, or invented certainty
for an older ambiguous packet, this document wins.

## Purpose

This doctrine exists to make retroactive repair selective, comparative, and
operational.

Its job is to stop two opposite errors:

1. treating an older packet as frozen even when later evidence materially
   changes current routing
2. treating every later clarification as permission for a cosmetic
   whole-corpus rewrite

Retroactive backfill is for the exact contested slice or relied-on ambiguity
that still matters now.

It is not for blanket relabeling.

## Governing rule

Do not do fake whole-corpus rewrites.

Do not do blind full resets.

Do not invent certainty for older ambiguous packets.

Do selective backfill only where later evidence materially changes:

- interpretation
- operational routing
- authority ranking
- cleanup interpretation
- active state reporting

Repo-local extraction may remain valid even when cross-lane authority needs
backfill.

Repo-local extraction may remain valid even when cleanup interpretation needs
backfill.

Backfill is comparative and operational, not cosmetic.

The correct target is the contested slice or relied-on ambiguity, not blanket
relabeling.

## Backfill classes

### A. Authority backfill

Authority backfill is triggered when:

- a later same-family repo materially changes a contested capability slice
- an older packet's winner versus adjunct versus reference versus pattern split
  is ambiguous
- a restrictive or otherwise harder-route repo appears to be the stronger
  authority and was previously softened incorrectly

Authority backfill requirements:

- reopen the earlier affected packet or standing note selectively
- name the exact earlier packet or standing note reopened
- state the exact contested slice
- preserve valid repo-local extraction unless later evidence materially changes
  it
- state whether the change is:
  - repo-local extraction changed
  - cross-lane authority changed
  - only wording changed

Authority backfill is not permission to:

- reset an entire family cluster by default
- relabel every older packet for appearance
- flatten preserved secondary value from non-winners into exclusion

### B. Cleanup backfill

Cleanup backfill is triggered when an older packet or workflow doc is still
operationally relied on but is ambiguous about:

- temporary root used
- whether cleanup happened
- whether retained residue was intentional
- whether remaining dirt is packet-created or pre-existing

Cleanup backfill requirements:

- mark the ambiguity explicitly instead of inventing certainty
- backfill only where the ambiguity still matters operationally
- name the exact earlier packet, standing note, or workflow doc reopened
- state whether the change is:
  - cleanup interpretation changed
  - only wording changed
  - or whether packet truth itself changed

Cleanup backfill is not permission to:

- bulk-rewrite older closeouts for appearance
- claim a repo was clean when only packet dirt was removed
- erase plausible pre-existing residue by narrative rewrite

## Prioritization order

When retroactive backfill is actually needed, prioritize in this order:

1. contested slices that affect current implementation routing
2. older packets whose authority or adjunct or reference or pattern split is
   ambiguous
3. cleanup-ambiguous packets still relied on in workflow or state reporting
4. family clusters with dense overlap and high donor value
5. lower-risk historical packets only if still active in planning or doctrine

## Required outputs for every retroactive backfill pass

Every retroactive backfill pass must output:

- exact earlier packet or packets reopened
- exact standing note or notes reopened when applicable
- exact reason the backfill was triggered
- whether:
  - repo-local extraction changed
  - cross-lane authority changed
  - cleanup interpretation changed
  - only wording changed
- what remained valid and was preserved
- what changed and why
- whether more selective backfill remains

If no retroactive backfill was actually triggered, say that explicitly.

## Practical interpretation rule

If later evidence changes a contested slice:

- reopen only the earlier affected slice-local packet or standing note
- preserve valid earlier value explicitly
- patch current routing from the corrected result

If later evidence does not change the contested slice, do not reopen the
earlier packet just to harmonize wording.

If cleanup posture is ambiguous but no current routing, reporting, or residue
decision depends on it, record that the ambiguity exists and defer the
backfill.

## Relationship to active doctrine

This document governs retroactive backfill behavior across:

- `C:\HyperTwist\docs\ops\HYPERTWIST_CROSS_LANE_AUTHORITY_HIERARCHY_AND_RECONCILIATION_2026-05-20.md`
- `C:\HyperTwist\docs\ops\HYPERTWIST_PACKET_CLEANUP_AND_REBUILDABLE_ARTIFACT_HYGIENE_2026-05-20.md`
- `C:\HyperTwist\docs\ops\HYPERTWIST_CANONICAL_COMPACT_CLOSEOUT_FORMAT_2026-05-19.md`
- `C:\HyperTwist\docs\ops\HYPERTWIST_WORKTREE_PLACEMENT_AND_VALIDATION_ARTIFACT_POLICY_2026-05-19.md`
- `C:\HyperTwist\docs\HYPERTWIST_MODEL_A_MAX_VALUE_EXTRACTION_MODUS_OPERANDI_2026-05-13.md`
- `C:\HyperTwist\docs\HYPERTWIST_MODEL_A_MODEL_B_COORDINATOR_DOCTRINE_2026-05-14.md`
- `C:\Workspaces\HyperTwist\clean-room-specs\MODEL_OUTPUT_RULES.md`
- `C:\Workspaces\HyperTwist\clean-room-specs\README.md`
- `C:\Workspaces\HyperTwist\clean-room-specs\bounded-implementation-workflow.md`
- `C:\Workspaces\HyperTwist\clean-room-specs\GENERIC_OPERATOR_SEQUENCE_AND_PROMPTING.md`
- `C:\Workspaces\HyperTwist\clean-room-specs\0600-phase5r-clean-room-operator-sequence-and-handoff.md`
- `C:\Workspaces\HyperTwist\clean-room-specs\0500-phase5r-restrictive-lanes.model-b-consolidation-prompt.md`

Use this document when deciding whether an older HyperTwist packet needs:

- no change
- selective authority backfill
- selective cleanup backfill
- or only a narrow wording correction
