\section{Limitations}
\label{sec:limitations}

\paragraph{The intervention's estimand.}
Final-artifact removal conditions on the other completed files. Later edits on other paths may depend on the removed block, even when no later turn overwrites its paths. The resulting contrast is not an unbiased action value, a Shapley allocation, or the outcome of a naturally continued trajectory. Last-touch and test-path eligibility also restrict which edits can receive this feedback. Snapshot attribution is temporal: background writes captured after a turn can be assigned to that turn, and restoring a last-touch block can reintroduce damage from an earlier block.

\paragraph{Allocation and optimization.}
Equal signed and absolute coefficient mass does not isolate semantic placement from every optimization effect. Localization changes concentration; adding the terminal advantage can change signs and DPPO masking. O/B/M/E evaluate a specific practical allocation rule. Claims about attribution accuracy require a suitably matched relocation control, and claims that removal information is necessary require controls using simpler factual test feedback. Those conclusions are outside the present comparison.

\paragraph{Empirical and benchmark scope.}
The planned study uses one base model and a limited RL task pool. It does not establish model-family-wide effectiveness, and base-model pretraining overlap is not measured here. An earlier adapter admitted zeros without grading reports; the affected run was excluded from the comparison. Successor training requires complete grading evidence, but this can also withhold negative feedback for model-broken installation; retry and masking rates must be reported by arm (\cref{app:grading_recovery}). The official evaluation's expected-test lists can omit behavior relevant to an issue; retaining its labels and denominator preserves the benchmark definition rather than repairing that limitation. Matching reports establish reproducibility of the recorded score. Missing test observations can be classified as failures, and reused descriptions can overwrite earlier test statuses. Final evaluation therefore retains raw observations and separates observed failures from outcomes requiring attribution.