BB(6) hunt
Machines / W4-7

1RB0RA_1RC0RD_1RD0LC_1LE1RA_---1LF_1RB0LC

W4-7ParkedBell eats counterbbchallenge ↗Explorer

Where it stands

Parked at the Rocq proof

Parked 2026-10-12 by the stop rule of the funded 'invariant' stage (Dennis: 'Invariant stage'): no small invariant closes. Covers W4-7 (line 317) and sibling 707.

Read the full status

No property of the digit word excludes the unsupported cases: 237 orbit states at left visits with one number changed and the digit word kept reach case (b) within 30,000 passes (n0 -1/+1: 3/2, a -1/+1: 1/3; unperturbed 0/237); the orbit avoids them by exact sizes (each field-2 bell pushes older waves to the top; counter value near n0 at left visits). Of the 69 distinct hits, 35 are parse artifacts (another 6-encoding parse is supported; all 1,578 such parses match the real TM) and 66 do not halt in 2e9 TM steps, but 3 halt (B> into ready (0,0) followed by ready (2,0) at the top, right after a large width redraw): halting tapes are word-level grammatical, so a proof needs a quantitative invariant. Not a cryptid candidate (long perturbed runs never halt). Line 707: absim2 exact on 226,216/226,216 marker turns from step 117 to 1e9. Restart route in notes.md.

Observe
Deepen
Informal proof
Rocq
space-time diagram, first 10,000 steps from blank
The first 10,000 steps from a blank tape. Time runs down; white is 1.
About this picture

The standard picture (bbchallenge.org's Default view): each row is the whole tape at one step, time runs downward, and the head's path draws the pattern.

bbchallenge-defaultStart blankRows steps 0 → 10,000, top to bottomWindow cells −200..199, left to rightColors 1 0 or unvisited

Overview

In one sentence

Same table as a decider-proved machine; from start A it runs two bells into a wide-digit ternary counter

Status
Parkedinvariant · updated 2026-10-12Answered · On Oct 12: Q1–Q3, all yes. Work goes on: stuck at the invariant stage.
idle since Oct 12 21:37 · status.json 2026-10-12
Class
Bell eats counterours: Bell eats counter (sheet) · ours adds: two bells: the IndBECv1 _3ary table (decider-proved from start B) run from start A · med confidence
On the list
line 287 of BB6_holdouts_663.txt · historical 740 line 317 · observe.json rank #317
eqv ×2table ×2sim 1e15
Your calls on file 6
funded
option: invariant · date: 2026-10-12
2026-10-11 · decider2
Spend one more short stage on decider configurations, or go straight to a hand proof (two bells + ternary counter)? (Dennis: go with recommendations (2026-10-11))
2026-10-12 · grammar
The hand-over rules and an exact field-size law are now pinned: fund a grammar stage (exact digit encodings, J2, the merge carry, checked by an abstract simulator), or park W4-7 and 707? (Dennis: b (fund all five), 2026-10-12)
2026-10-12 · grammar2
The grammar stage found 6 digit encodings and a digit-level rule set that reproduce 1,540 consecutive turns exactly: fund one more stage to pin the top case and run the check to 1e9, or park W4-7 and 707? (Dennis 2026-10-12: 'fund w4-7')
2026-10-12 · hand
The decider route found nothing (384 hlin and 178 CTL runs, all false): start the hand proof with one stage that pins the open rules, or park W4-7 and its sibling 707? (Dennis: apply recommendations (2026-10-12))
2026-10-12 · invariant
The digit-level simulator now matches all 227,414 marker turns to 1e9 with validated rules: fund an invariant stage that shows the unsupported cases never occur (then proof.md), or park W4-7 and 707? (Dennis 2026-10-12: 'Invariant stage')

Mechanism

How it works: 3 notes
  • Bell + counter: a 00 marker in a field of 101 blocks moves one block right per pass (F); each pass first adds 1 to a base-3 counter on the right (K1-K6 = the cert's side_3ary rule, mirrored).
  • Counter digits can be wide: d (110)^n 0 with d = 000/110/010 for 0/1/2 (n = 0 gives 0000/1100/0100); rules I0, I2, I1a, I1b. A digit right after a wide 2 uses 0011/1111/0111 (J0, J1).
  • From A the tape holds two big bells that take turns (the idle one is a wide digit), one small wide digit and 4-cell digits, up to 5e9; start B has one bell. Bell hand-over (E) and the carry past J2 are not pinned. Only halt: A> 0 1 0; none in 1e10 steps.

Figures for Checkpoint A

Fig 1 · bbchallenge default view, first 10,000 steps

The site's own view. Look at the zigzag fill and the two edges growing at different speeds.

bbchallenge default view, first 10,000 steps
bbchallenge-defaultStart blankRows every step 0..9,999Window cells -200..199, 1 px = 1 cellColors 1 0 or unvisited head (last move right/left)
Rows: squeezed into 500 px by the site's bilinear filter (px row y blends steps 20y+9 and 20y+10)
Fig 2 · Close-up: bell steps and counter trips✓ Q2

One row per step. Follow the head: short bounces between two columns near x = 270..318, then long trips right.

Close-up: bell steps and counter trips
bbchallenge-defaultStart mid-run: step 2,980,444Rows every step, steps 2,980,444..2,981,843Window cells -198..387, 1 px = 1 cellColors 1 0 or unvisited head (last move right/left)
Start: config 0∞ (101)89 00 (101)15 11 C> (110)82 ... , head at cell 120 · Rows: the first 1,400 rows of a 6,000-step trace · Window: absolute positions; the whole visited span at that time
Fig 3 · Records from blank, start A (ours)✓ Q1

One row per new leftmost or rightmost cell. Compare the vertical streaks inside with Fig 4 (same table, start B).

Records from blank, start A (ours)
bbchallenge-defaultStart blankRows left/right records onlyWindow cells -624..1211, 1 px = 1 cellColors 1 0 or unvisited head (last move right/left)
Rows: the start, then one row per new leftmost or rightmost cell (1,836 rows to step 100,000,000; not evenly spaced in time)
More figures (2)Fig 4–5: Records from blank, start B (certified) · Blaze, 100 million steps
Fig 4 · Records from blank, start B (certified)✓ Q1

The IndBECv1 _3ary nonhalt3 run in our orientation: one field, one marker drifting along it.

Records from blank, start B (certified)
bbchallenge-defaultStart constructed: 0∞ B> 0∞Rows left/right records onlyWindow cells -530..1082, 1 px = 1 cellColors 1 0 or unvisited head (last move right/left)
Rows: 1,613 rows to step 100,000,000; not evenly spaced in time
Fig 5 · Blaze, 100 million steps

Overall growth: both edges keep moving out, the right one faster.

Blaze, 100 million steps
bbchallenge-blazeStart blankRows Blaze time blocks of 131,072 stepsWindow cells -624..1211, 1 px = 2.3 cellsColors 0 1 1 only part of the time (or in part of the cells) of that pixel's block
Rows: (each averaged), 763 blocks to step 1e8, stretched to 500 px · Window: Blaze image: 1 column per 2 cells, 918 columns stretched to 800 px · Colors: no head
Rules (13/15 validated)exact tape rewrites the proof will formalize, each re-checked by simulation
rulefrom ⟶ tocasesstepschecked
K1 digit 0 -> 1
l 1 C> 0000 r
⟶ l <C 0 1100 r
any l, r4✓200/200
K2 digit 1 -> 2
l 1 C> 1100 r
⟶ l <C 0 0100 r
any l, r2✓200/200
K3 digit 2 carries
l 1 C> 0100 r
⟶ l 1111 1 C> r
any l, r4✓200/200
K4 carry cleared on the way back
l 1111 <C 0 r
⟶ l <C 0 0000 r
any l, r4✓200/200
K5 top digit 1 -> 2
l 1 C> 11 0∞
⟶ l <C 0 01 0∞
any l2✓200/200
K6 top digit 2 overflows
l 1 C> 01 0∞
⟶ l <C 0 0000 11 0∞
any l12✓200/200
F bell step (marker moves one block)
l (101)a 00 (101)b+1 1 <C 0 r
⟶ l (101)a+1 00 (101)b 11 C> r
a >= 1, b >= 0, any l, r8b+16✓200/200
I0 wide digit 1 -> 2
l 1 C> 110 (110)n r
⟶ l <C 0 010 (110)n r
n >= 1 (n = 0 is K2), any l, r2✓200/200
I2 wide digit 0 -> 1
l 1 C> 000 (110)n r
⟶ l <C 0 (110)n+1 r
n >= 1 (n = 0 is K1 without the separator), any l, r4✓200/200
I1a wide digit 2 carries (crossing)
l 1 C> 010 (110)n 0 r
⟶ l 1111 (011)n 1 C> r
n >= 0 (n = 0 is K3), any l, r3n+4✓200/200
I1b wide carry cleared on return
l 1111 (011)n <C 0 r
⟶ l <C 0 000 (110)n 0 r
n >= 0 (n = 0 is K4), any l, r5n+4✓200/200
J0 digit after a wide 2: 0 -> 1
l 1 C> 010 (110)n 0 0011 r
⟶ l <C 0 000 (110)n 0 1111 r
n >= 1, any l, r (the digit's sweep reaches back into the crossed wire)8n+12✓200/200
J1 digit after a wide 2: 1 -> 2
l 1 C> 010 (110)n 0 1111 r
⟶ l <C 0 000 (110)n 0 0111 r
n >= 1, any l, r8n+10✓200/200
J2 digit after a wide 2: 2 carries
l 1111 (011)n 1 C> 0111 r
⟶ (digit -> 1100-like, head leaves right in state A: ...11111 00 A> r)
next digit then read from an A arrival; encoding not pinned—–untested
E bell hand-over
l 111 (110)k 100 (101)3 11 C> R (active bell, marker 3 blocks from its end)
⟶ l' 11 C> 000 (110)k+4 R' (the bell becomes a wide digit 0; the bell to its left takes one step; R' = R after one visit)
seen in traces only (2,011,920 -> 2,013,101; 2,082,683 -> 2,083,906; ~1.0e8)—–untested
Compressed historythe tape as 0∞ (101)a 02 (101)b 14 (101)c 02 (101)d 1e (110)f 1g C> 0∞ at 29 moments: where the rules are read off
0∞ (101)a 02 (101)b 14 (101)c 02 (101)d 1e (110)f 1g C> 0∞
stepabcdefg
725,418,06126051524137119
729,111,54336051524137219
755,105,77736121344323823
762,690,15536141444317119
781,826,00726201324483123
785,704,86536201294532600
789,597,90336211284543123
793,497,62726231264582600
797,529,303362315542911115
801,454,357362415443011215
805,316,45526261334527219
809,239,46136261244617319
825,207,971363014444711115
829,186,07326321334587219
833,190,67736321254667319
837,207,23536331194733323
841,243,12326351154773423
845,296,37536351114813523
849,385,30536361134852600
854,266,20326383932051917
857,931,347363820439515111
895,020,27536471025003723
942,242,7192659935253223
955,468,5972662975247219
977,717,8753666925357119
982,189,4112668845443123
986,707,9173668815492600
991,251,6173669825487119
995,809,8932671855457219
alast 2
327.3e81e9step 725418061: a = 2step 729111543: a = 3step 755105777: a = 3step 762690155: a = 3step 781826007: a = 2step 785704865: a = 3step 789597903: a = 3step 793497627: a = 2step 797529303: a = 3step 801454357: a = 3step 805316455: a = 2step 809239461: a = 3step 825207971: a = 3step 829186073: a = 2step 833190677: a = 3step 837207235: a = 3step 841243123: a = 2step 845296375: a = 3step 849385305: a = 3step 854266203: a = 2step 857931347: a = 3step 895020275: a = 3step 942242719: a = 2step 955468597: a = 2step 977717875: a = 3step 982189411: a = 2step 986707917: a = 3step 991251617: a = 3step 995809893: a = 2
blast 671
6716057.3e81e9step 725418061: b = 605step 729111543: b = 605step 755105777: b = 612step 762690155: b = 614step 781826007: b = 620step 785704865: b = 620step 789597903: b = 621step 793497627: b = 623step 797529303: b = 623step 801454357: b = 624step 805316455: b = 626step 809239461: b = 626step 825207971: b = 630step 829186073: b = 632step 833190677: b = 632step 837207235: b = 633step 841243123: b = 635step 845296375: b = 635step 849385305: b = 636step 854266203: b = 638step 857931347: b = 638step 895020275: b = 647step 942242719: b = 659step 955468597: b = 662step 977717875: b = 666step 982189411: b = 668step 986707917: b = 668step 991251617: b = 669step 995809893: b = 671
clast 85
393817.3e81e9step 725418061: c = 152step 729111543: c = 152step 755105777: c = 134step 762690155: c = 144step 781826007: c = 132step 785704865: c = 129step 789597903: c = 128step 793497627: c = 126step 797529303: c = 155step 801454357: c = 154step 805316455: c = 133step 809239461: c = 124step 825207971: c = 144step 829186073: c = 133step 833190677: c = 125step 837207235: c = 119step 841243123: c = 115step 845296375: c = 111step 849385305: c = 113step 854266203: c = 393step 857931347: c = 204step 895020275: c = 102step 942242719: c = 93step 955468597: c = 97step 977717875: c = 92step 982189411: c = 84step 986707917: c = 81step 991251617: c = 82step 995809893: c = 85
dlast 545
5492057.3e81e9step 725418061: d = 413step 729111543: d = 413step 755105777: d = 432step 762690155: d = 431step 781826007: d = 448step 785704865: d = 453step 789597903: d = 454step 793497627: d = 458step 797529303: d = 429step 801454357: d = 430step 805316455: d = 452step 809239461: d = 461step 825207971: d = 447step 829186073: d = 458step 833190677: d = 466step 837207235: d = 473step 841243123: d = 477step 845296375: d = 481step 849385305: d = 485step 854266203: d = 205step 857931347: d = 395step 895020275: d = 500step 942242719: d = 525step 955468597: d = 524step 977717875: d = 535step 982189411: d = 544step 986707917: d = 549step 991251617: d = 548step 995809893: d = 545
elast 7
2637.3e81e9step 725418061: e = 7step 729111543: e = 7step 755105777: e = 3step 762690155: e = 7step 781826007: e = 3step 785704865: e = 26step 789597903: e = 3step 793497627: e = 26step 797529303: e = 11step 801454357: e = 11step 805316455: e = 7step 809239461: e = 7step 825207971: e = 11step 829186073: e = 7step 833190677: e = 7step 837207235: e = 3step 841243123: e = 3step 845296375: e = 3step 849385305: e = 26step 854266203: e = 19step 857931347: e = 15step 895020275: e = 3step 942242719: e = 3step 955468597: e = 7step 977717875: e = 7step 982189411: e = 3step 986707917: e = 26step 991251617: e = 7step 995809893: e = 7
flast 2
807.3e81e9step 725418061: f = 1step 729111543: f = 2step 755105777: f = 8step 762690155: f = 1step 781826007: f = 1step 785704865: f = 0step 789597903: f = 1step 793497627: f = 0step 797529303: f = 1step 801454357: f = 2step 805316455: f = 2step 809239461: f = 3step 825207971: f = 1step 829186073: f = 2step 833190677: f = 3step 837207235: f = 3step 841243123: f = 4step 845296375: f = 5step 849385305: f = 0step 854266203: f = 1step 857931347: f = 1step 895020275: f = 7step 942242719: f = 2step 955468597: f = 2step 977717875: f = 1step 982189411: f = 1step 986707917: f = 0step 991251617: f = 1step 995809893: f = 2
glast 19
2307.3e81e9step 725418061: g = 19step 729111543: g = 19step 755105777: g = 23step 762690155: g = 19step 781826007: g = 23step 785704865: g = 0step 789597903: g = 23step 793497627: g = 0step 797529303: g = 15step 801454357: g = 15step 805316455: g = 19step 809239461: g = 19step 825207971: g = 15step 829186073: g = 19step 833190677: g = 19step 837207235: g = 23step 841243123: g = 23step 845296375: g = 23step 849385305: g = 0step 854266203: g = 7step 857931347: g = 11step 895020275: g = 23step 942242719: g = 23step 955468597: g = 19step 977717875: g = 19step 982189411: g = 23step 986707917: g = 0step 991251617: g = 19step 995809893: g = 19
Template comparisonIndBECv1.v _3ary: partly applies · the nearest solved proof, what carries over, and the transitions that differ
01
A1RB0RA
B1RC0RD
C1RD0LC
D1LE1RA
E---1LF
F1RB0LC
file
IndBECv1.v:258
module
_3ary (nonhalt3)
machine
1LB0LC_1LC0RB_1RD1LF_---1RE_1LA0RB_1LA0LF (11 transitions apart)
diff
same table: mirror + rename (ours A,B,C,D,E,F = cert F,A,B,C,D,E); the cert starts in our B, we start in A (our first step writes the one extra 1)
note
The cert's rule set = K1-K6 (side_3ary_Pos_inc_rule, QL = QR = our C) + one bell found by the hlin decider (config_T_bsz 745 3). Ours adds a second big bell and wide counter digits. Same config on our flipped table: decider false at T = 746, 1000, 2000, 5000, 20000, and with mnc 3 or 4 at T = 5000 (~2 min each); sibling 707 false at T = 745. On the cert: proved in 4.4 s.
Proof strategy & riskshow the formal proof will go · 3 risks to watch

Finish the small decider grid (mnc 3/4, block size 0, sibling 707). If none proves it, write a hand proof: an invariant of two bells + ternary counter whose low digits are idle fields; prove F, K1-K6, I0-I2 and the two missing rules (I1, E) in Rocq, starting from BellEatsCounter_1RB0RF.v (upstream HEAD) or the _3ary config, then flip to our orientation (Flip.v).

  • ▲Bell hand-over (E) and the carry past a digit after a wide 2 (J2) are seen only in traces; their exact case split is not known.
  • ▲Field count is only observed bounded (2 big bells + 1 small wide digit up to 5e9); an invariant needs it proved.
  • ▲Hand proof is a multi-stage job; the cheap decider route has failed on 8 configs so far.
Stats & provenance1010 steps simulated · 8,464 cells · the status in full · files
simulated
1010 steps
tape
8,464 cells · 5,627 nonzeros
growth
span ~ t^0.33 (1,836 cells at 1e8, 8,464 at 1e10); bells 674/630 blocks at 1e9, 1,144/1,071 at 5e9; no halt to 1e10
status now
Parked 2026-10-12 by the stop rule of the funded 'invariant' stage (Dennis: 'Invariant stage'): no small invariant closes. Covers W4-7 (line 317) and sibling 707. No property of the digit word excludes the unsupported cases: 237 orbit states at left visits with one number changed and the digit word kept reach case (b) within 30,000 passes (n0 -1/+1: 3/2, a -1/+1: 1/3; unperturbed 0/237); the orbit avoids them by exact sizes (each field-2 bell pushes older waves to the top; counter value near n0 at left visits). Of the 69 distinct hits, 35 are parse artifacts (another 6-encoding parse is supported; all 1,578 such parses match the real TM) and 66 do not halt in 2e9 TM steps, but 3 halt (B> into ready (0,0) followed by ready (2,0) at the top, right after a large width redraw): halting tapes are word-level grammatical, so a proof needs a quantitative invariant. Not a cryptid candidate (long perturbed runs never halt). Line 707: absim2 exact on 226,216/226,216 marker turns from step 117 to 1e9. Restart route in notes.md. (status.json, 2026-10-12)
observer's note
Mechanism understood at the component level (bell step, base-3 counter with wide digits; 13 rules validated 200/200); bell hand-over (E) and carry J2 not pinned; the certified sibling's decider config fails on our start.
files
observe.json · notes.md · status.json

Proof & checks

Files

machines/<tm>/: 9 entries · raw notes, status, scripts, images

namesizechanged
notes.md ↓38 KB2026-10-12 21:37
status.json ↓1.5 KB2026-10-12 21:37
observe.json ↓16 KB2026-10-12 18:19
deepen.json ↓15 KB2026-10-12 21:37
data/20 items2026-10-12 21:37
decisions/5 items2026-10-12 21:33
img/5 items2026-10-11 00:27
rocq/39 items2026-10-11 00:26
scripts/7 items2026-10-12 20:54
status.json in full
{
 "tm": "1RB0RA_1RC0RD_1RD0LC_1LE1RA_---1LF_1RB0LC",
 "status": "STUCK",
 "stage": "invariant",
 "updated": "2026-10-12",
 "label": "W4-7",
 "confidence": "med",
 "reason": "Parked 2026-10-12 by the stop rule of the funded 'invariant' stage (Dennis: 'Invariant stage'): no small invariant closes. Covers W4-7 (line 317) and sibling 707. No property of the digit word excludes the unsupported cases: 237 orbit states at left visits with one number changed and the digit word kept reach case (b) within 30,000 passes (n0 -1/+1: 3/2, a -1/+1: 1/3; unperturbed 0/237); the orbit avoids them by exact sizes (each field-2 bell pushes older waves to the top; counter value near n0 at left visits). Of the 69 distinct hits, 35 are parse artifacts (another 6-encoding parse is supported; all 1,578 such parses match the real TM) and 66 do not halt in 2e9 TM steps, but 3 halt (B> into ready (0,0) followed by ready (2,0) at the top, right after a large width redraw): halting tapes are word-level grammatical, so a proof needs a quantitative invariant. Not a cryptid candidate (long perturbed runs never halt). Line 707: absim2 exact on 226,216/226,216 marker turns from step 117 to 1e9. Restart route in notes.md.",
 "siblings": [
  "1RB0LA_1LC1RF_---1LD_1RE0LA_1RA0RB_1RE0RF",
  "1RB0LC_1RC0RD_1RD0LC_1LE1RF_---1LA_1RB0RF"
 ],
 "solved_relative": "1LB0LC_1LC0RB_1RD1LF_---1RE_1LA0RB_1LA0LF (IndBECv1.v:258, start B of this table)",
 "funded": {
  "option": "invariant",
  "date": "2026-10-12"
 }
}