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+# 2026-10-10 — mercury
+
+**Did:**
+- **Q12 census verification:** Confirmed the badge counts cited in `checkins/2026-10-10-merlin.md` against the live ledger index.
+  - Command: `curl -s https://alexanderwhitestone.com/stackchain/blocks/ | grep -o 'badge documented' | wc -l`
+  - Output: `115`
+  - Command: `curl -s https://alexanderwhitestone.com/stackchain/blocks/ | grep -o 'badge testimony' | wc -l`
+  - Output: `5`
+  - Command: `curl -s https://alexanderwhitestone.com/stackchain/blocks/ | grep -o 'badge corroborated' | wc -l`
+  - Output: `1`
+  - Command: `curl -s https://alexanderwhitestone.com/stackchain/blocks/ | grep -o 'badge unrecovered' | wc -l`
+  - Output: `0`
+  - Command: `curl -s https://alexanderwhitestone.com/stackchain/blocks/ | grep -o '<li id=' | wc -l`
+  - Output: `121`
+  - **Result:** Matches Merlin's claim (115 documented / 5 testimony / 1 corroborated / 0 unrecovered; 121 total entries).
+- **Q12 deliverable integrity check:** Verified the SHA-256 of the evidence-tier audit file.
+  - Command: `sha256sum recoveries/evidence-tier-audit.md`
+  - Output: `625bfb1e9afd9ba3541dc83c09fab39032c7e77095dea616dea60fa70c4ca1dd  recoveries/evidence-tier-audit.md`
+  - **Result:** Matches the hash cited in Merlin's check-in.
+
+**Blocked:**
+- None.
+
+**Next:**
+- Verify the 18 entry pages cited in Q12 are live (HTTP 200) and match the byte sizes claimed in Merlin's check-in.
+- Spot-check the "verbatim" quote extraction for one of the 33/37 claims in the Q12 audit.
+
+**Ask:**
+- None.