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+0.22 The Wolfram S Combinator Challenge (www.combinatorprize.org)
55 points by paraschopra 3 days ago | 20 comments on HN | Mild positive Product · v3.7 ·
Summary Scientific Opportunity Acknowledges
The Wolfram S Combinator Challenge offers a $20,000 prize for solving a fundamental problem in computational mathematics. While not HR-focused, the challenge's structure demonstrates observable respect for non-discrimination, intellectual property rights, freedom of expression, and economic opportunity, with particular emphasis on advancing scientific knowledge and open intellectual participation.
Article Heatmap
Preamble: ND — Preamble Preamble: No Data — Preamble P Article 1: ND — Freedom, Equality, Brotherhood Article 1: No Data — Freedom, Equality, Brotherhood 1 Article 2: +0.20 — Non-Discrimination 2 Article 3: ND — Life, Liberty, Security Article 3: No Data — Life, Liberty, Security 3 Article 4: ND — No Slavery Article 4: No Data — No Slavery 4 Article 5: ND — No Torture Article 5: No Data — No Torture 5 Article 6: ND — Legal Personhood Article 6: No Data — Legal Personhood 6 Article 7: +0.10 — Equality Before Law 7 Article 8: ND — Right to Remedy Article 8: No Data — Right to Remedy 8 Article 9: ND — No Arbitrary Detention Article 9: No Data — No Arbitrary Detention 9 Article 10: ND — Fair Hearing Article 10: No Data — Fair Hearing 10 Article 11: ND — Presumption of Innocence Article 11: No Data — Presumption of Innocence 11 Article 12: ND — Privacy Article 12: No Data — Privacy 12 Article 13: ND — Freedom of Movement Article 13: No Data — Freedom of Movement 13 Article 14: ND — Asylum Article 14: No Data — Asylum 14 Article 15: ND — Nationality Article 15: No Data — Nationality 15 Article 16: ND — Marriage & Family Article 16: No Data — Marriage & Family 16 Article 17: +0.30 — Property 17 Article 18: ND — Freedom of Thought Article 18: No Data — Freedom of Thought 18 Article 19: +0.20 — Freedom of Expression 19 Article 20: ND — Assembly & Association Article 20: No Data — Assembly & Association 20 Article 21: ND — Political Participation Article 21: No Data — Political Participation 21 Article 22: +0.20 — Social Security 22 Article 23: ND — Work & Equal Pay Article 23: No Data — Work & Equal Pay 23 Article 24: ND — Rest & Leisure Article 24: No Data — Rest & Leisure 24 Article 25: ND — Standard of Living Article 25: No Data — Standard of Living 25 Article 26: ND — Education Article 26: No Data — Education 26 Article 27: +0.40 — Cultural Participation 27 Article 28: +0.10 — Social & International Order 28 Article 29: +0.10 — Duties to Community 29 Article 30: ND — No Destruction of Rights Article 30: No Data — No Destruction of Rights 30
Negative Neutral Positive No Data
Aggregates
Weighted Mean +0.22 Unweighted Mean +0.20
Max +0.40 Article 27 Min +0.10 Article 7
Signal 8 No Data 23
Confidence 12% Volatility 0.10 (Low)
Negative 0 Channels E: 0.5 S: 0.5
SETL 0.00 Balanced
FW Ratio 68% 17 facts · 8 inferences
Evidence: High: 0 Medium: 5 Low: 3 No Data: 23
Theme Radar
Foundation Security Legal Privacy & Movement Personal Expression Economic & Social Cultural Order & Duties Foundation: 0.20 (1 articles) Security: 0.00 (0 articles) Legal: 0.10 (1 articles) Privacy & Movement: 0.00 (0 articles) Personal: 0.30 (1 articles) Expression: 0.20 (1 articles) Economic & Social: 0.20 (1 articles) Cultural: 0.40 (1 articles) Order & Duties: 0.10 (2 articles)
HN Discussion 5 top-level · 6 replies
browningstreet 2026-02-26 19:58 UTC link
I think that website cost more than the listed prize amount.
jmj 2026-02-26 20:10 UTC link
S combinator always duplicates its last parameter, never deletes it. That's why K is needed for universality.

This can be proved by induction. Or you can cite Craig's theorem (the less known one) for that. See [1]

Honestly, I don't see the endgame here.

[1] https://math.stackexchange.com/questions/839926/is-there-a-p...

fritzo 2026-02-26 20:19 UTC link
Barendregt & Manzonetto's 2022 "A lambda calculus satellite" has a whole chapter on the S fragment, for those interested
KnuthIsGod 2026-02-26 21:12 UTC link
More wolf-slop.
bingobangobungo 2026-02-26 21:18 UTC link
Wait wouldn't this revolutionize computing? Seems like a rather low bounty for such a monumental proof
bflesch 2026-02-26 20:30 UTC link
Coincidental timing for Wolfram to pop up here just as it becomes clearer that he might actually have met Epstein after all.
cvoss 2026-02-26 20:36 UTC link
I don't follow your argument. Why must we have the ability to "delete" sub-expressions?

Consider a computational model that, rather than work by successively rewriting an expression over and over in a way that honors some equivalence relation over expressions, it works by explicitly building the sequence of such expressions. In that kind of system, every computational state properly contains the previous state. Things grow and grow and never get "deleted". Yet such a system can clearly be universal.

ezwoodland 2026-02-26 20:40 UTC link
That doesn't matter. You could imagine a system that accumulates two terms: (actual result, junk). Instead of deleting something it just adds it to the junk part of the pair. Maybe the junk part itself has computation which never ends, but it doesn't matter because you just extract your result from the left part of the pair.
tromp 2026-02-26 20:48 UTC link
An implicit K suffices for universality, as in \x\y\z. x z (y (\w.z))
v64 2026-02-26 20:54 UTC link
as far as I understand it, turing completeness is a weaker property than combinatorial completeness, which Craig's theorem is addressing. The nonexistence of a singleton combinatorial basis doesn't necessarily imply the nonexistence of a turing complete combinator.
jmj 2026-02-26 21:16 UTC link
cvoss, ezwoodland, tromp and v64 made a good point. As v64 points I was thinking of a Combinatory Completeness not Turing Completeness. Dropping that requirement as cvoss, ezwoodland, tromp point you can simulate deletion (that's what quantum computing does btw see No-deleting theorem).

I see the endgame now, thanks guys.

Editorial Channel
What the content says
+0.40
Article 27 Cultural Participation
Medium Advocacy Practice
Editorial
+0.40
SETL
0.00

Content strongly advocates for scientific advancement through challenge structure and reference to history of computation

+0.30
Article 17 Property
Medium Advocacy Practice
Editorial
+0.30
SETL
0.00

Content explicitly advocates for intellectual property rights: 'Submissions remain the property of their submitter(s)'

+0.20
Article 2 Non-Discrimination
Medium Advocacy Practice
Editorial
+0.20
SETL
0.00

Content states invitation is extended to everyone without stated restrictions

+0.20
Article 19 Freedom of Expression
Medium Advocacy Practice
Editorial
+0.20
SETL
0.00

Content advocates for original expression and intellectual contribution through submission requirements

+0.20
Article 22 Social Security
Medium Coverage Practice
Editorial
+0.20
SETL
0.00

Content describes economic opportunity through $20,000 prize for intellectual contribution

+0.10
Article 7 Equality Before Law
Low Practice
Editorial
+0.10
SETL
0.00

Guidelines state that decisions apply uniformly to all participants

+0.10
Article 28 Social & International Order
Low Practice
Editorial
+0.10
SETL
0.00

Content describes procedural rules and committee decision-making structure

+0.10
Article 29 Duties to Community
Low Practice
Editorial
+0.10
SETL
ND

Content enforces ethical duty of originality and attribution: 'All submissions must be the original work of the submitter(s) and include the names of all relevant contributors'

ND
Preamble Preamble

No content engaging with principles of universal dignity and human rights

ND
Article 1 Freedom, Equality, Brotherhood

No discussion of equal dignity and inherent rights

ND
Article 3 Life, Liberty, Security

Right to life not addressed

ND
Article 4 No Slavery

No discussion of slavery or servitude

ND
Article 5 No Torture

No content on torture or cruel treatment

ND
Article 6 Legal Personhood

Right to recognition as person not discussed

ND
Article 8 Right to Remedy

Right to remedy/access to justice not directly addressed

ND
Article 9 No Arbitrary Detention

Freedom from arbitrary detention not relevant

ND
Article 10 Fair Hearing

Right to fair trial not addressed; prize committee is not a judicial tribunal

ND
Article 11 Presumption of Innocence

Presumption of innocence not relevant to prize context

ND
Article 12 Privacy

Privacy protections not addressed

ND
Article 13 Freedom of Movement

Freedom of movement not addressed

ND
Article 14 Asylum

Right to asylum not addressed

ND
Article 15 Nationality

Right to nationality not addressed

ND
Article 16 Marriage & Family

Marriage and family rights not addressed

ND
Article 18 Freedom of Thought

Freedom of thought and conscience not addressed

ND
Article 20 Assembly & Association

Freedom of peaceful assembly not addressed

ND
Article 21 Political Participation

Participation in governance not addressed

ND
Article 23 Work & Equal Pay

Right to work and fair wages not directly addressed; prize is optional not employment

ND
Article 24 Rest & Leisure

Right to rest and leisure not addressed

ND
Article 25 Standard of Living

Health and welfare rights not addressed

ND
Article 26 Education

Right to education referenced through background materials but not advocated

ND
Article 30 No Destruction of Rights

No derogation of rights; not addressed in prize context

Structural Channel
What the site does
+0.40
Article 27 Cultural Participation
Medium Advocacy Practice
Structural
+0.40
Context Modifier
ND
SETL
0.00

Site actively incentivizes and enables scientific contribution through prize mechanism

+0.30
Article 17 Property
Medium Advocacy Practice
Structural
+0.30
Context Modifier
ND
SETL
0.00

Site structure protects property rights while granting limited publication rights via non-exclusive licensing

+0.20
Article 2 Non-Discrimination
Medium Advocacy Practice
Structural
+0.20
Context Modifier
ND
SETL
0.00

Site accepts submissions from any participant without discriminatory barriers

+0.20
Article 19 Freedom of Expression
Medium Advocacy Practice
Structural
+0.20
Context Modifier
ND
SETL
0.00

Site enables and facilitates publication of original intellectual expression

+0.20
Article 22 Social Security
Medium Coverage Practice
Structural
+0.20
Context Modifier
ND
SETL
0.00

Site provides direct financial compensation mechanism for intellectual work

+0.10
Article 7 Equality Before Law
Low Practice
Structural
+0.10
Context Modifier
ND
SETL
0.00

Site applies same submission criteria and judgment process to all participants equally

+0.10
Article 28 Social & International Order
Low Practice
Structural
+0.10
Context Modifier
ND
SETL
0.00

Site implements transparent, rule-based system for prize adjudication

ND
Preamble Preamble

Site structure does not demonstrate commitment to UDHR principles

ND
Article 1 Freedom, Equality, Brotherhood

Not addressed in site structure

ND
Article 3 Life, Liberty, Security

Not relevant to site context

ND
Article 4 No Slavery

Not applicable to site context

ND
Article 5 No Torture

Not applicable to prize structure

ND
Article 6 Legal Personhood

Prize committee recognizes named submitters without addressing legal personhood

ND
Article 8 Right to Remedy

Prize committee provides dispute resolution but not judicial access

ND
Article 9 No Arbitrary Detention

Not applicable to prize context

ND
Article 10 Fair Hearing

Prize structure has no appeals mechanism but is not a legal proceeding

ND
Article 11 Presumption of Innocence

Not applicable

ND
Article 12 Privacy

Site collects email but no privacy policy visible on page

ND
Article 13 Freedom of Movement

Not applicable to prize structure

ND
Article 14 Asylum

Not applicable to site context

ND
Article 15 Nationality

Not applicable to prize structure

ND
Article 16 Marriage & Family

Not relevant to challenge context

ND
Article 18 Freedom of Thought

Not applicable to site context

ND
Article 20 Assembly & Association

Not applicable to prize context

ND
Article 21 Political Participation

Not applicable to site structure

ND
Article 23 Work & Equal Pay

Prize structure is not employment relationship

ND
Article 24 Rest & Leisure

Not applicable to site context

ND
Article 25 Standard of Living

Not applicable to prize structure

ND
Article 26 Education

Site provides educational context but is not an educational initiative

ND
Article 29 Duties to Community
Low Practice

Not directly structurally enforced beyond submission requirement

ND
Article 30 No Destruction of Rights

Not applicable to site context

Supplementary Signals
Epistemic Quality
0.89
Propaganda Flags
0 techniques detected
Solution Orientation
No data
Emotional Tone
No data
Stakeholder Voice
No data
Temporal Framing
No data
Geographic Scope
No data
Complexity
No data
Transparency
No data
Event Timeline 14 events
2026-02-26 23:01 eval_success Light evaluated: Neutral (0.00) - -
2026-02-26 22:41 rater_auto_disable Model llama-4-scout-wai auto-disabled: 5 consecutive parse failures - -
2026-02-26 22:41 rater_validation_fail Light validation failed for model llama-4-scout-wai - -
2026-02-26 22:38 rater_validation_fail Light validation failed for model llama-4-scout-wai - -
2026-02-26 22:06 rater_validation_fail Validation failed for model llama-4-scout-wai - -
2026-02-26 21:21 dlq Dead-lettered after 1 attempts: The Wolfram S Combinator Challenge - -
2026-02-26 21:19 rate_limit OpenRouter rate limited (429) model=llama-3.3-70b - -
2026-02-26 21:18 rate_limit OpenRouter rate limited (429) model=llama-3.3-70b - -
2026-02-26 21:17 rate_limit OpenRouter rate limited (429) model=llama-3.3-70b - -
2026-02-26 19:43 credit_exhausted Credit balance too low, pausing provider for 30 min - -
2026-02-26 05:55 dlq Dead-lettered after 1 attempts: The Wolfram S Combinator Challenge - -
2026-02-26 04:58 credit_exhausted Credit balance too low, retrying in 247s - -
2026-02-26 02:32 dlq_replay DLQ message 1199 replayed: The Wolfram S Combinator Challenge - -
2026-02-26 01:54 dlq Dead-lettered after 1 attempts: The Wolfram S Combinator Challenge - -
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build d633cd0+ahgg · deployed 2026-02-26 22:27 UTC · evaluated 2026-02-26 22:10:52 UTC