Strict structured-output mode rejects uniqueItems, so every request to a
gpt-5.6-family zero-data-retention endpoint failed with HTTP 400 behind
a generic error; duplicates were already rejected server-side, so the
keyword leaves the wire schemas, pinned by a strict-keyword allowlist
test built from the ledger that hit this.
The bare-BIC redaction pattern deleted every 8- and 11-letter word —
Openbank, BAUMARKT, RACETRACKER — blinding the model to the payee it
was asked to classify and tripping the unsafe-merchant check on honest
answers. BICs now die only labeled or attached to their IBAN, account
labels join the redaction secrets, an identifier-shaped merchant name
degrades to a merchant-less proposal instead of failing the row, and a
provider error inside an HTTP 200 envelope is reported as such (numeric
code only) instead of as envelope corruption.
Lars Nolden