diff --git a/benches/batch.rs b/benches/batch.rs
index 20bd6c7..1f2d4d2 100644
--- a/benches/batch.rs
+++ b/benches/batch.rs
@@ -1,49 +1,55 @@
+//! One slice's event sweep.
+//!
+//! Written against the public API rather than against `TimeSlice` directly.
+//! It used to reach for `TimeSlice`, `KeyTable`, `CompetitorStore`,
+//! `Competitor` and `EventKind`, and was the *only* thing outside `src/`
+//! that did — so a benchmark was dictating five public types that no test,
+//! example or consumer could otherwise obtain.
+//!
+//! A single-slice history's `converge` calls exactly the same per-slice sweep,
+//! so capping at one iteration measures the same code path.
+
 use criterion::{Criterion, criterion_group, criterion_main};
-use trueskill_tt::{
-    BETA, Competitor, ConvergenceOptions, EventKind, GAMMA, KeyTable, MU, P_DRAW, Rating, SIGMA,
-    TimeSlice, drift::ConstantDrift, gaussian::Gaussian, storage::CompetitorStore,
-};
+use smallvec::smallvec;
+use trueskill_tt::{ConstantDrift, ConvergenceOptions, Event, History, Member, Outcome, Team};
 
 fn criterion_benchmark(criterion: &mut Criterion) {
-    let mut index_map = KeyTable::new();
+    let build = || {
+        let mut h = History::builder()
+            .convergence(ConvergenceOptions {
+                max_iter: 1,
+                epsilon: 0.0,
+                alpha: 1.0,
+            })
+            .drift(ConstantDrift::new(0.0))
+            .build();
 
-    let a = index_map.get_or_create("a");
-    let b = index_map.get_or_create("b");
-    let c = index_map.get_or_create("c");
+        // 100 events, all at one time, so the history has a single slice.
+        let events: Vec<Event<i64, &'static str>> = (0..100)
+            .map(|_| Event {
+                time: 1,
+                teams: smallvec![
+                    Team::with_members([Member::new("a")]),
+                    Team::with_members([Member::new("b")]),
+                ],
+                outcome: Outcome::winner(0, 2),
+            })
+            .collect();
+        h.add_events(events).expect("fixture ingests");
+        h
+    };
 
-    let mut agents: CompetitorStore<i64, ConstantDrift> = CompetitorStore::new();
-
-    for agent in [a, b, c] {
-        agents.insert(
-            agent,
-            Competitor {
-                rating: Rating::new(
-                    Gaussian::from_ms(MU, SIGMA),
-                    BETA,
-                    ConstantDrift::new(GAMMA),
-                ),
-                ..Default::default()
+    criterion.bench_function("slice_sweep_100_events", |b| {
+        b.iter_batched(
+            build,
+            |mut h| {
+                // `converge_partial`, not `converge`: one iteration is
+                // deliberately short of convergence and `converge` reports that
+                // as an error.
+                let _ = h.converge_partial();
             },
+            criterion::BatchSize::SmallInput,
         );
-    }
-
-    let mut composition = Vec::new();
-    let mut results = Vec::new();
-    let mut weights = Vec::new();
-
-    for _ in 0..100 {
-        composition.push(vec![vec![a], vec![b]]);
-        results.push(vec![1.0, 0.0]);
-        weights.push(vec![vec![1.0], vec![1.0]]);
-    }
-
-    let kinds = vec![EventKind::Ranked; composition.len()];
-
-    let mut time_slice = TimeSlice::new(1, P_DRAW, ConvergenceOptions::default());
-    time_slice.add_events(composition, Some(results), Some(weights), kinds, &agents);
-
-    criterion.bench_function("Batch::iteration", |b| {
-        b.iter(|| time_slice.iteration(0, &agents))
     });
 }
 
diff --git a/src/convergence.rs b/src/convergence.rs
index e7041fd..ee7e87a 100644
--- a/src/convergence.rs
+++ b/src/convergence.rs
@@ -68,11 +68,7 @@ impl Default for ConvergenceOptions {
 /// [`InferenceError::NotConverged`](crate::InferenceError::NotConverged) there.
 /// From [`History::converge_partial`](crate::History::converge_partial) it may
 /// not be, and `converged` is what says so.
-#[derive(Clone, Debug)]
-#[must_use = "from `converge_partial` this may describe a fit that stopped at \
-              `max_iter`, which is wrong by a little rather than loudly \
-              broken — check `converged`, or bind it to `_` to say you have \
-              decided not to"]
+#[derive(Clone, Debug, PartialEq)]
 pub struct ConvergenceReport {
     pub iterations: usize,
     pub final_step: (f64, f64),
diff --git a/src/error.rs b/src/error.rs
index 8f24478..f1f04f2 100644
--- a/src/error.rs
+++ b/src/error.rs
@@ -43,32 +43,37 @@ pub enum UnknownKeys {
 #[non_exhaustive]
 pub enum InferenceError {
     /// Expected and actual lengths of some array-shaped input differ.
+    #[non_exhaustive]
     MismatchedShape {
         kind: &'static str,
         expected: usize,
         got: usize,
     },
     /// An `Outcome` of the wrong variant was supplied for the requested inference.
+    #[non_exhaustive]
     WrongOutcomeKind {
         context: &'static str,
         expected: &'static str,
         got: &'static str,
     },
     /// A probability value is outside `[0, 1]`.
+    #[non_exhaustive]
     InvalidProbability { value: f64 },
     /// A scalar parameter is outside its valid range.
+    #[non_exhaustive]
     InvalidParameter { name: &'static str, value: f64 },
     /// An event contains tied teams, but the draw probability is zero.
     ///
     /// A zero draw probability asserts that draws cannot occur, so a tied
     /// result has no representable likelihood. Configure a positive `p_draw`
     /// (via `HistoryBuilder::p_draw` or `GameOptions::p_draw`) to admit ties.
+    #[non_exhaustive]
     TieWithoutDrawProbability { teams: (usize, usize) },
     /// The convergence sweep hit `max_iter` with the step still above
     /// `epsilon`.
     ///
     /// A fit that stops short is wrong by a little, which is the worst
-    /// available failure: every rating is finite, the ordering looks sensible,
+    /// available failure: every posterior is finite, the ordering looks sensible,
     /// and nothing in the numbers says they were still moving. Reported rather
     /// than returned as a flag on an `Ok`, because a flag has to be checked
     /// and `let _ = h.converge()` is the natural way not to.
@@ -77,6 +82,7 @@ pub enum InferenceError {
     /// oscillating rather than converging, in which case `alpha < 1.0` damps
     /// the within-game EP loop. [`History::converge_partial`](crate::History::converge_partial)
     /// returns the short fit instead when that is genuinely what is wanted.
+    #[non_exhaustive]
     NotConverged {
         iterations: usize,
         final_step: (f64, f64),
@@ -86,6 +92,7 @@ pub enum InferenceError {
     ///
     /// Indicates numerical breakdown; the resulting skills are meaningless
     /// and must not be treated as a converged estimate.
+    #[non_exhaustive]
     NonFiniteResult {
         context: &'static str,
         step: (f64, f64),
@@ -99,6 +106,7 @@ pub enum InferenceError {
     /// "last one wins" would make the result depend on iteration order.
     /// Declaring the same value repeatedly is fine and is the expected shape
     /// when a competitor's configuration is a property of the domain.
+    #[non_exhaustive]
     ConflictingCompetitorConfig {
         competitor: usize,
         field: &'static str,
@@ -113,6 +121,7 @@ pub enum InferenceError {
     /// `UnknownKey { team: 0, member: 0 }` learns nothing about *which* of its
     /// keys the history has not seen, and the natural handling — fall back to a
     /// neutral value — turns the whole thing into a plausible constant.
+    #[non_exhaustive]
     UnknownKey {
         team: usize,
         member: usize,
@@ -128,8 +137,10 @@ pub enum InferenceError {
     ///
     /// To change an existing competitor's configuration, supply it on an event
     /// through `Member`; that refits the whole history.
+    #[non_exhaustive]
     AlreadyRegistered { key: String },
     /// A prediction was given a team with no members.
+    #[non_exhaustive]
     EmptyTeam { team: usize },
     /// The prediction grid cannot resolve the narrowest feature in the matchup.
     ///
@@ -147,6 +158,7 @@ pub enum InferenceError {
     /// `predict_win_probabilities` answers the same matchup through adaptive
     /// quadrature and is accurate here; use it when only the per-team win
     /// probabilities are needed.
+    #[non_exhaustive]
     GridTooCoarse {
         /// Nodes required to resolve the narrowest feature.
         needed: usize,
@@ -154,8 +166,10 @@ pub enum InferenceError {
         max: usize,
     },
     /// A joint posterior was requested where one cannot be formed exactly.
+    #[non_exhaustive]
     JointUnavailable { reason: &'static str },
     /// Fewer than two teams were supplied to a prediction.
+    #[non_exhaustive]
     NotEnoughTeams { got: usize },
     /// The full outcome distribution was requested for too many teams.
     ///
@@ -165,6 +179,7 @@ pub enum InferenceError {
     /// enumerate on a caller's behalf; ask for individual rankings with
     /// `predict_ranking`, or for `predict_win_probabilities`, both of which
     /// stay cheap at any team count.
+    #[non_exhaustive]
     TooManyTeams { got: usize, max: usize },
 }
 
diff --git a/src/event.rs b/src/event.rs
index f547cc3..b36278c 100644
--- a/src/event.rs
+++ b/src/event.rs
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ use smallvec::SmallVec;
 use crate::{gaussian::Gaussian, outcome::Outcome, time::Time};
 
 /// A single match at time `time` involving some number of teams.
-#[derive(Clone, Debug)]
+#[derive(Clone, Debug, PartialEq)]
 pub struct Event<T: Time, K> {
     pub time: T,
     pub teams: SmallVec<[Team<K>; 4]>,
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ pub struct Event<T: Time, K> {
 }
 
 /// A team: list of members competing together.
-#[derive(Clone, Debug)]
+#[derive(Clone, Debug, PartialEq)]
 pub struct Team<K> {
     pub members: SmallVec<[Member<K>; 4]>,
 }
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ impl<K> Default for Team<K> {
 /// for one competitor within a single batch is
 /// `InferenceError::ConflictingCompetitorConfig`: events in a batch have no
 /// order, so there would be no well-defined winner.
-#[derive(Clone, Debug)]
+#[derive(Clone, Debug, PartialEq)]
 pub struct Member<K> {
     pub key: K,
     pub weight: f64,
diff --git a/src/event_builder.rs b/src/event_builder.rs
index ecc1555..6ed9255 100644
--- a/src/event_builder.rs
+++ b/src/event_builder.rs
@@ -9,6 +9,8 @@ use crate::{
     time::Time,
 };
 
+#[must_use = "an event is only recorded by `.commit()`; a dropped builder \
+              silently ingests nothing"]
 pub struct EventBuilder<'h, T, D, O, K>
 where
     T: Time,
diff --git a/src/factor/mod.rs b/src/factor/mod.rs
index 4578755..8b84c3d 100644
--- a/src/factor/mod.rs
+++ b/src/factor/mod.rs
@@ -44,7 +44,6 @@ impl VarStore {
         id
     }
 
-    #[must_use]
     pub fn get(&self, id: VarId) -> Gaussian {
         self.marginals[id.0 as usize]
     }
diff --git a/src/game.rs b/src/game.rs
index 8c97fed..b0d7e67 100644
--- a/src/game.rs
+++ b/src/game.rs
@@ -92,6 +92,7 @@ impl Default for GameOptions {
 /// can be returned freely from public constructors. The inference inputs
 /// themselves are not retained — nothing reads them back.
 #[derive(Debug)]
+#[must_use]
 pub struct OwnedGame<T: Time, D: Drift<T>> {
     teams: Vec<Vec<Rating<T, D>>>,
     pub(crate) likelihoods: Vec<Vec<Gaussian>>,
@@ -283,7 +284,9 @@ impl<'a, T: Time, D: Drift<T>> Game<'a, T, D> {
             self.teams[t]
                 .iter()
                 .zip(self.weights[t].iter())
-                .fold(N00, |p, (player, &w)| p + (player.performance() * w))
+                .fold(N00, |p, (competitor, &w)| {
+                    p + (competitor.performance() * w)
+                })
         }));
 
         let n_diffs = n_teams.saturating_sub(1);
@@ -360,18 +363,18 @@ impl<'a, T: Time, D: Drift<T>> Game<'a, T, D> {
             .iter()
             .zip(self.weights.iter())
             .enumerate()
-            .map(|(orig_i, (players, weights))| {
+            .map(|(orig_i, (competitors, weights))| {
                 let si = arena.inv_buf[orig_i];
                 let m = arena.lhood_win[si] * arena.lhood_lose[si];
                 // Already folded into `team_prior` at the top of the chain,
                 // indexed by sorted position.
                 let performance = arena.team_prior[si];
-                players
+                competitors
                     .iter()
                     .zip(weights.iter())
-                    .map(|(player, &w)| {
-                        ((m - performance.exclude(player.performance() * w)) * (1.0 / w))
-                            .forget(player.beta.powi(2))
+                    .map(|(competitor, &w)| {
+                        ((m - performance.exclude(competitor.performance() * w)) * (1.0 / w))
+                            .forget(competitor.beta.powi(2))
                     })
                     .collect::<Vec<_>>()
             })
@@ -576,7 +579,7 @@ impl<T: Time, D: Drift<T>> Game<'_, T, D> {
         ))
     }
 
-    /// Convenience wrapper over [`Game::ranked`] for two single-player teams.
+    /// Convenience wrapper over [`Game::ranked`] for two single-competitor teams.
     ///
     /// # Errors
     ///
@@ -596,14 +599,14 @@ impl<T: Time, D: Drift<T>> Game<'_, T, D> {
 
     /// # Errors
     ///
-    /// Wraps each player in a one-member team and delegates to
+    /// Wraps each competitor in a one-member team and delegates to
     /// [`Game::ranked`], so it returns the same errors.
     pub fn free_for_all(
-        players: &[&Rating<T, D>],
+        competitors: &[&Rating<T, D>],
         outcome: crate::Outcome,
         options: &GameOptions,
     ) -> Result<OwnedGame<T, D>, crate::InferenceError> {
-        let teams: Vec<Vec<Rating<T, D>>> = players.iter().map(|p| vec![**p]).collect();
+        let teams: Vec<Vec<Rating<T, D>>> = competitors.iter().map(|p| vec![**p]).collect();
         let team_refs: Vec<&[Rating<T, D>]> = teams.iter().map(|t| t.as_slice()).collect();
         Self::ranked(&team_refs, outcome, options)
     }
@@ -1427,8 +1430,8 @@ mod tests {
 
     #[test]
     fn run_chain_honours_max_iter_in_convergence_options() {
-        let players: Vec<R> = (0..4).map(|_| R::default()).collect();
-        let teams: Vec<Vec<_>> = players.iter().map(|p| vec![*p]).collect();
+        let competitors: Vec<R> = (0..4).map(|_| R::default()).collect();
+        let teams: Vec<Vec<_>> = competitors.iter().map(|p| vec![*p]).collect();
         let result = vec![3.0, 2.0, 1.0, 0.0];
         let weights = vec![vec![1.0]; 4];
 
@@ -1475,8 +1478,8 @@ mod tests {
 
     #[test]
     fn run_chain_with_damping_converges_to_same_posterior() {
-        let players: Vec<R> = (0..4).map(|_| R::default()).collect();
-        let teams: Vec<Vec<_>> = players.iter().map(|p| vec![*p]).collect();
+        let competitors: Vec<R> = (0..4).map(|_| R::default()).collect();
+        let teams: Vec<Vec<_>> = competitors.iter().map(|p| vec![*p]).collect();
         let result = vec![3.0, 2.0, 1.0, 0.0];
         let weights = vec![vec![1.0]; 4];
 
diff --git a/src/gaussian.rs b/src/gaussian.rs
index 08ba486..58a1884 100644
--- a/src/gaussian.rs
+++ b/src/gaussian.rs
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ use crate::{MU, N_INF, SIGMA};
 /// the stored fields with no `sqrt` or reciprocal in the hot path. `mu()` and
 /// `sigma()` are accessors computed on demand.
 #[derive(Clone, Copy, PartialEq, Debug)]
+#[must_use]
 pub struct Gaussian {
     pi: f64,
     tau: f64,
@@ -44,7 +45,6 @@ impl Gaussian {
     /// small truncated sigma and inference must not panic. It is worth knowing
     /// that such a `Gaussian` is not equal to itself, so two identical
     /// declarations of one can be reported as conflicting.
-    #[must_use]
     pub const fn from_ms(mu: f64, sigma: f64) -> Self {
         // NaN is admitted on purpose. A broken fit legitimately produces a NaN
         // sigma — `sqrt` of a negative truncated variance — and the design is
@@ -243,7 +243,6 @@ impl Gaussian {
     /// Used by within-game inference to stabilise oscillating fixed-point
     /// loops on hard graphs. `alpha = 1.0` returns `new` exactly;
     /// `alpha < 1.0` shrinks each per-step update.
-    #[must_use]
     pub fn damp_natural(self, new: Gaussian, alpha: f64) -> Gaussian {
         Gaussian::from_natural(
             alpha * new.pi() + (1.0 - alpha) * self.pi(),
diff --git a/src/history.rs b/src/history.rs
index b2ae468..cd2e2bc 100644
--- a/src/history.rs
+++ b/src/history.rs
@@ -24,7 +24,8 @@ use crate::{
     tuple_gt, tuple_max,
 };
 
-#[derive(Clone)]
+#[derive(Clone, Debug)]
+#[must_use = "a builder does nothing until `.build()`"]
 pub struct HistoryBuilder<
     T: Time = i64,
     D: Drift<T> = ConstantDrift,
@@ -197,7 +198,6 @@ impl<T: Time, D: Drift<T>, O: Observer<T>, K: Eq + Hash + Clone> HistoryBuilder<
     /// assert!(h.current_skill(&"alice").unwrap().mu() > 0.0);
     /// # Ok::<(), trueskill_tt::InferenceError>(())
     /// ```
-    #[must_use]
     pub fn time_type<T2>(self) -> HistoryBuilder<T2, D, O, K>
     where
         T2: Time,
@@ -232,7 +232,6 @@ impl<T: Time, D: Drift<T>, O: Observer<T>, K: Eq + Hash + Clone> HistoryBuilder<
     /// h.record_winner(&"alice".to_string(), &"bob".to_string(), 1)?;
     /// # Ok::<(), trueskill_tt::InferenceError>(())
     /// ```
-    #[must_use]
     pub fn key_type<K2: Eq + Hash + Clone>(self) -> HistoryBuilder<T, D, O, K2> {
         HistoryBuilder {
             mu: self.mu,
@@ -269,7 +268,7 @@ impl<T: Time, D: Drift<T>, O: Observer<T>, K: Eq + Hash + Clone> HistoryBuilder<
         History {
             size: 0,
             time_slices: Vec::new(),
-            agents: CompetitorStore::new(),
+            competitors: CompetitorStore::new(),
             keys: KeyTable::new(),
             mu: self.mu,
             sigma: self.sigma,
@@ -392,7 +391,7 @@ pub struct History<
 > {
     size: usize,
     pub(crate) time_slices: Vec<TimeSlice<T>>,
-    pub(crate) agents: CompetitorStore<T, D>,
+    pub(crate) competitors: CompetitorStore<T, D>,
     keys: KeyTable<K>,
     mu: f64,
     sigma: f64,
@@ -418,7 +417,6 @@ impl Default for History<i64, ConstantDrift, NullObserver, &'static str> {
 }
 
 impl History<i64, ConstantDrift, NullObserver, &'static str> {
-    #[must_use]
     pub fn builder() -> HistoryBuilder<i64, ConstantDrift, NullObserver, &'static str> {
         HistoryBuilder::default()
     }
@@ -440,7 +438,6 @@ impl<T: Time, K: Eq + Hash + Clone> HistoryBuilder<T, ConstantDrift, NullObserve
     /// h.converge()?;
     /// # Ok::<(), trueskill_tt::InferenceError>(())
     /// ```
-    #[must_use]
     pub fn new() -> Self {
         Self::default()
     }
@@ -455,6 +452,7 @@ impl<T: Time, D: Drift<T>, O: Observer<T>, K: Eq + Hash + Clone> History<T, D, O
         self.keys.get_or_create(key)
     }
 
+    #[must_use]
     pub fn lookup<Q>(&self, key: &Q) -> Option<Index>
     where
         K: Borrow<Q>,
@@ -472,17 +470,18 @@ impl<T: Time, D: Drift<T>, O: Observer<T>, K: Eq + Hash + Clone> History<T, D, O
             return step;
         }
 
-        competitor::clean(self.agents.values_mut(), false);
+        competitor::clean(self.competitors.values_mut(), false);
 
         for j in (0..self.time_slices.len() - 1).rev() {
-            for agent in self.time_slices[j + 1].skills.keys() {
-                self.agents.get_mut(agent).unwrap().message =
-                    Some(self.time_slices[j + 1].backward_prior_out(&agent, &self.agents));
+            for competitor in self.time_slices[j + 1].skills.keys() {
+                self.competitors.get_mut(competitor).unwrap().message = Some(
+                    self.time_slices[j + 1].backward_prior_out(&competitor, &self.competitors),
+                );
             }
 
             let old = self.time_slices[j].posteriors();
 
-            self.time_slices[j].new_backward_info(&self.agents);
+            self.time_slices[j].new_backward_info(&self.competitors);
             self.observer.on_slice_processed(
                 &self.time_slices[j].time,
                 j,
@@ -496,17 +495,17 @@ impl<T: Time, D: Drift<T>, O: Observer<T>, K: Eq + Hash + Clone> History<T, D, O
                 .fold(step, |step, (a, old)| tuple_max(step, old.delta(new[a])));
         }
 
-        competitor::clean(self.agents.values_mut(), false);
+        competitor::clean(self.competitors.values_mut(), false);
 
         for j in 1..self.time_slices.len() {
-            for agent in self.time_slices[j - 1].skills.keys() {
-                self.agents.get_mut(agent).unwrap().message =
-                    Some(self.time_slices[j - 1].forward_prior_out(&agent));
+            for competitor in self.time_slices[j - 1].skills.keys() {
+                self.competitors.get_mut(competitor).unwrap().message =
+                    Some(self.time_slices[j - 1].forward_prior_out(&competitor));
             }
 
             let old = self.time_slices[j].posteriors();
 
-            self.time_slices[j].new_forward_info(&self.agents);
+            self.time_slices[j].new_forward_info(&self.competitors);
             self.observer.on_slice_processed(
                 &self.time_slices[j].time,
                 j,
@@ -523,7 +522,7 @@ impl<T: Time, D: Drift<T>, O: Observer<T>, K: Eq + Hash + Clone> History<T, D, O
         if self.time_slices.len() == 1 {
             let old = self.time_slices[0].posteriors();
 
-            self.time_slices[0].iteration(0, &self.agents);
+            self.time_slices[0].iteration(0, &self.competitors);
             self.observer.on_slice_processed(
                 &self.time_slices[0].time,
                 0,
@@ -546,7 +545,42 @@ impl<T: Time, D: Drift<T>, O: Observer<T>, K: Eq + Hash + Clone> History<T, D, O
         self.time_slices.len()
     }
 
+    /// Every competitor the history knows, in the order they were first seen.
+    ///
+    /// Includes competitors created by [`History::register`] that have not yet
+    /// appeared in an event.
+    ///
+    /// Insertion order, not hash order: a `HashMap` walk differs between
+    /// processes, which would make anything built from this — a standings
+    /// table, a printed report — unreproducible.
+    ///
+    /// ```
+    /// # use trueskill_tt::History;
+    /// let mut h = History::builder().build();
+    /// h.record_winner(&"alice", &"bob", 1)?;
+    /// let names: Vec<_> = h.competitors().copied().collect();
+    /// assert_eq!(names, ["alice", "bob"]);
+    /// # Ok::<(), trueskill_tt::InferenceError>(())
+    /// ```
+    #[must_use]
+    pub fn competitors(&self) -> impl ExactSizeIterator<Item = &K> {
+        self.keys.keys()
+    }
+
+    /// How many competitors the history knows.
+    #[must_use]
+    pub fn competitor_count(&self) -> usize {
+        self.keys.len()
+    }
+
+    /// How many events have been ingested.
+    #[must_use]
+    pub fn event_count(&self) -> usize {
+        self.size
+    }
+
     /// Learning curves for all competitors, keyed by their user-facing key.
+    #[must_use]
     pub fn learning_curves(&self) -> HashMap<K, Vec<(T, Gaussian)>> {
         #[cfg(feature = "rayon")]
         {
@@ -643,7 +677,7 @@ impl<T: Time, D: Drift<T>, O: Observer<T>, K: Eq + Hash + Clone> History<T, D, O
 
         let key = format!("{:?}", member.key);
         let idx = self.keys.get_or_create(&member.key);
-        if self.agents.contains(idx) {
+        if self.competitors.contains(idx) {
             return Err(InferenceError::AlreadyRegistered { key });
         }
 
@@ -666,7 +700,7 @@ impl<T: Time, D: Drift<T>, O: Observer<T>, K: Eq + Hash + Clone> History<T, D, O
                 drift_scale: member.drift_scale,
             },
         );
-        self.agents.insert(
+        self.competitors.insert(
             idx,
             Competitor {
                 rating,
@@ -692,9 +726,12 @@ impl<T: Time, D: Drift<T>, O: Observer<T>, K: Eq + Hash + Clone> History<T, D, O
         Q: std::hash::Hash + Eq + ?Sized,
     {
         let idx = self.keys.get(key)?;
-        self.agents.contains(idx).then(|| self.agents[idx].rating)
+        self.competitors
+            .contains(idx)
+            .then(|| self.competitors[idx].rating)
     }
 
+    #[must_use]
     pub fn current_skill<Q>(&self, key: &Q) -> Option<Gaussian>
     where
         K: std::borrow::Borrow<Q>,
@@ -708,6 +745,7 @@ impl<T: Time, D: Drift<T>, O: Observer<T>, K: Eq + Hash + Clone> History<T, D, O
     }
 
     /// Learning curve for a single key: (time, posterior) pairs in time order.
+    #[must_use]
     pub fn learning_curve<Q>(&self, key: &Q) -> Vec<(T, Gaussian)>
     where
         K: std::borrow::Borrow<Q>,
@@ -731,12 +769,13 @@ impl<T: Time, D: Drift<T>, O: Observer<T>, K: Eq + Hash + Clone> History<T, D, O
     /// Runs a full forward pass per call and caches nothing. This is the
     /// entry point for multi-key work — see `filtered_learning_curve` for
     /// why calling that once per key is far more expensive.
+    #[must_use]
     pub fn filtered_learning_curves(&self) -> HashMap<K, Vec<(T, Gaussian)>> {
         let mut data: HashMap<K, Vec<(T, Gaussian)>> = HashMap::new();
 
         for (time, step) in self.filtered_pass() {
-            for (agent, posterior) in step.posteriors {
-                if let Some(key) = self.keys.key(agent).cloned() {
+            for (competitor, posterior) in step.posteriors {
+                if let Some(key) = self.keys.key(competitor).cloned() {
                     data.entry(key).or_default().push((time, posterior));
                 }
             }
@@ -753,6 +792,7 @@ impl<T: Time, D: Drift<T>, O: Observer<T>, K: Eq + Hash + Clone> History<T, D, O
     /// discarding every posterior but the requested key's. N keys fetched
     /// this way costs O(N * events); use `filtered_learning_curves` for
     /// multi-key work instead — it computes the same pass once.
+    #[must_use]
     pub fn filtered_learning_curve<Q>(&self, key: &Q) -> Vec<(T, Gaussian)>
     where
         K: Borrow<Q>,
@@ -767,7 +807,7 @@ impl<T: Time, D: Drift<T>, O: Observer<T>, K: Eq + Hash + Clone> History<T, D, O
             .filter_map(|(time, step)| {
                 step.posteriors
                     .iter()
-                    .find(|(agent, _)| *agent == idx)
+                    .find(|(competitor, _)| *competitor == idx)
                     .map(|&(_, posterior)| (time, posterior))
             })
             .collect()
@@ -786,7 +826,7 @@ impl<T: Time, D: Drift<T>, O: Observer<T>, K: Eq + Hash + Clone> History<T, D, O
         // Bound before the closure so it captures the store rather than all of
         // `&self`: capturing `&History` would drag `KeyTable<K>` in and demand
         // `K: Sync` from every caller, which the key type need not satisfy.
-        let agents = &self.agents;
+        let competitors = &self.competitors;
 
         #[cfg(feature = "rayon")]
         {
@@ -794,7 +834,7 @@ impl<T: Time, D: Drift<T>, O: Observer<T>, K: Eq + Hash + Clone> History<T, D, O
             let per_slice: Vec<f64> = self
                 .time_slices
                 .par_iter()
-                .map(|ts| ts.log_evidence(targets, forward, agents))
+                .map(|ts| ts.log_evidence(targets, forward, competitors))
                 .collect();
             per_slice.into_iter().sum()
         }
@@ -802,18 +842,20 @@ impl<T: Time, D: Drift<T>, O: Observer<T>, K: Eq + Hash + Clone> History<T, D, O
         {
             self.time_slices
                 .iter()
-                .map(|ts| ts.log_evidence(targets, forward, agents))
+                .map(|ts| ts.log_evidence(targets, forward, competitors))
                 .sum()
         }
     }
 
     /// Total log-evidence across the history.
+    #[must_use]
     pub fn log_evidence(&self) -> f64 {
         self.log_evidence_internal(false, &[])
     }
 
     /// Log-evidence restricted to time slices containing at least one of the
     /// given keys. Useful for leave-one-out cross-validation.
+    #[must_use]
     pub fn log_evidence_for<Q>(&self, keys: &[&Q]) -> f64
     where
         K: std::borrow::Borrow<Q>,
@@ -833,10 +875,10 @@ impl<T: Time, D: Drift<T>, O: Observer<T>, K: Eq + Hash + Clone> History<T, D, O
         let mut pass = Vec::with_capacity(self.time_slices.len());
 
         for slice in &self.time_slices {
-            let step = slice.filtered_step(&messages, &self.agents);
+            let step = slice.filtered_step(&messages, &self.competitors);
 
-            for &(agent, posterior) in &step.posteriors {
-                messages.insert(agent, posterior);
+            for &(competitor, posterior) in &step.posteriors {
+                messages.insert(competitor, posterior);
             }
 
             pass.push((slice.time, step));
@@ -924,7 +966,7 @@ impl<T: Time, D: Drift<T>, O: Observer<T>, K: Eq + Hash + Clone> History<T, D, O
                     Some(skill) => skill,
                     None => match self.unknown_keys {
                         crate::UnknownKeys::Prior => Gaussian::from_ms(self.mu, self.sigma),
-                        _ => {
+                        crate::UnknownKeys::Reject => {
                             return Err(InferenceError::UnknownKey {
                                 team: team_idx,
                                 member: member_idx,
@@ -1081,13 +1123,13 @@ impl<T: Time, D: Drift<T>, O: Observer<T>, K: Eq + Hash + Clone> History<T, D, O
         let mut n = 0usize;
 
         for (slice_idx, slice) in self.time_slices.iter().enumerate() {
-            for (agent, elapsed) in slice.appearances() {
-                let rating = &self.agents[agent].rating;
-                let row = match previous.get(&agent) {
+            for (competitor, elapsed) in slice.appearances() {
+                let rating = &self.competitors[competitor].rating;
+                let row = match previous.get(&competitor) {
                     None => {
                         let row = n;
                         n += 1;
-                        first_rows.push((row, agent));
+                        first_rows.push((row, competitor));
                         row
                     }
                     Some(&prev) => {
@@ -1104,16 +1146,17 @@ impl<T: Time, D: Drift<T>, O: Observer<T>, K: Eq + Hash + Clone> History<T, D, O
                         }
                     }
                 };
-                previous.insert(agent, row);
-                latest.insert(agent, (row, slice_idx));
-                at_slice.insert((agent, slice_idx), row);
+                previous.insert(competitor, row);
+                latest.insert(competitor, (row, slice_idx));
+                at_slice.insert((competitor, slice_idx), row);
             }
         }
 
         let mut lambda = vec![0.0; n * n];
 
-        for (row, agent) in first_rows {
-            lambda[row * n + row] += 1.0 / self.agents[agent].rating.prior.sigma().powi(2);
+        for (row, competitor) in first_rows {
+            lambda[row * n + row] +=
+                1.0 / self.competitors[competitor].rating.prior.sigma().powi(2);
         }
         for (a, b, drift) in drift_links {
             lambda[a * n + a] += 1.0 / drift;
@@ -1122,7 +1165,7 @@ impl<T: Time, D: Drift<T>, O: Observer<T>, K: Eq + Hash + Clone> History<T, D, O
             lambda[b * n + a] -= 1.0 / drift;
         }
         for (slice_idx, slice) in self.time_slices.iter().enumerate() {
-            for (contrast, noise) in slice.scored_contrasts(&self.agents) {
+            for (contrast, noise) in slice.scored_contrasts(&self.competitors) {
                 for (ia, ca) in &contrast {
                     let ra = at_slice[&(*ia, slice_idx)];
                     for (ib, cb) in &contrast {
@@ -1181,7 +1224,7 @@ impl<T: Time, D: Drift<T>, O: Observer<T>, K: Eq + Hash + Clone> History<T, D, O
                         mean += coefficient * self.mu;
                         *unseen.entry(format!("{key:?}")).or_insert(0.0) += coefficient;
                     }
-                    _ => {
+                    crate::UnknownKeys::Reject => {
                         return Err(InferenceError::UnknownKey {
                             team: 0,
                             member,
@@ -1443,7 +1486,8 @@ impl<T: Time, D: Drift<T>, O: Observer<T>, K: Eq + Hash + Clone> History<T, D, O
     ///
     /// `MismatchedShape` unless exactly two teams are supplied, `EmptyTeam`,
     /// `UnknownKey` under [`UnknownKeys::Reject`](crate::UnknownKeys::Reject),
-    /// and `JointUnavailable` if the latest slice holds ranked events.
+    /// and `JointUnavailable` if the history is empty or holds ranked events in
+    /// *any* slice — not merely the latest one.
     pub fn predict_margin(&self, teams: &[&[&K]]) -> Result<Gaussian, InferenceError>
     where
         K: std::fmt::Debug,
@@ -1471,7 +1515,7 @@ impl<T: Time, D: Drift<T>, O: Observer<T>, K: Eq + Hash + Clone> History<T, D, O
                 let beta = self
                     .keys
                     .get(*key)
-                    .map_or(self.beta, |index| self.agents[index].rating.beta);
+                    .map_or(self.beta, |index| self.competitors[index].rating.beta);
                 performance_noise += beta * beta;
             }
         }
@@ -1499,8 +1543,6 @@ impl<T: Time, D: Drift<T>, O: Observer<T>, K: Eq + Hash + Clone> History<T, D, O
     /// elsewhere. See [`expected_information_gain`](crate::expected_information_gain)
     /// for the scale, the analytic `ln k` ceiling, and the cost.
     ///
-    /// # Errors
-    ///
     /// # Preconditions
     ///
     /// Every key must already be known to the history — that is, must have
@@ -1511,8 +1553,12 @@ impl<T: Time, D: Drift<T>, O: Observer<T>, K: Eq + Hash + Clone> History<T, D, O
     /// whole-team miss into a plausible constant, which is invisible to any
     /// test that does not assert on variation.
     ///
-    /// As [`History::member_skills`], plus `TooManyTeams` and anything
-    /// inference returns for a hypothetical outcome.
+    /// # Errors
+    ///
+    /// `NotEnoughTeams`, `EmptyTeam`, `UnknownKey` and `TooManyTeams` for the
+    /// shape of the request, `GridTooCoarse` when the performance sigmas are
+    /// too far apart to integrate on one grid, and anything inference returns
+    /// for a hypothetical outcome.
     pub fn expected_information_gain(&self, teams: &[&[&K]]) -> Result<f64, InferenceError>
     where
         K: std::fmt::Debug,
@@ -1613,6 +1659,8 @@ impl<T: Time, D: Drift<T>, O: Observer<T>, K: Eq + Hash + Clone> History<T, D, O
     /// # Errors
     ///
     /// `NotEnoughTeams`, `EmptyTeam`, `UnknownKey`, or `TooManyTeams`.
+    /// `GridTooCoarse` when the performance sigmas are too far apart to
+    /// integrate on one grid.
     pub fn predict_outcome(&self, teams: &[&[&K]]) -> Result<Prediction, InferenceError>
     where
         K: std::fmt::Debug,
@@ -1641,8 +1689,6 @@ impl<T: Time, D: Drift<T>, O: Observer<T>, K: Eq + Hash + Clone> History<T, D, O
     /// space, so it stays cheap at any team count — use it when you know which
     /// orderings you care about.
     ///
-    /// # Errors
-    ///
     /// # Preconditions
     ///
     /// Every key must already be known to the history — that is, must have
@@ -1653,8 +1699,11 @@ impl<T: Time, D: Drift<T>, O: Observer<T>, K: Eq + Hash + Clone> History<T, D, O
     /// whole-team miss into a plausible constant, which is invisible to any
     /// test that does not assert on variation.
     ///
+    /// # Errors
+    ///
     /// `NotEnoughTeams`, `EmptyTeam`, `UnknownKey`, or `MismatchedShape` if
-    /// `ranks` does not have one entry per team.
+    /// `ranks` does not have one entry per team. `GridTooCoarse` when the
+    /// performance sigmas are too far apart to integrate on one grid.
     pub fn predict_ranking(&self, teams: &[&[&K]], ranks: &[u32]) -> Result<f64, InferenceError>
     where
         K: std::fmt::Debug,
@@ -1700,6 +1749,10 @@ impl<T: Time, D: Drift<T>, O: Observer<T>, K: Eq + Hash + Clone> History<T, D, O
     /// `NonFiniteResult` if a sweep produces a NaN or infinite step. EP has
     /// broken down at that point and further iterations cannot recover, so the
     /// loop stops rather than reporting a NaN step as convergence.
+    ///
+    /// `InvalidParameter` if a competitor's drift model yields a negative or
+    /// non-finite variance — which also covers a custom [`Drift`]
+    /// implementation, the one case no constructor can check.
     pub fn converge(&mut self) -> Result<ConvergenceReport, InferenceError> {
         let report = self.converge_partial()?;
 
@@ -1726,6 +1779,8 @@ impl<T: Time, D: Drift<T>, O: Observer<T>, K: Eq + Hash + Clone> History<T, D, O
     /// # Errors
     ///
     /// `NonFiniteResult` if a sweep produces a NaN or infinite step.
+    #[must_use = "this fit may have stopped at `max_iter` — check `converged`, \
+                  or bind it to `_` to say you have decided not to"]
     pub fn converge_partial(&mut self) -> Result<ConvergenceReport, InferenceError> {
         use std::time::Instant;
 
@@ -1744,8 +1799,8 @@ impl<T: Time, D: Drift<T>, O: Observer<T>, K: Eq + Hash + Clone> History<T, D, O
         // defect already rejected for `sigma` and `beta`. A non-finite gamma
         // poisons every posterior derived from it.
         for slice in &self.time_slices {
-            for (agent, elapsed) in slice.appearances() {
-                let drift = self.agents[agent]
+            for (competitor, elapsed) in slice.appearances() {
+                let drift = self.competitors[competitor]
                     .rating
                     .drift_variance_for_elapsed(elapsed);
                 if !drift.is_finite() || drift < 0.0 {
@@ -1955,14 +2010,14 @@ impl<T: Time, D: Drift<T>, O: Observer<T>, K: Eq + Hash + Clone> History<T, D, O
         let mut conflict_scan: Vec<Index> = priors.keys().copied().collect();
         conflict_scan.sort_unstable();
 
-        for agent in &conflict_scan {
-            let batch = priors[agent];
-            let held = self.declared.get(agent).copied().unwrap_or_default();
+        for competitor in &conflict_scan {
+            let batch = priors[competitor];
+            let held = self.declared.get(competitor).copied().unwrap_or_default();
 
             if let (Some(existing), Some(new)) = (held.prior, batch.prior) {
                 if existing != new {
                     return Err(InferenceError::ConflictingCompetitorConfig {
-                        competitor: agent.get(),
+                        competitor: competitor.get(),
                         field: "prior",
                     });
                 }
@@ -1970,15 +2025,15 @@ impl<T: Time, D: Drift<T>, O: Observer<T>, K: Eq + Hash + Clone> History<T, D, O
             if let (Some(existing), Some(new)) = (held.drift_scale, batch.drift_scale) {
                 if existing != new {
                     return Err(InferenceError::ConflictingCompetitorConfig {
-                        competitor: agent.get(),
+                        competitor: competitor.get(),
                         field: "drift_scale",
                     });
                 }
             }
         }
 
-        for (agent, batch) in &priors {
-            let entry = self.declared.entry(*agent).or_default();
+        for (competitor, batch) in &priors {
+            let entry = self.declared.entry(*competitor).or_default();
             if batch.prior.is_some() {
                 entry.prior = batch.prior;
             }
@@ -1987,22 +2042,22 @@ impl<T: Time, D: Drift<T>, O: Observer<T>, K: Eq + Hash + Clone> History<T, D, O
             }
         }
 
-        competitor::clean(self.agents.values_mut(), true);
+        competitor::clean(self.competitors.values_mut(), true);
 
         let mut this_agent = Vec::with_capacity(1024);
 
-        for agent in composition.iter().flatten().flatten() {
-            if this_agent.contains(agent) {
+        for competitor in composition.iter().flatten().flatten() {
+            if this_agent.contains(competitor) {
                 continue;
             }
 
-            this_agent.push(*agent);
+            this_agent.push(*competitor);
 
             // From `declared` rather than `priors`: a competitor configured by
             // `register` before any event has nothing in this batch's map.
-            let config = self.declared.get(agent).copied().unwrap_or_default();
+            let config = self.declared.get(competitor).copied().unwrap_or_default();
 
-            if self.agents.contains(*agent) {
+            if self.competitors.contains(*competitor) {
                 // Seeding a competitor the history already knows. This used to
                 // be dropped on the floor: `remove` was only reached on the
                 // create path, so a prior applied on a competitor's very first
@@ -2011,7 +2066,7 @@ impl<T: Time, D: Drift<T>, O: Observer<T>, K: Eq + Hash + Clone> History<T, D, O
                     continue;
                 }
 
-                let rating = &mut self.agents.get_mut(*agent).unwrap().rating;
+                let rating = &mut self.competitors.get_mut(*competitor).unwrap().rating;
                 if let Some(prior) = config.prior {
                     rating.prior = prior;
                 }
@@ -2031,7 +2086,7 @@ impl<T: Time, D: Drift<T>, O: Observer<T>, K: Eq + Hash + Clone> History<T, D, O
                     // `clean` has just nulled every message, so the earliest
                     // slice's forward is exactly the prior.
                     for slice in &mut self.time_slices {
-                        if let Some(skill) = slice.skills.get_mut(*agent) {
+                        if let Some(skill) = slice.skills.get_mut(*competitor) {
                             skill.forward = seeded;
                             break;
                         }
@@ -2050,8 +2105,8 @@ impl<T: Time, D: Drift<T>, O: Observer<T>, K: Eq + Hash + Clone> History<T, D, O
                     rating.drift_scale = scale;
                 }
 
-                self.agents.insert(
-                    *agent,
+                self.competitors.insert(
+                    *competitor,
                     Competitor {
                         rating,
                         message: None,
@@ -2093,20 +2148,20 @@ impl<T: Time, D: Drift<T>, O: Observer<T>, K: Eq + Hash + Clone> History<T, D, O
                 let time_slice = &mut self.time_slices[k];
 
                 if k > 0 {
-                    time_slice.new_forward_info(&self.agents);
+                    time_slice.new_forward_info(&self.competitors);
                 }
 
                 for agent_idx in &this_agent {
                     if let Some(skill) = time_slice.skills.get_mut(*agent_idx) {
                         skill.elapsed = time_slice::compute_elapsed(
-                            self.agents[*agent_idx].last_time.as_ref(),
+                            self.competitors[*agent_idx].last_time.as_ref(),
                             &time_slice.time,
                         );
 
-                        let agent = self.agents.get_mut(*agent_idx).unwrap();
+                        let competitor = self.competitors.get_mut(*agent_idx).unwrap();
 
-                        agent.last_time = Some(time_slice.time);
-                        agent.message = Some(time_slice.forward_prior_out(agent_idx));
+                        competitor.last_time = Some(time_slice.time);
+                        competitor.message = Some(time_slice.forward_prior_out(agent_idx));
                     }
                 }
 
@@ -2133,29 +2188,41 @@ impl<T: Time, D: Drift<T>, O: Observer<T>, K: Eq + Hash + Clone> History<T, D, O
 
             if self.time_slices.len() > k && self.time_slices[k].time == t {
                 let time_slice = &mut self.time_slices[k];
-                time_slice.add_events(composition, results, weights, kinds_chunk, &self.agents);
+                time_slice.add_events(
+                    composition,
+                    results,
+                    weights,
+                    kinds_chunk,
+                    &self.competitors,
+                );
 
                 for agent_idx in time_slice.skills.keys() {
-                    let agent = self.agents.get_mut(agent_idx).unwrap();
+                    let competitor = self.competitors.get_mut(agent_idx).unwrap();
 
-                    agent.last_time = Some(t);
-                    agent.message = Some(time_slice.forward_prior_out(&agent_idx));
+                    competitor.last_time = Some(t);
+                    competitor.message = Some(time_slice.forward_prior_out(&agent_idx));
                 }
 
                 k += 1;
             } else {
                 let mut time_slice = TimeSlice::new(t, self.p_draw, self.convergence);
-                time_slice.add_events(composition, results, weights, kinds_chunk, &self.agents);
+                time_slice.add_events(
+                    composition,
+                    results,
+                    weights,
+                    kinds_chunk,
+                    &self.competitors,
+                );
 
                 self.time_slices.insert(k, time_slice);
 
                 let time_slice = &self.time_slices[k];
 
                 for agent_idx in time_slice.skills.keys() {
-                    let agent = self.agents.get_mut(agent_idx).unwrap();
+                    let competitor = self.competitors.get_mut(agent_idx).unwrap();
 
-                    agent.last_time = Some(t);
-                    agent.message = Some(time_slice.forward_prior_out(&agent_idx));
+                    competitor.last_time = Some(t);
+                    competitor.message = Some(time_slice.forward_prior_out(&agent_idx));
                 }
 
                 k += 1;
@@ -2167,19 +2234,19 @@ impl<T: Time, D: Drift<T>, O: Observer<T>, K: Eq + Hash + Clone> History<T, D, O
         while self.time_slices.len() > k {
             let time_slice = &mut self.time_slices[k];
 
-            time_slice.new_forward_info(&self.agents);
+            time_slice.new_forward_info(&self.competitors);
 
             for agent_idx in &this_agent {
                 if let Some(skill) = time_slice.skills.get_mut(*agent_idx) {
                     skill.elapsed = time_slice::compute_elapsed(
-                        self.agents[*agent_idx].last_time.as_ref(),
+                        self.competitors[*agent_idx].last_time.as_ref(),
                         &time_slice.time,
                     );
 
-                    let agent = self.agents.get_mut(*agent_idx).unwrap();
+                    let competitor = self.competitors.get_mut(*agent_idx).unwrap();
 
-                    agent.last_time = Some(time_slice.time);
-                    agent.message = Some(time_slice.forward_prior_out(agent_idx));
+                    competitor.last_time = Some(time_slice.time);
+                    competitor.message = Some(time_slice.forward_prior_out(agent_idx));
                 }
             }
 
@@ -2248,10 +2315,18 @@ impl<T: Time, D: Drift<T>, O: Observer<T>, K: Eq + Hash + Clone> History<T, D, O
     /// # Errors
     ///
     /// - `MismatchedShape` if an event's outcome does not describe the same
-    ///   number of teams the event has, or if per-member weights do not match
-    ///   the team's membership.
-    /// - `InvalidParameter` if a per-event `score_sigma` override is not
-    ///   strictly positive.
+    ///   number of teams the event has. (Weights cannot mismatch here — they
+    ///   come one-per-`Member`; that check belongs to
+    ///   [`EventBuilder::weights`](crate::EventBuilder::weights), which builds
+    ///   them from a separate list.)
+    /// - `NotEnoughTeams` for an event with fewer than two teams, and
+    ///   `EmptyTeam` for a team with no members.
+    /// - `InvalidParameter` for a per-event `score_sigma` override that is not
+    ///   strictly positive, a non-finite score, rank or weight, or a
+    ///   `drift_scale` that is negative or non-finite.
+    /// - `ConflictingCompetitorConfig` if one competitor is given two different
+    ///   values for `prior` or `drift_scale`, whether within one batch or
+    ///   across batches.
     /// - `TieWithoutDrawProbability` if an event ties two teams while the
     ///   history's `p_draw` is zero. This includes `Outcome::winner(w, n)` for
     ///   `n >= 3`, which ties every loser.
@@ -2379,6 +2454,33 @@ impl<T: Time, D: Drift<T>, O: Observer<T>, K: Eq + Hash + Clone> History<T, D, O
     }
 }
 
+/// Summarising rather than exhaustive.
+///
+/// A `History` owns every competitor's skill at every time slice, so a derived
+/// `Debug` would print the entire fit — megabytes for a real history, and
+/// useless in a log. This prints the shape instead. Same reasoning as `Joint`'s,
+/// which omits its `n^2` factorisation.
+///
+/// It exists at all because without it a consumer cannot `#[derive(Debug)]` on
+/// any struct holding a `History`, which is how both known consumers store it.
+impl<T: Time, D: Drift<T>, O: Observer<T>, K: Eq + Hash + Clone> std::fmt::Debug
+    for History<T, D, O, K>
+{
+    fn fmt(&self, f: &mut std::fmt::Formatter<'_>) -> std::fmt::Result {
+        f.debug_struct("History")
+            .field("competitors", &self.keys.len())
+            .field("events", &self.size)
+            .field("time_slices", &self.time_slices.len())
+            .field("mu", &self.mu)
+            .field("sigma", &self.sigma)
+            .field("beta", &self.beta)
+            .field("p_draw", &self.p_draw)
+            .field("score_sigma", &self.score_sigma)
+            .field("unknown_keys", &self.unknown_keys)
+            .finish_non_exhaustive()
+    }
+}
+
 /// A factorised joint posterior, reusable across many queries.
 ///
 /// Built by [`History::joint`]. Every question the joint answers — the width of
@@ -2520,9 +2622,9 @@ impl<T: Time, D: Drift<T>, O: Observer<T>, K: Eq + Hash + Clone> Joint<'_, T, D,
             if slice.time > time {
                 break;
             }
-            for (agent, _) in slice.appearances() {
-                if let Some(row) = self.at_slice.get(&(agent, slice_idx)) {
-                    as_of.insert(agent, (*row, slice_idx));
+            for (competitor, _) in slice.appearances() {
+                if let Some(row) = self.at_slice.get(&(competitor, slice_idx)) {
+                    as_of.insert(competitor, (*row, slice_idx));
                 }
             }
         }
@@ -2571,7 +2673,7 @@ impl<T: Time, D: Drift<T>, O: Observer<T>, K: Eq + Hash + Clone> Joint<'_, T, D,
                     .keys
                     .get(*key)
                     .map_or(self.history.beta, |index| {
-                        self.history.agents[index].rating.beta
+                        self.history.competitors[index].rating.beta
                     });
                 noise += beta * beta;
             }
@@ -2726,7 +2828,11 @@ mod tests {
 
         let w = [vec![1.0], vec![1.0]];
         let p = Game::ranked_with_arena(
-            h.time_slices[1].events[0].within_priors(false, &h.time_slices[1].skills, &h.agents),
+            h.time_slices[1].events[0].within_priors(
+                false,
+                &h.time_slices[1].skills,
+                &h.competitors,
+            ),
             &[0.0, 1.0],
             &w,
             P_DRAW,
@@ -3645,7 +3751,7 @@ mod tests {
 
         let mut max_diff: f64 = 0.0;
         for (key, capped_pts) in curves_capped.iter() {
-            let full_pts = curves_full.get(key).expect("agent missing in full");
+            let full_pts = curves_full.get(key).expect("competitor missing in full");
             for (capped, full) in capped_pts.iter().zip(full_pts.iter()) {
                 max_diff = max_diff.max((capped.1.mu() - full.1.mu()).abs());
                 max_diff = max_diff.max((capped.1.sigma() - full.1.sigma()).abs());
@@ -3692,7 +3798,7 @@ mod tests {
 
         let mut max_diff: f64 = 0.0;
         for (key, u_pts) in curves_u.iter() {
-            let d_pts = curves_d.get(key).expect("agent missing in damped");
+            let d_pts = curves_d.get(key).expect("competitor missing in damped");
             for (u, d) in u_pts.iter().zip(d_pts.iter()) {
                 max_diff = max_diff.max((u.1.mu() - d.1.mu()).abs());
                 max_diff = max_diff.max((u.1.sigma() - d.1.sigma()).abs());
@@ -3738,10 +3844,10 @@ mod tests {
         let curves_a = h_a.learning_curves();
         let curves_b = h_b.learning_curves();
         for (key, a_pts) in curves_a.iter() {
-            let b_pts = curves_b.get(key).expect("agent missing in path B");
+            let b_pts = curves_b.get(key).expect("competitor missing in path B");
             for (a, b) in a_pts.iter().zip(b_pts.iter()) {
-                assert_eq!(a.1.pi(), b.1.pi(), "mismatch at agent {key:?}");
-                assert_eq!(a.1.tau(), b.1.tau(), "mismatch at agent {key:?}");
+                assert_eq!(a.1.pi(), b.1.pi(), "mismatch at competitor {key:?}");
+                assert_eq!(a.1.tau(), b.1.tau(), "mismatch at competitor {key:?}");
             }
         }
     }
@@ -3780,10 +3886,10 @@ mod tests {
         let curves_a = h_a.learning_curves();
         let curves_b = h_b.learning_curves();
         for (key, a_pts) in curves_a.iter() {
-            let b_pts = curves_b.get(key).expect("agent missing in path B");
+            let b_pts = curves_b.get(key).expect("competitor missing in path B");
             for (a, b) in a_pts.iter().zip(b_pts.iter()) {
-                assert_eq!(a.1.pi(), b.1.pi(), "mismatch at agent {key:?}");
-                assert_eq!(a.1.tau(), b.1.tau(), "mismatch at agent {key:?}");
+                assert_eq!(a.1.pi(), b.1.pi(), "mismatch at competitor {key:?}");
+                assert_eq!(a.1.tau(), b.1.tau(), "mismatch at competitor {key:?}");
             }
         }
 
@@ -3803,7 +3909,7 @@ mod tests {
         let curves_c = h_c.learning_curves();
         let mut max_diff: f64 = 0.0;
         for (key, a_pts) in curves_a.iter() {
-            let c_pts = curves_c.get(key).expect("agent missing in path C");
+            let c_pts = curves_c.get(key).expect("competitor missing in path C");
             for (a, c) in a_pts.iter().zip(c_pts.iter()) {
                 max_diff = max_diff.max((a.1.mu() - c.1.mu()).abs());
                 max_diff = max_diff.max((a.1.sigma() - c.1.sigma()).abs());
@@ -3845,10 +3951,10 @@ mod tests {
         let curves_a = h_a.learning_curves();
         let curves_b = h_b.learning_curves();
         for (key, a_pts) in curves_a.iter() {
-            let b_pts = curves_b.get(key).expect("agent missing");
+            let b_pts = curves_b.get(key).expect("competitor missing");
             for (a, b) in a_pts.iter().zip(b_pts.iter()) {
-                assert_eq!(a.1.pi(), b.1.pi(), "mismatch at agent {key:?}");
-                assert_eq!(a.1.tau(), b.1.tau(), "mismatch at agent {key:?}");
+                assert_eq!(a.1.pi(), b.1.pi(), "mismatch at competitor {key:?}");
+                assert_eq!(a.1.tau(), b.1.tau(), "mismatch at competitor {key:?}");
             }
         }
     }
diff --git a/src/key_table.rs b/src/key_table.rs
index 40953d6..b06e526 100644
--- a/src/key_table.rs
+++ b/src/key_table.rs
@@ -60,19 +60,20 @@ where
         self.reverse.get(idx.0)
     }
 
-    pub fn keys(&self) -> impl Iterator<Item = &K> {
-        self.forward.keys()
+    /// Every key, in the order they were first interned.
+    ///
+    /// Iterates the dense reverse table rather than the forward `HashMap`.
+    /// Rust seeds its default hasher per process, so a `HashMap` walk yields a
+    /// different order on every run — which is fine for membership but not for
+    /// anything a caller might sum, sort or print.
+    pub fn keys(&self) -> impl ExactSizeIterator<Item = &K> {
+        self.reverse.iter()
     }
 
     #[must_use]
     pub fn len(&self) -> usize {
         self.reverse.len()
     }
-
-    #[must_use]
-    pub fn is_empty(&self) -> bool {
-        self.reverse.is_empty()
-    }
 }
 
 impl<K> Default for KeyTable<K>
diff --git a/src/lib.rs b/src/lib.rs
index 1feca81..91b1585 100644
--- a/src/lib.rs
+++ b/src/lib.rs
@@ -104,13 +104,10 @@ use std::{
     f64::consts::{FRAC_1_SQRT_2, FRAC_2_SQRT_PI, SQRT_2},
 };
 
+mod acquisition;
 #[cfg(feature = "approx")]
 mod approx;
 pub(crate) mod arena;
-mod time;
-mod time_slice;
-pub use time_slice::{EventKind, TimeSlice};
-mod acquisition;
 mod color_group;
 mod competitor;
 mod convergence;
@@ -130,10 +127,11 @@ mod outcome;
 mod predict;
 pub(crate) mod quadrature;
 mod rating;
-pub mod storage;
+pub(crate) mod storage;
+mod time;
+mod time_slice;
 
 pub use acquisition::expected_information_gain;
-pub use competitor::Competitor;
 pub use convergence::{ConvergenceOptions, ConvergenceReport};
 pub use drift::{ConstantDrift, Drift};
 pub use error::{InferenceError, UnknownKeys};
@@ -142,7 +140,6 @@ pub use event_builder::EventBuilder;
 pub use game::{Game, GameOptions, OwnedGame};
 pub use gaussian::Gaussian;
 pub use history::{History, HistoryBuilder, Joint};
-pub use key_table::KeyTable;
 use matrix::Matrix;
 pub use observer::{NullObserver, Observer};
 pub use outcome::Outcome;
@@ -226,9 +223,8 @@ const HALF_LINE_WINDOW: f64 = 10.0;
 const NARROW_WINDOW_RATIO: f64 = 2.0e4;
 const ASYMPTOTIC_MILLS_ALPHA: f64 = 100.0;
 
-pub const N01: Gaussian = Gaussian::from_ms(0.0, 1.0);
-pub const N00: Gaussian = Gaussian::from_ms(0.0, 0.0);
-pub const N_INF: Gaussian = Gaussian::from_ms(0.0, f64::INFINITY);
+pub(crate) const N00: Gaussian = Gaussian::from_ms(0.0, 0.0);
+pub(crate) const N_INF: Gaussian = Gaussian::from_ms(0.0, f64::INFINITY);
 
 #[derive(Copy, Clone, Default, PartialEq, PartialOrd, Eq, Ord, Hash, Debug)]
 pub struct Index(usize);
@@ -750,14 +746,14 @@ pub(crate) fn sort_time<T: Copy + Ord>(xs: &[T], reverse: bool) -> Vec<usize> {
     x.into_iter().map(|(i, _)| i).collect()
 }
 
-/// Calculates the match quality of the given rating groups. A result is the draw probability in the association
+/// Calculates the match quality of the given teams. A result is the draw probability in the association
 ///
 /// Supports any number of groups. Values range roughly `[0, 1]`; 1 means a
 /// perfectly balanced match.
 ///
 /// # Panics
 ///
-/// Panics if fewer than two rating groups are supplied, or if any group is
+/// Panics if fewer than two teams are supplied, or if any group is
 /// empty — match quality is a property of a contest between at least two
 /// non-empty sides.
 ///
@@ -768,18 +764,18 @@ pub(crate) fn sort_time<T: Copy + Ord>(xs: &[T], reverse: bool) -> Vec<usize> {
 /// converted, because the input has no meaningful answer rather than an
 /// awkward one.
 #[must_use]
-pub fn quality(rating_groups: &[&[Gaussian]], beta: f64) -> f64 {
+pub fn quality(teams: &[&[Gaussian]], beta: f64) -> f64 {
     assert!(
-        rating_groups.len() >= 2,
-        "quality() requires at least 2 rating groups, got {}",
-        rating_groups.len()
+        teams.len() >= 2,
+        "quality() requires at least 2 teams, got {}",
+        teams.len()
     );
     assert!(
-        rating_groups.iter().all(|group| !group.is_empty()),
-        "quality() requires every rating group to be non-empty"
+        teams.iter().all(|group| !group.is_empty()),
+        "quality() requires every team to be non-empty"
     );
 
-    let flatten_ratings = rating_groups
+    let flatten_ratings = teams
         .iter()
         .flat_map(|group| group.iter())
         .collect::<Vec<_>>();
@@ -800,14 +796,14 @@ pub fn quality(rating_groups: &[&[Gaussian]], beta: f64) -> f64 {
         variance_matrix[(i, i)] = rating.sigma().powi(2);
     }
 
-    let mut rotated_a_matrix = Matrix::new(rating_groups.len() - 1, length);
+    let mut rotated_a_matrix = Matrix::new(teams.len() - 1, length);
 
     // Row `row` contrasts group `row` (+weight) against group `row + 1`
     // (-weight). `t` is the column where the current group's players start;
     // the negative block begins immediately after it.
     let mut t = 0;
 
-    for (row, group) in rating_groups.windows(2).enumerate() {
+    for (row, group) in teams.windows(2).enumerate() {
         let current = group[0];
         let next = group[1];
 
diff --git a/src/outcome.rs b/src/outcome.rs
index 526f595..0546b9b 100644
--- a/src/outcome.rs
+++ b/src/outcome.rs
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ use smallvec::SmallVec;
 #[non_exhaustive]
 pub enum Outcome {
     Ranked(SmallVec<[u32; 4]>),
+    #[non_exhaustive]
     Scored {
         scores: SmallVec<[f64; 4]>,
         /// Per-event noise override. `None` means inherit
diff --git a/src/predict.rs b/src/predict.rs
index ac7cfe4..081979f 100644
--- a/src/predict.rs
+++ b/src/predict.rs
@@ -456,6 +456,7 @@ pub(crate) fn ranking_probability(
 /// `Game::ranked` asks "what would we believe if *this* happened", which is
 /// what an expected-information-gain calculation needs alongside the weight.
 #[derive(Clone, Debug, PartialEq)]
+#[must_use]
 pub struct Prediction {
     outcomes: Vec<(Vec<u32>, f64)>,
 }
diff --git a/src/rating.rs b/src/rating.rs
index a58fabc..f7faef3 100644
--- a/src/rating.rs
+++ b/src/rating.rs
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ use crate::{
 ///
 /// A configuration rather than a person: the per-history temporal state
 /// (messages, last appearance) lives on `Competitor`.
-#[derive(Clone, Copy, Debug)]
+#[derive(Clone, Copy, Debug, PartialEq)]
 pub struct Rating<T: Time = i64, D: Drift<T> = ConstantDrift> {
     pub(crate) prior: Gaussian,
     pub(crate) beta: f64,
@@ -61,7 +61,6 @@ impl<T: Time, D: Drift<T>> Rating<T, D> {
     }
 
     /// The configured prior skill estimate.
-    #[must_use]
     pub fn prior(&self) -> Gaussian {
         self.prior
     }
diff --git a/src/storage/competitor_store.rs b/src/storage/competitor_store.rs
index 6ac7789..c47314a 100644
--- a/src/storage/competitor_store.rs
+++ b/src/storage/competitor_store.rs
@@ -56,16 +56,16 @@ impl<T: Time, D: Drift<T>> CompetitorStore<T, D> {
         self.get(idx).is_some()
     }
 
+    /// Test-only: no code path in the crate needs a count.
+    #[cfg(test)]
     #[must_use]
     pub fn len(&self) -> usize {
         self.n_present
     }
 
-    #[must_use]
-    pub fn is_empty(&self) -> bool {
-        self.n_present == 0
-    }
-
+    /// Test-only: iterating every competitor is an assertion helper, not part
+    /// of inference, which walks slices rather than the store.
+    #[cfg(test)]
     pub fn iter(&self) -> impl Iterator<Item = (Index, &Competitor<T, D>)> {
         self.competitors
             .iter()
@@ -73,13 +73,6 @@ impl<T: Time, D: Drift<T>> CompetitorStore<T, D> {
             .filter_map(|(i, slot)| slot.as_ref().map(|a| (Index(i), a)))
     }
 
-    pub fn iter_mut(&mut self) -> impl Iterator<Item = (Index, &mut Competitor<T, D>)> {
-        self.competitors
-            .iter_mut()
-            .enumerate()
-            .filter_map(|(i, slot)| slot.as_mut().map(|a| (Index(i), a)))
-    }
-
     pub fn values_mut(&mut self) -> impl Iterator<Item = &mut Competitor<T, D>> {
         self.competitors.iter_mut().filter_map(|s| s.as_mut())
     }
diff --git a/src/time_slice.rs b/src/time_slice.rs
index b00fd11..681eb5d 100644
--- a/src/time_slice.rs
+++ b/src/time_slice.rs
@@ -50,12 +50,12 @@ pub enum EventKind {
 
 #[derive(Clone, Debug)]
 struct Item {
-    agent: Index,
+    competitor: Index,
     /// This competitor's slot in the owning slice's `SkillStore`, resolved
     /// once at ingestion.
     ///
     /// The convergence loop reaches skills through this rather than through
-    /// `agent`, which is what keeps `HashMap` hashing out of the hot path now
+    /// `competitor`, which is what keeps `HashMap` hashing out of the hot path now
     /// that the store is compact rather than indexed by the global `Index`.
     slot: u32,
     likelihood: Gaussian,
@@ -66,9 +66,9 @@ impl Item {
         &self,
         forward: bool,
         skills: &SkillStore,
-        agents: &CompetitorStore<T, D>,
+        competitors: &CompetitorStore<T, D>,
     ) -> Rating<T, D> {
-        let r = &agents[self.agent].rating;
+        let r = &competitors[self.competitor].rating;
         let skill = skills.at(self.slot);
 
         if forward {
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ impl Event {
     pub(crate) fn iter_agents(&self) -> impl Iterator<Item = Index> + '_ {
         self.teams
             .iter()
-            .flat_map(|t| t.items.iter().map(|it| it.agent))
+            .flat_map(|t| t.items.iter().map(|it| it.competitor))
     }
 
     fn outputs(&self) -> Vec<f64> {
@@ -112,14 +112,14 @@ impl Event {
         &self,
         forward: bool,
         skills: &SkillStore,
-        agents: &CompetitorStore<T, D>,
+        competitors: &CompetitorStore<T, D>,
     ) -> Vec<Vec<Rating<T, D>>> {
         self.teams
             .iter()
             .map(|team| {
                 team.items
                     .iter()
-                    .map(|item| item.within_prior(forward, skills, agents))
+                    .map(|item| item.within_prior(forward, skills, competitors))
                     .collect::<Vec<_>>()
             })
             .collect::<Vec<_>>()
@@ -133,12 +133,12 @@ impl Event {
     fn compute<T: Time, D: Drift<T>>(
         &self,
         skills: &SkillStore,
-        agents: &CompetitorStore<T, D>,
+        competitors: &CompetitorStore<T, D>,
         p_draw: f64,
         convergence: crate::ConvergenceOptions,
         arena: &mut ScratchArena,
     ) -> EventUpdate {
-        let teams = self.within_priors(false, skills, agents);
+        let teams = self.within_priors(false, skills, competitors);
         let result = self.outputs();
         let g = match self.kind {
             EventKind::Ranked => {
@@ -179,12 +179,12 @@ impl Event {
     fn iteration_direct<T: Time, D: Drift<T>>(
         &mut self,
         skills: &mut SkillStore,
-        agents: &CompetitorStore<T, D>,
+        competitors: &CompetitorStore<T, D>,
         p_draw: f64,
         convergence: crate::ConvergenceOptions,
         arena: &mut ScratchArena,
     ) {
-        let update = self.compute(skills, agents, p_draw, convergence, arena);
+        let update = self.compute(skills, competitors, p_draw, convergence, arena);
         self.apply(skills, update);
     }
 }
@@ -288,7 +288,7 @@ impl<T: Time> TimeSlice<T> {
         results: Option<Vec<Vec<f64>>>,
         weights: Option<Vec<Vec<Vec<f64>>>>,
         kinds: Vec<EventKind>,
-        agents: &CompetitorStore<T, D>,
+        competitors: &CompetitorStore<T, D>,
     ) {
         let mut unique = Vec::with_capacity(10);
 
@@ -303,9 +303,9 @@ impl<T: Time> TimeSlice<T> {
         });
 
         for idx in this_agent {
-            let elapsed = compute_elapsed(agents[*idx].last_time.as_ref(), &self.time);
+            let elapsed = compute_elapsed(competitors[*idx].last_time.as_ref(), &self.time);
 
-            let forward = agents[*idx].receive(&self.time);
+            let forward = competitors[*idx].receive(&self.time);
 
             if let Some(skill) = self.skills.get_mut(*idx) {
                 skill.elapsed = elapsed;
@@ -332,12 +332,12 @@ impl<T: Time> TimeSlice<T> {
                 .map(|(t, team)| {
                     let items = team
                         .iter()
-                        .map(|&agent| Item {
-                            agent,
+                        .map(|&competitor| Item {
+                            competitor,
                             // Every participant was inserted into `skills`
                             // just above, so the slot always resolves.
                             slot: skills
-                                .slot_of(agent)
+                                .slot_of(competitor)
                                 .expect("participant must be present in the slice store"),
                             likelihood: N_INF,
                         })
@@ -376,7 +376,7 @@ impl<T: Time> TimeSlice<T> {
 
         self.color_groups_dirty = true;
 
-        self.iteration(from, agents);
+        self.iteration(from, competitors);
     }
 
     pub(crate) fn posteriors(&self) -> HashMap<Index, Gaussian> {
@@ -393,7 +393,7 @@ impl<T: Time> TimeSlice<T> {
     /// Panics if an event references a competitor with no entry in this
     /// slice's skill store. `add_events` inserts one for every participant, so
     /// this cannot happen for slices built through the public API.
-    pub fn iteration<D: Drift<T>>(&mut self, from: usize, agents: &CompetitorStore<T, D>) {
+    pub fn iteration<D: Drift<T>>(&mut self, from: usize, competitors: &CompetitorStore<T, D>) {
         if from == 0 && self.color_groups_dirty {
             self.recompute_color_groups();
         }
@@ -401,7 +401,7 @@ impl<T: Time> TimeSlice<T> {
         if from > 0 || self.color_groups.is_empty() {
             // Initial pass (add_events) or no color groups yet: simple sequential sweep.
             for event in self.events.iter_mut().skip(from) {
-                let teams = event.within_priors(false, &self.skills, agents);
+                let teams = event.within_priors(false, &self.skills, competitors);
                 let result = event.outputs();
 
                 let g = match event.kind {
@@ -436,14 +436,14 @@ impl<T: Time> TimeSlice<T> {
                 event.log_evidence = g.log_evidence;
             }
         } else {
-            self.sweep_color_groups(agents);
+            self.sweep_color_groups(competitors);
         }
     }
 
     /// Full event sweep using the color-group partition. Colors are processed
     /// sequentially; within each color the inner loop is parallel under rayon.
     ///
-    /// Events in one color group touch disjoint agent sets, so none of them
+    /// Events in one color group touch disjoint competitor sets, so none of them
     /// can observe another's writes. That makes the sweep separable: inference
     /// runs concurrently over shared `&self.skills`, and the resulting updates
     /// are folded in afterwards in index order. Splitting it this way needs no
@@ -451,7 +451,7 @@ impl<T: Time> TimeSlice<T> {
     /// across thread counts because the apply order does not depend on which
     /// worker finished first.
     #[cfg(feature = "rayon")]
-    fn sweep_color_groups<D: Drift<T>>(&mut self, agents: &CompetitorStore<T, D>) {
+    fn sweep_color_groups<D: Drift<T>>(&mut self, competitors: &CompetitorStore<T, D>) {
         use rayon::prelude::*;
 
         thread_local! {
@@ -483,7 +483,7 @@ impl<T: Time> TimeSlice<T> {
                             let mut arena = cell.borrow_mut();
                             arena.reset();
 
-                            ev.compute(skills, agents, p_draw, convergence, &mut arena)
+                            ev.compute(skills, competitors, p_draw, convergence, &mut arena)
                         })
                     })
                     .collect();
@@ -495,7 +495,7 @@ impl<T: Time> TimeSlice<T> {
                 for ev in &mut self.events[range] {
                     ev.iteration_direct(
                         &mut self.skills,
-                        agents,
+                        competitors,
                         p_draw,
                         self.convergence,
                         &mut self.arena,
@@ -509,7 +509,7 @@ impl<T: Time> TimeSlice<T> {
     /// Events within each color group are updated inline — no EventOutput allocation —
     /// matching the T2 performance profile.
     #[cfg(not(feature = "rayon"))]
-    fn sweep_color_groups<D: Drift<T>>(&mut self, agents: &CompetitorStore<T, D>) {
+    fn sweep_color_groups<D: Drift<T>>(&mut self, competitors: &CompetitorStore<T, D>) {
         for color_idx in 0..self.color_groups.groups.len() {
             if self.color_groups.groups[color_idx].is_empty() {
                 continue;
@@ -523,7 +523,7 @@ impl<T: Time> TimeSlice<T> {
             for ev in &mut self.events[range] {
                 ev.iteration_direct(
                     &mut self.skills,
-                    agents,
+                    competitors,
                     p_draw,
                     self.convergence,
                     &mut self.arena,
@@ -544,7 +544,7 @@ impl<T: Time> TimeSlice<T> {
     /// schedule default.
     pub(crate) fn iterate_to_convergence<D: Drift<T>>(
         &mut self,
-        agents: &CompetitorStore<T, D>,
+        competitors: &CompetitorStore<T, D>,
     ) -> usize {
         use crate::{tuple_gt, tuple_max};
 
@@ -557,7 +557,7 @@ impl<T: Time> TimeSlice<T> {
         while tuple_gt(step, epsilon) && i < max_iter {
             let old = self.posteriors();
 
-            self.iteration(0, agents);
+            self.iteration(0, competitors);
 
             let new = self.posteriors();
 
@@ -575,37 +575,37 @@ impl<T: Time> TimeSlice<T> {
         i
     }
 
-    pub(crate) fn forward_prior_out(&self, agent: &Index) -> Gaussian {
-        let skill = self.skills.get(*agent).unwrap();
+    pub(crate) fn forward_prior_out(&self, competitor: &Index) -> Gaussian {
+        let skill = self.skills.get(*competitor).unwrap();
         skill.forward * skill.likelihood
     }
 
     pub(crate) fn backward_prior_out<D: Drift<T>>(
         &self,
-        agent: &Index,
-        agents: &CompetitorStore<T, D>,
+        competitor: &Index,
+        competitors: &CompetitorStore<T, D>,
     ) -> Gaussian {
-        let skill = self.skills.get(*agent).unwrap();
+        let skill = self.skills.get(*competitor).unwrap();
         let n = skill.likelihood * skill.backward;
         n.forget(
-            agents[*agent]
+            competitors[*competitor]
                 .rating
                 .drift_variance_for_elapsed(skill.elapsed),
         )
     }
 
-    pub(crate) fn new_backward_info<D: Drift<T>>(&mut self, agents: &CompetitorStore<T, D>) {
-        for (agent, skill) in self.skills.iter_mut() {
-            skill.backward = agents[agent].message.unwrap_or(N_INF);
+    pub(crate) fn new_backward_info<D: Drift<T>>(&mut self, competitors: &CompetitorStore<T, D>) {
+        for (competitor, skill) in self.skills.iter_mut() {
+            skill.backward = competitors[competitor].message.unwrap_or(N_INF);
         }
-        self.iteration(0, agents);
+        self.iteration(0, competitors);
     }
 
-    pub(crate) fn new_forward_info<D: Drift<T>>(&mut self, agents: &CompetitorStore<T, D>) {
-        for (agent, skill) in self.skills.iter_mut() {
-            skill.forward = agents[agent].receive_for_elapsed(skill.elapsed);
+    pub(crate) fn new_forward_info<D: Drift<T>>(&mut self, competitors: &CompetitorStore<T, D>) {
+        for (competitor, skill) in self.skills.iter_mut() {
+            skill.forward = competitors[competitor].receive_for_elapsed(skill.elapsed);
         }
-        self.iteration(0, agents);
+        self.iteration(0, competitors);
     }
 
     /// Run this slice's events on forward (filtering) information alone.
@@ -618,7 +618,7 @@ impl<T: Time> TimeSlice<T> {
     pub(crate) fn filtered_step<D: Drift<T>>(
         &self,
         incoming: &HashMap<Index, Gaussian>,
-        agents: &CompetitorStore<T, D>,
+        competitors: &CompetitorStore<T, D>,
     ) -> FilteredStep {
         let mut scratch = TimeSlice {
             events: self.events.clone(),
@@ -641,16 +641,16 @@ impl<T: Time> TimeSlice<T> {
             event.log_evidence = 0.0;
         }
 
-        for (agent, skill) in self.skills.iter() {
-            let rating = &agents[agent].rating;
+        for (competitor, skill) in self.skills.iter() {
+            let rating = &competitors[competitor].rating;
 
-            let forward = match incoming.get(&agent) {
+            let forward = match incoming.get(&competitor) {
                 Some(message) => message.forget(rating.drift_variance_for_elapsed(skill.elapsed)),
                 None => rating.prior,
             };
 
             let slot = scratch.skills.insert(
-                agent,
+                competitor,
                 Skill {
                     forward,
                     backward: N_INF,
@@ -666,19 +666,19 @@ impl<T: Time> TimeSlice<T> {
             // than leave it to be rediscovered after it breaks.
             debug_assert_eq!(
                 Some(slot),
-                self.skills.slot_of(agent),
-                "scratch slot must match the real slice's slot for {agent:?}"
+                self.skills.slot_of(competitor),
+                "scratch slot must match the real slice's slot for {competitor:?}"
             );
         }
 
-        scratch.iterate_to_convergence(agents);
+        scratch.iterate_to_convergence(competitors);
 
         FilteredStep {
             log_evidence: scratch.events.iter().map(|event| event.log_evidence).sum(),
             posteriors: scratch
                 .skills
                 .iter()
-                .map(|(agent, skill)| (agent, skill.posterior()))
+                .map(|(competitor, skill)| (competitor, skill.posterior()))
                 .collect(),
         }
     }
@@ -687,7 +687,7 @@ impl<T: Time> TimeSlice<T> {
         &self,
         targets: &[Index],
         forward: bool,
-        agents: &CompetitorStore<T, D>,
+        competitors: &CompetitorStore<T, D>,
     ) -> f64 {
         // Hashed once rather than scanned per player per event, so a
         // `log_evidence_for` with many keys is not quadratic.
@@ -696,7 +696,7 @@ impl<T: Time> TimeSlice<T> {
         let mut arena = ScratchArena::new();
 
         let run_event = |event: &Event, arena: &mut ScratchArena| -> f64 {
-            let teams = event.within_priors(forward, &self.skills, agents);
+            let teams = event.within_priors(forward, &self.skills, competitors);
             let result = event.outputs();
             match event.kind {
                 EventKind::Ranked => {
@@ -741,7 +741,7 @@ impl<T: Time> TimeSlice<T> {
                         .teams
                         .iter()
                         .flat_map(|team| &team.items)
-                        .any(|item| target_set.contains(&item.agent))
+                        .any(|item| target_set.contains(&item.competitor))
                 })
                 .map(|event| run_event(event, &mut arena))
                 .sum()
@@ -753,13 +753,15 @@ impl<T: Time> TimeSlice<T> {
                         .teams
                         .iter()
                         .flat_map(|team| &team.items)
-                        .any(|item| target_set.contains(&item.agent))
+                        .any(|item| target_set.contains(&item.competitor))
                 })
                 .map(|event| event.log_evidence)
                 .sum()
         }
     }
 
+    /// Test-only: reads the slice's shape back for assertions.
+    #[cfg(test)]
     pub fn get_composition(&self) -> Vec<Vec<Vec<Index>>> {
         self.events
             .iter()
@@ -767,12 +769,19 @@ impl<T: Time> TimeSlice<T> {
                 event
                     .teams
                     .iter()
-                    .map(|team| team.items.iter().map(|item| item.agent).collect::<Vec<_>>())
+                    .map(|team| {
+                        team.items
+                            .iter()
+                            .map(|item| item.competitor)
+                            .collect::<Vec<_>>()
+                    })
                     .collect::<Vec<_>>()
             })
             .collect::<Vec<_>>()
     }
 
+    /// Test-only: reads the slice's shape back for assertions.
+    #[cfg(test)]
     pub fn get_results(&self) -> Vec<Vec<f64>> {
         self.events
             .iter()
@@ -827,7 +836,7 @@ impl<T: Time> TimeSlice<T> {
     /// approximations that inference does not retain.
     pub(crate) fn scored_contrasts<D: Drift<T>>(
         &self,
-        agents: &CompetitorStore<T, D>,
+        competitors: &CompetitorStore<T, D>,
     ) -> Vec<(Vec<(Index, f64)>, f64)> {
         let mut out = Vec::new();
 
@@ -853,8 +862,8 @@ impl<T: Time> TimeSlice<T> {
                 for (team, sign) in [(hi, 1.0), (lo, -1.0)] {
                     for (m, item) in event.teams[team].items.iter().enumerate() {
                         let w = event.weights[team][m];
-                        noise += w * w * agents[item.agent].rating.beta.powi(2);
-                        contrast.push((item.agent, sign * w));
+                        noise += w * w * competitors[item.competitor].rating.beta.powi(2);
+                        contrast.push((item.competitor, sign * w));
                     }
                 }
 
@@ -887,7 +896,7 @@ mod tests {
 
     use super::*;
     use crate::{
-        KeyTable, competitor::Competitor, drift::ConstantDrift, rating::Rating,
+        competitor::Competitor, drift::ConstantDrift, key_table::KeyTable, rating::Rating,
         storage::CompetitorStore,
     };
 
@@ -902,11 +911,11 @@ mod tests {
         let e = index_map.get_or_create("e");
         let f = index_map.get_or_create("f");
 
-        let mut agents: CompetitorStore<i64, ConstantDrift> = CompetitorStore::new();
+        let mut competitors: CompetitorStore<i64, ConstantDrift> = CompetitorStore::new();
 
-        for agent in [a, b, c, d, e, f] {
-            agents.insert(
-                agent,
+        for competitor in [a, b, c, d, e, f] {
+            competitors.insert(
+                competitor,
                 Competitor {
                     rating: Rating::new(
                         Gaussian::from_ms(25.0, 25.0 / 3.0),
@@ -929,7 +938,7 @@ mod tests {
             Some(vec![vec![1.0, 0.0], vec![0.0, 1.0], vec![1.0, 0.0]]),
             None,
             vec![EventKind::Ranked; 3],
-            &agents,
+            &competitors,
         );
 
         let post = time_slice.posteriors();
@@ -965,7 +974,7 @@ mod tests {
             epsilon = 1e-6
         );
 
-        assert_eq!(time_slice.iterate_to_convergence(&agents), 1);
+        assert_eq!(time_slice.iterate_to_convergence(&competitors), 1);
     }
 
     #[test]
@@ -979,11 +988,11 @@ mod tests {
         let e = index_map.get_or_create("e");
         let f = index_map.get_or_create("f");
 
-        let mut agents: CompetitorStore<i64, ConstantDrift> = CompetitorStore::new();
+        let mut competitors: CompetitorStore<i64, ConstantDrift> = CompetitorStore::new();
 
-        for agent in [a, b, c, d, e, f] {
-            agents.insert(
-                agent,
+        for competitor in [a, b, c, d, e, f] {
+            competitors.insert(
+                competitor,
                 Competitor {
                     rating: Rating::new(
                         Gaussian::from_ms(25.0, 25.0 / 3.0),
@@ -1006,7 +1015,7 @@ mod tests {
             Some(vec![vec![1.0, 0.0], vec![0.0, 1.0], vec![1.0, 0.0]]),
             None,
             vec![EventKind::Ranked; 3],
-            &agents,
+            &competitors,
         );
 
         let post = time_slice.posteriors();
@@ -1027,7 +1036,7 @@ mod tests {
             epsilon = 1e-6
         );
 
-        assert!(time_slice.iterate_to_convergence(&agents) > 1);
+        assert!(time_slice.iterate_to_convergence(&competitors) > 1);
 
         let post = time_slice.posteriors();
 
@@ -1059,11 +1068,11 @@ mod tests {
         let e = index_map.get_or_create("e");
         let f = index_map.get_or_create("f");
 
-        let mut agents: CompetitorStore<i64, ConstantDrift> = CompetitorStore::new();
+        let mut competitors: CompetitorStore<i64, ConstantDrift> = CompetitorStore::new();
 
-        for agent in [a, b, c, d, e, f] {
-            agents.insert(
-                agent,
+        for competitor in [a, b, c, d, e, f] {
+            competitors.insert(
+                competitor,
                 Competitor {
                     rating: Rating::new(
                         Gaussian::from_ms(25.0, 25.0 / 3.0),
@@ -1086,10 +1095,10 @@ mod tests {
             Some(vec![vec![1.0, 0.0], vec![0.0, 1.0], vec![1.0, 0.0]]),
             None,
             vec![EventKind::Ranked; 3],
-            &agents,
+            &competitors,
         );
 
-        time_slice.iterate_to_convergence(&agents);
+        time_slice.iterate_to_convergence(&competitors);
 
         let post = time_slice.posteriors();
 
@@ -1118,12 +1127,12 @@ mod tests {
             Some(vec![vec![1.0, 0.0], vec![0.0, 1.0], vec![1.0, 0.0]]),
             None,
             vec![EventKind::Ranked; 3],
-            &agents,
+            &competitors,
         );
 
         assert_eq!(time_slice.events.len(), 6);
 
-        time_slice.iterate_to_convergence(&agents);
+        time_slice.iterate_to_convergence(&competitors);
 
         let post = time_slice.posteriors();
 
@@ -1162,11 +1171,11 @@ mod tests {
         let c = index_map.get_or_create("c");
         let d = index_map.get_or_create("d");
 
-        let mut agents: CompetitorStore<i64, ConstantDrift> = CompetitorStore::new();
+        let mut competitors: CompetitorStore<i64, ConstantDrift> = CompetitorStore::new();
 
-        for agent in [a, b, c, d] {
-            agents.insert(
-                agent,
+        for competitor in [a, b, c, d] {
+            competitors.insert(
+                competitor,
                 Competitor {
                     rating: Rating::new(
                         Gaussian::from_ms(25.0, 25.0 / 3.0),
@@ -1189,7 +1198,7 @@ mod tests {
             Some(vec![vec![1.0, 0.0], vec![1.0, 0.0], vec![1.0, 0.0]]),
             None,
             vec![EventKind::Ranked; 3],
-            &agents,
+            &competitors,
         );
 
         assert_eq!(ts.color_groups.n_colors(), 2);
@@ -1200,14 +1209,14 @@ mod tests {
         assert_eq!(ts.color_groups.color_range(1), 2..3);
 
         // Events at positions 0 and 1 (color 0) must be disjoint — verify by
-        // checking that the agent sets of self.events[0] and self.events[1] do
-        // not include the agent at self.events[2].
+        // checking that the competitor sets of self.events[0] and self.events[1] do
+        // not include the competitor at self.events[2].
         let agents_in_ev2: Vec<Index> = ts.events[2].iter_agents().collect();
         let agents_in_ev0: Vec<Index> = ts.events[0].iter_agents().collect();
         let agents_in_ev1: Vec<Index> = ts.events[1].iter_agents().collect();
         // ev0 and ev1 must be disjoint from each other (color-0 invariant).
         assert!(agents_in_ev0.iter().all(|ag| !agents_in_ev1.contains(ag)));
-        // ev2 must share an agent with ev0 or ev1 (it needed its own color).
+        // ev2 must share an competitor with ev0 or ev1 (it needed its own color).
         let ev2_overlaps_ev0 = agents_in_ev2.iter().any(|ag| agents_in_ev0.contains(ag));
         let ev2_overlaps_ev1 = agents_in_ev2.iter().any(|ag| agents_in_ev1.contains(ag));
         assert!(ev2_overlaps_ev0 || ev2_overlaps_ev1);
diff --git a/tests/convergence_strictness.rs b/tests/convergence_strictness.rs
index 03ab150..0910cf9 100644
--- a/tests/convergence_strictness.rs
+++ b/tests/convergence_strictness.rs
@@ -54,6 +54,7 @@ fn hitting_the_cap_is_an_error() {
             iterations,
             final_step,
             epsilon,
+            ..
         } => {
             assert_eq!(iterations, 1);
             assert!(
diff --git a/tests/degenerate_inputs.rs b/tests/degenerate_inputs.rs
index e3e4ef7..0510630 100644
--- a/tests/degenerate_inputs.rs
+++ b/tests/degenerate_inputs.rs
@@ -160,6 +160,7 @@ fn event_builder_rejects_a_weights_length_mismatch() {
                 kind: "weights",
                 expected: 1,
                 got: 2,
+                ..
             }
         ),
         "expected a weights MismatchedShape, got {err:?}"
diff --git a/tests/drift_scale.rs b/tests/drift_scale.rs
index 310a687..934fcb4 100644
--- a/tests/drift_scale.rs
+++ b/tests/drift_scale.rs
@@ -277,13 +277,11 @@ fn reject(scale: f64) -> InferenceError {
 
 #[test]
 fn negative_scale_is_rejected() {
-    assert_eq!(
+    assert!(matches!(
         reject(-1.0),
-        InferenceError::InvalidParameter {
-            name: "drift_scale",
-            value: -1.0
-        }
-    );
+        InferenceError::InvalidParameter { name: "drift_scale", value, .. }
+            if value == -1.0
+    ));
 }
 
 #[test]
diff --git a/tests/event_builder_members.rs b/tests/event_builder_members.rs
index f182ab0..cd098eb 100644
--- a/tests/event_builder_members.rs
+++ b/tests/event_builder_members.rs
@@ -135,7 +135,8 @@ fn weights_still_guards_a_members_team() {
             InferenceError::MismatchedShape {
                 kind: "weights",
                 expected: 2,
-                got: 1
+                got: 1,
+                ..
             }
         ),
         "{err:?}"
diff --git a/tests/game.rs b/tests/game.rs
index 5330523..6681990 100644
--- a/tests/game.rs
+++ b/tests/game.rs
@@ -155,7 +155,7 @@ mod malformed_games {
         let err = Game::<i64, _>::ranked(&[&[a]], Outcome::winner(0, 1), &GameOptions::default())
             .unwrap_err();
         assert!(
-            matches!(err, InferenceError::NotEnoughTeams { got: 1 }),
+            matches!(err, InferenceError::NotEnoughTeams { got: 1, .. }),
             "{err:?}"
         );
     }
@@ -173,7 +173,7 @@ mod malformed_games {
         )
         .unwrap_err();
         assert!(
-            matches!(err, InferenceError::NotEnoughTeams { got: 1 }),
+            matches!(err, InferenceError::NotEnoughTeams { got: 1, .. }),
             "{err:?}"
         );
     }
@@ -184,7 +184,7 @@ mod malformed_games {
             Game::<i64, ConstantDrift>::ranked(&[], Outcome::ranking([]), &GameOptions::default())
                 .unwrap_err();
         assert!(
-            matches!(err, InferenceError::NotEnoughTeams { got: 0 }),
+            matches!(err, InferenceError::NotEnoughTeams { got: 0, .. }),
             "{err:?}"
         );
     }
@@ -198,7 +198,7 @@ mod malformed_games {
             Game::<i64, _>::ranked(&[&[], &[a]], Outcome::winner(0, 2), &GameOptions::default())
                 .unwrap_err();
         assert!(
-            matches!(err, InferenceError::EmptyTeam { team: 0 }),
+            matches!(err, InferenceError::EmptyTeam { team: 0, .. }),
             "{err:?}"
         );
     }
diff --git a/tests/ingestion_shape.rs b/tests/ingestion_shape.rs
index cd43ab4..5c2e43f 100644
--- a/tests/ingestion_shape.rs
+++ b/tests/ingestion_shape.rs
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ fn a_one_team_event_is_an_error_not_a_panic() {
         }])
         .unwrap_err();
     assert!(
-        matches!(err, InferenceError::NotEnoughTeams { got: 1 }),
+        matches!(err, InferenceError::NotEnoughTeams { got: 1, .. }),
         "{err:?}"
     );
 }
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ fn a_zero_team_event_is_an_error() {
         }])
         .unwrap_err();
     assert!(
-        matches!(err, InferenceError::NotEnoughTeams { got: 0 }),
+        matches!(err, InferenceError::NotEnoughTeams { got: 0, .. }),
         "{err:?}"
     );
 }
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ fn an_empty_team_is_an_error_rather_than_a_free_win() {
         }])
         .unwrap_err();
     assert!(
-        matches!(err, InferenceError::EmptyTeam { team: 0 }),
+        matches!(err, InferenceError::EmptyTeam { team: 0, .. }),
         "{err:?}"
     );
     // Nothing was recorded, so the history is still empty.
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ fn an_empty_team_is_reported_by_position() {
         }])
         .unwrap_err();
     assert!(
-        matches!(err, InferenceError::EmptyTeam { team: 1 }),
+        matches!(err, InferenceError::EmptyTeam { team: 1, .. }),
         "{err:?}"
     );
 }
@@ -170,7 +170,7 @@ fn the_event_builder_inherits_the_shape_checks() {
     let mut h = history();
     let err = h.event(1).team(["a"]).winner(0).commit().unwrap_err();
     assert!(
-        matches!(err, InferenceError::NotEnoughTeams { got: 1 }),
+        matches!(err, InferenceError::NotEnoughTeams { got: 1, .. }),
         "{err:?}"
     );
 }
diff --git a/tests/non_finite_results.rs b/tests/non_finite_results.rs
index 26f7424..978b7b6 100644
--- a/tests/non_finite_results.rs
+++ b/tests/non_finite_results.rs
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ fn overflow_during_inference_is_reported_not_hidden() {
 
     for (name, sigma, beta, score_sigma, scores) in cases {
         match scored_fit(sigma, beta, score_sigma, scores) {
-            Err(InferenceError::NonFiniteResult { context, step }) => {
+            Err(InferenceError::NonFiniteResult { context, step, .. }) => {
                 assert_eq!(context, "History::converge", "{name}");
                 assert!(
                     !step.0.is_finite() || !step.1.is_finite(),
diff --git a/tests/predict_margin.rs b/tests/predict_margin.rs
index 95b70c5..c85866a 100644
--- a/tests/predict_margin.rs
+++ b/tests/predict_margin.rs
@@ -148,6 +148,6 @@ fn shape_errors_are_reported() {
     let empty: [&&str; 0] = [];
     assert!(matches!(
         h.predict_margin(&[&[&"veteran"], &empty]),
-        Err(InferenceError::EmptyTeam { team: 1 })
+        Err(InferenceError::EmptyTeam { team: 1, .. })
     ));
 }
diff --git a/tests/prediction.rs b/tests/prediction.rs
index d3595ea..5a0f792 100644
--- a/tests/prediction.rs
+++ b/tests/prediction.rs
@@ -20,13 +20,13 @@ fn unknown_keys_are_reported_not_silently_dropped() {
     let err = h
         .predict_outcome(&[&[&"a"], &[&"ghost"]])
         .expect_err("an unknown key must not yield a confident prediction");
-    assert_eq!(
-        err,
-        InferenceError::UnknownKey {
-            team: 1,
-            member: 0,
-            key: "\"ghost\"".to_owned(),
-        }
+    assert!(
+        matches!(
+            &err,
+            InferenceError::UnknownKey { team: 1, member: 0, key, .. }
+                if key == "\"ghost\""
+        ),
+        "{err:?}"
     );
 
     // Every prediction entry point, not just one.
@@ -42,13 +42,13 @@ fn unknown_keys_are_reported_not_silently_dropped() {
 fn an_entirely_unknown_team_is_an_error() {
     let h = history_with(&["a", "b"], 0.0);
     let err = h.predict_outcome(&[&[&"a"], &[&"x", &"y"]]).unwrap_err();
-    assert_eq!(
-        err,
-        InferenceError::UnknownKey {
-            team: 1,
-            member: 0,
-            key: "\"x\"".to_owned(),
-        }
+    assert!(
+        matches!(
+            &err,
+            InferenceError::UnknownKey { team: 1, member: 0, key, .. }
+                if key == "\"x\""
+        ),
+        "{err:?}"
     );
 }
 
@@ -56,18 +56,18 @@ fn an_entirely_unknown_team_is_an_error() {
 fn degenerate_team_shapes_are_errors_rather_than_panics() {
     let h = history_with(&["a", "b"], 0.0);
 
-    assert_eq!(
+    assert!(matches!(
         h.predict_outcome(&[&[&"a"]]).unwrap_err(),
-        InferenceError::NotEnoughTeams { got: 1 }
-    );
-    assert_eq!(
+        InferenceError::NotEnoughTeams { got: 1, .. }
+    ),);
+    assert!(matches!(
         h.predict_outcome(&[]).unwrap_err(),
-        InferenceError::NotEnoughTeams { got: 0 }
-    );
-    assert_eq!(
+        InferenceError::NotEnoughTeams { got: 0, .. }
+    ),);
+    assert!(matches!(
         h.predict_outcome(&[&[&"a"], &[]]).unwrap_err(),
-        InferenceError::EmptyTeam { team: 1 }
-    );
+        InferenceError::EmptyTeam { team: 1, .. }
+    ));
 }
 
 #[test]
@@ -93,13 +93,10 @@ fn the_outcome_space_is_capped_rather_than_hanging() {
     let refs: Vec<&[&&str]> = too_many.iter().map(Vec::as_slice).collect();
 
     let err = h.predict_outcome(&refs).unwrap_err();
-    assert_eq!(
+    assert!(matches!(
         err,
-        InferenceError::TooManyTeams {
-            got: 8,
-            max: MAX_PREDICTED_TEAMS
-        }
-    );
+        InferenceError::TooManyTeams { got: 8, max, .. } if max == MAX_PREDICTED_TEAMS
+    ));
 
     // The cheap paths stay available at any size.
     let wins = h.predict_win_probabilities(&refs).unwrap();
@@ -282,15 +279,12 @@ fn information_gain_respects_the_entropy_ceiling() {
 #[test]
 fn information_gain_reports_unknown_keys() {
     let h = history_with(&["a", "b"], 0.0);
-    assert_eq!(
-        h.expected_information_gain(&[&[&"a"], &[&"ghost"]])
+    assert!(matches!(
+        &h.expected_information_gain(&[&[&"a"], &[&"ghost"]])
             .unwrap_err(),
-        InferenceError::UnknownKey {
-            team: 1,
-            member: 0,
-            key: "\"ghost\"".to_owned(),
-        }
-    );
+        InferenceError::UnknownKey { team: 1, member: 0, key, .. }
+            if key == "\"ghost\""
+    ));
 }
 
 /// A draw-enabled history has three outcomes to weigh rather than two, so the
diff --git a/tests/prediction_bounds.rs b/tests/prediction_bounds.rs
index 0b9267e..307f8c6 100644
--- a/tests/prediction_bounds.rs
+++ b/tests/prediction_bounds.rs
@@ -154,7 +154,7 @@ fn the_known_ceiling_violation_no_longer_answers_wrongly() {
             gain <= 2.0_f64.ln() + 1e-9,
             "returned {gain}, over the ln 2 ceiling"
         ),
-        Err(InferenceError::GridTooCoarse { needed, max }) => {
+        Err(InferenceError::GridTooCoarse { needed, max, .. }) => {
             assert!(needed > max, "needed {needed} should exceed max {max}");
         }
         Err(e) => panic!("unexpected error {e:?}"),
diff --git a/tests/quality.rs b/tests/quality.rs
index cbc15fe..15b76a6 100644
--- a/tests/quality.rs
+++ b/tests/quality.rs
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-//! `quality()` beyond two rating groups.
+//! `quality()` beyond two teams.
 //!
 //! The historical golden (two equal singletons) is asserted in
 //! `src/lib.rs::tests::test_quality`. These cover the N-group generalisation,
@@ -82,14 +82,14 @@ fn uneven_group_sizes_work() {
 }
 
 #[test]
-#[should_panic(expected = "at least 2 rating groups")]
+#[should_panic(expected = "at least 2 teams")]
 fn single_group_panics_with_clear_message() {
     let r = rating(25.0, 3.0);
     let _ = quality(&[&[r]], BETA);
 }
 
 #[test]
-#[should_panic(expected = "at least 2 rating groups")]
+#[should_panic(expected = "at least 2 teams")]
 fn zero_groups_panics_with_clear_message() {
     let _ = quality(&[], BETA);
 }