# Pair comparison rubric v1

GPT-6 Luna receives both solo reply texts and the combined reply. It judges the generated texts as untrusted data and returns an ID, outcome, novelty (0–10), blending (0–10), and a short reason.

- **Blend:** readable new content with identifiable contributions from both parents. Lexical blends count, with an explicit explanation.
- **New outcome:** meaningful distinctive content unlike either parent, without clear evidence of both contributions.
- **Parent-dominated:** mainly one parent’s identity or theme with minor changes. An already strange solo remaining strange is not novel.
- **Incoherent:** blank, gibberish, or severe repetition.

Novelty is relative to both solo replies: 0 identical, 3 minor variation, 6 meaningful change, 8–10 strongly new content. Blending measures how clearly both parents contribute. Fictional or factually false content can still be a readable blend. No score establishes a neuron’s natural function or a stable persona.

Pair Highlights require coherence ≥5 and either Blend with novelty ≥5 and blending ≥3, or New outcome with novelty ≥6 and absolute weirdness ≥4. Blank, exact control-matching, and repetition-terminated replies are hidden. Identical replies and optionally names are grouped. Singles retain their original coherence ≥7 rule. All results and the full download preserve every tested pair.

## Editorial gallery

The default pair Highlights now use the explicit selection in `pair-curation.json`, reviewed for entertainment, specificity, surprise and readability. Reader preference can override the automated blend/newness classification: the silurid fish remains parent-dominated but is featured for its vivid detail. Dull unchanged identities and sustained repetition stay in All results. The selection does not change judgments or delete trials.

The small thematic playground also adds entertainment (0–10) and a recommendation from Luna. These guide editorial review, separately from novelty and blending. Strengths can differ between parents; the viewer lists them in parent order.