I'd like to know why this answer was deleted by a moderator. It doesn't answer the question completely, but it goes a long way towards answering it. Answers such as this that report on substantial progress without resolving the issue are standard on the site; I've never seen one deleted before. I'm wondering whether it has something to with the question being put on hold as “missing context or other details”, but I'm not aware of any rule that would allow (or even require) a moderator to delete an answer because the question has been put on hold. What was the basis of this deletion?

• Always, always start non-answers with text that says it is only a partial answer. It is a bad idea to give people the idea that they are reading an answer, and get to then end to find it is incomplete. If it is just an idea of a start, say that, too. – Thomas Andrews Aug 18 '18 at 2:22

It was flagged as not an answer and I had the impression the flag had merit; being on hold had nothing to do with it. But rethinking the decision, I had made a mistake. The answer is undeleted now.

• Thank you.${{}}$ – Andrés E. Caicedo Aug 9 '18 at 23:42
• Thank you very much! (For this and for all the other good work that goes unnoticed :-) – joriki Aug 10 '18 at 4:53
• The answer is now the accepted answer to the question. – joriki Aug 10 '18 at 6:06