https://math.stackexchange.com/users/104041/shaun deleted my answer to Irreducible and composite formal power series without any explanation. Can anyone explain to me why this has happened and if it can be undone? It seems outrageous to me.
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4$\begingroup$ It appears that the question was apparently from an active contest, meaning that by answering the question, the person asking the question could have stolen credit from you and given your answer to win the contest potentially. The question was locked meaning nobody can answer the question anymore, and all answers have been removed (I just checked). And comments are locked so no new comments can be posted either. $\endgroup$– qa testCommented Nov 21 at 20:41
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1$\begingroup$ @qatest fyi: all answers were not removed 2 days ago - only Rob's was. Shaun deleted the other answer only 9 minutes after this question was posted. $\endgroup$– Bill DubuqueCommented Nov 21 at 20:43
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$\begingroup$ I just checked so I wouldn't have known. But I suppose the question becomes "why weren't both deleted" rather than "why was mine deleted." $\endgroup$– qa testCommented Nov 21 at 20:44
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1 Answer
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It's site policy for a contest question.
Quoting the banner:
This question is locked in view of our policy about contest questions. Questions originating from active contests are locked for the duration of the contest, with answers hidden from view by soft-deletion. Please see the comments below for references to the originating contest.
PRIMES-USA 2025 Entrance Problem Set #6.
At any rate, the deadline for the question in the contest is now over. The lock is now lifted.
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3$\begingroup$ Likely what proved confusing was that you deleted only his answer, and not the other answer. $\endgroup$ Commented Nov 21 at 20:39
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5$\begingroup$ Thank you. It took a while for the other answer to be deleted and then for the question to be flagged as a contest question, so when I first looked at what happened there was no indication of why my answer had been deleted. (@BillDubuque - exactly as you kindly pointed out). $\endgroup$ Commented Nov 21 at 20:42
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$\begingroup$ I don't know why the other answer was not deleted, @RobArthan. I can only apologise. $\endgroup$– Shaun ModCommented Nov 21 at 20:46
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$\begingroup$ It appears the deadline is over now. $\endgroup$– Shaun ModCommented Nov 21 at 20:51
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4$\begingroup$ Thanks. Will the answers reappear now the deadline is over? Oops - I see they already have. Thanks again. $\endgroup$ Commented Nov 21 at 20:59
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2$\begingroup$ If anyone's interested, the full problem set is at math.mit.edu/research/highschool/primes/materials/2025/… $\endgroup$ Commented Nov 22 at 6:01