diff --git a/leetcode_coach/leetcode_coach/DOCS-clients.md b/leetcode_coach/leetcode_coach/DOCS-clients.md
index a6b726f..ac60064 100644
--- a/leetcode_coach/leetcode_coach/DOCS-clients.md
+++ b/leetcode_coach/leetcode_coach/DOCS-clients.md
@@ -31,7 +31,8 @@ Both REPL paths run `phase.PhaseGate` on every block kuhy sends:
   event carries `req_incomplete: true`).
 - Until the first `code` event, a reply naming a toolbox entry or alias is
   bounced (`leak.py`: the Stop hook on the Claude path, `local_coach` on the
-  local one), except names kuhy or the fetched statement already used.
+  local one), except names kuhy already typed (not the statement: its tags
+  and hints name the answer).
 - Each reply's `<!-- rung:Hn -->` marker is logged and stripped.
 
 Every step lands in `~/.local/share/leetcode-coach/sessions/<date>-<slug>.jsonl`
diff --git a/leetcode_coach/leetcode_coach/leak.py b/leetcode_coach/leetcode_coach/leak.py
index 506e774..4d5e4cd 100644
--- a/leetcode_coach/leetcode_coach/leak.py
+++ b/leetcode_coach/leetcode_coach/leak.py
@@ -5,9 +5,11 @@ its name or any alias, e.g. "XOR", "^", "hash map" -- hands over step 3 of the
 method (searching the toolbox by properties). Shared by the Stop hook
 (`stop_gate`) and the offline coach (`local_coach`), so both judge alike.
 
-An entry kuhy (or the problem statement) already named is free for the whole
-session, under every alias: after "is it XOR?" the honest answer has to be
-able to say XOR, or the rewrite can never pass and the gate loops.
+An entry kuhy already named is free for the whole session, under every
+alias: after "is it XOR?" the honest answer has to be able to say XOR, or
+the rewrite can never pass and the gate loops. Only kuhy's own words count:
+the fetched statement carries LeetCode's topic tags and hints ("Hash
+Table", "Sliding Window"), so exempting it would pre-clear the answer.
 
 Matching is case-insensitive on whole tokens. ``\b`` does not work next to a
 symbol alias like ``^``, so the boundary is "no word character either side":
diff --git a/leetcode_coach/leetcode_coach/phase.py b/leetcode_coach/leetcode_coach/phase.py
index ec06187..2b0b766 100644
--- a/leetcode_coach/leetcode_coach/phase.py
+++ b/leetcode_coach/leetcode_coach/phase.py
@@ -81,6 +81,16 @@ def req_state(events: list[dict[str, Any]]) -> ReqState:
     return ReqState(accepted, not accepted and tries >= MAX_LISTS, tries)
 
 
+def _property_line(prop: str, box: toolbox.Toolbox) -> str:
+    """`prop: meaning`, or just `prop` when the meaning names an entry.
+
+    Some meanings illustrate with the operation itself (self-inverse:
+    "a ^ x ^ x = a"); shown to kuhy that is the answer, not a property.
+    """
+    meaning = box.properties[prop]
+    return prop if leak.leaked_names(meaning, [], box) else f"{prop}: {meaning}"
+
+
 def _req_note(result: req_check.Check, state: ReqState, box: toolbox.Toolbox) -> str:
     if result.verdict == "pass":
         return "[req list accepted -- code is open]"
@@ -89,7 +99,7 @@ def _req_note(result: req_check.Check, state: ReqState, box: toolbox.Toolbox) ->
     if state.forced:
         missing = ", ".join(result.missing)
         return f"[req list still incomplete ({missing}) -- code accepted anyway]"
-    props = "\n".join(f"  - {p}: {box.properties[p]}" for p in result.missing)
+    props = "\n".join(f"  - {_property_line(p, box)}" for p in result.missing)
     return (
         f"[req list incomplete -- it does not yet say these properties:\n{props}\n"
         f" revise with req: ({state.tries} of {MAX_LISTS})]"
@@ -187,5 +197,4 @@ class PhaseGate:
         """Toolbox entries `reply` names too early (the local path's bounce)."""
         if any(t.strip() == "reveal" for t in user_texts) or self.code_seen():
             return []
-        allowed = [*user_texts, self.statement()]
-        return leak.leaked_names(reply, allowed, self.toolbox)
+        return leak.leaked_names(reply, user_texts, self.toolbox)
diff --git a/leetcode_coach/leetcode_coach/stop_gate.py b/leetcode_coach/leetcode_coach/stop_gate.py
index dae3b8f..79ae749 100644
--- a/leetcode_coach/leetcode_coach/stop_gate.py
+++ b/leetcode_coach/leetcode_coach/stop_gate.py
@@ -1,7 +1,8 @@
 """Stop hook: in a /leetcode session, refuse a reply that hands kuhy a line of code.
 
 Before kuhy's first code it also bounces a reply that names a toolbox entry
-(`leak`), except an entry kuhy or the fetched problem already named.
+(`leak`), except an entry kuhy already named. Not the fetched problem:
+its topic tags and site hints say "Hash Table", "Two Pointers".
 
 The prose rule ("never write a line for their code") held in one haiku
 role-play out of two, so it is adjudicated here instead. A reply is blocked
@@ -61,8 +62,7 @@ def verdict(raw: str, reply: str) -> str | None:
     if any(u.strip() == "reveal" for u in users):
         return None
     if not _code_seen(users):
-        quoted = [gate_detector.allowed_text(entries)]
-        named = leak.leaked_names(reply, quoted, toolbox.load_safe())
+        named = leak.leaked_names(reply, users, toolbox.load_safe())
         if named:
             return local_prompt.GATE_REASON_LEAK.format(names=", ".join(named))
     idents = gate_detector.starter_identifiers(entries)
diff --git a/leetcode_coach/leetcode_coach/tests/test_phase.py b/leetcode_coach/leetcode_coach/tests/test_phase.py
index a9fc021..f07bdfb 100644
--- a/leetcode_coach/leetcode_coach/tests/test_phase.py
+++ b/leetcode_coach/leetcode_coach/tests/test_phase.py
@@ -203,13 +203,27 @@ def test_leaks_only_before_code_and_never_what_kuhy_typed(
     assert gate.leaks(reply, []) == []
 
 
-def test_a_statement_naming_an_entry_lets_the_coach_restate_it(
-    tmp_path: Path,
-) -> None:
+def test_the_statement_does_not_free_a_name(tmp_path: Path) -> None:
     gate = phase.PhaseGate(
-        tmp_path / "l.jsonl", toolbox.load_safe(), lambda: "Use XOR."
+        tmp_path / "l.jsonl", toolbox.load_safe(), lambda: "Topics: XOR."
     )
-    assert gate.leaks("XOR here", []) == []
+    assert gate.leaks("XOR here", []) == ["XOR"]
+
+
+def test_a_meaning_that_names_an_entry_is_not_shown(
+    tmp_path: Path, monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch
+) -> None:
+    box = toolbox.Toolbox(
+        (toolbox.Entry("XOR", ("^",), ("self-inverse",)),),
+        {"self-inverse": "a ^ x ^ x = a", "constant-space": "memory stays flat"},
+    )
+    missing = req_check.Check("incomplete", ("self-inverse", "constant-space"))
+    monkeypatch.setattr(req_check, "check", _Checks(missing))
+    gate = phase.PhaseGate(tmp_path / "l.jsonl", box, lambda: "s")
+    _, note = gate.screen("req: one pass")
+    assert "  - self-inverse\n" in note
+    assert "  - constant-space: memory stays flat\n" in note
+    assert "^" not in note
 
 
 def test_open_exports_the_log_path_for_the_hooks(
diff --git a/leetcode_coach/leetcode_coach/tests/test_stop_gate_leak.py b/leetcode_coach/leetcode_coach/tests/test_stop_gate_leak.py
index 132d1cb..df3f85b 100644
--- a/leetcode_coach/leetcode_coach/tests/test_stop_gate_leak.py
+++ b/leetcode_coach/leetcode_coach/tests/test_stop_gate_leak.py
@@ -48,14 +48,19 @@ def test_the_bounce_reason_does_not_whitelist_itself() -> None:
     assert stop_gate.verdict(_raw(SLASH_LOAD, feedback), LEAKY) is not None
 
 
-def test_names_in_the_fetched_statement_may_be_restated() -> None:
+def test_the_fetched_statement_whitelists_nothing() -> None:
+    """Its topic tags and site hints name the answer ("Topics: Hash Table")."""
     tool = {
         "type": "user",
         "message": {
-            "content": [{"type": "tool_result", "content": "Solve it with XOR."}]
+            "content": [
+                {"type": "tool_result", "content": "Topics: Hash Table. Use XOR."}
+            ]
         },
     }
-    assert stop_gate.verdict(_raw(SLASH_LOAD, tool), LEAKY) is None
+    raw = _raw(SLASH_LOAD, tool)
+    assert stop_gate.verdict(raw, LEAKY) is not None
+    assert stop_gate.verdict(raw, "Would a hash map help?") is not None
 
 
 def test_the_session_log_lifts_the_bounce_once_code_exists(