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Compendium of the Most Commonly Asked Ruling Questions


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Hi there, so I thought it would be interesting to have a thread with the most asked questions, as well as their answers. These are questions which have been asked so frequently, that some even become jokes, such as "Does MST negate?" Of course, I cannot have everything here, so I will try to update this every so often.

 

You can also post a yourself as well, and I might put it up. Don't actually ask questions in here, just post the question as well as the answer. If something here is incorrect, let me know and I'll try to fix it.

 

The questions in here are not in any form of relevancy, the only thing that's important is that new posts are listed at the bottom, and you'll be able to see a time stamp that shows when it was posted, as well as this thread probably being bumped.

 

Want more Rulings? I got a whole thread dedicated to random Rulings, both common ones, but also some more obscure ones. Check it out here:

http://forum.yugiohcardmaker.net/topic/329940-random-rulings-articles-compendium/

 

Also, check out my Rulebook for a more general view on Rulings:
http://forum.yugiohcardmaker.net/topic/322818-the-unofficial-yu-gi-oh-trading-card-game-rulebook/

 

Last Updated:

26/02/16 at 10:40 CET

 

[spoiler=Questions]

Q: Mystical Space Typhoon being Chained to the activation of a Spell/Trap Card such as Fire Formation - Tenki: Does it negate the effect that would resolve?

A: No, it will not negate it, as it doesn't say to actually negate the effect. However, against Spell/Trap Cards that stay face-up after they resolve, such as Continuous Spell Cards, any effect that activates when it's activated will not resolve, though this is not the same as it negating the card, and should not be confused with it.

 

Q: Can you take back costs, such as discarding a card, if the effect is negated by a card activated in response to the effect?

A: No, you cannot, costs are always done at the activation of a card, and they are NOT the same as effects, and as such they cannot be negated, and any cost made cannot be taken back.

 

Q: Book of Moon or Compulsory Evacuation Device being Chained to a monster effect, such as Tellarknight Deneb, causing it not to be face-up anymore: Will the effect resolve without effect?

A: No, the effect will still resolve. However, some cards require the monster to be face-up in order for the effect to resolve. These cards will say something like "This card must be face-up to activate and to resolve this effect", then it would not resolve.

 

Q: Skill Drain or Fiend Chain VS cards that remove themselves as a cost, such as Rescue Rabbit or Stardust Dragon: Will it negate the effect of the monster? Also, if Breakthrough Skill or Effect Veiler is used, then later the monster activates its effect and removes itself, will it be negated?
A: No, as both those cards negate only while the monster is actually on the field, since the monster is no longer on the field, the effect will still resolve.

 As for Breakthrough Skill and Effect Veiler, as those negate only one time, it will still negate the effect, as it was activated on the field, and since those negate any effect activated on the field, it will also negate the effect of a monster that removes itself from the field as a cost.

 

Q: Can you Special Summon a Fusion, Synchro or Xyz or Ritual Monster from the Graveyard/while it's banished that had its Summon negated or if they were sent their without being Summoned first? Also, if they are Special Summoned by card such as Cyber-Stein, can they be Special Summoned afterwards?
A: No, you cannot do that. All of those must first be Summoned by Fusion, Synchro, Xyz or Ritual Summoned before you can Special Summon them afterwards, so if they were negated, that Summon never happened, and they also cannot be if they were simply sent there by other ways.

 As for cards like Cyber-Stein, since it's a Special Summon, not a Fusion Summon (or Synchro or Xyz Summons for Synchro and Xyz Monsters), you cannot afterwards Special Summon them. The same applies for Special Summon only monsters such as Photon Trasher (those that say "must first be Special Summoned...", not those that say "must be Special Summoned...", as those cannot be Summoned later).

 

Q: Re-qliate is face-up, then a monster that has an effect that activates when it is Summoned is Summoned, such as the Tellarknight monsters. Will Re-qliate negate their effects?
A: No, as Re-qliate's effect is a mandatory Trigger Effect, it will activate as Chain Link 1, then the effect of the Summoned monster will activate as Chain Link 2, as such the effect that activate on the Summon will not be negated. The only time where it would be reversed would be in case the monster's effect was mandatory and it was the turn player's turn, as the turn player's effects go first on the Chain, according to Simultaneous Effects Go On Chain (SEGOC).

 

Q: Does Dark Hole, Torrential Tribute etc. target? (You can replace those cards with any other cards)
A: If a card targets or not can one of the easiest things, yet also one of the hardest things, to find out. Typically a card will say in its text if the card targets or not, so all you have to do is read the card, though this is not always true for cards released before Problem Solving Card text (PSCT) became commonplace. Any card released before the Set Generation Force and that has not yet been re-release with PSCT may not say target, which means that it's harder to see if it does or not. Sometimes, it will say "select" instead, which is an old word for target, though that may also be inconsistent. If you're unsure, you can always check the Rulings for the card itself or this thread.

 

Q: Is Tributing, using monsters as Fusion, Synchro Material or sending from the Deck to the Graveyard etc. considered to be destroyed the monster?
A: No, in all of those cases, it is not considered to destroy the monster. A monster is destroyed only by battle, if a card effects says so, or in certain conditions where game mechanics cause the monster to be destroyed.

 

Q: Is sending a card from the hand to the Graveyard the same as discarding a card for Dark World. Also, if the card is discarded as a cost, for example discarding Grapha, Dragon Lord of Dark World with Trade-In, does it trigger Dark World monsters?
A: No, sending is not the same as discarding a card, as such it will not trigger the effects of Dark World monsters. However, discarding is the same as sending a card to the Graveyard from the hand.

 As for discarding as a cost, it will not trigger Dark World monsters, as they must be discarded as an effect. As such, cards such as Trade-In do not work with Dark World monsters.

 

Q: Jinzo being Summoned, can you activate Solemn Warning? Also, Bottomless Trap Hole VS Amazoness Tiger, can you activate Bottomless Trap Hole?

A: Yes you can, as Jinzo is not yet on the field, so any its effects are not applied yet. When you are to negate a Summon, a monster has not yet reached the field.

 As for Bottomless Trap Hole, since Tiger is on the field when you activate it, its effect will increase it to over 1500 ATK, and as such it is legal to activate BTH at this time. Bottomless Trap Hole does not negate a Summon, it just responds to it, so the monster is on the field at this time.

 

Q: If I negate the activation of Instant Fusion with Solemn Warning, can I activate Pot of Duality that same turn? Also, if I negate the Synchro, Xyz or Pendulum Summon or something like Cyber Dragon, can I activate Pot of Duality?

A: Yes, you can activate Pot of Duality. This is because you negate the activation of the card that Summoned, so the Summon wasn't attempted. Similarly, if you negate Pot of Duality, you can Special Summon that turn.

 No, in this case you cannot do that, since a Summon was still attempted, and since those do not start a Chain, they don't have an activation to be negated, rather they just negate the Summon itself.

 

Q: If you activate Star Seraph Scepter's effect when it's Normal Summoned or Special Summoned, then you activate Star Seraph Sovereignty in the hand, then when Scepter resolves, you add another Sovereignty to your hand, can you activate the added Sovereignty in your hand? Also, can you if you reverse the Chain Link order? Related question, can you Special Summon one you add if you do not Special Summon a Sovereignty?

A: Yes you can Special Summon the added one, as another monster was Summoned in that Chain, that being Sovereignty, and since it checks if a monster was Summoned by the time it activates after the Chain resolves, it will notice Sovereignty being Summoned, and you can therefore activate it.

 In case the Chain Link order is reversed, yes you can. This is similar to the above case, as a monster was still Special Summoned.

 In the case you didn't activate Sovereignty in the hand, no you cannot, as no monster was Summoned during the Chain.

 

Q: Macro Cosmos VS sending from the hand to the Graveyard as a cost, for example with Onomatopaira. Can you activate those cards or effects? Also, what if you discard instead, for example with Lumina, Lightsworn Summoner?

A: No, you cannot as the card specifically states a place to discard the card to, and as such, you cannot activate it, since the card will not go to the Graveyard. You can do this as an effect though, for example with Foolish Burial, since Macro Cosmos only changes where the card would go, it doesn't prevent cards from being sent to the Graveyard.

 In the case of a card that discards, as long as the card doesn't say "discard to the Graveyard", you can activate it, as such, Lumina can activate its effect, the discarded card will be banished though.

 

Q: Macro Cosmos VS Pendulum Monsters, will they be banished or go to the Extra Deck if they would be sent from the field to the Graveyard? What about Dimensional Fissure VS cards in the Pendulum Zone?

A: They'll be banished, as Pendulum Monsters that would go to the Graveyard to go the Extra Deck instead, but since cards that would go to the Graveyard are banished, they'll be banished as well.

 As for Dimensional Fissure, since cards in the Pendulum Zone are treated as Spell Cards, not monsters, when they would be sent to the Graveyard, they would be sent as a Spell Card, and as such, they'll go to the Extra Deck instead of being banished.

 

Q: Can you activate Effect Veiler on a monster while Skill Drain is up, or Fiendish Chain is negating it? What about Fiendish Chain or Forbidden Chalice while Skill Drain is up?

A: You cannot activate Effect Veiler to target a monster that has already been negated. This is because you are trying to negate something that is already being negated.

 For the case of Fiendish Chain or Forbidden Chalice, since those cards do something else than just negating (preventing attacks and boosting ATK), you can activate them.

 

Q: If you activate Galaxy Cyclone, targeting a Set Spell/Trap Card, does it still destroy it? Also, what about Ghostrick Alucard?

A: Yes, as Galaxy Cyclone says "it", meaning that it doesn't matter if the targeting conditions are no longer the same, it will still be destroyed.

 As for Ghostrick Alucard, since it says "that target", it will not destroy it, since "that target" means that the targeting conditions must be correct during resolution as well, but since it's now face-up, it cannot destroy it.

 

Q: If you activate the effect of Lonesome Blossom, Tributing itself, can you then later activate the effect if you Summon another copy of it? What about Rescue Rabbit?

A: Yes, as Lonesome Blossom's text says "Once per turn: You can...", which means that even if the monster leaves the field, gets flipped face-down, then later flipped face-up or you control copy of it, you can still activate the effect again that turn.

 As for the second case, no you cannot, as Rescue Rabbit says "You can only use the effect of "Rescue Rabbit" once per turn.", which means even if you Summon another one, flip it face-down, then later face-up or control another copy, you cannot activate the effect again. You can learn more about "once per turn" effects by clicking here.

 

Q: If Mystical Space Typhoon is activated targeting a Set Call of the Haunted, which is then activated targeting a Tellarknight Deneb in the Graveyard, when Deneb is Summoned, will its effect activate after the Chain resolves? Similarly, if Dante, Traveler of the Burning Abyss activates its effect, sending a Burning Abyss monster to the Graveyard, then D.D. Crow is Chained, targeting that send Burning Abyss monster, will it be able to activate?

A: No, as the monster is no longer on the field when it would activate, and as such, it cannot activate its effect.

 As for Dante, no it cannot activate, as the monster has to be in the Graveyard in order to activate. Note that this only applies in NA and on DN, not in Europe or the OCG, where those effects would still activate

 

Q: If Into the Void was activated this turn, then during the End Phase, Qliphort Monolith would activate, do they Chain to each other?

A: No, they don't Chain to each other, as Into the Void doesn't activate during the End Phase, it just applies, and also when card specifies a specific Phase where it is able to activate or apply in in, like Qliphort Monolith does, they don't Chain to each other, rather you get to choose the order of which they activate/apply their effects in. You can read more about how the End Phase works by clicking here.

 

Q: If El Shaddoll Construct is Fusion Summoned using a Shaddoll monster such as Shaddoll Hedgehog, which effect will activate first, Construct or Hedgehog?

A: Hedgehog will always activate first in this case. This is because Trigger Effects which would activate at the same time, but had their conditions met at different points, form the the order met in, and since Hedgehog was sent to the Graveyard for the Fusion Summon before Construct was Fusion Summoned, it activates first, then Construct activates.

 

Q: If Ritual Beast Ulti-Cannahawk activates its effect that searches by targeting 2 of your banished Ritual Beasts, can I chain its effect and target another Ritual Beast and 1 of those targets, will search effect resolve?

A: Yes, if you do that, you will Special Summon the targets from the second effect, then the remaining target will return to the Graveyard by the first effect, and you'll add a Ritual Beast card from your Deck to your hand. The reason why this works is because the effect says "return them", which means that it doesn't matter if not all targets are returned, as long as at least one of them are returned, the effect will still resolve.

 

Q: Can you use Fossil Dyna Pachycephalo as a Synchro, Xyz Material etc.?

A: No, you cannot. Even though it would remove it from the field, the very act of attempting to do so is not allowed.

 

Q: Can you activate Quick-Play Spell Cards from your hand during your Battle Phase? What about the opponent's turn?

A: Yes you can, Quick-Play Spell Cards can be activated from your hand at any point during your turn, including your Battle Phase, excluding the Damage Step (other than cases where the effect allows it to be activated in the Damage Step). You can also activate them at any point if they were Set during a previous turn.

 As for using them from your hand in the opponent's turn, no you cannot. If they were Set, you can activate them at any point, just like you would be able to in your turn. You can read more about the different kinds of Spell Cards by clicking here.

 

Q: Can you activate the effect of Number 47: Nightmare Shark or Inzektor Hopper if you can't attack or conduct your Battle Phase this turn, if the targeted monster can't attack, or if it's the first turn or Main Phase 2? What about Mermail Abyssmegalo?

A: Number 47: Nightmare Shark/Inzektor Hopper cannot target a monster with its effect if you cannot conduct your Battle Phase or declare an attack that turn, if that monster that it is targeting cannot attack, nor can you activate its effect during your first turn or during the Main Phase 2.

 Similarly, you can't activate Mermail Abyssmegalo's effect in any of the same situations as listed above.

 

Q: If you take control of an opponent's monster, does the Equip Card also change control?

A: No, it does not, only the monster is what is changing control, the Equip Card will stay equipped to the monster if it's still able to.

 

Q: If a monster is Special Summoned by Mystic Tomato, or another monster that activates its effect when it's destroyed by battle, can I activate Bottomless Trap Hole?

A: No you cannot, only certain cards can be activated in the Damage Step, BTH is not such a card. You can find what you can activate in the Damage Step by clicking here.

 

Q: Can you use Solemn Warning after Polymerization resolve?

A: No you cannot, the confusion from his is that Solemn Warning states "When a monster(s) would be Summoned". This does not mean it has the same timing as something like Bottomless Trap Hole, rather what that text means is that you can use it to negate Summons that do not start Chains, such as Normal Summons, Synchro and Pendulum Summons, but you can't use it after the monster is Summoned, only to negate Polymerization itself.

 

Q: Can you activate Evilswarm Excition Knight's effect as Chain Link 1?

A: Yes you can, even though it is a Quick Effect, this doesn't mean you must activate it in response to other effects. However, some effect MUST be activated in response to other effects, such as Cairngorgon, Antiluminescent Knight.

 

Q: Can you Special Summon Odd-Eyes Rebellion Dragon with Odd-Eyes Absolute Dragon? What if you Xyz Summoned it first, then it is placed face-up in the Extra Deck, can you Special Summon it with Absolute Dragon?

A: Yes you can, nothing here is preventing you from Special Summoning it. Keep in mind that Special Summoning it this way means that if it's later placed in the Extra Deck, it cannot be Special Summoned again, including Pendulum Summoning it, also if it's banished you can't Special Summon it again, just like a regular Xyz Monster, and if you somehow got it into the Graveyard, you wouldn't be able to Special Summon it again from there either.

 As for Special Summoning it after it is Xyz Summoned, then placed back in the Extra Deck, yes you can, since it was properly Xyz Summoned. Also, after this, it is still considered to have been properly Xyz Summoned, so if it is later place in the Extra Deck again (or banished), you can Special Summon it again with Absolute Dragon.

 

Q: Can Mystical Space Typhoon target itself? Also, can you activate Heavy Storm of Dark Hole without any Spell/Traps Cards or monsters on the field?

A: No you cannot, you cannot activate the card without there being any targets on the field, and you cannot target itself. Same goes for cards like Artifact Ignition.

 As for Heavy Storm and Dark Hole, same concept, even though you don't target anything, since there are no legal cards that can be destroyed, it would be an illegal activation.

 

Q: If I activate an effect such as Dandylion in the Graveyard, If I chain Abyss Dweller to it, will it stop the effect? Also, if you activate Forbidden Dress in response to an effect that targets, such as Phoenix Wing Wind Blast, will it stop the effect?

A: No, all that Abyss Dweller does is prevent activations from happening, it does not stop effects that have already activated from resolving, even if you Chain the effect in response to it.

 As for Forbidden Dress, similarly it only prevent targeting from happening, it does not stop the effects that have already activated, even if you Chain the effect in response to it.

 

Q: Constellar Pleiades activates its effect, targeting a Set Spell/Trap Card, then the targeted is Chained, the card is Compulsory Evacuation Device. Does CED return to the hand, also, can you target the Compulsory Evacuation Device that was already activated? What about a Continuous Trap Card such as Call of the Haunted.

A: No it does not, if a Normal Trap Card, or any other card that does not stay on the field when it resolves, is Chained to Pleiades' effect, it will not return to the hand, rather it will go to the Graveyard. This is because the card is determined to go to the Graveyard when it resolves, not the hand, so the card will be sent there instead. As for activating Pleiades in response, this would be an illegal activation, since you cannot return the card to the hand, for the reasons described before.

 As for CotH and other cards that stay face-up, if you targeted it first, then it was Chained, it WILL return to the hand, since it is a card that stays face-up after it resolves. Similarly, you can activate Pleiades in response to the CotH as well to return the card.

 

Q: How does Appropriate work? Do you draw cards right away when you activate it, or do you draw afterwards?

A: When you first activate the card, you do not draw right away. Rather, each time the condition is met afterwards, you will draw from it. The confusion here is because the card is not written with Problem Solving Card Text, and that it has gotten different text changed before, making it confusing for a lot of players.

 

Q: Can Dark Smog's effect be activated during my opponent's turn?

A: Yes it can, along with any other Continuous Trap Card, if they don't state a specific timing to activate, you can activate the during the opponent's turn. It saying "once per turn" doesn't mean it works like an Igntiion Effect would, but as Continuous Trap Cards are Spell Speed 2 by default, their effects are Quick Effects, so they can be activated during the opponent's turn. Also, this is true for Normal Trap Cards as well, but normally these do not stay face-up, so it is not as relevant here.

 

Q: Can you target a face-down "HERO" monster with Mask Change?

A: No you cannot. Face-down monsters do not have names, and as such, they also aren't considered part of the Archetype that is required for Mask Change to target for its activation.

 

Q: If Ring of Destruction targets a Qliphort Helix that was Special Summoned, how much damage would you take?

A: You would take the 2400 as written on the card. The reason being that it is no longer on the field, so it doesn't have the changed ATK anymore.

 

Q: Mermail Abyssteus discards Atlantean Marksman to activate its effect, does Abyssteus resolve before Marksman's effect targets?

A: No, Abyssteus and Marksman both activate at the same time, as both a Trigger Effects, meaning that they will activate after the current Chain finishes. As Abyssteus is Special Summoned with its effect and has an effect that activates when you Special Summon it that way, and Marksman has an effect that activates when discarded, they form a Chain acording to SEGOC. Also note that if you're playing in the TCG, Marksman MUST be Chain Link 1 here, as it was discarded before Abyssteus (both are mandatory as well).

 

Q: Can I activate Black Horn of Heaven against Pendulum Summons of multiple monsters?

A: No you cannot, as it has now been updated to reflect how it works against Pendulum Summons. Some cards such as Thunder King Rai-Oh have been updated to reflect that they only work against the 1 monster. The reason why some can and some cannot is that these kinds of effects only works against Summons that don't come from Chains, as there were previously no way to Summon multiple monsters without starting a Chain, cards that negated Summons this way didn't need to specifically mention it could work against multiple Summons or not. Keep an eye out for errata of cards like this.

 

Q: If I attack with Armades Keeper of Boundaries or Archfiend Black Skull Dragon on my opponent's Fire Hand, can they activate its effect?

A: No they cannot, Archfiend Black Skull Dragon and similar cards that state "If this card attacks or is attacked, your opponent cannot activate cards or effects until the end of the Damage Step" apply from attack declaration and until the Damage Step is finished. Cards that activate when they are destroyed by battle, such as Fire Hand, or other cards which say "When this card is sent to the Graveyard" activate at the end of the Damage Step, which is why confusion happens, as people think that those cards have stopped at this point, but we are still in the Damage Step at this point, so those effects still apply.

 

Q: If Kozmotown is activated, them Mystical Space Typhoon is Chained, will Kozmo's effect that searches a "Kozmo" card activate?

A: Yes it will, as it was still on the field at the time it was destroyed, it can activate in a new Chain after the current one finishes.

 

Q: Can I use Kozmo Farmgirl or Kozmo Goodwitch's effect during the Battle Phase after I have already attacked with them, and can I attack with the monster I Special Summon? What about during the Damage Step?

A: Yes you can, their effects are Quick Effects and may be activated even during the Battle Phase.

 You cannot activate them during the Damage Step though, only certain effects may be used here. You can read more about that here.

 

Q: Can I Special Summon Juragedo without controlling any monsters? Also, can I activates its effect that Tributes itself during the Damage Step?

A: Yes you can, even without controlling any monsters, you may still enter the Battle Phase. In the Battle Phase, you must always enter the Battle Step, even if you don't play to attack or have any monsters.

 As for the Tribute effect, you may use it during the Damage Step, however only up until damage calculation.

 

Q: Can you ask for your opponent's Deck and Extra Deck Size at Rock-Paper-Scissors?

A: Yes you can, now this is mostly an issue on Dueling Network, as you cannot normally see the size at this point. The reason why this is important is that certain Decks are better if going first against Decks with no Extra Deck. As you can see the sizes in real life by just looking at them, that isn't a problem. If you were to lie here, it would be considered cheating.

 

Q: Can you activate Eidos the Underworld Squire's Graveyard effect during the opponent's turn?

A: No, it doesn't say "during either player's turn", or that it's a Quick Effect, it's in fact an Ignition Effect, so it must be activated during your own Main Phase only.

 

Q: Can you activate the first effect of Kozmotown if your opponent controls it?

A: No you cannot, the controller is Kozmotown is the only one that can use its first effect. If a card says "you", that means it is only the controller of the card that may use the effects of it. (24/02/16)

 

Q: If you control a Tribute Summoned and Domain of the True Monarch is on the field, then that monster is change to face-down Defense Position with a card like Book of Moon, does the first effect of Domain of the True Monarch still apply? Also, if my opponent controls a monster Special Summoned from the Extra Deck, then Shaddoll Fusion is activated, then Book of Moon is Chained targeting that monster, can you still send monsters from the Deck?

A: Yes it does, a monster doesn't forget it as Tribute Summoned or Special Summoned, even if it was flipped face-down. Same goes if it's banished temporarily by something like Interdimensional Matter Transporter.

 No you cannot, a monster forgets where it was Special Summoned from if it's flipped face-down, as well as what Materials it used, so it isn't considered Special Summoned from the Extra Deck. Do note that it's still considered a Special Summoned monster, same as above, it doesn't forget how it was Summoned, just specific details about that Summon, such as where it was from and what Materials it used etc. Also, as a strange difference, it will NOT forget it was Special Summoned from the Extra Deck if it was temporarily banished, but it will forget the Materials used, or a specific method, for example Naturia Bamboo Shoot will forget if it used Naturia monsters for its Tribute Summon. (26/02/16)

[/spoiler]

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Nice! This is really comprehensive and I learned quite a bit!

 

There are some things that may need changing/updating.

 

I'd like to request an extended answer to "Can you Special Summon a Fusion, Synchro or Xyz Monster from ... can they be Special Summoned afterwards?" to include Rituals as they are pretty much in the same boat.

 

With Black Horn of Heaven errata'd, you'll need to change the answer to the "BHoH vs Pendulum" question.

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Nice! This is really comprehensive and I learned quite a bit!

 

There are some things that may need changing/updating.

 

I'd like to request an extended answer to "Can you Special Summon a Fusion, Synchro or Xyz Monster from ... can they be Special Summoned afterwards?" to include Rituals as they are pretty much in the same boat.

 

With Black Horn of Heaven errata'd, you'll need to change the answer to the "BHoH vs Pendulum" question.

Well, I think it's pretty self-explanatory that those work the same way as well, but adding it shouldn't hurt.

 

Ah right, I'm gonna do that ASAP.

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