{"id":"third-max-none-sentinel-safety","text":"`third_max` uses `None` as a sentinel for unfilled slots, which is safe because the input domain is `int` only — no value in `nums` can collide with `None`.","truth_value":"IN","source":"entries/2026/06/06/third-maximum-number-solution.md","source_url":"","source_hash":"","justifications":[],"dependents":[],"metadata":{},"created_at":"","updated_at":"","reviewed_at":"","verified_at":"","retracted_at":"","explanation":{"steps":[{"node":"third-max-none-sentinel-safety","truth_value":"IN","reason":"premise"}]}}