diff --git a/src/markdown/emit/line-escaping.ts b/src/markdown/emit/line-escaping.ts
index e6bd866..78fbbd8 100644
--- a/src/markdown/emit/line-escaping.ts
+++ b/src/markdown/emit/line-escaping.ts
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ function escape(segments: readonly InlineSegment[], container: LineContainer): A
   const scan = segments.map((segment) => segment.text).join('')
   const escapings: InlineEscaping[] = []
   for (const segment of segments) for (let index = 0; index < segment.text.length; index += 1) escapings.push(segment.escaping)
-  const escaped = escapedIndexes(scan, escapings, container)
+  const escaped = escapeClosedRuns(scan, escapings, escapeClaims(scan, escapings, container))
   const placements: number[] = []
   let output = ''
   for (let index = 0; index < scan.length; index += 1) {
@@ -82,31 +82,30 @@ function escape(segments: readonly InlineSegment[], container: LineContainer): A
   return { line: output, unspellableRun: unspellableRun(segments, output, placements) }
 }
 
-function escapedIndexes(scan: string, escapings: readonly InlineEscaping[], container: LineContainer): Set<number> {
+function escapeClaims(scan: string, escapings: readonly InlineEscaping[], container: LineContainer): ReadonlySet<number> {
   const escaped = new Set<number>()
   const linkClose = lastLinkClose(scan, escapings)
   let line = scanLine(scan, 0)
+  let afterEscape = false
   for (let index = 0; index < scan.length; index += 1) {
     if (index > line.start + line.text.length) line = scanLine(scan, line.start + line.text.length + 1)
     const escaping = escapings[index]
     const escapable = escaping === 'backslash' || escaping === 'bracketed'
-    if (
+    afterEscape =
       (escapable &&
         (claimsLineStart(line, index, container) ||
           mergesWithSyntax(scan, escapings, index) ||
-          opensConstruct(scan, linkClose, index, escaping === 'bracketed', container, escaped))) ||
+          opensConstruct(scan, linkClose, index, escaping === 'bracketed', container, afterEscape))) ||
       (escaping === 'bracketed-link-target' &&
-        ((scan.charAt(index) === '`' && opensCodeSpan(scan, index, escaped)) || claimsDirectivePrefix(scan, index)))
-    ) {
-      escaped.add(index)
-    }
+        ((scan.charAt(index) === '`' && opensCodeSpan(scan, index, afterEscape)) || claimsDirectivePrefix(scan, index)))
+    if (afterEscape) escaped.add(index)
   }
-  escapeClosedRuns(scan, escapings, escaped)
   return escaped
 }
 
 // CommonMark reads no escape inside a code span, so a backtick string an escape forms or splits off still closes one an earlier bare run opens.
-function escapeClosedRuns(scan: string, escapings: readonly InlineEscaping[], escaped: Set<number>): void {
+function escapeClosedRuns(scan: string, escapings: readonly InlineEscaping[], claimed: ReadonlySet<number>): ReadonlySet<number> {
+  const escaped = new Set(claimed)
   const formed = new Set<number>()
   let end = scan.length - 1
   while (end >= 0) {
@@ -118,17 +117,18 @@ function escapeClosedRuns(scan: string, escapings: readonly InlineEscaping[], es
     while (scan.charAt(start - 1) === '`') start -= 1
     let segmentEnd = end
     for (let index = end; index > start; index -= 1) {
-      if (!escaped.has(index)) continue
+      if (!claimed.has(index)) continue
       formed.add(segmentEnd - index + 1)
       segmentEnd = index - 1
     }
-    if (segmentEnd !== end || escaped.has(start)) formed.add(segmentEnd - start + 1)
+    if (segmentEnd !== end || claimed.has(start)) formed.add(segmentEnd - start + 1)
     else if (escapings[start] !== 'none' && formed.has(end - start + 1)) {
       for (let index = start; index <= end; index += 1) escaped.add(index)
       formed.add(1)
     }
     end = start - 1
   }
+  return escaped
 }
 
 function unspellableRun(segments: readonly InlineSegment[], output: string, placements: readonly number[]): NodeRange | undefined {
@@ -231,10 +231,10 @@ function opensConstruct(
   index: number,
   inBrackets: boolean,
   container: LineContainer,
-  escaped: ReadonlySet<number>,
+  afterEscape: boolean,
 ): boolean {
   if (container === 'heading' && closesHeading(scan, index)) return true
-  return claimsCharacter(scan, linkClose, index, inBrackets, container, escaped)
+  return claimsCharacter(scan, linkClose, index, inBrackets, container, afterEscape)
 }
 
 // A hard break is the one spelling that puts a delimiter row under a row of its own, so only a later line claims.
@@ -260,7 +260,7 @@ function claimsCharacter(
   index: number,
   inBrackets: boolean,
   container: LineContainer,
-  escaped: ReadonlySet<number>,
+  afterEscape: boolean,
 ): boolean {
   const character = scan.charAt(index)
   if (inBrackets && (character === '[' || character === ']')) return true
@@ -270,8 +270,8 @@ function claimsCharacter(
   if (character === '<') return opensBracketedAutolink(scan, index) || opensEmailAutolink(scan, index) || inlineHtmlConstruct(scan, index) !== undefined
   if (character === '!') return claimsDirectivePrefix(scan, index)
   if (character === '[') return index < linkClose
-  if (character === '`') return opensCodeSpan(scan, index, escaped)
-  if (character === '*' || character === '_' || character === '~') return claimsEmphasis(scan, index, escaped)
+  if (character === '`') return opensCodeSpan(scan, index, afterEscape)
+  if (character === '*' || character === '_' || character === '~') return claimsEmphasis(scan, index, afterEscape)
   return false
 }
 
@@ -284,16 +284,16 @@ function lastLinkClose(scan: string, escapings: readonly (InlineEscaping | undef
   return -1
 }
 
-function opensCodeSpan(scan: string, index: number, escaped: ReadonlySet<number>): boolean {
+function opensCodeSpan(scan: string, index: number, afterEscape: boolean): boolean {
   // A run escapes whole: a rest left bare would be a raw run of another length for a closer.
-  if (scan.charAt(index - 1) === '`' && escaped.has(index - 1)) return true
-  if (!startsRun(scan, index, escaped)) return false
+  if (afterEscape && scan.charAt(index - 1) === '`') return true
+  if (!startsRun(scan, index, afterEscape)) return false
   const opener = backtickRun(scan, index)
   return closingBacktickRun(scan, index + opener, opener) !== undefined
 }
 
-function claimsEmphasis(scan: string, index: number, escaped: ReadonlySet<number>): boolean {
-  if (!startsRun(scan, index, escaped)) return false
+function claimsEmphasis(scan: string, index: number, afterEscape: boolean): boolean {
+  if (!startsRun(scan, index, afterEscape)) return false
   const character = scan.charAt(index)
   const length = runLength(scan, index)
   if (character === '~' && length !== 2) return false
@@ -301,8 +301,8 @@ function claimsEmphasis(scan: string, index: number, escaped: ReadonlySet<number
   return flags.canClose || flags.canOpen
 }
 
-function startsRun(scan: string, index: number, escaped: ReadonlySet<number>): boolean {
-  if (index === 0 || escaped.has(index - 1)) return true
+function startsRun(scan: string, index: number, afterEscape: boolean): boolean {
+  if (index === 0 || afterEscape) return true
   return scan.charAt(index - 1) !== scan.charAt(index)
 }
 
diff --git a/src/markdown/parse/blocks.ts b/src/markdown/parse/blocks.ts
index df1a13b..e6af3e6 100644
--- a/src/markdown/parse/blocks.ts
+++ b/src/markdown/parse/blocks.ts
@@ -64,13 +64,19 @@ type Line = { column: number; text: string }
 
 type LeafOpener = { index: number; position: SourcePosition }
 
+type ContainerStack = {
+  drop: (depth: number) => OpenContainer[]
+  edges: readonly { container: EdgeContainer; depth: number }[]
+  open: readonly OpenContainer[]
+  push: (container: OpenContainer) => void
+}
+
 type Walk = ParsedBlocks & {
   directiveDepths: Map<string, number[]>
-  edges: { container: EdgeContainer; depth: number }[]
   leaf: OpenLeaf | undefined
   leafOpeners: Map<Block[], Map<string, LeafOpener>>
   position: SourcePosition
-  stack: OpenContainer[]
+  stack: ContainerStack
 }
 
 const indentedCodeColumns = 4
@@ -82,11 +88,10 @@ export function parseBlocks(markdown: string): ParsedBlocks {
     blocks: [],
     definitions: new Map(),
     directiveDepths: new Map(),
-    edges: [],
     leaf: undefined,
     leafOpeners: new Map(),
     position: { line: 1, offset: 0 },
-    stack: [],
+    stack: containerStack(),
   }
   for (const line of sourceLines(markdown)) {
     walk.position = line.position
@@ -96,16 +101,38 @@ export function parseBlocks(markdown: string): ParsedBlocks {
   return { blocks: walk.blocks, definitions: walk.definitions }
 }
 
+function containerStack(): ContainerStack {
+  const edges: { container: EdgeContainer; depth: number }[] = []
+  const open: OpenContainer[] = []
+  return {
+    drop: (depth) => {
+      const dropped = open.splice(depth)
+      for (const container of dropped) {
+        if (container.kind === 'directive') container.depths.pop()
+        else edges.pop()
+      }
+      return dropped
+    },
+    edges,
+    open,
+    push: (container) => {
+      const depth = open.push(container) - 1
+      if (container.kind === 'directive') container.depths.push(depth)
+      else edges.push({ container, depth })
+    },
+  }
+}
+
 function readLine(walk: Walk, line: Line): void {
   const matched = matchContainers(walk, line)
   // CommonMark: no container opens inside an open code or HTML block.
-  if (matched.depth === walk.stack.length && swallowsLines(walk.leaf)) {
+  if (matched.depth === walk.stack.open.length && swallowsLines(walk.leaf)) {
     readBlockLine(walk, matched.rest)
     return
   }
-  const paragraphOpen = matched.depth === walk.stack.length && walk.leaf?.kind === 'paragraph'
+  const paragraphOpen = matched.depth === walk.stack.open.length && walk.leaf?.kind === 'paragraph'
   const opened = openContainers(walk, matched.rest, paragraphOpen, matched.depth)
-  if (!opened.opened && matched.depth < walk.stack.length) {
+  if (!opened.opened && matched.depth < walk.stack.open.length) {
     if (continuesLazily(walk, opened.rest)) {
       appendParagraph(walk, opened.rest.text)
       return
@@ -122,12 +149,12 @@ function swallowsLines(leaf: OpenLeaf | undefined): boolean {
 // A directive container has no continuation marker, so every line continues it.
 function matchContainers(walk: Walk, line: Line): { depth: number; rest: Line } {
   let rest = line
-  for (const { container, depth } of walk.edges) {
+  for (const { container, depth } of walk.stack.edges) {
     const next = continuesContainer(walk, container, rest)
     if (next === undefined) return { depth, rest }
     rest = next
   }
-  return { depth: walk.stack.length, rest }
+  return { depth: walk.stack.open.length, rest }
 }
 
 function continuesContainer(walk: Walk, container: EdgeContainer, line: Line): Line | undefined {
@@ -145,7 +172,7 @@ function blockquoteRest(opener: Line): Line | undefined {
 }
 
 function openContainers(walk: Walk, line: Line, paragraphOpen: boolean, depth: number): { opened: boolean; rest: Line } {
-  const unmatched = walk.stack[depth]
+  const unmatched = walk.stack.open[depth]
   const tail = thematicBreakTail(line.text)
   let opened = false
   let rest = line
@@ -202,16 +229,12 @@ function openContainer(walk: Walk, start: ContainerStart): void {
   if (start.kind === 'blockquote') {
     const blockquote: EdgeContainer = { blocks, kind: 'blockquote', position: walk.position }
     currentBlocks(walk).push(blockquote)
-    pushEdge(walk, blockquote)
+    walk.stack.push(blockquote)
     return
   }
   const list = openedList(walk, start)
   list.items.push(blocks)
-  pushEdge(walk, { blocks, indentation: start.indentation, kind: 'item', list })
-}
-
-function pushEdge(walk: Walk, container: EdgeContainer): void {
-  walk.edges.push({ container, depth: walk.stack.push(container) - 1 })
+  walk.stack.push({ blocks, indentation: start.indentation, kind: 'item', list })
 }
 
 // Two lists of a kind never sit adjacent: one `- ` spelling reads them back as one (spec/flavour.md).
@@ -226,7 +249,7 @@ function openedList(walk: Walk, start: Extract<ContainerStart, { kind: 'item' }>
 
 function closeContainers(walk: Walk, depth: number): void {
   closeLeaf(walk)
-  for (const container of dropContainers(walk, depth)) {
+  for (const container of walk.stack.drop(depth)) {
     if (container.kind !== 'directive') continue
     container.parent[container.index] = {
       fault: malformedDirective(`the ${container.name} container is unclosed: no ${spellDirectiveCloser(container.name)} follows inside the block holding it; ${directiveEscape}`),
@@ -236,15 +259,6 @@ function closeContainers(walk: Walk, depth: number): void {
   }
 }
 
-function dropContainers(walk: Walk, depth: number): OpenContainer[] {
-  const dropped = walk.stack.splice(depth)
-  for (const container of dropped) {
-    if (container.kind === 'directive') container.depths.pop()
-    else walk.edges.pop()
-  }
-  return dropped
-}
-
 function applyDirectiveLine(walk: Walk, directive: DirectiveLine): void {
   if (directive.kind === 'closer') closeDirective(walk, directive.name)
   else openDirective(walk, directive)
@@ -268,7 +282,7 @@ function openDirective(walk: Walk, directive: Extract<DirectiveLine, { kind: 'op
     return
   }
   const depths = entryOf(walk.directiveDepths, name, (): number[] => [])
-  depths.push(walk.stack.push({ blocks: block.blocks, depths, index, kind: 'directive', name, parent, position }) - 1)
+  walk.stack.push({ blocks: block.blocks, depths, index, kind: 'directive', name, parent, position })
 }
 
 function closeDirective(walk: Walk, name: string): void {
@@ -283,13 +297,13 @@ function closeDirective(walk: Walk, name: string): void {
     return
   }
   closeContainers(walk, depth + 1)
-  dropContainers(walk, depth)
+  walk.stack.drop(depth)
 }
 
 // A closer crosses no list item or blockquote edge.
 function openDirectiveDepth(walk: Walk, name: string): number | undefined {
   const depth = walk.directiveDepths.get(name)?.at(-1)
-  return depth === undefined || depth < (walk.edges.at(-1)?.depth ?? -1) ? undefined : depth
+  return depth === undefined || depth < (walk.stack.edges.at(-1)?.depth ?? -1) ? undefined : depth
 }
 
 function faultLeafOpener(walk: Walk, name: string, fault: ConvertFault): void {
@@ -497,7 +511,7 @@ function takeParagraph(walk: Walk): Extract<Block, { kind: 'paragraph' }> | unde
 }
 
 function currentBlocks(walk: Walk): Block[] {
-  return walk.stack.at(-1)?.blocks ?? walk.blocks
+  return walk.stack.open.at(-1)?.blocks ?? walk.blocks
 }
 
 function* sourceLines(markdown: string): Generator<{ position: SourcePosition; text: string }> {
diff --git a/todo-history.md b/todo-history.md
index 96a7121..bc87b97 100644
--- a/todo-history.md
+++ b/todo-history.md
@@ -1054,6 +1054,18 @@ The done `todo.md` items in full, as they were written. `todo.md` keeps a one-li
       layout. What `src/result.ts`, `README.md` §The errors and `ls src` already say went, and
       the level's definition, `matchEmphasis`'s transcription and `emitLine`'s termination moved
       to one line at the code each defines.
+- [x] **26 — The two mutable structures say what they guarantee (`0.2.0`).** `escapedIndexes` fills
+      the `escaped` set left to right while the predicates it calls read the half-built set, then
+      `escapeClosedRuns` walks the same set right to left and adds to it; the order is load-bearing
+      and asserted nowhere, and a refactor to `filter`/`map` breaks it silently. Separately,
+      `walk.edges` is the blockquote and list-item subsequence of `walk.stack` with each entry's
+      stack index, maintained by hand in six places and stated in none. Put each invariant where it
+      cannot be got wrong — a type, a derived value, a named phase — rather than in a comment. The
+      panel's first and second hardest places. `escapeClaims` hands each predicate the one fact
+      it reads — whether the character before was escaped — and `escapeClosedRuns` takes that
+      pass's set read-only and returns the whole. `containerStack` is the one writer of the stack,
+      `edges` and each directive's `depths`, all read-only elsewhere; deriving `edges` from the
+      stack instead makes every line walk the open directives, quadratic in their nesting.
 
 ## 5 — Ship `0.1.0`
 
diff --git a/todo.md b/todo.md
index c1769ca..6487747 100644
--- a/todo.md
+++ b/todo.md
@@ -58,14 +58,7 @@ chunk clearing a §11 seam.
       the measured one.
 - [x] **24 — The conformance gates have a directory (`0.2.0`).**
 - [x] **25 — AGENTS.md §8 and §11 are findable (`0.2.0`).**
-- [ ] **26 — The two mutable structures say what they guarantee (`0.2.0`).** `escapedIndexes` fills
-      the `escaped` set left to right while the predicates it calls read the half-built set, then
-      `escapeClosedRuns` walks the same set right to left and adds to it; the order is load-bearing
-      and asserted nowhere, and a refactor to `filter`/`map` breaks it silently. Separately,
-      `walk.edges` is the blockquote and list-item subsequence of `walk.stack` with each entry's
-      stack index, maintained by hand in six places and stated in none. Put each invariant where it
-      cannot be got wrong — a type, a derived value, a named phase — rather than in a comment. The
-      panel's first and second hardest places.
+- [x] **26 — The two mutable structures say what they guarantee (`0.2.0`).**
 - [ ] **27 — The dead `headroom` write goes (`0.2.0`).** `directiveItems`
       (`emit/adf-to-markdown.ts:258`) writes `item.walk.headroom - 1` onto each `PlacedBlock`, and
       nothing on that path reads a block's `headroom`: `joinBlocks` and `separationBetween` read