diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index de8b1c8..5556b4c 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -18,7 +18,9 @@ replacement, and each removed path, column or flag.
   `parent`, a name repeating inside one parent row, a name spelling another row's key, a table named like a column of any
   table above it, a table whose format or cell references its own family, and,
   within one render and draw group, a path drawing a table another path selects a
-  row of, or two paths pinning different rows of one table.
+  row of, or two paths pinning different rows of one table. Two reads are held to one
+  draw only where a render can pin both their rows: a path read pins a row's ancestors
+  with it, while a table read whole draws a row and pins none.
 - `New` refuses a root choice of templates sharing one format and one set of string
   fields, naming the rows TSV to write instead.
 - `misc.territory`, `misc.currency`, `misc.language`, `misc.httpstatus` and
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index feddb0d..cb29fa1 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -1140,8 +1140,9 @@ the Development section below, and who ships a register the four above then draw
 - **The rows of a table are alternatives.** Only one row renders, so a cell in one
   row and a cell in another never meet, and each may select its own row of another
   table; the cells of one row, and whatever they reach, do meet, and so does the
-  format beside them. The rule the fence applies is that two reads meet unless
-  they sit in two rows of one table, or in a row outside a selected ancestor's. A
+  format beside them. The rule the fence applies is that two reads meet unless they
+  sit in two rows of one table, or in rows no render pins at once: a path read pins a
+  row's ancestors with it, while a table read whole draws a row and pins none. A
   choice's items get no such treatment yet: two items selecting different rows
   are still refused.
 - **A table never reaches its own family, by any route.** A `repeat` iteration and a
diff --git a/draw.go b/draw.go
index 21d0d55..8f4a893 100644
--- a/draw.go
+++ b/draw.go
@@ -291,18 +291,20 @@ type drawWalk struct {
 	seen  map[drawVisit]bool
 }
 
-// drawAt is where a walk stands: the draw group it draws in, how the render's root reached it, and
-// the table rows it entered.
+// drawAt is where a walk stands: the draw group it draws in, how the render's root reached it, the
+// table rows it entered, and the table a whole read draws a row of.
 type drawAt struct {
 	group string
 	route drawRoute
 	alt   rowSet
+	drawn *table
 }
 
 // rowSet is the rows a walk entered, one per table: only one row of a table renders, so reads in
 // two rows of one table never meet, while reads in one row, across its columns and whatever they
-// reach, do. It simulates what the render pins: enter is (*draws).pin and rowOf is its pinned, and
-// TestRowSetSimulatesPinning holds the two to one answer.
+// reach, do. It stands in for the rows the render pins, so a row a path read pins enters with the
+// ancestors (*draws).pin pins alongside it, while a table read whole is drawn a row of and pins
+// none.
 type rowSet []tablePin
 
 func (s rowSet) rowOf(t *table) (int, bool) {
@@ -314,24 +316,24 @@ func (s rowSet) rowOf(t *table) (int, bool) {
 	return 0, false
 }
 
-// enter is s with row r of t and the ancestor rows it links to, where t is not in it yet; the set
-// is copied, since walks branch.
-func (s rowSet) enter(t *table, r int) rowSet {
+// enter is s with row r of t, where t is not in it yet, and, where pins says the render pins that
+// row rather than draws it, the ancestor rows it links to. The set is copied, since walks branch.
+func (s rowSet) enter(t *table, r int, pins bool) rowSet {
 	if _, in := s.rowOf(t); in {
 		return s
 	}
 	out := append(make(rowSet, 0, len(s)+1), s...)
 	for {
-		if _, in := out.rowOf(t); in {
-			break
-		}
 		out = append(out, tablePin{t, r})
-		if t.parentT == nil {
+		if !pins || t.parentT == nil {
 			break
 		}
 		t, r = t.parentT, t.parentRow(r)
+		if _, in := out.rowOf(t); in {
+			break
+		}
 	}
-	sort.Slice(out, func(i, j int) bool { return out[i].t.category < out[j].t.category })
+	sort.Slice(out, func(i, j int) bool { return out[i].t.path < out[j].t.path })
 	return out
 }
 
@@ -394,12 +396,15 @@ func (w *drawWalk) walk(n node, at drawAt) {
 	if t, isTemplate := n.(*template); isTemplate && t.drawGroupKey != "" {
 		at.group = t.drawGroupKey
 	}
+	if t, isTable := n.(*table); isTable {
+		at.drawn = t
+	}
 	for _, e := range renderEdges(n) {
 		if cell, isCell := e.to.(*template); isCell && cell.cellOf != nil {
 			if at.alt.excludes(cell) {
 				continue
 			}
-			w.edge(n, e, drawAt{at.group, at.route, at.alt.enter(cell.cellOf, cell.cellRow)})
+			w.edge(n, e, drawAt{at.group, at.route, at.alt.enter(cell.cellOf, cell.cellRow, cell.cellOf != at.drawn), at.drawn})
 			continue
 		}
 		w.edge(n, e, at)
@@ -430,7 +435,7 @@ func (w *drawWalk) edge(from node, e renderEdge, at drawAt) {
 			w.reads = append(w.reads, pathRead{at, a, tr})
 		}
 		if tr != nil {
-			tr.pins.each(func(t *table, r int) { at.alt = at.alt.enter(t, r) })
+			tr.pins.each(func(t *table, r int) { at.alt = at.alt.enter(t, r, true) })
 		}
 	}
 	w.walk(e.to, at)
diff --git a/table_test.go b/table_test.go
index 4ffbce7..feb939a 100644
--- a/table_test.go
+++ b/table_test.go
@@ -964,9 +964,9 @@ func TestAmbiguousNameNamesARunnablePath(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
-// TestRowSetSimulatesPinning proves the load-time walk's rowSet answers what
-// (*draws).pin and pinned answer at render time: the rows one entry brings with it,
-// the cells that entry rules out, and which two entries are alternatives.
+// TestRowSetSimulatesPinning proves the walk's row set answers what the render's pinning
+// answers: a path read pins a row and the ancestors it links to, a whole read draws a row
+// and pins none.
 func TestRowSetSimulatesPinning(t *testing.T) {
 	f := newGenerator(t, writeFiles(t, geo()), WithSeed(1))
 	var tables []*table
@@ -979,54 +979,61 @@ func TestRowSetSimulatesPinning(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 	for _, entered := range tables {
 		for row := 0; row < entered.rows(); row++ {
-			s := rowSet(nil).enter(entered, row)
+			if drawn := rowSet(nil).enter(entered, row, false); len(drawn) != 1 || drawn[0] != (tablePin{entered, row}) {
+				t.Errorf("a drawn %s enters %v, want its own row alone", entered.selectorSpelling(row), drawn)
+			}
+			s := rowSet(nil).enter(entered, row, true)
 			var pinned draws
+			held := 0
 			pinned.pin(entered, row)
-			assertRowSetAgrees(t, s, pinned, entered, row, tables)
-		}
-	}
-}
-
-// assertRowSetAgrees compares the set entered with row of entered against the same
-// row pinned, over every row of tables.
-func assertRowSetAgrees(t *testing.T, s rowSet, pinned draws, entered *table, row int, tables []*table) {
-	t.Helper()
-	pinned.each(func(tbl *table, r int) {
-		got, in := s.rowOf(tbl)
-		if !in || got != r {
-			t.Errorf("entering %s leaves %s unset in the row set, though pinning it pins %s", entered.selectorSpelling(row), tbl.path, tbl.selectorSpelling(r))
-		}
-	})
-	for _, cand := range tables {
-		for cr := 0; cr < cand.rows(); cr++ {
-			var beside draws
-			beside.pin(entered, row)
-			refused := beside.pinRow(cand, cr) != nil
-			if got := s.excludes(&template{cellOf: cand, cellRow: cr}); got != refused {
-				t.Errorf("excludes(%s) = %v beside %s, but pinRow refuses it = %v", cand.selectorSpelling(cr), got, entered.selectorSpelling(row), refused)
+			pinned.each(func(tbl *table, r int) {
+				held++
+				if got, in := s.rowOf(tbl); !in || got != r {
+					t.Errorf("entering %s leaves %s unset, though pinning it pins %s", entered.selectorSpelling(row), tbl.path, tbl.selectorSpelling(r))
+				}
+			})
+			if held != len(s) {
+				t.Errorf("entering %s holds %d rows, though pinning it pins %d", entered.selectorSpelling(row), len(s), held)
 			}
-			a := drawAt{alt: s}
-			b := drawAt{alt: rowSet(nil).enter(cand, cr)}
-			if got := alternatives(a, b); got != refused {
-				t.Errorf("alternatives(%s, %s) = %v, but pinning both refuses = %v", entered.selectorSpelling(row), cand.selectorSpelling(cr), got, refused)
+			for _, cand := range tables {
+				for cr := 0; cr < cand.rows(); cr++ {
+					var beside draws
+					beside.pin(entered, row)
+					refused := beside.pinRow(cand, cr) != nil
+					if got := s.excludes(&template{cellOf: cand, cellRow: cr}); got != refused {
+						t.Errorf("excludes(%s) = %v beside %s, but pinRow refuses it = %v", cand.selectorSpelling(cr), got, entered.selectorSpelling(row), refused)
+					}
+					if got := alternatives(drawAt{alt: s}, drawAt{alt: rowSet(nil).enter(cand, cr, true)}); got != refused {
+						t.Errorf("alternatives(%s, %s) = %v, but pinning both refuses = %v", entered.selectorSpelling(row), cand.selectorSpelling(cr), got, refused)
+					}
+				}
 			}
 		}
 	}
 }
 
-// TestCellsOfRowsThatNeverMeetAreNotCompared pins what the entered ancestors buy: a
-// cell of region 01 and a cell of a municipality of region 12 never render together,
-// so the reads inside them are not one render's to reconcile.
-func TestCellsOfRowsThatNeverMeetAreNotCompared(t *testing.T) {
-	files := with(geo(), map[string]string{
-		"addr.json":        `{"format":"{city}","city":"Lund"}`,
+// TestCellReadsMeetWhereTheRenderPairsTheRows pins which cells' reads are one render's to
+// reconcile: a path read pins the row's ancestors, so a cell of region 01 and a cell of a
+// municipality of region 12 never render together, while a whole read draws its row and pins
+// no ancestor, so those same two cells do.
+func TestCellReadsMeetWhereTheRenderPairsTheRows(t *testing.T) {
+	cells := with(geo(), map[string]string{
+		"addr.json":        `{"format":"{city}","city":["Lund","Malmö"]}`,
 		"municipality.tsv": "code\tname\tregion\tpopulation\tnote\n0180\tStockholm\t01\t980000\t-\n0184\tSolna\t01\t85000\t-\n1280\tMalmö\t12\t360000\t{/addr.city}\n1281\tLund\t12\t130000\t-\n1480\tGöteborg\t14\t590000\t-\n",
 		"region.tsv":       "code\tname\tpopulation\tnote\n01\tStockholms län\t2400000\t{/addr}\n12\tSkåne län\t1400000\t-\n14\tVästra Götalands län\t1750000\t-\n",
-		"x.json":           `"{/region.note} {/municipality.note}"`,
 	})
-	f, err := New(WithoutShippedData(), WithDataPath(writeFiles(t, files)), WithSeed(1))
+	paths := with(cells, map[string]string{"x.json": `"{/region.note} {/municipality.note}"`})
+	f, err := New(WithoutShippedData(), WithDataPath(writeFiles(t, paths)), WithSeed(1))
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("New = %v, want the two cells accepted", err)
 	}
 	fake(t, f, "x")
+	whole := with(cells, map[string]string{
+		"municipality.json": `{"format":"{name}={note}","rows":"municipality.tsv","key":"code","name":"name","parent":"region","weight":"population"}`,
+		"region.json":       `{"format":"{name}={note}","rows":"region.tsv","key":"code","name":"name","weight":"population"}`,
+		"x.json":            `"{/region}|{/municipality}"`,
+	})
+	if _, err := New(WithoutShippedData(), WithDataPath(writeFiles(t, whole)), WithSeed(1)); err == nil || !strings.Contains(err.Error(), "reads a path into") {
+		t.Fatalf("New = %v, want the two drawn rows held to one draw of addr", err)
+	}
 }