diff --git a/docs/BESTIARY.md b/docs/BESTIARY.md
index 12e3202..a537ba4 100644
--- a/docs/BESTIARY.md
+++ b/docs/BESTIARY.md
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ measured in the simulator and came to nothing distinguishable from noise.
 
 **What you can do is kill them one at a time.** Against a pack, every agent putting
 their attacks into the same creature beats spreading them — in 38 of the
-38 fights in this book whose outcome was ever in doubt, and by more
+38 packs in this book whose odds leave room for a difference to show, and by more
 than the measurement’s own noise in 36 of them. It is worth about
 **6 points** of win rate against a pair and
 **10 points** against three or more; the best case in the book is
@@ -96,7 +96,9 @@ than the measurement’s own noise in 36 of them. It is worth about
 above: a creature that is dead stops attacking, and one on half its hit points does not
 attack any less. Held at a fixed pack size the dodge ladder is worth a point or two.
 
-*(1000 fights × 3 seeds per arm, re-measured by `check-focus` on every build.)*
+*(1000 fights × 3 seeds per arm, re-measured by `check-focus` on every build.
+A pack is measured when its spread-fire odds stand clear of 0% and 100% by more than its own noise, so a fight nobody could lose
+and a fight nobody could win are both left out.)*
 
 The ones that take the most stripping:
 
diff --git a/tools/bestiary.mjs b/tools/bestiary.mjs
index 4d0d4fd..e91fc7c 100644
--- a/tools/bestiary.mjs
+++ b/tools/bestiary.mjs
@@ -162,14 +162,17 @@ function focusParagraph() {
   const every = helped === rows.length && clear === rows.length;
   return `**What you can do is kill them one at a time.** Against a pack, every agent putting\n`
     + `their attacks into the same creature beats spreading them \u2014 in ${every ? "**every one**" : `${helped}`} of the\n`
-    + `${rows.length} fights in this book whose outcome was ever in doubt${every ? ", without exception" : ""}, and by more\n`
+    + `${rows.length} packs in this book whose odds leave room for a difference to show`
+    + `${every ? ", without exception" : ""}, and by more\n`
     + `than the measurement\u2019s own noise ${every ? "each time" : `in ${clear} of them`}. It is worth about\n`
     + `**${mean(pairs.map(r => r.gain)).toFixed(0)} points** of win rate against a pair and\n`
     + `**${mean(packs.map(r => r.gain)).toFixed(0)} points** against three or more; the best case in the book is\n`
     + `${best.n} \u00d7 ${esc(bestName)}, which goes ${best.spread.toFixed(1)}% to ${best.focus.toFixed(1)}%. Most of that is not the ladder\n`
     + `above: a creature that is dead stops attacking, and one on half its hit points does not\n`
     + `attack any less. Held at a fixed pack size the dodge ladder is worth a point or two.\n\n`
-    + `*(${focus.runs} fights \u00d7 ${(focus.seeds ?? []).length} seeds per arm, re-measured by \`check-focus\` on every build.)*\n\n`;
+    + `*(${focus.runs} fights \u00d7 ${(focus.seeds ?? []).length} seeds per arm, re-measured by \`check-focus\` on every build.\n`
+    + `A pack is measured when ${focus.admission ?? "its odds can move"}, so a fight nobody could lose\n`
+    + `and a fight nobody could win are both left out.)*\n\n`;
 }
 
 {
diff --git a/tools/check-focus.mjs b/tools/check-focus.mjs
index 559cb57..e6d53ed 100644
--- a/tools/check-focus.mjs
+++ b/tools/check-focus.mjs
@@ -148,7 +148,9 @@ if (UPDATE) {
   await writeFile(BASELINE, JSON.stringify({
     note: "Generated by tools/check-focus.mjs --update. Do not edit by hand.",
     party: PARTY_KEYS, runs: RUNS, seeds: SEEDS, seedMode: SEED_MODE,
-    admission: "spread clear of 0 and 100 by more than its own noise",
+    /* Phrased as a clause so the bestiary can print it in a sentence rather than
+       paraphrasing the rule and drifting from it. */
+    admission: "its spread-fire odds stand clear of 0% and 100% by more than its own noise",
     /* R-281. The ratchet the claim check holds to: how many of the measurable packs
        showed a gain clearing their own noise when this was recorded. Focus fire may
        get more reliable and may not quietly get less. */
diff --git a/tools/focus-baseline.json b/tools/focus-baseline.json
index 864bdd0..5cc8542 100644
--- a/tools/focus-baseline.json
+++ b/tools/focus-baseline.json
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
     90210
   ],
   "seedMode": "per-creature",
-  "admission": "spread clear of 0 and 100 by more than its own noise",
+  "admission": "its spread-fire odds stand clear of 0% and 100% by more than its own noise",
   "reliable": {
     "aboveNoise": 36,
     "of": 38