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My list of Nice Answer badges contains an error. One answer is listed twice, and one of the associated dates is impossible. Screenshot:

badge list screenshot

I answered the Mathematica question just after midnight on Sep 26. The question had only been asked an hour earlier. Even if I could have earned the badge twice for the same answer, I couldn't have earned it before the question existed.

At the moment, I have four answers with score of >10. The one that's not listed is under I don't like to downvote newbies. Am I being too soft? However, it was posted in the middle of the day on Aug 2, so it can't have caused my Jun 13 badge either.

Now, I wouldn't be talking this much if I didn't have a theory. I'm 99% sure that I had another answer of score >10 a while back, on a question that got deleted. (I would appreciate a 10k user's help in confirming this; I think the OP for the question was Evan Carroll.) Here's what I think happened:

  • May 28
    • Got the first badge for the "minor edits answer"
  • Jun 13
    • Got the second badge for the now-deleted answer
  • Some time between Jun 13 and Aug 2
    • The question for the now-deleted answer got deleted, taking my answer with it
    • Per the badge rules, my existing badge was not revoked
  • Aug 2
    • The "downvoting newbies answer" reached score of 10
    • Per the badge rules, no new badge was awarded
  • Sep 26
    • Got the third badge for the "Mathematica answer"
    • The code that records badge information got confused by the deleted answer's info not being available, and for some reason captured the info for the "Mathematica answer" instead
  • Sep 27
    • Got the fourth badge for the "LMSOTFY answer"

This may be the same bug that was reported here, but my case involves a question deletion and a somewhat different result.

EDIT:
Based on the comment — thanks @Grace Note — the now-deleted answer might actually be the cause of the May 28 badge, with everything else shuffled around more than I originally thought.

EDIT 2:
This post may or may not answer this question. May/June questions would be affected, but I'm not sure that "it will eventually fill up reasons" explains the time travel info-dupe that's happening here.

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    You had an answer to Evan's "glasnost" question which was at 12 before deletion. It was answered on May 28th, and is probably the real source of your first badge. If you looked at your Minor Edits answer, it was posted on Jun 12, which makes it ineligible for the May 28th badge, but does make it eligible for the Jun 13th badge. – Grace Note♦ Sep 28 '10 at 14:40
  • @Grace: Mmm, delicious keyboard waffles. Thanks for the assist. – Pops Sep 28 '10 at 14:45
  • Oh, I had this in the original revision of the comment, but the deletion was on Jun 28th. – Grace Note♦ Sep 28 '10 at 14:55
  • What was that question about, I seem to remember it being thought provoking and wrongly censored? – Evan Carroll Aug 14 '11 at 7:44
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The badges are much, much better now - things like this doesn't happen anymore :)

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  • Mmm... I'll take your word for it and consider this complete. (As opposed to the status I previously assigned it, "forgotten.") Attempting to replicate/check up would be way too much work. – Pops Jul 3 '13 at 0:40

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