Fail empty ideas jobs, clear ideas on failure, show each idea as it grounds

- A run that keeps no idea fails with no_ideas_found instead of ending
  done with an empty list.
- Before an ideas job fails it republishes its result with no ideas, so
  GET /api/v1/jobs/{id} never shows ideas on a failed job, even ones a
  previous grounding round already published.
- Each idea is published as soon as its grounding finishes, placed in the
  model's order. recipes.GroundEach reports items as they finish;
  GroundMany is rebuilt on it with unchanged semantics.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 5.5 <noreply@anthropic.com>

docs/ARCHITECTURE.md

@@ -317,7 +317,7 @@ automatic** (D-021).
   job (service-only: `POST /jobs` refuses the kind) and answers 202
   `{jobId}` without waiting. The job runs `ideas_from_ingredients` (scope:
   `skills.IdeasScope`, the flag and the normalized list in order), then
-  grounds its ideas in the model's order with `Grounder.GroundMany`, as
+  grounds its ideas in the model's order with `Grounder.GroundEach`, as
   many as are still wanted at a time, until 5 are kept or none are left.
   An idea no recipe grounds is dropped; with `quick_only`, so is one whose
   grounded recipe is not a Quick dinner (`ideas.IsQuick`: method
@@ -326,10 +326,14 @@ automatic** (D-021).
   `{stage, ingredients, quick_only, ideas: [{name, uses, missing, summary,
   method, minutes_total, difficulty, quick, recipe_id, photo_url,
   source_url, site_name}], dropped}` at each stage (`suggesting`,
-  `grounding`, `done`) and again each time an idea is kept, so the result
-  fills as the ideas ground; it may end `done` with no ideas. It fails
-  with `ai_failed` (the skill or `normalize_recipe` failed; no idea is
-  made up instead, D-017), `search_not_configured` or `search_failed`.
+  `grounding`, `done`) and again as each idea is kept, the moment its
+  grounding finishes, so the result fills idea by idea; the ideas shown
+  are always in the model's order, an earlier idea that grounds later
+  taking its place before those shown. It fails with `no_ideas_found`
+  (every idea was dropped), `ai_failed` (the skill or `normalize_recipe`
+  failed; no idea is made up instead, D-017), `search_not_configured` or
+  `search_failed`. Before it fails it publishes its result again with no
+  ideas, so a failed job shows none, even those kept before the failure.
   `GET /api/v1/suggestions/deck` returns `{suggestions: [{id, dinner_id,
   name, photo_url, difficulty, method, minutes_total, cuisine, reason,
   cited_regular_ids, status, dinner_status, decided_at, created_at}],
@@ -663,7 +667,8 @@ untitled (the job fails `title_failed`), and stores nothing. The
   candidates `Ground` would try, without grounding any. Search failures
   wrap `recipes.ErrSearchFailed` and model provider failures
   `recipes.ErrNormalizeFailed`. `GroundMany` grounds items 3 at a time and returns one result per
-  item, so one failure never affects its siblings. A recipe is usable only
+  item, so one failure never affects its siblings; `GroundEach` grounds
+  the same way but reports each item, one at a time, as it finishes. A recipe is usable only
   with ingredients, an image and, if given, a positive total time.
 
 ## Scheduler

internal/ideas/ideas.go

@@ -2,8 +2,9 @@
 // of ingredients on hand, ideas_from_ingredients proposes dinners, each is
 // grounded with the recipe grounding pipeline (dropping those no recipe
 // grounds), and the ideas kept are reported as a job's result, which fills
-// as each idea grounds. Ideas are not stored as dinners: the household
-// acts on one later.
+// as each idea grounds. A job that keeps no idea, or fails, shows no idea:
+// nothing is made up instead (D-017). Ideas are not stored as dinners: the
+// household acts on one later.
 package ideas
 
 import (
@@ -12,6 +13,7 @@ import (
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"log/slog"
+	"slices"
 
 	"code.cubecraftlabs.com/Maniacs_Mansion/Meal-Quest/internal/ai/skills"
 	"code.cubecraftlabs.com/Maniacs_Mansion/Meal-Quest/internal/dinners"
@@ -43,10 +45,15 @@ const (
 	ReasonSearchNotConfigured = "search_not_configured"
 	// ReasonSearchFailed: the search provider failed.
 	ReasonSearchFailed = "search_failed"
+	// ReasonNoIdeasFound: every idea was dropped, by
+	// ideas_from_ingredients' rules, because no recipe grounds it, or, for
+	// a Quick only request, because its grounded recipe is not a Quick
+	// dinner.
+	ReasonNoIdeasFound = "no_ideas_found"
 )
 
 // Reasons are every failure reason of the job.
-var Reasons = []string{ReasonAIFailed, ReasonSearchNotConfigured, ReasonSearchFailed}
+var Reasons = []string{ReasonAIFailed, ReasonSearchNotConfigured, ReasonSearchFailed, ReasonNoIdeasFound}
 
 // InvalidError is a request the household must correct, such as an empty
 // ingredient list.
@@ -153,7 +160,9 @@ type Idea struct {
 }
 
 // Result is the KindFromIngredients result, published as the job goes:
-// its stage, the request, the ideas grounded so far in the model's order,
+// its stage, the request, the ideas grounded so far in the model's order
+// (an idea that grounds sooner than one before it is shown first, and the
+// earlier one is put back in its place when it grounds),
 // and how many ideas were dropped, by ideas_from_ingredients' rules,
 // because no recipe grounds them, or, for a Quick only request, because
 // the grounded recipe is not a Quick dinner.
@@ -179,103 +188,132 @@ func IsQuick(method string, minutes *int) bool {
 // most the number still wanted at a time, until skills.IdeasKept are kept
 // or none are left. An idea no recipe grounds is dropped, and so, for a
 // Quick only request, is one whose grounded recipe is not a Quick dinner;
-// any other grounding failure fails the job, as does
-// ideas_from_ingredients failing, with no idea made up instead. The
-// result is published at each stage and again as each idea is kept, so it
-// fills as the ideas ground. The job may end done with no ideas, when
-// every one was dropped.
+// when every idea is dropped the job fails with ReasonNoIdeasFound. Any
+// other grounding failure fails the job, as does ideas_from_ingredients
+// failing, with no idea made up instead. The result is published at each
+// stage and again as each idea is kept, so it fills as the ideas ground.
+// Before the job fails, its result is published again with no ideas, so a
+// failed job never shows ideas kept before the failure.
 func (s *Service) run(ctx context.Context, p FromIngredientsJob, publish func(Result) error) (Result, error) {
 	res, err := s.fill(ctx, p, publish)
 	if err != nil {
+		if ctx.Err() != nil {
+			return Result{}, err
+		}
 		var failure *jobs.Failure
-		if ctx.Err() == nil && errors.As(err, &failure) {
+		if errors.As(err, &failure) {
 			// Only the code is logged: the error may quote a model's or
 			// search provider's response.
 			s.logger.InfoContext(ctx, "ideas from ingredients failed", "reason", failure.Code)
 		}
+		if len(res.Ideas) > 0 {
+			res.Ideas = []Idea{}
+			if perr := publish(res); perr != nil {
+				return Result{}, fmt.Errorf("ideas: clear failed job's ideas: %w", perr)
+			}
+		}
 		return Result{}, err
 	}
 	return res, nil
 }
 
 // fill does run's work, returning a *jobs.Failure for a failure the
-// household may see.
+// household may see. On failure it returns the result last published with
+// the error, so run can clear its ideas.
 func (s *Service) fill(ctx context.Context, p FromIngredientsJob, publish func(Result) error) (Result, error) {
 	res := Result{Stage: StageSuggesting, Ingredients: p.Ingredients, QuickOnly: p.QuickOnly, Ideas: []Idea{}}
 	if err := publish(res); err != nil {
-		return Result{}, err
+		return res, err
 	}
 	in := skills.IdeasRequest{Ingredients: p.Ingredients, QuickOnly: p.QuickOnly}
 	out, err := s.generate(ctx, skills.IdeasScope(in), in)
 	if err != nil {
 		if ctx.Err() != nil {
-			return Result{}, ctx.Err()
+			return res, ctx.Err()
 		}
-		return Result{}, &jobs.Failure{Code: ReasonAIFailed}
+		return res, &jobs.Failure{Code: ReasonAIFailed}
 	}
 	res.Stage = StageGrounding
 	res.Dropped = len(out.Dropped)
 	if err := publish(res); err != nil {
-		return Result{}, err
+		return res, err
 	}
-	left := out.Ideas
-	for len(res.Ideas) < skills.IdeasKept && len(left) > 0 {
-		round := left[:min(skills.IdeasKept-len(res.Ideas), len(left))]
-		left = left[len(round):]
-		results, err := s.ground(ctx, round)
-		if err != nil {
-			return Result{}, err
-		}
-		for i, r := range results {
-			if r == nil {
+	// order[k] is the index in out.Ideas of res.Ideas[k], so each idea is
+	// put in its place in the model's order as it grounds.
+	var order []int
+	for next := 0; len(res.Ideas) < skills.IdeasKept && next < len(out.Ideas); {
+		first := next
+		round := out.Ideas[first:min(first+skills.IdeasKept-len(res.Ideas), len(out.Ideas))]
+		next += len(round)
+		err := s.ground(ctx, round, func(i int, gr *recipes.Grounded) error {
+			if gr == nil {
 				res.Dropped++
-				continue
+				return nil
 			}
-			idea := ideaOf(round[i], *r)
+			idea := ideaOf(round[i], *gr)
 			if p.QuickOnly && !idea.Quick {
 				res.Dropped++
-				continue
+				return nil
 			}
-			res.Ideas = append(res.Ideas, idea)
-			if err := publish(res); err != nil {
-				return Result{}, err
+			at := len(order)
+			for at > 0 && order[at-1] > first+i {
+				at--
 			}
+			order = slices.Insert(order, at, first+i)
+			res.Ideas = slices.Insert(res.Ideas, at, idea)
+			return publish(res)
+		})
+		if err != nil {
+			return res, err
 		}
 	}
+	if len(res.Ideas) == 0 {
+		return res, &jobs.Failure{Code: ReasonNoIdeasFound}
+	}
 	res.Stage = StageDone
 	return res, nil
 }
 
-// ground grounds ideas by their search queries and returns one result per
-// idea, in order: its grounding, or nil when no recipe grounds it. Any
-// other failure fails the job.
-func (s *Service) ground(ctx context.Context, ideas []skills.Idea) ([]*recipes.Grounded, error) {
+// ground grounds ideas by their search queries and calls kept, one call at
+// a time, as each idea grounds, with its index in ideas and its
+// grounding, or nil when no recipe grounds it. Any other grounding
+// failure, or kept failing, stops the groundings still running and is
+// returned, as a *jobs.Failure when the household may see it.
+func (s *Service) ground(ctx context.Context, ideas []skills.Idea, kept func(i int, gr *recipes.Grounded) error) error {
+	groundCtx, cancel := context.WithCancel(ctx)
+	defer cancel()
 	reqs := make([]recipes.GroundRequest, len(ideas))
 	for i, idea := range ideas {
 		reqs[i] = recipes.GroundRequest{DishName: idea.Name, Query: idea.SearchQuery}
 	}
-	results := s.grounder.GroundMany(ctx, reqs)
-	if err := ctx.Err(); err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
-	out := make([]*recipes.Grounded, len(results))
-	for i, r := range results {
+	var failed error
+	s.grounder.GroundEach(groundCtx, reqs, func(i int, r recipes.GroundResult) {
+		if failed != nil {
+			return
+		}
 		var ungroundable *recipes.ErrUngroundable
 		switch {
 		case r.Err == nil:
-			out[i] = &r.Grounded
+			failed = kept(i, &r.Grounded)
 		case errors.As(r.Err, &ungroundable):
+			failed = kept(i, nil)
 		case errors.Is(r.Err, recipes.ErrSearchNotConfigured):
-			return nil, &jobs.Failure{Code: ReasonSearchNotConfigured}
+			failed = &jobs.Failure{Code: ReasonSearchNotConfigured}
 		case errors.Is(r.Err, recipes.ErrSearchFailed):
-			return nil, &jobs.Failure{Code: ReasonSearchFailed}
+			failed = &jobs.Failure{Code: ReasonSearchFailed}
 		case errors.Is(r.Err, recipes.ErrNormalizeFailed):
-			return nil, &jobs.Failure{Code: ReasonAIFailed}
+			failed = &jobs.Failure{Code: ReasonAIFailed}
 		default:
-			return nil, fmt.Errorf("ideas: ground %q: %w", ideas[i].Name, r.Err)
+			failed = fmt.Errorf("ideas: ground %q: %w", ideas[i].Name, r.Err)
 		}
+		if failed != nil {
+			cancel()
+		}
+	})
+	if err := ctx.Err(); err != nil {
+		return err
 	}
-	return out, nil
+	return failed
 }
 
 // ideaOf is idea as grounded by gr.

internal/ideas/ideas_test.go

@@ -131,6 +131,16 @@ type recorder struct {
 	published []Result
 }
 
+// latest returns the last result published.
+func (r *recorder) latest() (Result, bool) {
+	r.mu.Lock()
+	defer r.mu.Unlock()
+	if len(r.published) == 0 {
+		return Result{}, false
+	}
+	return r.published[len(r.published)-1], true
+}
+
 func (r *recorder) publish(res Result) error {
 	r.mu.Lock()
 	defer r.mu.Unlock()
@@ -154,6 +164,17 @@ func (e *env) run(t *testing.T, ingredients []string, quickOnly bool) (Result, [
 	return res, rec.published, err
 }
 
+// within reports whether every name in sub appears in list, in list's
+// order.
+func within(sub, list []string) bool {
+	for _, name := range list {
+		if len(sub) > 0 && sub[0] == name {
+			sub = sub[1:]
+		}
+	}
+	return len(sub) == 0
+}
+
 func names(list []Idea) []string {
 	out := []string{}
 	for _, i := range list {
@@ -214,9 +235,13 @@ func TestResultFillsAsEachIdeaGrounds(t *testing.T) {
 	if !reflect.DeepEqual(stages, wantStages) || !reflect.DeepEqual(counts, []int{0, 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5}) {
 		t.Fatalf("published stages %q with %v ideas, want %q with 0, 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5", stages, counts, wantStages)
 	}
+	// Ideas ground concurrently, so one may appear before an earlier one,
+	// but each publish keeps every idea already shown, in the model's
+	// order.
 	for i := 3; i < len(published); i++ {
-		if !reflect.DeepEqual(published[i].Ideas[:i-2], published[i-1].Ideas) {
-			t.Errorf("publish %d changed ideas already published", i+1)
+		prev, cur := names(published[i-1].Ideas), names(published[i].Ideas)
+		if !within(prev, cur) || !within(cur, want) {
+			t.Errorf("publish %d shows %q after %q, want earlier ideas kept in the model's order %q", i+1, cur, prev, want)
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -342,15 +367,122 @@ func TestFailures(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
-func TestEveryIdeaUngroundableEndsDoneEmpty(t *testing.T) {
+func TestEachIdeaShowsAsSoonAsItGrounds(t *testing.T) {
 	e := newEnv(t)
-	e.reply(idea("Mystery Stew", "stovetop", 30, "rice"))
-	res, _, err := e.run(t, pantry, false)
+	for _, name := range []string{"Burrito Bowls", "Fried Rice", "Black Bean Soup"} {
+		e.recipe(t, name, name, 35)
+	}
+	// The first idea's search waits, so the two after it ground first.
+	gate := make(chan struct{})
+	e.search.Gates = map[string]chan struct{}{"Burrito Bowls": gate}
+	e.reply(
+		idea("Burrito Bowls", "stovetop", 35, "rice", "black beans"),
+		idea("Fried Rice", "stovetop", 20, "rice"),
+		idea("Black Bean Soup", "stovetop", 40, "black beans"),
+	)
+	ings, err := skills.CleanIngredients(pantry)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
-	if res.Stage != StageDone || len(res.Ideas) != 0 || res.Dropped != 1 {
-		t.Fatalf("result = %+v, want done with none and 1 dropped", res)
+	var rec recorder
+	type outcome struct {
+		res Result
+		err error
+	}
+	done := make(chan outcome, 1)
+	go func() {
+		res, err := e.svc.run(t.Context(), FromIngredientsJob{Ingredients: ings}, rec.publish)
+		done <- outcome{res, err}
+	}()
+
+	deadline := time.Now().Add(10 * time.Second)
+	for {
+		if latest, ok := rec.latest(); ok && len(latest.Ideas) == 2 {
+			if got := names(latest.Ideas); !reflect.DeepEqual(got, []string{"Fried Rice", "Black Bean Soup"}) {
+				t.Fatalf("while the first idea grounds, ideas = %q, want the two grounded", got)
+			}
+			if latest.Stage != StageGrounding {
+				t.Fatalf("stage = %s, want grounding", latest.Stage)
+			}
+			break
+		}
+		if time.Now().After(deadline) {
+			t.Fatal("the ideas that grounded were not shown while the first idea was still grounding")
+		}
+		time.Sleep(5 * time.Millisecond)
+	}
+	close(gate)
+	out := <-done
+	if out.err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(out.err)
+	}
+	want := []string{"Burrito Bowls", "Fried Rice", "Black Bean Soup"}
+	if got := names(out.res.Ideas); !reflect.DeepEqual(got, want) || out.res.Stage != StageDone {
+		t.Fatalf("result = %s %q, want done with %q in the model's order", out.res.Stage, got, want)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestNoIdeaKeptFailsTheJob(t *testing.T) {
+	for _, tc := range []struct {
+		name      string
+		quickOnly bool
+		setup     func(t *testing.T, e *env)
+	}{
+		{"no recipe grounds any", false, func(t *testing.T, e *env) {
+			e.reply(idea("Mystery Stew", "stovetop", 30, "rice"), idea("Unknown Casserole", "oven", 50, "rice"))
+		}},
+		{"no grounded recipe is quick", true, func(t *testing.T, e *env) {
+			e.recipe(t, "Roast Chicken", "Roast Chicken", 90)
+			e.reply(idea("Roast Chicken", "oven", 25, "Chicken thighs"))
+		}},
+	} {
+		t.Run(tc.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			e := newEnv(t)
+			tc.setup(t, e)
+			_, published, err := e.run(t, pantry, tc.quickOnly)
+			var failure *jobs.Failure
+			if !errors.As(err, &failure) || failure.Code != ReasonNoIdeasFound {
+				t.Fatalf("err = %v, want failure %s", err, ReasonNoIdeasFound)
+			}
+			for _, p := range published {
+				if len(p.Ideas) != 0 || p.Stage == StageDone {
+					t.Fatalf("a job that kept no idea published %+v", p)
+				}
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}
+
+func TestLaterRoundFailureClearsPublishedIdeas(t *testing.T) {
+	e := newEnv(t)
+	kept := []string{"Burrito Bowls", "Fried Rice", "Black Bean Soup", "Chicken Tacos"}
+	for _, name := range kept {
+		e.recipe(t, name, name, 35)
+	}
+	// The first round keeps four ideas; the second round's search fails.
+	e.search.Fail = map[string]error{"Rice Pilaf": errors.New("boom")}
+	e.reply(
+		idea("Burrito Bowls", "stovetop", 35, "rice"),
+		idea("Mystery Stew", "stovetop", 35, "rice"),
+		idea("Fried Rice", "stovetop", 20, "rice"),
+		idea("Black Bean Soup", "stovetop", 40, "black beans"),
+		idea("Chicken Tacos", "stovetop", 25, "Chicken thighs"),
+		idea("Rice Pilaf", "stovetop", 30, "rice"),
+	)
+	_, published, err := e.run(t, pantry, false)
+	var failure *jobs.Failure
+	if !errors.As(err, &failure) || failure.Code != ReasonSearchFailed {
+		t.Fatalf("err = %v, want failure %s", err, ReasonSearchFailed)
+	}
+	most := 0
+	for _, p := range published {
+		most = max(most, len(p.Ideas))
+	}
+	if most != len(kept) {
+		t.Fatalf("at most %d ideas published, want the first round's %d before the failure", most, len(kept))
+	}
+	if last := published[len(published)-1]; len(last.Ideas) != 0 {
+		t.Fatalf("last publish before the failure shows %q, want no ideas", names(last.Ideas))
 	}
 }
 

internal/recipes/ground.go

@@ -292,7 +292,22 @@ type GroundResult struct {
 // affect the others.
 func (g *Grounder) GroundMany(ctx context.Context, reqs []GroundRequest) []GroundResult {
 	results := make([]GroundResult, len(reqs))
+	g.GroundEach(ctx, reqs, func(i int, r GroundResult) { results[i] = r })
+	return results
+}
+
+// GroundEach grounds each request as GroundMany does, but calls done with
+// each item's index and result as soon as that item finishes, one call at
+// a time. It returns once every item has finished and every call has
+// returned.
+func (g *Grounder) GroundEach(ctx context.Context, reqs []GroundRequest, done func(i int, r GroundResult)) {
 	slots := make(chan struct{}, GroundConcurrency)
+	var mu sync.Mutex
+	report := func(i int, r GroundResult) {
+		mu.Lock()
+		defer mu.Unlock()
+		done(i, r)
+	}
 	var wg sync.WaitGroup
 	for i, req := range reqs {
 		wg.Add(1)
@@ -301,16 +316,15 @@ func (g *Grounder) GroundMany(ctx context.Context, reqs []GroundRequest) []Groun
 			select {
 			case slots <- struct{}{}:
 			case <-ctx.Done():
-				results[i] = GroundResult{Err: ctx.Err()}
+				report(i, GroundResult{Err: ctx.Err()})
 				return
 			}
-			defer func() { <-slots }()
 			gr, err := g.Ground(ctx, req.DishName, req.Query)
-			results[i] = GroundResult{Grounded: gr, Err: err}
+			<-slots
+			report(i, GroundResult{Grounded: gr, Err: err})
 		}()
 	}
 	wg.Wait()
-	return results
 }
 
 // stored returns the grounding of the recipe stored for sourceURL, and

internal/recipes/recipestest/recipestest.go

@@ -23,12 +23,16 @@ import (
 )
 
 // Search is a recipes.SearchSource and recipes.SearchProvider answering
-// each query from Results. Err, when set, fails every search. Gate, when
-// set, makes every search wait for it to close.
+// each query from Results. Err, when set, fails every search, and Fail
+// fails the searches for its queries. Gate, when set, makes every search
+// wait for it to close, and Gates makes the searches for its queries wait
+// for theirs.
 type Search struct {
 	Results map[string][]recipes.Candidate
 	Err     error
+	Fail    map[string]error
 	Gate    chan struct{}
+	Gates   map[string]chan struct{}
 
 	mu      sync.Mutex
 	queries []string
@@ -40,9 +44,12 @@ func (s *Search) Search(ctx context.Context, query string, n int) ([]recipes.Can
 	s.mu.Lock()
 	s.queries = append(s.queries, query)
 	s.mu.Unlock()
-	if s.Gate != nil {
+	for _, gate := range []chan struct{}{s.Gate, s.Gates[query]} {
+		if gate == nil {
+			continue
+		}
 		select {
-		case <-s.Gate:
+		case <-gate:
 		case <-ctx.Done():
 			return nil, ctx.Err()
 		}
@@ -50,6 +57,9 @@ func (s *Search) Search(ctx context.Context, query string, n int) ([]recipes.Can
 	if s.Err != nil {
 		return nil, s.Err
 	}
+	if err := s.Fail[query]; err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
 	c := s.Results[query]
 	return c[:min(n, len(c))], nil
 }

internal/server/ideas_test.go

@@ -3,9 +3,12 @@ package server
 import (
 	"context"
 	"encoding/json"
+	"errors"
+	"fmt"
 	"io"
 	"log/slog"
 	"net/http"
+	"strings"
 	"testing"
 	"testing/fstest"
 	"time"
@@ -164,6 +167,61 @@ func TestPostIdeasFromIngredientsRunsTheJob(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestFailedIdeasJobShowsNoIdeas(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+	idea := func(name string) string {
+		return fmt.Sprintf(`{"name":%q,"uses":["rice"],"missing":[],"est_minutes":30,"method":"stovetop","difficulty":"easy","search_query":%q}`, name, name)
+	}
+	for _, tc := range []struct {
+		name string
+		// grounds are the ideas a recipe grounds; the others ground none.
+		grounds []string
+		ideas   []string
+		fail    map[string]error
+		code    string
+	}{
+		{"no idea kept", nil, []string{"Mystery Stew"}, nil, "no_ideas_found"},
+		{"a later round fails after ideas were shown",
+			[]string{"Fried Rice", "Rice Bowls", "Rice Soup", "Rice Salad"},
+			[]string{"Fried Rice", "Mystery Stew", "Rice Bowls", "Rice Soup", "Rice Salad", "Rice Pilaf"},
+			map[string]error{"Rice Pilaf": errors.New("boom")}, "search_failed"},
+	} {
+		t.Run(tc.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			t.Parallel()
+			model, normalize := &llm.Fake{}, &llm.Fake{}
+			search := &recipestest.Search{Results: map[string][]recipes.Candidate{}, Fail: tc.fail}
+			pages := &recipestest.Pages{Bodies: map[string][]byte{}}
+			images := &recipestest.Images{JPEGs: map[string][]byte{}}
+			for i, name := range tc.grounds {
+				page, photo := fmt.Sprintf("https://r.example/%d", i), fmt.Sprintf("https://r.example/%d.jpg", i)
+				search.Results[name] = []recipes.Candidate{{URL: page}}
+				pages.Bodies[page] = recipestest.RecipePage(name, "R Kitchen", photo, 25)
+				images.JPEGs[photo] = recipestest.JPEG(t, 400, 320, uint8(i+1))
+				normalize.QueueGenerate(recipestest.NormalizedReply("stovetop", 25))
+			}
+			list := make([]string, len(tc.ideas))
+			for i, name := range tc.ideas {
+				list[i] = idea(name)
+			}
+			js := `{"ideas":[` + strings.Join(list, ",") + `]}`
+			model.QueueGenerate(llm.GenerateResult{Response: llm.Response{Text: js, JSON: json.RawMessage(js)}})
+			h, _ := newIdeasRouter(t, model, normalize, search, pages, images, true)
+
+			rec, body := callDinners(t, h, http.MethodPost, ideasPath, `{"ingredients": ["rice"], "quick_only": false}`)
+			if rec.Code != http.StatusAccepted {
+				t.Fatalf("POST = %d: %s", rec.Code, rec.Body)
+			}
+			job := waitJob(t, h, body["jobId"].(string))
+			if job["status"] != "failed" || job["error"] != tc.code {
+				t.Fatalf("GET job = %v, want failed with %s", job, tc.code)
+			}
+			if res, _ := job["result"].(map[string]any); res == nil || len(res["ideas"].([]any)) != 0 {
+				t.Fatalf("failed job result = %v, want no ideas", job["result"])
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}
+
 func TestJobsEndpointRefusesIdeasKind(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Parallel()
 	h, _ := newIdeasRouter(t, &llm.Fake{}, &llm.Fake{}, &recipestest.Search{}, &recipestest.Pages{}, &recipestest.Images{}, false)