Make candidate ordering an explicit deterministic policy and benchmark ascending, descending, and exact-width-first choices. Keep ascending as the default because it produces the best measured time to first solution despite best-fit's slightly smaller tree.
Retain the benchmark v1 interface and document why randomized and duplicate-work portfolio policies are deferred.
Tests: Release and Debug CTest (10 passed each)
Refs: #12
Represent partial placements as column heights and branch on the narrowest local valley. This removes the board-area cell state and makes first-solution search substantially smaller for feasible orders.
Expose direct-search and candidate-order benchmark controls so the skyline core can be measured independently of odd-order construction. Document the completeness argument and the 10/11 test-tier decision.
Tests: Release, Debug, ASan, and UBSan CTest (10 passed each)
Refs: #4
Add an opt-in benchmark probe and JSON runner that separate solve, construction, validation, and rendering time. Record stable search counters, environment metadata, warm-up and repetition policy, timeouts, errors, median spread, and instrumentation overhead.
Compile production solving without counters and interleave counted and plain trials when measuring overhead. Keep heavyweight cases outside the default correctness path while testing counter and report behavior cheaply.
Tests: Debug and Release CTest suites (7 passed each)
Refs: #8
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