diff --git a/src/algorithms/paes.rs b/src/algorithms/paes.rs
index 04a5e7c..39551a7 100644
--- a/src/algorithms/paes.rs
+++ b/src/algorithms/paes.rs
@@ -305,4 +305,26 @@ mod tests {
         let r = opt.run(&Sphere1D);
         assert!(r.best.is_some());
     }
+
+    /// PAES must return a non-empty Pareto archive on a 2-objective problem
+    /// and be deterministic with a fixed seed. Pins the run-loop
+    /// bookkeeping against degenerate / comparison mutants.
+    #[test]
+    fn produces_deterministic_nonempty_front() {
+        let make = || {
+            Paes::new(
+                PaesConfig { iterations: 40, archive_size: 10, seed: 5 },
+                RealBounds::new(vec![(-5.0, 5.0)]),
+                GaussianMutation { sigma: 0.3 },
+            )
+        };
+        let r1 = make().run(&SchafferN1);
+        let r2 = make().run(&SchafferN1);
+        assert!(!r1.pareto_front.is_empty());
+        let f1: Vec<Vec<f64>> = r1.pareto_front.iter().map(|c| c.evaluation.objectives.clone()).collect();
+        let f2: Vec<Vec<f64>> = r2.pareto_front.iter().map(|c| c.evaluation.objectives.clone()).collect();
+        assert_eq!(f1, f2);
+        // Archive never exceeds its configured cap.
+        assert!(r1.pareto_front.len() <= 10);
+    }
 }
diff --git a/src/algorithms/pesa2.rs b/src/algorithms/pesa2.rs
index daf7d61..94110ba 100644
--- a/src/algorithms/pesa2.rs
+++ b/src/algorithms/pesa2.rs
@@ -499,4 +499,67 @@ mod tests {
         );
         let _ = opt.run(&SchafferN1);
     }
+
+    // ---- Mutation-test pinned helpers --------------------------------------
+
+    use crate::core::candidate::Candidate;
+    use crate::core::evaluation::Evaluation;
+    use crate::core::objective::{Objective, ObjectiveSpace};
+
+    fn space2() -> ObjectiveSpace {
+        ObjectiveSpace::new(vec![Objective::minimize("f1"), Objective::minimize("f2")])
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn build_grid_empty_archive_is_empty() {
+        let archive = ParetoArchive::<u32>::new(space2());
+        let (boxes, counts) = build_grid(&archive, &space2(), 4);
+        assert!(boxes.is_empty());
+        assert!(counts.is_empty());
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn build_grid_assigns_corner_points_to_distinct_boxes() {
+        let mut archive = ParetoArchive::<u32>::new(space2());
+        // Three non-dominated corner points span the grid extremes.
+        archive.insert(Candidate::new(1u32, Evaluation::new(vec![0.0, 4.0])));
+        archive.insert(Candidate::new(2u32, Evaluation::new(vec![2.0, 2.0])));
+        archive.insert(Candidate::new(3u32, Evaluation::new(vec![4.0, 0.0])));
+        let (boxes, counts) = build_grid(&archive, &space2(), 4);
+        assert_eq!(boxes.len(), 3);
+        // The min and max corners land in different boxes — total count
+        // across all boxes equals the member count.
+        let total: usize = counts.values().sum();
+        assert_eq!(total, 3);
+        // The two extreme points are in different boxes (grid spreads them).
+        assert_ne!(boxes[0], boxes[2]);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn region_tournament_prefers_less_crowded_box() {
+        use crate::core::rng::rng_from_seed;
+        // Members 0 and 1 share a crowded box (count 2); member 2 is alone.
+        let mut archive = ParetoArchive::<u32>::new(space2());
+        archive.insert(Candidate::new(1u32, Evaluation::new(vec![0.0, 4.0])));
+        archive.insert(Candidate::new(2u32, Evaluation::new(vec![2.0, 2.0])));
+        archive.insert(Candidate::new(3u32, Evaluation::new(vec![4.0, 0.0])));
+        // Hand-build boxes/counts where index 2 is in a singleton box and
+        // indices 0,1 share a crowded box.
+        let boxes = vec![vec![0usize, 0], vec![0usize, 0], vec![3usize, 3]];
+        let mut counts = std::collections::BTreeMap::new();
+        counts.insert(vec![0usize, 0], 2usize);
+        counts.insert(vec![3usize, 3], 1usize);
+        // Across many seeds, the less-crowded index (2) must win whenever
+        // the two random draws differ between the crowded/uncrowded boxes.
+        let mut picked_uncrowded = 0;
+        for seed in 0..300 {
+            let mut rng = rng_from_seed(seed);
+            if region_tournament(&archive, &boxes, &counts, &mut rng) == 2 {
+                picked_uncrowded += 1;
+            }
+        }
+        // Index 2 wins whenever it's drawn against 0 or 1, plus half its
+        // self-draws — clear majority.
+        assert!(picked_uncrowded > 150, "uncrowded picked {picked_uncrowded}/300");
+    }
 }
diff --git a/src/algorithms/random_search.rs b/src/algorithms/random_search.rs
index a13a31c..4b0d2fc 100644
--- a/src/algorithms/random_search.rs
+++ b/src/algorithms/random_search.rs
@@ -218,4 +218,23 @@ mod tests {
         let r = opt.run(&Sphere1D);
         assert!(r.best.is_some());
     }
+
+    /// RandomSearch's evaluation count is exactly `iterations * batch_size`,
+    /// and the returned best is no worse than every sampled candidate.
+    #[test]
+    fn best_is_no_worse_than_any_sample() {
+        let mut opt = RandomSearch::new(
+            RandomSearchConfig { iterations: 50, batch_size: 2, seed: 9 },
+            RealBounds::new(vec![(-3.0, 3.0)]),
+        );
+        let r = opt.run(&Sphere1D);
+        assert_eq!(r.evaluations, 100);
+        let best = r.best.unwrap().evaluation.objectives[0];
+        let pop_min = r
+            .population
+            .iter()
+            .map(|c| c.evaluation.objectives[0])
+            .fold(f64::INFINITY, f64::min);
+        assert!(best <= pop_min + 1e-12, "best {best} > pop min {pop_min}");
+    }
 }
diff --git a/src/algorithms/sms_emoa.rs b/src/algorithms/sms_emoa.rs
index 58df323..166708d 100644
--- a/src/algorithms/sms_emoa.rs
+++ b/src/algorithms/sms_emoa.rs
@@ -400,4 +400,51 @@ mod tests {
         );
         let _ = opt.run(&SchafferN1);
     }
+
+    // ---- Mutation-test pinned helpers --------------------------------------
+
+    use crate::core::candidate::Candidate;
+    use crate::core::evaluation::Evaluation;
+    use crate::core::objective::{Objective, ObjectiveSpace};
+
+    fn sms_space() -> ObjectiveSpace {
+        ObjectiveSpace::new(vec![Objective::minimize("f1"), Objective::minimize("f2")])
+    }
+    fn sms_cand(o: Vec<f64>) -> Candidate<u32> {
+        Candidate::new(0, Evaluation::new(o))
+    }
+
+    /// `pick_drop_index` drops the member of the worst front with the
+    /// smallest hypervolume contribution. With one clearly-dominated point
+    /// in the pool, that point forms a singleton worst front and is
+    /// returned directly.
+    #[test]
+    fn pick_drop_index_returns_singleton_worst_front() {
+        // (1,1) and (2,2)-trade-offs are front 0; (9,9) is dominated → the
+        // sole member of front 1.
+        let pool = vec![
+            sms_cand(vec![1.0, 3.0]),
+            sms_cand(vec![3.0, 1.0]),
+            sms_cand(vec![9.0, 9.0]), // dominated — worst front, singleton
+        ];
+        let drop = pick_drop_index(&pool, &sms_space(), &[100.0, 100.0]);
+        assert_eq!(drop, 2, "should drop the dominated singleton");
+    }
+
+    /// When the worst front has multiple members, the one with the
+    /// smallest hypervolume contribution is dropped — and the scan must
+    /// find it even at a non-zero index. Here `(1.0, 9.0)` at index 1 is
+    /// "shadowed" by its near-neighbour `(1.5, 8.5)` and contributes the
+    /// least unique HV (≈ 0.5 vs ≈ 3.75 and ≈ 7.5).
+    #[test]
+    fn pick_drop_index_drops_least_hv_contributor() {
+        // All three mutually non-dominated → single (worst) front.
+        let pool = vec![
+            sms_cand(vec![1.5, 8.5]),
+            sms_cand(vec![1.0, 9.0]), // least HV contribution → drop target
+            sms_cand(vec![9.0, 1.0]),
+        ];
+        let drop = pick_drop_index(&pool, &sms_space(), &[10.0, 10.0]);
+        assert_eq!(drop, 1, "should drop the lowest-HV-contribution member");
+    }
 }