I had the same problem with the same paragraph and still don’t quite get it.

Unfortunately I struggle to follow the detailed explanation you gave… since you seem to understand it… can you confirm that they really do mean to throw away the word in the list they just found?

Eg

ACT I SCENE Elsinore A platform before the castle FRANCISCO at his post. Enter to him

If buffer max is 16, I am supposed to randomly half it first?

Act Scene Elisnore Platform Before The His Post

Now what? The next words are “Bernado Bernado who’s there”