diff --git a/Cargo.toml b/Cargo.toml
index 4ad9b88f5f..d55e9210ad 100644
--- a/Cargo.toml
+++ b/Cargo.toml
@@ -472,8 +472,3 @@ default-features = true
 version = "~0.3.0"
 path = "module/test/c"
 default-features = true
-
-
-[patch.crates-io]
-pathfinder_geometry = { git = "https://github.com/servo/pathfinder.git" }
-pathfinder_simd = { git = "https://github.com/servo/pathfinder.git" }
diff --git a/module/core/proper_path_tools/src/path.rs b/module/core/proper_path_tools/src/path.rs
index b0c0308d8b..81af7d961e 100644
--- a/module/core/proper_path_tools/src/path.rs
+++ b/module/core/proper_path_tools/src/path.rs
@@ -357,6 +357,84 @@ pub( crate ) mod private
     vec![]
   }
 
+
+  
+
+
+  /// Extracts the parent directory and file stem (without extension) from the given path.
+  ///
+  /// This function takes a path and returns an Option containing the modified path without the extension.
+  /// If the input path is empty or if it doesn't contain a file stem, it returns None.
+  ///
+  /// # Arguments
+  ///
+  /// * `path` - An object that can be converted into a Path reference, representing the file path.
+  ///
+  /// # Returns
+  ///
+  /// An Option containing the modified path without the extension, or None if the input path is empty or lacks a file stem.
+  ///
+  /// # Examples
+  ///
+  /// ```
+  /// use std::path::PathBuf;
+  /// use proper_path_tools::path::without_ext;
+  /// 
+  /// let path = "/path/to/file.txt";
+  /// let modified_path = without_ext(path);
+  /// assert_eq!(modified_path, Some(PathBuf::from("/path/to/file")));
+  /// ```
+  ///
+  /// ```
+  /// use std::path::PathBuf;
+  /// use proper_path_tools::path::without_ext;
+  /// 
+  /// let empty_path = "";
+  /// let modified_path = without_ext(empty_path);
+  /// assert_eq!(modified_path, None);
+  /// ```
+  ///
+  pub fn without_ext( path : impl AsRef< std::path::Path > ) -> Option< std::path::PathBuf > 
+  {
+    use std::path::Path;
+    use std::path::PathBuf;
+
+    if path.as_ref().to_string_lossy().is_empty()
+    {
+      return None;
+    }
+
+    let path_buf = Path::new( path.as_ref() );
+    
+    let parent = match path_buf.parent() 
+    {
+      Some( parent ) => parent,
+      None => return None,
+    };
+    let file_stem = match path_buf.file_stem() 
+    {
+      Some( name ) => 
+      {
+        let ends = format!( "{}/", name.to_string_lossy() );
+        if path.as_ref().to_string_lossy().ends_with( &ends ) 
+        {
+          ends
+        }
+        else
+        {
+          String::from( name.to_string_lossy() )
+        }
+        
+      }
+      None => return None,
+    };
+
+    let mut full_path = parent.to_path_buf();
+    full_path.push( file_stem );
+    
+    Some( PathBuf::from( full_path.to_string_lossy().replace( "\\", "/" ) ) )
+  }
+
   /// Finds the common directory path among a collection of paths.
   ///
   /// Given an iterator of path strings, this function determines the common directory
@@ -796,6 +874,7 @@ crate::mod_interface!
   protected use path_relative;
   protected use rebase;
   protected use path_common;
+  protected use without_ext;
   protected use is_glob;
   protected use normalize;
   protected use canonicalize;
diff --git a/module/core/proper_path_tools/tests/inc/mod.rs b/module/core/proper_path_tools/tests/inc/mod.rs
index 016f3508e9..4107e22677 100644
--- a/module/core/proper_path_tools/tests/inc/mod.rs
+++ b/module/core/proper_path_tools/tests/inc/mod.rs
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ mod path_is_glob;
 mod absolute_path;
 mod path_exts;
 mod path_ext;
+mod without_ext;
 mod path_common;
 mod rebase_path;
 mod path_relative;
diff --git a/module/core/proper_path_tools/tests/inc/without_ext.rs b/module/core/proper_path_tools/tests/inc/without_ext.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..fa1c5bf11e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/module/core/proper_path_tools/tests/inc/without_ext.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,114 @@
+#[ allow( unused_imports ) ]
+use super::*;
+
+#[ test ]
+fn empty_path() 
+{
+  let path = "";
+  let expected = None;
+  assert_eq!( the_module::path::without_ext( path ), expected );
+}
+
+#[ test ]
+fn txt_extension() 
+{
+  let path = "some.txt";
+  let expected = "some";
+  assert_eq!( the_module::path::without_ext( path ).unwrap().to_string_lossy(), expected );
+}
+
+#[ test ]
+fn path_with_non_empty_dir_name() 
+{
+  let path = "/foo/bar/baz.asdf";
+  let expected = "/foo/bar/baz";
+  assert_eq!( the_module::path::without_ext( path ).unwrap().to_string_lossy(), expected );
+}
+
+#[ test ]
+fn hidden_file() 
+{
+  let path = "/foo/bar/.baz";
+  let expected = "/foo/bar/.baz";
+  assert_eq!( the_module::path::without_ext( path ).unwrap().to_string_lossy(), expected );
+}
+
+#[ test ]
+fn file_with_composite_file_name() 
+{
+  let path = "/foo.coffee.md";
+  let expected = "/foo.coffee";
+  assert_eq!( the_module::path::without_ext( path ).unwrap().to_string_lossy(), expected );
+}
+
+#[ test ]
+fn path_without_extension() 
+{
+  let path = "/foo/bar/baz";
+  let expected = "/foo/bar/baz";
+  assert_eq!( the_module::path::without_ext( path ).unwrap().to_string_lossy(), expected );
+}
+
+#[ test ]
+fn relative_path_1() 
+{
+  let path = "./foo/.baz";
+  let expected = "./foo/.baz";
+  assert_eq!( the_module::path::without_ext( path ).unwrap().to_string_lossy(), expected );
+}
+
+#[ test ]
+fn relative_path_2() 
+{
+  let path = "./.baz";
+  let expected = "./.baz";
+  assert_eq!( the_module::path::without_ext( path ).unwrap().to_string_lossy(), expected );
+}
+
+#[ test ]
+fn relative_path_3() 
+{
+  let path = ".baz.txt";
+  let expected = ".baz";
+  assert_eq!( the_module::path::without_ext( path ).unwrap().to_string_lossy(), expected );
+}
+
+#[ test ]
+fn relative_path_4() 
+{
+  let path = "./baz.txt";
+  let expected = "./baz";
+  assert_eq!( the_module::path::without_ext( path ).unwrap().to_string_lossy(), expected );
+}
+
+#[ test ]
+fn relative_path_5() 
+{
+  let path = "./foo/baz.txt";
+  let expected = "./foo/baz";
+  assert_eq!( the_module::path::without_ext( path ).unwrap().to_string_lossy(), expected );
+}
+
+#[ test ]
+fn relative_path_6() 
+{
+  let path = "./foo/";
+  let expected = "./foo/";
+  assert_eq!( the_module::path::without_ext( path ).unwrap().to_string_lossy(), expected );
+}
+
+#[ test ]
+fn relative_path_7()
+{
+  let path = "baz";
+  let expected = "baz";
+  assert_eq!( the_module::path::without_ext( path ).unwrap().to_string_lossy(), expected );
+}
+
+#[ test ]
+fn relative_path_8() 
+{
+  let path = "baz.a.b";
+  let expected = "baz.a";
+  assert_eq!( the_module::path::without_ext( path ).unwrap().to_string_lossy(), expected );
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/module/move/optimization_tools/.cargo/config.toml b/module/move/optimization_tools/.cargo/config.toml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..ce93c42ac4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/module/move/optimization_tools/.cargo/config.toml
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+[patch.crates-io]
+pathfinder_geometry = { git = "https://github.com/servo/pathfinder.git" }
+pathfinder_simd = { git = "https://github.com/servo/pathfinder.git" }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/module/move/optimization_tools/Cargo.toml b/module/move/optimization_tools/Cargo.toml
index a9fb722248..3c8e802a8a 100644
--- a/module/move/optimization_tools/Cargo.toml
+++ b/module/move/optimization_tools/Cargo.toml
@@ -33,8 +33,8 @@ full = [
 enabled = []
 rapidity_6 = [] # to enable slow tests
 static_plot = []
-dynamic_plot = [ "static_plot", "plotters-backend", "piston_window" ]
-lp_parse = [ "exmex" ]
+dynamic_plot = [ "static_plot", "dep:plotters-backend", "dep:piston_window" ]
+lp_parse = [ "dep:exmex" ]
 
 [dependencies]
 derive_tools = { workspace = true, features = [ "derive_more", "full", "strum" ] }
diff --git a/module/move/optimization_tools/src/problems/sudoku/sudoku.rs b/module/move/optimization_tools/src/problems/sudoku/sudoku.rs
index 26b83e8e7b..b016fa4cda 100644
--- a/module/move/optimization_tools/src/problems/sudoku/sudoku.rs
+++ b/module/move/optimization_tools/src/problems/sudoku/sudoku.rs
@@ -12,28 +12,11 @@ use iter_tools::Itertools;
 trait BoardExt
 {
   /// Validate that each bloack has at least one non-fixed cell.
-  fn validate_each_block_has_non_fixed_cell( &self ) -> bool;
   fn validate_block_has_non_fixed_cells( &self, block : BlockIndex ) -> bool;
 }
 
 impl BoardExt for Board
 {
-  fn validate_each_block_has_non_fixed_cell( &self ) -> bool
-  {
-    for block in self.blocks()
-    {
-      let fixed = self.block_cells( block )
-      .map( | cell | self.cell( cell ) )
-      .fold( 0, | acc, e | if e == 0.into() { acc + 1 } else { acc } )
-      ;
-      if fixed <= 1 || fixed >= 10
-      {
-        return false;
-      }
-    }
-    true
-  }
-
   fn validate_block_has_non_fixed_cells( &self, block : BlockIndex ) -> bool
   {
     let fixed = self.block_cells( block )
diff --git a/module/move/optimization_tools/tests/ga_optimization.rs b/module/move/optimization_tools/tests/ga_optimization.rs
index cd51e39772..a4cf4d8b2d 100644
--- a/module/move/optimization_tools/tests/ga_optimization.rs
+++ b/module/move/optimization_tools/tests/ga_optimization.rs
@@ -57,6 +57,7 @@ fn crossover()
 /// cargo test solve_with_ga --release --features rapidity_6
 ///
 #[ cfg( feature = "rapidity_6" ) ]
+#[ ignore ]
 #[ test ]
 fn solve_with_ga()
 {
diff --git a/module/move/optimization_tools/tests/optimization.rs b/module/move/optimization_tools/tests/optimization.rs
index a5540bcab1..dd50054eb2 100644
--- a/module/move/optimization_tools/tests/optimization.rs
+++ b/module/move/optimization_tools/tests/optimization.rs
@@ -61,6 +61,7 @@ fn initial_temperature()
 /// cargo test solve_with_sa --release --features rapidity_6
 ///
 #[ cfg( feature = "rapidity_6" ) ]
+#[ ignore ]
 #[ test ]
 fn solve_with_sa()
 {
@@ -106,6 +107,7 @@ fn solve_with_sa()
 /// cargo test solve_empty_full_block --release --features rapidity_6
 ///
 #[ cfg( feature = "rapidity_6" ) ]
+#[ ignore ]
 #[ test ]
 fn solve_empty_full_block()
 {
@@ -182,6 +184,7 @@ fn solve_empty_full_block()
 /// cargo test time_measure --release --features rapidity_6
 ///
 #[ cfg( feature = "rapidity_6" ) ]
+#[ ignore ]
 #[ test ]
 fn time_measure()
 {
diff --git a/module/move/optimization_tools/tests/traveling_salesman.rs b/module/move/optimization_tools/tests/traveling_salesman.rs
index 0b8d618a4e..513a1a86c9 100644
--- a/module/move/optimization_tools/tests/traveling_salesman.rs
+++ b/module/move/optimization_tools/tests/traveling_salesman.rs
@@ -82,6 +82,7 @@ fn tsp_person_mutate()
   a_id!( person.route.len() - 1, unique.len() );
 }
 
+#[ ignore ]
 #[ test ]
 fn find_route()
 {