diff --git a/.github/workflows/lint_test_report.yml b/.github/workflows/lint_test_report.yml
index 8e0813c..f822b8f 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/lint_test_report.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/lint_test_report.yml
@@ -12,59 +12,27 @@ permissions:
   pull-requests: "read"
 
 jobs:
-  changed-files:
-    runs-on: "ubuntu-latest"
-    outputs:
-      python_changed: ${{ steps.python-files.outputs.any_changed }}
-      yaml_changed: ${{ steps.yaml-files.outputs.any_changed }}
-    steps:
-      - uses: "actions/checkout@v5"
-      - name: "Get changed Python files"
-        id: python-files
-        uses: "tj-actions/changed-files@v47"
-        with:
-          files: |
-            **/*.py
-            requirements.txt
-            .pylintrc
-      - name: "Get changed YAML files"
-        id: yaml-files
-        uses: "tj-actions/changed-files@v47"
-        with:
-          files: |
-            **/*.yml
-            **/*.yaml
-
   yamllint:
     name: "YAML Lint Workflow"
-    needs:
-      - "changed-files"
-    if: needs.changed-files.outputs.yaml_changed == 'true'
     uses: "./.github/workflows/yamllint.yml"
 
   ruff:
     name: "Ruff Lint and Format"
+    uses: "./.github/workflows/ruff.yml"
     needs:
-      - "changed-files"
       - "yamllint"
-    if: needs.changed-files.outputs.python_changed == 'true'
-    uses: "./.github/workflows/ruff.yml"
 
   pylint:
     name: "Pylint Workflow"
+    uses: "./.github/workflows/pylint.yml"
     needs:
-      - "changed-files"
       - "yamllint"
-    if: needs.changed-files.outputs.python_changed == 'true'
-    uses: "./.github/workflows/pylint.yml"
 
   flake8:
     name: "Flake8 Workflow"
-    needs:
-       - "changed-files"
-       - "yamllint"
-    if: needs.changed-files.outputs.python_changed == 'true'
     uses: "./.github/workflows/flake8.yml"
+    needs:
+      - "yamllint"
 
   pytest:
     name: "Pytest Workflow"
diff --git a/wordy/wordy.py b/wordy/wordy.py
index da43570..1766bb9 100644
--- a/wordy/wordy.py
+++ b/wordy/wordy.py
@@ -42,26 +42,22 @@ def answer(question: str) -> int:
     :raises ValueError: If the operation is unknown or the syntax is invalid.
     """
     _validate_errors(question)
-    result: int = 0
     new_question: list[str] = _reformat(question)
     # Reduce iteratively: evaluate the first three-token slice
     # and fold the result left-to-right.
-    result: int = 0
     while new_question:
         try:
             if len(new_question) == 3:
                 _validate_evaluation_pattern(new_question)
-                result = _math_operation(new_question)
-                break
+                return _math_operation(new_question)
             if len(new_question) == 1:
-                result = int(new_question[0])
-                break
+                return int(new_question[0])
             _validate_evaluation_pattern(new_question[:3])
             result = _math_operation(new_question[:3])
             new_question = [str(result)] + new_question[3:]
         except Exception as exc:
             raise ValueError("syntax error") from exc
-    return result
+    raise ValueError("syntax error")  # Safety net for empty cases
 
 
 def _math_operation(question: list[str]) -> int:
@@ -88,17 +84,19 @@ def _math_operation(question: list[str]) -> int:
         result = int(question[0]) // int(question[-1])
     elif math_operator == "*":
         result = int(question[0]) * int(question[-1])
+    else:
+        raise ValueError("syntax error")
 
     return result
 
 
-def _validate_evaluation_pattern(val: list) -> None:
+def _validate_evaluation_pattern(val: list[str]) -> None:
     """
     Ensure a token slice matches expected evaluation patterns.
 
     :param val: Token slice to validate, e.g.,
                 ['3', '+', '4'] or ['+', '4'] during reduction.
-    :type val: list
+    :type val: list[str]
     :raises ValueError: If the pattern is invalid (syntax error).
     """
     if len(val) == 3 and val[1] not in STR_TO_OPERATOR.values():
@@ -108,7 +106,7 @@ def _validate_evaluation_pattern(val: list) -> None:
         raise ValueError("syntax error")
 
 
-def _reformat(question: str) -> list:
+def _reformat(question: str) -> list[str]:
     """
     Tokenize a natural-language math question into numbers
     and operator symbols.
@@ -126,9 +124,9 @@ def _reformat(question: str) -> list:
     for item in question_list:
         if not (
             item.isdigit()
+            or item[1:].isdigit()
             or item in STR_TO_OPERATOR
             or item in STR_TO_OPERATOR.values()
-            or any(val in item for val in STR_TO_OPERATOR.values())
         ):
             continue