diff --git a/scripts/conformance-fake-server.py b/scripts/conformance-fake-server.py
index 51d242e0..8df47df2 100644
--- a/scripts/conformance-fake-server.py
+++ b/scripts/conformance-fake-server.py
@@ -27,6 +27,11 @@
     reindex-forgets     reindex drops the ledger
     silent              nothing is ever answered
 
+One value is not a defect of the server. It is a clock that was set back, and a run with
+it must pass:
+
+    clock-back          the wall clock reads an hour ahead at the first write, and is right at the next
+
 Not part of the product: it exists to be imperfect on request.
 """
 
@@ -121,8 +126,11 @@ def __init__(self):
 
     # ---- entries
     def entries(self, kind=None):
+        """The entries, newest first: the record grows only at its end, so that is the
+        order of the writes, last first. Not the order of `created`: a wall clock that
+        steps back (WSL2's does when it resyncs) dates a later write before an earlier one."""
         es = [e for e in self.state["entries"] if kind is None or e["type"] == kind]
-        return sorted(es, key=lambda e: e["created"], reverse=True)
+        return es[::-1]
 
     def hit(self, e, body=False):
         h = {k: e[k] for k in ("id", "domain", "type", "title", "summary", "classification")}
@@ -167,6 +175,7 @@ def write(self, a):
         if "body" not in a:
             raise Refused("body is required")
         self.state["seq"] += 1
+        ahead = 3600 if FLAW == "clock-back" and self.state["seq"] == 1 else 0
         body = a["body"]
         first = next((l for l in body.splitlines() if l.strip()), "")
         e = {
@@ -177,7 +186,7 @@ def write(self, a):
             "summary": a.get("summary") or first,
             "body": body,
             "author": "human:fake:owner",
-            "created": time.strftime("%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%SZ", time.gmtime()) + f"{self.state['seq']:04d}",
+            "created": time.strftime("%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%SZ", time.gmtime(time.time() + ahead)),
             "classification": "internal" if FLAW == "write-ignores-label" else a.get("classification") or "internal",
         }
         self.state["entries"].append(e)
diff --git a/scripts/conformance.test.sh b/scripts/conformance.test.sh
index 3513d025..3727ca61 100644
--- a/scripts/conformance.test.sh
+++ b/scripts/conformance.test.sh
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ run() {
 
 run whole '' --operator "python3 $fake operator" --drop-index "python3 $fake operator drop-index"
 run surface ''
+run clock-back clock-back --operator "python3 $fake operator" --drop-index "python3 $fake operator drop-index"
 run missing-tool missing-tool --operator "python3 $fake operator"
 run write-ignores-label write-ignores-label
 run t0-forgets t0-forgets --operator "python3 $fake operator"
@@ -82,6 +83,9 @@ expect() {
 # a conformant server passes, whole and surface-only
 expect whole 0 '7 of 7 steps passed'
 expect surface 0 '5 of 7 steps passed; not run: 6, 7'
+# and so does one whose wall clock was set back between two writes: a list is in the order
+# of the writes, whatever times the entries carry
+expect clock-back 0 '7 of 7 steps passed'
 # and each defect is reported at the step whose claim it breaks, the rest still running
 expect missing-tool 1 '6 of 7 steps passed; FAILED: 1' 'tools/list lacks heartbeat'
 expect write-ignores-label 1 '1 of 7 steps passed; not run: 6, 7; could not run: 3, 4, 5; FAILED: 2' "write at public came back 'internal'"