Stripe L2 onsite — strong scores, references checked, still a no

Full L2 loop and it was a gut-punch: solid marks on most rounds, but the AI-coding round I only got one question done, then I got ghosted on an HR call, had my references (two managers) called, and was told it was "insufficient signal" and rejected the next day as a final hiring-committee call — welcome to reapply in a year.