diff --git a/changelog/863.docs.md b/changelog/863.docs.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..7ce800f89
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog/863.docs.md
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+Corrected the record on the `obs4ref` source type.
+The 0.16.2 entry for [#814](https://github.com/Climate-REF/climate-ref/pull/814) stated that obs4REF datasets participate in solving.
+They do not yet: no diagnostic declares an `obs4REF` data requirement,
+and the solver matches a requirement against its own source type only,
+so a collection ingested as `obs4ref` is never selected.
+Ingest the obs4REF collection with `--source-type obs4mips`, as the ingest guide describes.
diff --git a/changelog/863.trivial.md b/changelog/863.trivial.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..4c967ba98
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog/863.trivial.md
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+Dropped 17 obs4REF reference files that no diagnostic can select:
+four superseded by a newer version of the same dataset
+(LORA-1-1, the pre-2023 RAPID record and the two unversioned Hoffman files),
+and thirteen variables that no data requirement asks for
+(WECANN-1-0 `hfls`/`hfss`, TropFlux-1-0 `hfns`/`tas`/`tauv`, Hoffman-1-0 `fgco2`,
+and WOA-23 `no3`/`o2`/`po4`/`si`/`ohc`/`ohcJm2`).
+A solve over the same catalog plans exactly the same executions as before the removal.
diff --git a/docs/getting-started/03-ingest.md b/docs/getting-started/03-ingest.md
index 74520a90e..1b412ec4f 100644
--- a/docs/getting-started/03-ingest.md
+++ b/docs/getting-started/03-ingest.md
@@ -18,6 +18,13 @@ ref datasets ingest --source-type obs4mips $REF_CONFIGURATION/datasets/obs4ref
 
 Replace `$REF_CONFIGURATION/datasets/obs4ref` with the directory used when [fetched the obs4REF data](02-download-datasets.md#fetch-obs4ref-datasets).
 
+!!! note "Why not the `obs4ref` source type?"
+
+    An `obs4ref` source type also exists, but ingesting this collection with it will leave the data unused:
+    no diagnostic declares an `obs4REF` data requirement yet,
+    and the solver matches a requirement against its own source type only.
+    Use `obs4mips` until that changes.
+
 ## 2. Ingest CMIP6 data
 
 To ingest CMIP6 files, point the CLI at a directory of netCDF files and set `cmip6` as the source type:
diff --git a/packages/climate-ref/src/climate_ref/dataset_registry/obs4ref_reference.txt b/packages/climate-ref/src/climate_ref/dataset_registry/obs4ref_reference.txt
index ba11f3964..d600e0fa9 100644
--- a/packages/climate-ref/src/climate_ref/dataset_registry/obs4ref_reference.txt
+++ b/packages/climate-ref/src/climate_ref/dataset_registry/obs4ref_reference.txt
@@ -1,13 +1,8 @@
 # source: https://dap.ceda.ac.uk/neodc/obs_for_ref_v2/data/ARCCSS/LORA-1-0/mon/mrro/50km/v20250902/mrro_mon_LORA-1-0_REF_gn_198001-201212.nc
 obs4REF/ARCCSS/LORA-1-0/mon/mrro/gn/v20250902/mrro_mon_LORA-1-0_REF_gn_198001-201212.nc md5:c1d290a26b4c0a094724b3dc19230f73
-obs4REF/ARCCSS/LORA-1-1/mon/mrro/gn/20250516/mrro_mon_LORA-1-1_REF_gn_198001-201212.nc md5:4cfbbfa3be9632b14de99b18066fbffe
 obs4REF/CNES/AVISO-1-0/mon/zos/gn/v20210727/zos_mon_AVISO-1-0_PCMDI_gn_199301-201912.nc md5:91252303cb65548fee5ff42dd3024825
 # source: https://dap.ceda.ac.uk/neodc/obs_for_ref_v2/data/ColumbiaU/WECANN-1-0/mon/gpp/100km/v20250902/gpp_mon_WECANN-1-0_REF_gn_200701-201512.nc
 obs4REF/ColumbiaU/WECANN-1-0/mon/gpp/gn/v20250902/gpp_mon_WECANN-1-0_REF_gn_200701-201512.nc md5:eb4fcde64bcdf605b4e72c95e9bbdd54
-# source: https://dap.ceda.ac.uk/neodc/obs_for_ref_v2/data/ColumbiaU/WECANN-1-0/mon/hfls/100km/v20250902/hfls_mon_WECANN-1-0_REF_gn_200701-201512.nc
-obs4REF/ColumbiaU/WECANN-1-0/mon/hfls/gn/v20250902/hfls_mon_WECANN-1-0_REF_gn_200701-201512.nc md5:dd3bd01233eb17cb6cb566c9eed7349f
-# source: https://dap.ceda.ac.uk/neodc/obs_for_ref_v2/data/ColumbiaU/WECANN-1-0/mon/hfss/100km/v20250902/hfss_mon_WECANN-1-0_REF_gn_200701-201512.nc
-obs4REF/ColumbiaU/WECANN-1-0/mon/hfss/gn/v20250902/hfss_mon_WECANN-1-0_REF_gn_200701-201512.nc md5:1605e0d962c3794206e979e51c04f2f9
 # source: https://dap.ceda.ac.uk/neodc/obs_for_ref_v2/data/DWD/ESACCI-CLOUD-AVHRR-AMPM-3-0/mon/clivi/50km/v20250723/clivi_mon_ESACCI-CLOUD-AVHRR-AMPM-3-0_ESMValTool-REF_gn_198201-201612.nc
 obs4REF/DWD/ESACCI-CLOUD-AVHRR-AMPM-3-0/mon/clivi/gn/v20250723/clivi_mon_ESACCI-CLOUD-AVHRR-AMPM-3-0_ESMValTool-REF_gn_198201-201612.nc md5:1eaf07b5d5c7d70c2c40ae9eea4bfd4a
 # source: https://dap.ceda.ac.uk/neodc/obs_for_ref_v2/data/DWD/ESACCI-CLOUD-AVHRR-AMPM-3-0/mon/clt/50km/v20250723/clt_mon_ESACCI-CLOUD-AVHRR-AMPM-3-0_ESMValTool-REF_gn_198201-201612.nc
@@ -36,14 +31,10 @@ obs4REF/DWD/ESACCI-CLOUD-AVHRR-AMPM-3-0/mon/rsutcs/gn/v20250723/rsutcs_mon_ESACC
 obs4REF/DoESS-UCI/GFED-5-0/mon/burntFractionAll/gr/v20260128/burntFractionAll_mon_GFED-5-0_REF_gr_199701-202012.nc md5:7cddfd3b1d5e50e22d2f2621c9b0393e
 obs4REF/ESSO/TropFlux-1-0/mon/hfls/gn/v20210727/hfls_mon_TropFlux-1-0_PCMDI_gn_197901-201707.nc md5:2f05191d6727068e1500d8d4ed90098a
 obs4REF/ESSO/TropFlux-1-0/mon/hfls/gn/v20250415/hfls_mon_TropFlux-1-0_PCMDI_gn_197901-201707.nc md5:e607167a08a2521b65e55eb186182003
-obs4REF/ESSO/TropFlux-1-0/mon/hfns/gn/v20210727/hfns_mon_TropFlux-1-0_PCMDI_gn_197901-201707.nc md5:7a9019e51a41d9e4ab1fcfb072d8ca8d
 obs4REF/ESSO/TropFlux-1-0/mon/hfss/gn/v20210727/hfss_mon_TropFlux-1-0_PCMDI_gn_197901-201707.nc md5:1da9d8fe862c61bc49c36c18b6527213
 obs4REF/ESSO/TropFlux-1-0/mon/hfss/gn/v20250415/hfss_mon_TropFlux-1-0_PCMDI_gn_197901-201707.nc md5:6f766ca0332a8e566c408d237571a924
-obs4REF/ESSO/TropFlux-1-0/mon/tas/gn/v20210727/tas_mon_TropFlux-1-0_PCMDI_gn_197901-201707.nc md5:a6057931b5f6bc000a44514a1a8c891f
-obs4REF/ESSO/TropFlux-1-0/mon/tas/gn/v20250415/tas_mon_TropFlux-1-0_PCMDI_gn_197901-201707.nc md5:527ab1b9becf2a793df558532eccfe69
 obs4REF/ESSO/TropFlux-1-0/mon/tauu/gn/v20210727/tauu_mon_TropFlux-1-0_PCMDI_gn_197901-201707.nc md5:7c73a3deed3403fa9d21caef3a4d988d
 obs4REF/ESSO/TropFlux-1-0/mon/tauu/gn/v20250415/tauu_mon_TropFlux-1-0_PCMDI_gn_197901-201707.nc md5:0822e2002e61472277116d38e5e19498
-obs4REF/ESSO/TropFlux-1-0/mon/tauv/gn/v20210727/tauv_mon_TropFlux-1-0_PCMDI_gn_197901-201707.nc md5:8abc7a724a7a297826e2f783a4ea14f9
 obs4REF/ESSO/TropFlux-1-0/mon/ts/gn/v20210727/ts_mon_TropFlux-1-0_PCMDI_gn_197901-201707.nc md5:8697d3d7862f6e3b72bb5a161aa75ee8
 # source: https://dap.ceda.ac.uk/neodc/obs_for_ref_v2/data/FMI/SAGE-CCI-OMPS-v00008/mon/o3/1000km/v20250718/o3_mon_SAGE-CCI-OMPS-v0008_SAGE-CCI-OMPS_REF_gnz_198410-202212.nc
 obs4REF/FMI/SAGE-CCI-OMPS-v00008/mon/o3/gnz/v20250718/o3_mon_SAGE-CCI-OMPS-v0008_SAGE-CCI-OMPS_REF_gnz_198410-202212.nc md5:e8f320054b6fc9a92a6e6ed94bb54563
@@ -65,30 +56,13 @@ obs4REF/NOAA-ESRL-PSD/20CR/mon/ts/gn/v20210727/ts_mon_20CR_PCMDI_gn_187101-20121
 obs4REF/NOAA-NCEI/CMAP-V1902/mon/pr/gn/v20210727/pr_mon_CMAP-V1902_PCMDI_gn_197901-201901.nc md5:9d943d2dd0645850b616820f246aedf3
 obs4REF/NOAA-NCEI/GPCP-2-3/mon/pr/gn/v20210727/pr_mon_GPCP-2-3_PCMDI_gn_197901-201907.nc md5:0877f014868b83547448f96c3e7c83e9
 obs4REF/NOAA-NCEI/GPCP-2-3/mon/pr/gn/v20231205/pr_mon_GPCP-Monthly-3-2_RSS_gn_198301-202303.nc md5:6970c22443e2097c45de5db8947318eb
-# source: https://dap.ceda.ac.uk/neodc/obs_for_ref_v2/data/NOAA-NCEO-OCL/WOA-23/monC/no3/1x1degree/v20250902/no3_monC_WOA-23_REF_gn_200501-202212.nc
-obs4REF/NOAA-NCEO-OCL/WOA-23/monC/no3/gn/v20250902/no3_monC_WOA-23_REF_gn_200501-202212.nc md5:fd8c3af50d5dc6fedec730d38879d2b4
-# source: https://dap.ceda.ac.uk/neodc/obs_for_ref_v2/data/NOAA-NCEO-OCL/WOA-23/monC/o2/1x1degree/v20250902/o2_monC_WOA-23_REF_gn_200501-202212.nc
-obs4REF/NOAA-NCEO-OCL/WOA-23/monC/o2/gn/v20250902/o2_monC_WOA-23_REF_gn_200501-202212.nc md5:8bc541d7fe602b156054863867ad6cc7
-# source: https://dap.ceda.ac.uk/neodc/obs_for_ref_v2/data/NOAA-NCEO-OCL/WOA-23/monC/po4/1x1degree/v20250902/po4_monC_WOA-23_REF_gn_200501-202212.nc
-obs4REF/NOAA-NCEO-OCL/WOA-23/monC/po4/gn/v20250902/po4_monC_WOA-23_REF_gn_200501-202212.nc md5:abc02f6a8606f276b27fe1ceb2557fe4
-# source: https://dap.ceda.ac.uk/neodc/obs_for_ref_v2/data/NOAA-NCEO-OCL/WOA-23/monC/si/1x1degree/v20250902/si_monC_WOA-23_REF_gn_200501-202212.nc
-obs4REF/NOAA-NCEO-OCL/WOA-23/monC/si/gn/v20250902/si_monC_WOA-23_REF_gn_200501-202212.nc md5:8a42fb90cc49bfa83aa285d9d0edf31b
 # source: https://dap.ceda.ac.uk/neodc/obs_for_ref_v2/data/NOAA-NCEO-OCL/WOA-23/monC/so/1x1degree/v20251024/so_monC_WOA-23_REF_gn_200501-202212.nc
 obs4REF/NOAA-NCEO-OCL/WOA-23/monC/so/gn/v20251024/so_monC_WOA-23_REF_gn_200501-202212.nc md5:28a6049a9ef0435bce0a9e13c83fd77c
 # source: https://dap.ceda.ac.uk/neodc/obs_for_ref_v2/data/NOAA-NCEO-OCL/WOA-23/monC/thetao/1x1degree/v20251024/thetao_monC_WOA-23_REF_gn_200501-202212.nc
 obs4REF/NOAA-NCEO-OCL/WOA-23/monC/thetao/gn/v20251024/thetao_monC_WOA-23_REF_gn_200501-202212.nc md5:a76187904de6d66281af2267d3dddfa3
-# source: https://dap.ceda.ac.uk/neodc/obs_for_ref_v2/data/NOAA-NCEO-OCL/WOA-23/yr/ohc/site/v20250903/ohc_yr_WOA-23_REF_gm_200501-202212.nc
-obs4REF/NOAA-NCEO-OCL/WOA-23/yr/ohc/gm/v20250903/ohc_yr_WOA-23_REF_gm_200501-202212.nc md5:98f20f959d9d297d50ac81a4e697b1fb
-# source: https://dap.ceda.ac.uk/neodc/obs_for_ref_v2/data/NOAA-NCEO-OCL/WOA-23/yr/ohcJm2/1x1degree/v20250903/ohcjm2_yr_WOA-23_REF_gn_200501-202212.nc
-obs4REF/NOAA-NCEO-OCL/WOA-23/yr/ohcJm2/gn/v20250903/ohcjm2_yr_WOA-23_REF_gn_200501-202212.nc md5:1e4e7a86227d98d15baad7a06130cb7e
 # source: https://dap.ceda.ac.uk/neodc/obs_for_ref_v2/data/NOC/RAPID-2023-1a/mon/msftmz/site/v20250902/msftmz_mon_RAPID-2023-1a_REF_gm_200404-202302.nc
 obs4REF/NOC/RAPID-2023-1a/mon/msftmz/gm/v20250902/msftmz_mon_RAPID-2023-1a_REF_gm_200404-202302.nc md5:f5ff38176be71f717e3c4d7460938571
-obs4REF/NOC/RAPID/mon/msftmz/NA/20250516/msftmz_mon_RAPID_REF_NA_200404-202302.nc md5:e9ee555d923d39112dcbf591440000b3
 # source: https://dap.ceda.ac.uk/neodc/obs_for_ref_v2/data/NR/CCI-CryoClim-FSC-1/mon/snc/0.5x0.5degree/v20250519/snc_mon_CCI-CryoClim-FSC-1_BE_gn_198201-201906.nc
 obs4REF/NR/CCI-CryoClim-FSC-1/mon/snc/gn/v20250519/snc_mon_CCI-CryoClim-FSC-1_BE_gn_198201-201906.nc md5:d53cddd61a90776f353ee8627dc992a5
-# source: https://dap.ceda.ac.uk/neodc/obs_for_ref_v2/data/UCI-ORNL/Hoffman-1-0/yr/fgco2/site/v20251117/fgco2_yr_Hoffman-1-0_REF_gm_1850-2010.nc
-obs4REF/UCI-ORNL/Hoffman-1-0/yr/fgco2/gm/v20251117/fgco2_yr_Hoffman-1-0_REF_gm_1850-2010.nc md5:1808ca5fd11be62934ba062df63d1be1
 # source: https://dap.ceda.ac.uk/neodc/obs_for_ref_v2/data/UCI-ORNL/Hoffman-1-0/yr/nbp/site/v20251117/nbp_yr_Hoffman-1-0_REF_gm_1850-2010.nc
 obs4REF/UCI-ORNL/Hoffman-1-0/yr/nbp/gm/v20251117/nbp_yr_Hoffman-1-0_REF_gm_1850-2010.nc md5:ea86edee4cb869699cdb9b15ed957d2b
-obs4REF/UCI-ORNL/Hoffman/yr/fgco2/gm/20250516/fgco2_yr_Hoffman_REF_gm_185007-201007.nc md5:93419dd752e0ae20e69b7db3f8ea9f5b
-obs4REF/UCI-ORNL/Hoffman/yr/nbp/gm/20250516/nbp_yr_Hoffman_REF_gm_185007-201007.nc md5:1c0b93c81e2608c668ec39c45ca828de