Cannot find a sticky or post with edge conditions of these awards & other hacks.

Q1 Does YQ drop ex-Brazil as it use to?

Q2 If originating in US, does concluding with GUM-HNL or MAJ-HNL constitute a valid itinerary with a TPAC segment? Or does it need to be longer?

Q3 OR, is it possible to count AKL-RAR; <surface segment>; YVR-SEA?

Q4 Any examples of short TATL, TAPL segments sandwhiching a more ambitious multi-leg excursion?
(i.e., making use of ground segments between the ambitious parts; possibly with a throw-away final leg)