Since we cannot list nonzero numbers with leading digit 0, we use a minus sign to represent a leading zero.
To compute a(n+1), let m denote the decimal string formed from a(n) by replacing a minus sign (if present) by a leading 0.
Let k denote the concatenation of m and its digit-sum.
If the first and last digits of k are equal, delete all copies of that digit from k.
If k has any leading zeros, replace them with a minus sign. The result is a(n+1).
A359143 eventually reaches 0, but we do not know if the present sequence will reach 0, enter a loop, or grow without limit towards +infinity or -infinity.
First negative term is a(146).
Sequence continues beyond 2^30 terms. (End)
The sequence enters a loop of period L = 224339586.
Specifically, a(35179968) = a(259519554) = 8863336630330333333663833080638368062852636350393323037363535737238.
In this loop, the term with the fewest digits is a(101772740) = 48623, and the term with the most digits is a(251014293), with 940 digits. (End)