diff --git a/cpp-linter/src/clang_tools/clang_format.rs b/cpp-linter/src/clang_tools/clang_format.rs
index 65716f7..0215e54 100644
--- a/cpp-linter/src/clang_tools/clang_format.rs
+++ b/cpp-linter/src/clang_tools/clang_format.rs
@@ -119,10 +119,13 @@ pub fn run_clang_format(
         replacements: diff
             .hunks()
             .filter_map(|hunk| {
+                let altered_start = hunk.after.start.saturating_add(1); // convert to 1-based line numbers
+                let og_start = hunk.before.start.saturating_add(1); // convert to 1-based line numbers
+                let og_end = hunk.before.end; // exclusive end is inclusive for 1-based line numbers
                 let replacement = if hunk.is_pure_insertion() {
-                    RangeInclusive::new(hunk.after.start, hunk.after.start)
+                    RangeInclusive::new(altered_start, altered_start)
                 } else {
-                    RangeInclusive::new(hunk.before.start, hunk.before.end.saturating_sub(1))
+                    RangeInclusive::new(og_start, og_end)
                 };
                 if ranges.is_empty() {
                     Some(replacement)
@@ -241,14 +244,14 @@ fn three_way_diff(ranges: &[RangeInclusive<u32>], tidy_diff: Diff) -> Vec<RangeI
 
         while let Some(tidy_hunk) = tidy_iter.peek() {
             // alias for readability and prevent some repeated calculations
-            let before_start = tidy_hunk.before.start;
-            let before_end = tidy_hunk.before.end.saturating_sub(1);
-            let after_start = tidy_hunk.after.start;
-            let after_end = tidy_hunk.after.end.saturating_sub(1);
+            let before_start = tidy_hunk.before.start.saturating_add(1); // convert to 1-based line numbers
+            let before_end = tidy_hunk.before.end; // exclusive end is inclusive for 1-based line numbers
+            let after_start = tidy_hunk.after.start.saturating_add(1); // convert to 1-based line numbers
+            let after_end = tidy_hunk.after.end; // exclusive end is inclusive for 1-based line numbers
             let delta = tidy_hunk.after.len() as i32 - tidy_hunk.before.len() as i32;
 
-            // The tidy hunk is a pure removal that exactly matches the og range.
-            if tidy_hunk.is_pure_removal() && before_start == og_start && before_end == og_end {
+            // The tidy hunk is a pure removal that encompasses the og range.
+            if tidy_hunk.is_pure_removal() && before_start <= og_start && before_end >= og_end {
                 // Skip the og range and tidy hunk entirely.
                 // The line shift must still be adjusted for the pure removal though
                 line_shift += delta;
@@ -272,7 +275,7 @@ fn three_way_diff(ranges: &[RangeInclusive<u32>], tidy_diff: Diff) -> Vec<RangeI
             }
 
             // tidy hunk overlaps with the og range in some way (case 4).
-            if tidy_hunk.before.contains(&og_start) {
+            if (before_start..=before_end).contains(&og_start) {
                 merged_start = after_start;
             }
 
@@ -280,7 +283,7 @@ fn three_way_diff(ranges: &[RangeInclusive<u32>], tidy_diff: Diff) -> Vec<RangeI
             line_shift += delta;
 
             // tidy hunk suffixes the og range.
-            if tidy_hunk.before.contains(&og_end) {
+            if (before_start..=before_end).contains(&og_end) {
                 merged_end = after_end;
                 tidy_iter.next(); // this tidy hunk is handled.
                 break; // break from loop to push the merged range into joint_ranges.
@@ -299,8 +302,8 @@ fn three_way_diff(ranges: &[RangeInclusive<u32>], tidy_diff: Diff) -> Vec<RangeI
     for tidy_hunk in tidy_iter {
         maybe_push_range(
             &mut joint_ranges,
-            tidy_hunk.after.start,
-            tidy_hunk.after.end.saturating_sub(1),
+            tidy_hunk.after.start.saturating_add(1), // convert to 1-based line numbers
+            tidy_hunk.after.end, // exclusive end is inclusive for 1-based line numbers
         );
     }
 
@@ -313,9 +316,8 @@ mod tests {
 
     use std::ops::RangeInclusive;
 
-    use gix_imara_diff::{Diff, InternedInput};
-
     use super::{summarize_style, three_way_diff};
+    use crate::clang_tools::make_patch;
 
     fn formalize_style(style: &str, expected: &str) {
         assert_eq!(summarize_style(style), expected);
@@ -339,38 +341,70 @@ mod tests {
     #[test]
     fn three_way_diff_mixed() {
         const OG_SRC: &str =
-            "line1\nline2\nline3\nline4\nline5\nline6\nline7\nline8\nline9\nline10\nline11";
-        // TIDY_SRC replaces line3->StringA (hunk before=2..3) and
-        // line8+line9+line10->StringB+StringC (hunk before=7..10), then appends StringE.
-        // The second hunk's before=7..10 contains og_end=9 but not og_start=6,
-        // which exercises the "tidy hunk suffixes og range" branch.
+            "line1\nline2\nline3\nline4\nline5\nline6\nline7\nline8\nline9\nline10\nline11\nline12";
+        // The first hunk line2-3->StringA-B (hunk 2..4 prefixes og range[3..=5]).
+        // The second hunk line8-11->StringC-D\nline11\n (hunk 8..12 suffixes og range[7..=9]).
         const TIDY_SRC: &str =
-            "line1\nline2\nStringA\nline4\nline5\nline6\nline7\nStringB\nStringC\nline11\nStringE";
-        let input = InternedInput::new(OG_SRC, TIDY_SRC);
-        let mut tidy_diff = Diff::compute(gix_imara_diff::Algorithm::Histogram, &input);
-        tidy_diff.postprocess_lines(&input);
-        let ranges = vec![RangeInclusive::new(2, 4), RangeInclusive::new(6, 9)];
+            "line1\nStringA\nStringB\nline4\nline5\nline6\nline7\nline8\nStringC\nStringD\nline11";
+        let (tidy_diff, _input) = make_patch(TIDY_SRC, OG_SRC);
+        #[cfg(feature = "bin")]
+        print_diff(OG_SRC, TIDY_SRC, &tidy_diff, &_input);
+        let ranges = vec![RangeInclusive::new(3, 5), RangeInclusive::new(7, 9)];
         println!("tidy diff: {tidy_diff:#?}\ncompared to og ranges: {ranges:?}");
         let joint_ranges = three_way_diff(&ranges, tidy_diff);
         println!("joint ranges: {joint_ranges:#?}");
-        assert_eq!(joint_ranges, vec![2..=4, 6..=10]);
+        assert_eq!(joint_ranges, vec![2..=5, 7..=11]);
     }
 
     #[test]
     fn three_way_diff_separated() {
         const OG_SRC: &str =
             "line1\nline2\nline3\nline4\nline5\nline6\nline7\nline8\nline9\nline10\nline11";
-        // TIDY_SRC removes "line3" (index 2) which decrements offsets in ranges[5,8] and removes ranges[2,2].
+        // TIDY_SRC removes "line3" which decrements offsets in ranges[5,8] and removes ranges[3,3].
         // TIDY_SRC appends StringE, which handles remaining tidy hunks after done iterating ranges
         const TIDY_SRC: &str =
             "line1\nline2\nline4\nline5\nline6\nline7\nline8\nline9\nline10\nline11\nStringE";
-        let input = InternedInput::new(OG_SRC, TIDY_SRC);
-        let mut tidy_diff = Diff::compute(gix_imara_diff::Algorithm::Histogram, &input);
-        tidy_diff.postprocess_lines(&input);
-        let ranges = vec![2..=2, 5..=8];
+        let (tidy_diff, _input) = make_patch(TIDY_SRC, OG_SRC);
+        #[cfg(feature = "bin")]
+        print_diff(OG_SRC, TIDY_SRC, &tidy_diff, &_input);
+        let ranges = vec![3..=3, 5..=8];
         println!("tidy diff: {tidy_diff:#?}\ncompared to og ranges: {ranges:?}");
         let joint_ranges = three_way_diff(&ranges, tidy_diff);
         println!("joint ranges: {joint_ranges:#?}");
-        assert_eq!(joint_ranges, vec![4..=7, 9..=10]);
+        assert_eq!(joint_ranges, vec![4..=7, 10..=11]);
+    }
+
+    #[cfg(feature = "bin")]
+    fn print_diff(
+        og: &str,
+        altered: &str,
+        diff: &gix_imara_diff::Diff,
+        input: &gix_imara_diff::InternedInput<&str>,
+    ) {
+        use clap::builder::styling::{AnsiColor, Color, Style};
+        use gix_imara_diff::{BasicLineDiffPrinter, UnifiedDiffConfig};
+
+        println!("---\nOG SRC:");
+        for (i, l) in og.lines().enumerate() {
+            println!("{i:>2}|{l}");
+        }
+        println!("---\nALTERED SRC:");
+        for (i, l) in altered.lines().enumerate() {
+            println!("{i:>2}|{l}");
+        }
+        let printer = BasicLineDiffPrinter(&input.interner);
+        let mut config = UnifiedDiffConfig::default();
+        config.context_len(0);
+        let unified = diff.unified_diff(&printer, config, input).to_string();
+        for l in unified.lines() {
+            let style = if l.starts_with('+') {
+                Style::new().fg_color(Some(Color::Ansi(AnsiColor::Green)))
+            } else if l.starts_with('-') {
+                Style::new().fg_color(Some(Color::Ansi(AnsiColor::Red)))
+            } else {
+                Style::new()
+            };
+            println!("{style}{l}{style:#}");
+        }
     }
 }
diff --git a/cpp-linter/src/common_fs.rs b/cpp-linter/src/common_fs.rs
index 01b01a9..37ded27 100644
--- a/cpp-linter/src/common_fs.rs
+++ b/cpp-linter/src/common_fs.rs
@@ -133,11 +133,11 @@ impl FileObj {
     pub fn is_hunk_in_diff(&self, hunk: &Hunk) -> Option<(u32, u32)> {
         let (start_line, end_line) = if !hunk.before.is_empty() {
             // if old hunk's total lines is > 0
-            let start = hunk.before.start;
-            (start, start + hunk.before.len() as u32 - 1)
+            let start = hunk.before.start.saturating_add(1); // convert to 1-based line numbers
+            (start, hunk.before.start + hunk.before.len() as u32)
         } else {
             // old hunk's total lines is 0, meaning changes were only added
-            let start = hunk.after.start;
+            let start = hunk.after.start.saturating_add(1); // convert to 1-based line numbers
             // make old hunk's range span 1 line
             (start, start)
         };
@@ -207,7 +207,7 @@ impl FileObj {
                 .map_err(FileObjError::OpenPatchFileFailed)?;
             patch_file
                 .write_all(
-                    format!("--- a/{file_name}\n+++ b/{file_name}\n{unified_diff}",).as_bytes(),
+                    format!("--- a/{file_name}\n+++ b/{file_name}\n{unified_diff}").as_bytes(),
                 )
                 .map_err(FileObjError::WritePatchFailed)?;
         }
@@ -332,7 +332,7 @@ impl FileObj {
                             format!(
                                 "Please remove the line(s)\n- {}",
                                 hunk.before
-                                    .map(|l| l.to_string())
+                                    .map(|l| l.saturating_add(1).to_string())
                                     .collect::<Vec<String>>()
                                     .join("\n- ")
                             )
@@ -401,10 +401,12 @@ pub(crate) fn mk_path_abs<P: AsRef<Path>>(path: P) -> Result<PathBuf, std::io::E
 #[cfg(test)]
 mod test {
     #![allow(clippy::unwrap_used)]
-    use std::path::PathBuf;
+    use std::{fs, path::PathBuf};
+
+    use tempfile::{NamedTempFile, TempDir};
 
     use super::FileObj;
-    use crate::cli::LinesChangedOnly;
+    use crate::{clang_tools::ReviewComments, cli::LinesChangedOnly};
 
     // *********************** tests for FileObj::get_ranges()
 
@@ -463,4 +465,35 @@ mod test {
         println!("Canonical path: {}", canonical_path.display());
         assert!(!canonical_path.to_string_lossy().starts_with(r"\\?\"));
     }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn pure_removal_suggestion() {
+        let repo_root = TempDir::new().unwrap();
+        let file_name = PathBuf::from("test_file.cpp");
+
+        // Write original file with 3 lines
+        let original_content = "line1\nline2\nline3\n";
+        fs::write(repo_root.path().join(&file_name), original_content).unwrap();
+
+        // Patched file has line2 removed
+        let patched_content = "line1\nline3\n";
+        let patched_file = NamedTempFile::new().unwrap();
+        fs::write(patched_file.path(), patched_content).unwrap();
+
+        // line2 is 1-indexed line 2; diff_chunks must contain it
+        let mut file_obj = FileObj::from(file_name, vec![2], vec![2..=2]);
+        file_obj.patched_path = Some(patched_file.path().to_path_buf());
+
+        let mut review_comments = ReviewComments::default();
+        file_obj
+            .make_suggestions_from_patch(&mut review_comments, false, repo_root.path())
+            .unwrap();
+
+        assert_eq!(review_comments.comments.len(), 1);
+        let suggestion = &review_comments.comments[0].suggestion;
+        assert!(
+            suggestion.contains("Please remove the line(s)\n- 2"),
+            "unexpected suggestion: {suggestion}"
+        );
+    }
 }
diff --git a/cpp-linter/tests/comments.rs b/cpp-linter/tests/comments.rs
index 4ee3fbb..71e62d5 100644
--- a/cpp-linter/tests/comments.rs
+++ b/cpp-linter/tests/comments.rs
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 #![cfg(feature = "bin")]
 use chrono::Utc;
+use clap::builder::styling::{AnsiColor, Color, Style};
 use cpp_linter::rest_client::USER_OUTREACH;
 use cpp_linter::run::run_main;
 use cpp_linter::{cli::ThreadComments, rest_client::COMMENT_MARKER};
@@ -310,7 +311,17 @@ async fn setup(lib_root: &Path, tmp_dir: &TempDir, test_params: &TestParams) {
         );
         let patch_content =
             std::fs::read_to_string(patch_path).expect("Failed to read generated patch file.");
-        println!("Generated patch content:\n{patch_content}");
+        println!("Generated patch content:");
+        for l in patch_content.lines() {
+            let style = if l.starts_with('+') {
+                Style::new().fg_color(Some(Color::Ansi(AnsiColor::Green))) // Green for additions
+            } else if l.starts_with('-') {
+                Style::new().fg_color(Some(Color::Ansi(AnsiColor::Red))) // Red for deletions
+            } else {
+                Style::new() // Default style for context lines
+            };
+            println!("{style}{l}{style:#}");
+        }
     }
 
     let summary_out_file_abs_path = if test_params.relative_summary_out_file {