This is a perfect example of unseen/unknown/inaccessible backdoors for most (non-)immigrants in the U.S. The (apparent) complete opacity of USCIS when it comes to delays like this can be devastating. I know several people who had job offers rescinded in late 2018 because their H-1B RFEs or approvals arrived way past October and they had been waiting nearly a year or more for adjudication after making it through the lottery.
Thank you for sharing this tip, still it's so infuriating.
