Embodiments of the present disclosure generally include methods of specially programming a set of memory cells, wherein each specially programmed memory cell is specially programmed along with programming a plurality of wordlines, and wherein each memory cell is specially programmed by altering a bitline and gate voltage applied to the memory cell. The methods further includes performing a sensing operation across a set of strings in the array of memory cells, determining, based on the sensing operation, whether one or more strings failed to conduct during a sensing operation, and determining the last programmed wordline using the one or more strings that failed to conduct.