I always think of them as "bouncer filter."

Think of them as asking a bouncer if they have seen a suspect enter a club. They don't know folks by name, but can answer a series questions about the people that entered.

Then, the "hashes" are effectively your new questions. Did someone with green hair enter? Did someone limping enter? Wearing a hat? Etc

To that end, it is clear that you won't get a definitive yes to entry. You may get a sufficient no, though.