WTF Twitter Lists!

I'm trying to make a list of accounts on Twitter using Twitter Lists. The UI in tweetdeck says you can add up to 100 accounts at a time.

Their anti-spaming tools clearly are creating a ton of crazy hidden rules that contradict their interface or documentation.

Turns out you can add only 40 at a time. But actually there's more shadow rules, because they limit you to adding that many every 15 minutes! Of course the error messages don't say this, takes experimentation.

Using API is even more janky. API calls say 300 "requests" every 15 min, but this also results in lock-outs.

Moreover, once you encounter a "shadow lock-out", you can't add to the list at all! You can't even add to any other list!

Twitter, you got all these neat tools. At least be clear WHAT are the rules. and if you work at twitter, please help!! I'm trying to make cool shit for earth day!