Cruz thought he’d drop it out there, someone clued him in, and he tinkered with his story to save face. If you followed the Ben Carson thing you’ll see this is his MO.
However, 2 different reporters, from 2 different outlets, reported it exactly the same way... contemporaneously. Only later, is the explanation changed.
I’m just saying, having dealt with many NY Boards of Election at the county level, it’s never a secret. Paperwork is checked immediately after the day it is due and reported ASAP as accepted or not. Anybody can call and find out. Everybody would know well before the primary. Any Republican donor would already know the truth. I’ve guessed before the fact that I didn’t think someone would make it on a ballot, and I’ve been mostly right, a couple of times wrong. But NY Republicans know how easy it is to find out after the paperwork is due.