[step:Show that $x \in C_n$ forces the first $n$ ternary digits into $\{0, 2\}$]We prove by induction on $n$ that if $x \in C_n$, then $x$ admits a ternary expansion $x = \sum_{k=1}^{\infty} a_k / 3^k$ with $a_k \in \{0, 2\}$ for all $1 \le k \le n$.
**Base case.** $C_0 = [0,1]$, and every $x \in [0,1]$ has a ternary expansion, so the condition on zero digits is vacuous.
**Inductive step.** Suppose the claim holds for $C_n$. The set $C_n$ consists of $2^n$ closed intervals, each of length $3^{-n}$. A generic constituent interval of $C_n$ has the form
\begin{align*}
I_{a_1, \ldots, a_n} := \left\{ \sum_{k=1}^{\infty} \frac{c_k}{3^k} : c_k = a_k \text{ for } 1 \le k \le n, \; c_k \in \{0,1,2\} \text{ for } k > n \right\}
\end{align*}
where each $a_k \in \{0,2\}$. This interval has left endpoint $\sum_{k=1}^{n} a_k / 3^k$ and right endpoint $\sum_{k=1}^{n} a_k / 3^k + 3^{-n}$. Passing from $C_n$ to $C_{n+1}$ removes the open middle third of each such interval. In terms of ternary digits, the left third of $I_{a_1, \ldots, a_n}$ consists of points with $c_{n+1} = 0$, the middle third consists of points with $c_{n+1} = 1$ (excluding endpoints that have alternative representations), and the right third consists of points with $c_{n+1} = 2$. Removing the open middle third retains exactly those points with $c_{n+1} \in \{0, 2\}$ (the endpoints $c_{n+1} = 1$ with $c_k = 0$ for all $k > n+1$, or $c_k = 2$ for all $k > n+1$, have alternative ternary representations with $c_{n+1} \in \{0, 2\}$). Hence $x \in C_{n+1}$ implies $a_k \in \{0,2\}$ for $1 \le k \le n+1$.[/step]