Color Alone, Color Contrast, Color Conflicts

Links in a sentence (conflict)

This sentence has a link in it

When you have a link that isn't underlined in a sentence, it can pass if it has...

• 3:1 contrast between link and surrounding text
• 4.5 contrast between link and background
• 4.5 contrast between surrounding text and background
• underline or similar on hover and focus

Balancing the ratios is a pretty well-known issue.

But what if...the entire sentence is a link?

It seems like it would be technically correct because while color is being used, there is no surrounding text for the link.

And what if there is no difference in color between a link and the surrounding text?

Can it fail the "Use of Color" Success Criterion if there is no use of color?