What would happen if the entire filter paper and not just the wick had sat in the developing solution?

If the entire filter paper sat in the developing solution, it would likely absorb excess chemicals, leading to overdevelopment and potentially altering the intended results. This could cause the paper to become overly saturated, resulting in uneven development, increased contrast, or unwanted artifacts. Additionally, the integrity of the filter paper might be compromised, affecting the final quality of any images or samples processed. Overall, it would deviate from standard developing techniques and potentially ruin the experiment or photographic process.