I have contacted the ISU for a clarification on a matter:
What kind of principles come into effect in cases of ties in the World Cup in those cases it effects who will get the last spot(s) in the A-groups?
This is the answer:
7.1. World Cup Ranking for Each Competition Category The World Cup ranking for each competition category is determined by the number of points the Skaters (or National Teams) accumulate during the season. In the final World Cup ranking, as well as in the intermediate ranking during the season, a tie between Skaters/Teams with the same total of World Cup points will be resolved according to the following criteria, in order of priority, for determining the better ranked Skater/Team:
a) The Skater/Team with the higher number of World Cup victories.
b) The Skater/Team with the highest score of points in any single competition (race).
c) The Skater/Team with the next higher score of points in any single competition (race).
d) For Mass Start the Skater with the highest score of points from the (last) previous race.
e) The Skater/Team with the best time achieved in the World Cup for the distance/competition concerned (except 3000+5000m for Women, 5000+10000m for Men and Mass Start for Women and Men).
In case that this list is still insufficient to separate the skaters, it will be decided by lot.
...
Last season, I was led to erranously think that all ties in cases which effects who will get the last spot(s) in A were decided by the best placing in the previous race in the competition category concerned (A-group before B). Sorry, not so. According to the ISU, the last time the above mentioned type of lot had to be used, was in Stavanger in 2021/2022. Engebråten then lost a draw against Ichinohe. New information to me! In the Communication from that season a sentence must have been left out by mistake since the paragraph only said: "The Skater/Team with the best time achieved in the World Cup for the distance/competition concerned", NOT the following ..."except 3000+5000m for Women, 5000+10000m". As a concequence of the lost draw, Engebråten possibly lost a second Norwegian spot on the 5k in the Olympics. (...and more in theory even a spot on the 10k).