---
name: grill
description: >
  Calibrated interrogation to stress-test a fuzzy plan, design, or architecture before writing a spec or code.
  Asks one question at a time with recommended answers to extract concrete goals (§G) and constraints (§C).
  Use when asked to "grill me", "stress-test this", "challenge my plan", or before authoring a spec.
concerns: [system-one-balance]
---

# Grill — Calibrated Plan Stress-Testing

Drags ambiguity into concrete goals (§G) and constraints (§C) *before* execution begins. A bad assumption caught here costs one question; caught later, it costs an architectural refactor.

---

## Phase 0: Setup and Protocols

1. **Interrogation Invariants**:
   - **One Question at a Time**: Never ask multiple questions in a single turn. Ask one question, provide a recommended answer, and wait.
   - **Recommend an Answer**: Always provide a concrete default so the user can reply with "yes" or choose an alternative.
   - **Inspect Context First**: If an answer can be found in files, code, docs, or git history, inspect them directly instead of asking the user.
   - **Propose, Don't Decide**: Challenge tradeoffs and surface hidden edge cases, but leave final product choices to the user.

---

## Phase 1: Ingest and Check

1. Determine user knowledge and desired pressure level from context:
   - **Knowledge Level**:
     - *New*: Explain missing frames briefly (2 sentences); focus on first principles and goals.
     - *Working*: Challenge standard tradeoffs, alternatives, and validation criteria.
     - *Expert*: Probe failure modes, boundary limits, migration costs, and reversibility.
   - **Pressure Level**:
     - *Light*: Clarify goals, scope, and missing definitions.
     - *Standard*: Challenge assumptions, resource bottlenecks, and execution paths.
     - *Hard*: Probe edge cases, adverse incentives, failure modes, and rollback mechanisms.

---

## Phase 2: Processing (Core Logic)

Climb the Question Ladder in sequence. Stop as soon as the plan is clear; do not ask every rung by reflex:
1. **Goal (§G)**: What must the code or feature accomplish in one single, unambiguous sentence?
2. **Done Criteria (§C / §V)**: What observable signal (test, metric, terminal output) proves this works?
3. **Boundaries (§C)**: What is explicitly *out of scope* for this change?
4. **Non-Negotiables (§C)**: What architectural patterns, libraries, or constraints are strictly required or forbidden?
5. **Surfaces (§I)**: What external membranes (API endpoints, CLI flags, DB tables, schemas) will be modified?
6. **Failure Modes (§V)**: What is the primary edge case or input that breaks the happy path?
7. **Unknowns (`?`)**: What do we not yet know? (Park unresolved items as `?` bullets; do not guess them).

### Question Format
```text
Question: ...
Recommended answer: ...
Why it matters: [1 sentence rationale]
```

---

## Phase 3: The System One Balance Pass

- **Augment, Don't Handcuff**:
  - Stop grilling immediately once the goal and boundaries are defined.
  - Never interrogate the user on routine file edits, typo fixes, or straightforward tasks.
  - Accept the user's recommended answer or override without debate.

---

## Phase 4: Output Execution & Verification

Stop grilling when **all** of the following hold:
- §G is one line, one reading, zero "or maybe".
- §C covers every non-negotiable stated or implied.
- Every blocking unknown is answered or parked as an explicit `?`.

Emit the structured handoff block to pass to the **spec** or **build** workflow:
```markdown
## Grill Handoff
- **§G**: [One-line goal]
- **§C**: [Constraints and non-negotiables]
- **§I**: [Surfaces touched]
- **Parked Unknowns (`?`)**: [Items deferred to research]
```