How do I install the Grill Me skill?

Run npx skillmds@latest add cleanexpo/grill-me-2 in your terminal (requires Node.js), paste this page's agent-chat prompt into Claude, Cursor, or any MCP-connected agent, or download the SKILL.md file and copy it into your agent's skills directory.

Is Grill Me safe to use?

This skill has not completed SkillMD's automated safety review yet. SkillMD never runs a skill's scripts for you; review the SKILL.md before installing.

Which AI agents work with Grill Me?

This skill is tagged as working with Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex. SKILL.md is an open format, so most agents that read a skills directory can load it too.

Is Grill Me free to use?

Yes. Installing skills from SkillMD is free, and the skill stays under its author's original license.

Who published Grill Me?

cleanexpo (@cleanexpo) published this skill. Their other Agent Skills are listed on their SkillMD profile.

Grill Me by cleanexpo — Agent Skill

Name: Grill Me
Author: cleanexpo

Grill Me

Forces explicit scope clarification before any code change. Invoked at Stage 2 of the Synthex development loop (see prd.md). Produces 3–7 scope-defining questions and waits for human confirmation before implementation begins. No code may be written until the Grilled scope is written to HANDOFF.md.

cleanexpo Updated Sep 22, 2026

File contents

/grill-me

When to invoke

Every non-trivial task enters this skill before any code is written. The loop protocol (see prd.md) makes this Stage 2.

Trivial exceptions (skip Grill-Me):

Typo fixes in existing text
Pure dependency bumps with no code change
Reverting a single commit at Phill's direct request

Everything else — Grill-Me first.

Contract

Read the ticket. Use Linear MCP to fetch the Linear issue referenced in the current loop. If no Linear ID is in scope, stop and ask for one.
Read only what the ticket names. Do not explore the codebase beyond the files and directories the ticket explicitly mentions, plus any files the user has pointed at in this session. Token discipline.
Produce 3–7 numbered questions. Each question must cover one of:
- Scope boundaries — what is explicitly out of scope?
- Data model — new tables, enum extensions, migration story?
- Failure modes — what happens if this breaks in production?
- Auth / authorisation — public? org-scoped? admin-only?
- Rollback — reversible without data loss?
- Acceptance — what does "done" look like in one sentence?
- Human gates — what needs a human before or after this ships?
State your assumption per question. If the question is unanswered, that assumption is what you will proceed with.
Wait. Do not continue to implementation until Phill responds with either:
- Direct answers per question
- The literal token proceed with assumptions
- The literal token reject (abandons the loop)

Output format

## Grill-Me — <SYN-XXX>

**Read:** ticket + <files>

**Scope as I understand it:** <one sentence>

**Questions:**

1. <question>
   *Assumption if unanswered:* <fallback>

2. <question>
   *Assumption if unanswered:* <fallback>

... (up to 7)

**What I will NOT do in this loop:** <one-sentence exclusion list>

Reply with answers, `proceed with assumptions`, or `reject`.

After confirmation

Append the confirmed scope to .claude/loop/HANDOFF.md under ## Grilled:

### <SYN-XXX> — <date>

**Confirmed scope:** <one or two sentences>

**Key decisions:**
- <decision> — <reason>
- <decision> — <reason>

**Out of scope:** <exclusion list>

Then — and only then — begin implementation.

Hard rules

No code before confirmation. Write, Edit, and NotebookEdit are off-limits until Grilled scope is written.
No more than 7 questions. If the scope needs more, the task is too big — break it into two loops.
No leading questions. Do not ask "you want X, right?" — ask the question neutrally and state your assumption separately.
One Linear ticket per Grill-Me. Compound scopes are forbidden (see prd.md §8).

---name: grill-me-2description: Forces explicit scope clarification before any code change. Invoked at Stage 2 of the Synthex development loop (see prd.md). Produces 3–7 scope-defining questions and waits for human confirmation before implementation begins. No code may be written until the Grilled scope is written to HANDOFF.md.---# /grill-me## When to invokeEvery non-trivial task enters this skill **before any code is written**. The loop protocol (see `prd.md`) makes this Stage 2.Trivial exceptions (skip Grill-Me):- Typo fixes in existing text- Pure dependency bumps with no code change- Reverting a single commit at Phill's direct requestEverything else — Grill-Me first.## Contract1. **Read the ticket.** Use Linear MCP to fetch the Linear issue referenced in the current loop. If no Linear ID is in scope, stop and ask for one.2. **Read only what the ticket names.** Do not explore the codebase beyond the files and directories the ticket explicitly mentions, plus any files the user has pointed at in this session. Token discipline.3. **Produce 3–7 numbered questions.** Each question must cover one of: - Scope boundaries — what is explicitly out of scope? - Data model — new tables, enum extensions, migration story? - Failure modes — what happens if this breaks in production? - Auth / authorisation — public? org-scoped? admin-only? - Rollback — reversible without data loss? - Acceptance — what does "done" look like in one sentence? - Human gates — what needs a human before or after this ships?4. **State your assumption per question.** If the question is unanswered, that assumption is what you will proceed with.5. **Wait.** Do not continue to implementation until Phill responds with either: - Direct answers per question - The literal token `proceed with assumptions` - The literal token `reject` (abandons the loop)## Output format```## Grill-Me — <SYN-XXX>**Read:** ticket + <files>**Scope as I understand it:** <one sentence>**Questions:**1. <question> *Assumption if unanswered:* <fallback>2. <question> *Assumption if unanswered:* <fallback>... (up to 7)**What I will NOT do in this loop:** <one-sentence exclusion list>Reply with answers, `proceed with assumptions`, or `reject`.```## After confirmationAppend the confirmed scope to `.claude/loop/HANDOFF.md` under `## Grilled`:```### <SYN-XXX> — <date>**Confirmed scope:** <one or two sentences>**Key decisions:**- <decision> — <reason>- <decision> — <reason>**Out of scope:** <exclusion list>```Then — and only then — begin implementation.## Hard rules- **No code before confirmation.** Write, Edit, and NotebookEdit are off-limits until Grilled scope is written.- **No more than 7 questions.** If the scope needs more, the task is too big — break it into two loops.- **No leading questions.** Do not ask "you want X, right?" — ask the question neutrally and state your assumption separately.- **One Linear ticket per Grill-Me.** Compound scopes are forbidden (see prd.md §8).

Frequently asked questions