type: rule
status: active
timestamp: 2026-06-26
tags: [agent-behavior, preferences, mcq, askuserquestion]
status: active
timestamp: 2026-06-26
tags: [agent-behavior, preferences, mcq, askuserquestion]
4 options per MCQ (default)
MCQs: exactly 4 ranked options (Recommended + 2nd choice + 2 others). Never 3 or 2
4 options per MCQ (default)
Rule
Every multi-choice question prompt MCQ ships exactly 4 ranked options. Option 1 = Recommended (suffix (Recommended)). Option 2 = 2nd choice (suffix (2nd choice)). Options 3-4 = other viable shapes. Never fewer than 4.
How to apply
- Always 4 options. If you can’t think of 4 viable shapes, you’re not ready to ask — research first or grill at a different granularity.
- Rank explicitly: Recommended must be your honest top pick, not a “balanced” middle.
- Suffix
(Recommended)and(2nd choice)are mandatory labels. - Keep option labels short — long labels overlay decision-critical prose on Windows Git Bash TUI (known harness bug).
- Up to 4 questions per call (SDK limit); each question still gets its own 4 options.
Why
User locked this on 2026-06-26 (Q5) — picked “4 options always” over “2-4 depending on fork width.”
Captured
2026-06-26 session, Q5 of 24-question grill.