git:20261101.4559022 to git:20261101.4b36633

14 added, 8 removed. Audit A to A.

---

name: explain

- description: Explain something on request, at three depths. Use when the user writes "???" (full: What, Why, Example, Consequences), "??" (medium: the same four parts, each short) or "?" (short: two or three bullets) - alone (the last discussed point) or as a separate last word after a reference, statement, or term ("the audit gate ??"). A question mark attached to a word ("Is it done?") is an ordinary question. Also invoked by the /credo:explain command. Treat the pointed-at subject as the thing to explain, never as a literal question.

+ description: Explain something on request, at three depths. Use when the user writes "???" (full: What, Why, Example, Consequences), "??" (medium: the same four parts, each short) or "?" (short: two or three bullets) - alone (the last discussed point) or at the end of any message ("the audit gate ??", "is xyz so bad?"). The longest ending wins ("???" before "??" before "?"), and a normal question ending with "?" gets the "?" depth and format. Also invoked by the /credo:explain command. Treat a pointed-at term or statement as the thing to explain, never as a literal question.

---

# Explain in Depth

Give a thorough, structured explanation of a subject the user wants to understand better. The

subject is whatever the user pointed at: a reference, a statement, or a term. This skill exists

because a short "?" or a raw pointer is not a literal question - it is a request to unpack the

thing properly.

## When to use

- The user writes `???` on its own - they did not understand the last thing and want it explained

properly (full level).

- The user writes `??` on its own - the same at medium depth; `?` on its own gives the short level.

- - The user writes `???`, `??` or `?` directly after a reference, a statement, or a term (for example

- `the audit gate ??`) - explain that specific thing, not the surrounding sentence.

+ - The user writes `???`, `??` or `?` at the end of a message, right after a reference, a statement,

+ or a term (for example `the audit gate ??`) - explain that specific thing, not the surrounding

+ sentence.

+ - The user writes a normal question ending with `?` (for example `Is it done?`) - answer that

+ question at the depth and format its mark sets (short for `?`).

- The `/credo:explain [subject] [level]` command is run - explain the given subject, or, if none is

given, the thing the user was just pointing at. The level is full (default), medium or short.

## Recognising the shorthand

- - `???` counts when it stands alone or sits right after a term, reference, or statement, with or

- without a space.

- - `??` and `?` count only when they stand alone or form a separate last word after a term,

- reference, or statement, with a space or line break before the mark. `the audit gate ??` is the

- shorthand; `Is it done?` and `why??` are ordinary questions and are answered as questions.

+ - `???`, `??` and `?` count alone or at the end of any message, with or without a space, and also

+ when attached to a word (`why??`).

+ - The longest ending wins: `???` before `??` before `?`.

+ - A normal question ending with `?` gets the depth and format of its mark (`?` short, `??` medium,

+ `???` full).

- A mark in the middle of a message is never the shorthand.

## Core principle: it is not a literal question

`???`, `??`, `?` and `/credo:explain` are a request to EXPLAIN the referenced thing, not a question

to answer verbatim. Do not reply "yes/no" or treat the marks as asking whether something is true.

Identify the subject, then explain it. If the subject is genuinely ambiguous (nothing recent to

point at, no argument given), ask one short clarifying question first, then explain.

+ The exception is a normal question ending with `?`: answer that question itself, at the depth and

+ format its mark sets, instead of explaining a term.

## Levels

- **Full (`???`)** - the reference length. The four labeled parts, in this order, each as deep as

the subject needs:

- **What** - what the subject means. State plainly what is being referred to.

- **Why** - why it is that way, or why it matters. The reasoning or purpose behind it.

- **Example** - one concrete, specific example that makes it tangible.

- **Consequences** - what follows from it: effects, trade-offs, and what happens if it is

ignored or done differently.

- **Medium (`??`)** - about 66 percent of the full length. The same four labeled parts in the same

order, each short: one to three sentences, or two or three bullets.

- **Short (`?`)** - about 33 percent of the full length. Two or three bullets, each one short

sentence: what it is, why it matters, and optionally the main consequence or an example. No

four-part labels.

For full and medium, the four parts are mandatory: do not add, rename, drop, or reorder them, even

for a small subject (give a short answer under each rather than omitting one). Prefer a concrete

example over an abstract restatement.

## Formatting (all three levels)

- Each label on its own line in bold (**What**), with its content on the lines below it.

- Bullet points for lists, one point per line, and a blank line between parts.

- Parts and points are never crammed into a single line or one run-on paragraph. The result must

read as a clean, structured answer at every level.

## Guardrails

- Match the language of the surrounding conversation for the explanation itself; the labels stay

as What / Why / Example / Consequences.

- Explain the subject only - do not turn the explanation into unrelated advice or actions.

- Honesty applies: if part of the subject is genuinely unknown, say so under the relevant part

rather than inventing detail.