git:20260824.da779f9 to git:20260824.dfd64f3

---

{

"name": "grill-me",

"description": "Interview the user relentlessly about a plan or design until reaching shared understanding, resolving each branch of the decision tree. Use when user wants to stress-test a plan, get grilled on their design, or mentions 'grill me'.",

"credit": "Matt Peacock (mattpocock/skills)"

}

---

# Grill Me

A relentless interview to sharpen a plan or design — by **Matt Peacock** ([mattpocock/skills](https://github.com/mattpocock/skills)).

## Use case

Use this skill when the user wants to:

- Stress-test a plan or design before implementation.

- Challenge assumptions, unclear goals, and weak tradeoffs.

- Expose gaps and blind spots in a proposal.

- Reach shared understanding on a complex decision.

- Mentions "grill me" or asks to be grilled.

## Core principle

Grilling is a **stateless interview primitive**. It writes no files and leaves no workspace behind. The only output is a sharper version of the idea, in the user's own head.

## Workflow

1. **Start fresh** — Invoke this skill in a fresh conversation, not on top of an existing plan.

2. **Ask one question at a time** — Walk down each branch of the design tree, resolving dependencies between decisions one-by-one.

3. **Provide recommended answers** — For each question, offer your recommended answer alongside the question.

4. **Explore the codebase** — If a question can be answered by exploring the codebase, explore it instead of asking.

5. **Resolve the frontier** — Each round covers the entire frontier: every question whose prerequisites have already been settled.

6. **No backtracking** — Never ask something that hinges on an answer you haven't heard yet.

## Rules

- Ask questions **one at a time**, not in batches.

- Always provide a **recommended answer** for each question.

- Explore the codebase when possible rather than asking the user.

- Be relentless but constructive — challenge weak spots, don't just criticize.

- Cover every branch of the decision tree before moving on.

- Stop when all branches are resolved and shared understanding is reached.

## Quality gates

- Every question has been answered or resolved.

- No open decision branches remain.

- The user can articulate the plan clearly without hedging.

- Weak assumptions have been identified and either strengthened or replaced.

## Credit

This skill is based on the work of **Matt Peacock** ([@mattpocock](https://github.com/mattpocock)). Original source: [mattpocock/skills - grill-me](https://github.com/mattpocock/skills/tree/main/skills/productivity/grill-me). Licensed under MIT.