[idd-verify] DA timeout sentinel string variant — coordinator auto-detect missed (observed in downstream verify)

[kiki830621]

Problem

idd-verify skill v2.59.0+ Step 2 specifies DA timeout sentinel:

[STAGE 2.5 RECOVERY: DEVILS_ADVOCATE_TIMEOUT_<n>/4]

Step 2.5a coordinator detection uses regex matching ^\[STAGE 2.5 RECOVERY: DEVILS_ADVOCATE_TIMEOUT_.

Observed variant

During /idd-verify --pr 82 (in downstream repo PsychQuantHsu/psychophysical_representations), DA Agent wrote a variant sentinel marker:

[STAGE 2.5 PARTIAL: DEVILS_ADVOCATE_DEGRADED_1/4]

Note 3 differences:

• RECOVERY → PARTIAL
• TIMEOUT → DEGRADED
• Otherwise structurally identical (same prefix bracket, same _<n>/4 suffix)

Coordinator's Step 2.5a regex ^\[STAGE 2.5 RECOVERY: DEVILS_ADVOCATE_TIMEOUT_ does NOT match this variant → auto-retry never fires → manual fallback (coordinator manually triggered round 2) was needed.

Why LLM produced variant

Speculation: Agent prompt's STAGE 2.5 RECOVERY: DEVILS_ADVOCATE_TIMEOUT_ literal is embedded inside a long instruction. LLM paraphrased semantically (RECOVERY → PARTIAL is synonymous; TIMEOUT → DEGRADED similarly) when constructing the output. Without "MUST be verbatim" emphasis, the literal drift is plausible.

Suggested fix

Two options (one preferred, both acceptable):

Option A (forgiving): extend coordinator regex

In Step 2.5a of skills/idd-verify markdown, change detection from:

elif head -1 "$f" | grep -q '^\[STAGE 2.5 RECOVERY: DEVILS_ADVOCATE_TIMEOUT_'; then

to:

elif head -1 "$f" | grep -qE '^\[STAGE 2\.5 (RECOVERY|PARTIAL): DEVILS_ADVOCATE_(TIMEOUT|DEGRADED)_'; then

Matches both canonical and observed variant + future-proofs against further LLM rephrasing.

Option B (stricter): tighten Step 2 DA prompt template

Add explicit "verbatim — do not rephrase" instruction in Step 2 DA prompt for the sentinel marker block. Example wording:

CRITICAL: Write the sentinel marker on the first line verbatim as: [STAGE 2.5 RECOVERY: DEVILS_ADVOCATE_TIMEOUT_<N>/4] — do not substitute "RECOVERY" → "PARTIAL" or "TIMEOUT" → "DEGRADED". Coordinator's regex-detection depends on the exact literal.

Recommendation

Option A — forgiving regex is more robust against future LLM rephrasing (whichever model is running). Option B keeps drifting as a single-point-of-failure in prompt discipline. Either way the fix is one-line change to skills/idd-verify/skill.md.

Acceptance

• Update Step 2.5a regex OR Step 2 DA prompt template (pick one)
• Test: simulate DA writing variant sentinel — coordinator should detect + retry/fallback fires
• Document choice in CHANGELOG / release notes

Cross-link

Downstream tracker: PsychQuantHsu/psychophysical_representations#88

Origin observation: /idd-verify --pr 82 round 1 process gap (2026-05-12).