Agents

The scratch_pad is missing updates for cycles 21-25. Under the operating principles, what should you do immediately to rectify this before proceeding?

Update the scratch_pad to back-fill concise summaries for cycles 21-25 (lead approval received, draft_review_351 created, readiness to publish, etc.), correct the progress counter, and ensure the current step reflects the true state. Only after the scratch_pad is consistent should the agent continue with further actions.

Reasoning: According to the operating principles and scratch_pad protocol, the scratch_pad must be updated at every cycle to reflect the current step, a brief summary of the result, remaining goals, notes/assumptions, and a progress counter (e.g., 'Step 3 of 7'). The context states that the scratch_pad is missing updates for cycles 21-25, even though substantial progress occurred during those cycles: the draft review was created, a policy uncertainty was raised and resolved, and the agent is about to finalize and publish the review. This is a clear deviation from the protocol.

Before proceeding to posting or marking the review as complete, the correct immediate action is to update the scratch_pad with accurate entries for cycles 21-25. This should include what was done in each cycle (e.g., drafting the review, requesting input, receiving lead’s response) along with any remaining goals or notes relevant at each step. Only after the scratch_pad is fully caught up and consistent should the agent proceed with publishing the review and subsequently marking the review as complete.

Skipping the scratch_pad update would violate both determinism and the mandated sequence, risking loss of traceability and violating the agent's operating contract.

Response: Immediately update the scratch_pad with brief but complete entries for cycles 21, 22, 23, 24, and 25, following the protocol: summarize what occurred in each cycle, note any remaining goals or uncertainties, and include the progress counter. Once the scratch_pad accurately reflects all cycles up to the present, you may proceed with final review steps, such as publishing the review and marking the task as complete. Do not take further actions until the scratch_pad is current and compliant with mandated operating procedures.