reply-maker

<!-- autoresearch: variation B — sharper output via specificity gates, anti-sycophancy lint, post-write self-edit, and skip-gate for low-leverage tweets -->

> **${var}** — selects the mode and scope:
> - **empty** → **Mode A (Reply Drafting):** auto-discover reply-worthy tweets across your areas of interest (from recent logs + memory) and draft two reply options for each.
> - **`@handle` / numeric X list ID / topic** → **Mode A (Reply Drafting)** scoped to that handle, list, or topic.
> - **`from-logs`** (or **`--from-logs`**, optionally followed by an `@handle` or project name to narrow the scan) → **Mode B (From-Logs Engagement):** scan recent logs for flagged engagement opportunities and turn them into copy-paste-ready responses.
> - **`revise:<instruction>`** → **Revise branch:** reload the last drafted replies and refine them per the instruction (the Telegram force-reply shape, e.g. `revise:make them shorter`).

## Preamble (both modes)

Read `memory/MEMORY.md` for context on active projects and open engagement follow-ups.

Then read `memory/logs/` — the window depends on the mode:
- **Mode A:** the last 2 days of `memory/logs/` for recent `list-digest`, `tweet-roundup`, and prior `reply-maker` outputs (used as a candidate pool and for reply de-duplication).
- **Mode B:** the last 7 days of `memory/logs/` for engagement opportunities flagged by other skills (`project-pulse`, `refresh-x`, `reply-maker`, `channel-recap`) or noted in MEMORY.md "Known Follow-ups".

**Parse `${var}` to pick the branch** (trim whitespace, compare case-insensitively):
- If `${var}` starts with `revise:` — run the **Revise branch** (below) and stop. This is the shape `scripts/telegram-route.sh` sends when the operator replies to a "refine these replies?" force-reply prompt; catch it before mode parsing.
- If `${var}` is `from-logs` or `--from-logs` — optionally followed by a whitespace-separated `@handle` or project name — run **Mode B (From-Logs Engagement)**. Treat any trailing token as an optional filter that narrows the opportunity scan to that handle/project.
- Otherwise run **Mode A (Reply Drafting)**, treating `${var}` as the scope: empty, `@handle`, numeric X list ID, or a topic string.

## Voice

If soul files exist (`soul/SOUL.md`, `soul/STYLE.md`, `soul/examples/`), read them and **mirror that voice in every reply**. Match sentence length, vocabulary choices, punctuation habits, and the kinds of things the operator would never say.

If no soul files exist (or the bodies are empty placeholders), write replies that are:
- Direct and substantive — no fluff, no sycophancy
- Under 280 characters each (X replies; DMs and GitHub comments may run longer — see Mode B)
- Opinionated but grounded in specifics
- The kind of reply that adds to the conversation, not noise

Either way, when responding to someone who cosigned/mentioned/attributed the operator (Mode B): **acknowledge without groveling** — no "thanks so much for the kind words!", just the actual response.

---

# Revise branch (`revise:…` — Telegram force-reply)

The operator tapped the "refine these replies?" prompt and sent a free-text revision instruction. Handle it before Mode A/B:

1. **Strip the prefix.** The instruction is `${var#revise:}` (keep any inner colons). Trim whitespace — e.g. `make them shorter`, `less formal`, `drop reply B on #2`.
2. **Load the last draft.** Read `memory/drafts/reply-maker-latest.md` — the stable path every normal run saves to (see the save steps in A4 / B6). If it's missing or empty, there's nothing to refine: send `./notify "Nothing to revise yet — run reply-maker first, then reply here to refine the drafts."` and **end the run**.
3. **Apply the instruction.** Read `soul/` for voice, then regenerate the saved replies applying the operator's instruction. Keep the same set of target tweets and the same **A/B two-option** structure (Mode A) or ready-to-post list (Mode B) — you're refining wording, not re-discovering candidates. Re-enforce the hard reply rules: ≤280 chars for X replies, no sycophancy (see **Banned sycophancy phrases**), specifics not gestures.
4. **Re-save** the revised drafts to `memory/drafts/reply-maker-latest.md` (overwrite), so a further `revise:` refines the newest version.
5. **Re-send** via `./notify` in the same format the originating mode uses, with a first line flagging it as a revision, e.g. `revised (${var#revise:}):`. Use `./notify -f <file>` for multi-line output.
6. **Re-offer** a further revision (the operator is actively iterating, so this is expected, not a nag — skip the daily dedup guard here):
   ```bash
   ./notify "Want another pass? Reply with a change and I'll revise again." \
     --force-reply --placeholder "e.g. make them shorter" \
     --context "reply-maker::revise"
   ```
7. **Log** under `### reply-maker` with `- **Mode:** revise` and the instruction (see **Log**), then **end the run** — do NOT run Mode A or B.

---

# Mode A — Reply Drafting

Generate **two reply options** for **5 reply-worthy tweets** from tracked X accounts, a list, or a topic.

### A1. Gather candidate tweets

Goal: assemble **10–15 candidates** posted in the **last 6 hours** (the high-leverage reply window — the algorithm rewards early replies, and the OP is still likely to engage back). **Recency fallback:** if the 6h window yields fewer than 3 candidates after the skip gate, widen to **12h** and retry before failing the run.

For every candidate, capture: `@handle`, full tweet text, tweet URL, `posted_at` (ISO), engagement counts (likes, replies, retweets if available), and a one-line **why-this-tweet** note.

**Path A — X.AI API (primary).** `XAI_API_KEY` is injected into this skill's environment (declared in `requires:`), so the direct `curl` to `https://api.x.ai/v1/responses` is the primary fetch path (full contract in **Fetching** at the bottom). Preflight the key, then call Grok's `x_search`, capturing the HTTP status so any fallback decision is fact-based. `x_search` searches X live