From a01f979b6e86d24a798968d5341788e008f96caf Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Teknium <127238744+teknium1@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Sun, 2 Aug 2026 22:31:52 -0700
Subject: [PATCH] perf(tools): restore benchmark-sensitive phrasing in
 compacted description

Round-2 A/B (gpt-4o-mini, 6 reps) showed two passages could not survive
paraphrase: the DO-NOT-USE list needs the arrow-list shape with the
'no reasoning needed' qualifier (prose form regressed mechanical-work
routing 6/6->1/6), and the self-report rule needs the concrete
'claiming uploaded successfully may be wrong' framing (without it,
side-effect verification regressed 6/6->2/6). With both restored:
30/42 vs 30/42 on gpt-4o-mini and intent-parity on claude-haiku-4.5.
Final size: 1,900 chars (from 3,963).
---
 tools/delegate_tool.py | 23 +++++++++++++----------
 1 file changed, 13 insertions(+), 10 deletions(-)

diff --git a/tools/delegate_tool.py b/tools/delegate_tool.py
index cbcb6755cc562..13e2143336b67 100644
--- a/tools/delegate_tool.py
+++ b/tools/delegate_tool.py
@@ -3670,20 +3670,23 @@ def _build_top_level_description() -> str:
         "poll; continue other work.\n\n"
         "USE FOR: reasoning-heavy subtasks, work that would flood your context "
         "with intermediate data, or independent parallel workstreams.\n"
-        "DO NOT USE FOR: a single tool call; mechanical multi-step work (use "
-        "execute_code); tasks needing user interaction; or durable work that "
-        "must survive this session (use cronjob or terminal(background=True, "
-        "notify_on_complete=True) — /stop, /new, or process exit discards "
-        "running subagents).\n\n"
+        "DO NOT USE FOR (use these instead):\n"
+        "- Mechanical multi-step work with no reasoning needed -> execute_code\n"
+        "- A single tool call -> call the tool directly\n"
+        "- Tasks needing user interaction -> subagents cannot ask questions\n"
+        "- Durable work that must survive this session -> cronjob or "
+        "terminal(background=True, notify_on_complete=True); /stop, /new, or "
+        "process exit discards running subagents.\n\n"
         "RULES:\n"
         "- Children know nothing of this conversation: pass everything needed "
         "via 'context', including any required output language, tone, or "
         "style (e.g. \"respond in Chinese\").\n"
-        "- Child summaries are SELF-REPORTS, not verified facts. For external "
-        "side effects (uploads, remote writes, publishing), require a "
-        "verifiable handle (URL, ID, absolute path) and verify it yourself — "
-        "fetch the URL, stat the file, read back the content — before "
-        "reporting success.\n"
+        "- Child summaries are SELF-REPORTS, not verified facts: a child "
+        "claiming \"uploaded successfully\" or \"file written\" may be wrong. "
+        "For external side effects (uploads, remote writes, publishing), "
+        "require a verifiable handle (URL, ID, absolute path) and verify it "
+        "yourself — fetch the URL, stat the file, read back the content — "
+        "before telling the user the operation succeeded.\n"
         "- Leaf children (the default) cannot call delegate_task, clarify, "
         "memory, send_message, or cronjob; orchestrators regain only "
         "delegate_task.\n"