# The scissors test

**You need:** one section: a heading and the text under it.

## Instructions for the AI
Read this section as if the rest of the page were gone. Verdict SURVIVES if it still answers a question with its source and date, otherwise DIES. List each rule it breaks, quoting the words: answer first; heading answers; name the thing; date, place and source inside; one idea; define first; tables compare. Answer in JSON: verdict, and each broken rule with its quote.

## The seven rules
1. Answer first: the first sentence answers the question.
2. Heading answers: the heading states the answer.
3. Name the thing: never "it", use the name.
4. Date, place and source inside: all three in the fact's own sentence.
5. One idea: one idea per section.
6. Define first: define a term before you use it.
7. Tables compare: anything compared goes in a table.

## Read the answer
- DIES: fix it with the rewrite file, then run this test again.
- SURVIVES with broken rules: it stands alone, and the list is your polish.
- If a quote is not in your section, throw the answer away.

## How we tested it
Fresh Claude Sonnet sessions, 2 October 2026, on the three passages from the talk: DIES, DIES, SURVIVES. The verdict and the rule list are separate on purpose: our first version killed any section that broke any rule, including one that does stand alone. We ran this whole file again the same day on the same three passages: the same three verdicts.

## Use it
Paste this whole file into a new chat in any AI tool, add your section at the end, send. One section per chat.

## Your input
Section: [one heading and its text]