verification-before-completionlisted

# Verification Before Completion ## Contents - [Overview](#overview) - [Iron Law](#iron-law) - [Acceptance Criteria Iron Law](#acceptance-criteria-iron-law) - [Hard Finalization Order](#hard-finalization-order) - [Gate Function](#gate-function) - [Completion-Check Format](#completion-check-format) - [Common Failures](#common-failures) - [Red Flags](#red-flags) - [Rationalization Defense](#rationalization-defense) - [Verification Patterns](#verification-patterns) - [Why It Matters](#why-it-matters) - [External Tool Web-Search-First Gate](#external-tool-web-search-first-gate) - [Evaluator Artifact Contract](#evaluator-artifact-contract) - [When To Apply](#when-to-apply) - [Final Self-Check](#final-self-check) ## Overview Completion without fresh evidence is not efficiency. It is a lie. Core principles: - Evidence always comes before the claim. - The letter of the rule and the spirit of the rule are the same rule. - A surrounding signal is not direct proof unless it satisfies the relevant criterion. ## Iron Law ```text Do not claim completion without fresh verification evidence from this turn. ``` If the verification command or inspection did not run in this message, do not claim that it passed. ## Acceptance Criteria Iron Law ```text No acceptance-criteria means no completed verification-before-completion. ``` Before any claim that executed work is complete, fixed, successful, or freshly verified, extract verifiable criteria from the user intent, locked decisions, a