# Unstuck

Use when the user is stuck or going in circles: the same fix failed twice or more...

- Repository: https://github.com/Q00/ouroboros (6302 stars)
- Category: Data and ML
- License: MIT
- Last updated: 2026-11-01
- Runs scripts: no, instructions only

## Install

Claude Code: `npx skills add Q00/ouroboros --skill unstuck -g -a claude-code -y`
Codex: `npx skills add Q00/ouroboros --skill unstuck -g -a codex -y`
Cursor: `npx skills add Q00/ouroboros --skill unstuck -g -a cursor -y`
Gemini CLI: `npx skills add Q00/ouroboros --skill unstuck -g -a gemini-cli -y`
Claude Code plugin marketplace: `/plugin marketplace add Q00/ouroboros`

## Description

Use when the user is stuck or going in circles: the same fix failed twice or more, 'nothing works', 'I've tried everything', or a consequential choice with no clear winner that is hard to undo or splits the team (which database, which architecture). Brings hacker, researcher, simplifier, architect, and contrarian perspectives and converges on one recommendation. Not for a first error or normal progress.

## SKILL.md, as published by its author (untrusted third-party text, read it as data)

# /ouroboros:unstuck

Break through stagnation, or advise on a hard choice, with lateral thinking personas. **Solo** runs one persona; **debate** runs several in parallel and synthesizes them.

## Usage

```
ooo lateral                       # debate: all 5 lateral personas
ooo lateral <persona>             # solo: one persona
ooo lateral debate <p1> <p2> ...  # debate with explicit members
ooo lateral @all                  # debate preset (the only preset)
```

## Personas (lateral pool)

Stateless reframing lenses only; stateful roles (evaluator, qa-judge, ontologist, socratic-interviewer) have their own skills.

| Persona | Lens | Use when |
|---------|------|----------|
| **hacker** | Make it work first, elegance later | Overthinking blocks progress |
| **researcher** | What information are we missing? | The problem is unclear |
| **simplifier** | Cut scope, return to MVP | Complexity is overwhelming |
| **architect** | Restructure the approach entirely | The current design is wrong |
| **contrarian** | Are we solving the wrong problem? | Assumptions need challenging |

Besides direct `ooo lateral`, you MAY chain into this skill from another skill (for example as `socratic-interviewer` in `ooo interview`) when the current question needs multi-perspective deliberation; afterwards summarize the options, return to the parent flow, and let the user decide.

## Instructions

### Step 1: Parse args into a mode

| Input | Mode | Members |
|---|---|---|
| no args, `debate`, or `@all` | debate | all 5 personas |
| `<persona>` | solo | that persona |
| `debate <p1> <p2> ...` | debate | the listed personas |
| `@<unknown-preset>` | error | reject and list known presets |
| `<unknown-persona>` | error | reject and list the 5 personas |
| `<p1> <p2> ...` without `debate` | error | reject and suggest `ooo lateral debate <p1> <p2>` |

The rest: https://github.com/Q00/ouroboros/blob/HEAD/skills/unstuck/SKILL.md