Purpose

Produce a model-neutral problem contract. Do not start from favorite algorithms or infer missing attachments.

Inputs

• complete problem statement and attachments list;
• contest rules and required deliverables;
• user clarifications;
• existing parse when revising.

Workflow

1. Record source files and missing referenced material.
2. Extract the global objective and each Qx verbatim enough to preserve intent.
3. For each Qx identify:
   • goal;
   • objects/entities;
   • inputs and data;
   • decisions or unknowns;
   • hard and soft constraints;
   • required output and format;
   • evaluation/success criteria;
   • dependencies on other Qx;
   • uncertainty and ambiguity.
4. Separate:
   • statement facts;
   • observations from supplied data;
   • proposed relationships;
   • assumptions requiring human judgment.
5. If output form or success criteria are materially ambiguous, invoke one choice card. Do not choose the framing silently.
6. Save:
   • planning/parse/problem_parse.json
   • an optional concise planning/parse/problem_parse.md only when a human-readable view is useful.
7. Update the manifest status when present.

JSON Contract

{
  "schema_version": 1,
  "problem_source": [],
  "global_goal": "",
  "objects": [],
  "data_inventory": [],
  "global_constraints": [],
  "subquestions": [
    {
      "id": "Q1",
      "statement": "",
      "goal": "",
      "inputs": [],
      "unknowns_or_decisions": [],
      "constraints": [],
      "required_outputs": [],
      "success_criteria": [],
      "dependencies": [],
      "proposed_relationships": [],
      "ambiguities": []
    }
  ],
  "missing_material": [],
  "human_decisions_needed": []
}

Rules