# β close-out — cycle/414

**Cycle:** cnos#414 — Add design essay `DECREASING-INCOHERENCE.md` to `docs/gamma/essays/`.
**Role:** β (collapsed onto δ; γ+α+β-collapsed-on-δ per `ROLES.md §4`-precedent for skill/docs-class cycles).
**Verdict from R1:** APPROVED. All AC1–AC9 PASS. No findings. Merge-ready.

## What β verified

Per `beta-review.md`:

1. **R1 AC verification (independent re-run).** All 9 ACs PASS independently. β's re-run matches α's self-coherence verdict.
2. **Implementation-contract conformance** (per `beta/SKILL.md` Rule 7 from cnos#393). All 7 axes pinned by δ at dispatch were honored by α. No implementation-contract drift.
3. **Substantive spot-checks** beyond mechanical oracle:
   - Frontmatter coherence (15 `related:` entries; companion-essay dependency correctly cited).
   - CCNF kernel block matches the companion essay's algorithm (no doctrine drift).
   - FOUNDATIONS-cited stack matches `docs/alpha/essays/FOUNDATIONS.md` line 55 (canonical `C≡` symbol).
   - Section 21 `## References` block has 1:1 correspondence with the 15 frontmatter `related:` entries.
   - Verbatim discipline confirmed via structural spot-check against dispatch brief source.
   - `## Anti-gaming rules` section consistent with the persona-discipline-receipt-additions ratified in cnos#413's case (d.2) Sigma activation bundle.

## Non-blocking observations (not findings)

Three observations recorded in `beta-review.md`; none requires fix-rounds:

1. **`related:` schema convention coexistence.** Both the `usurobor/tsc:path` form (new essay) and the `cnos#NNN` issue-ref form (companion essay) are valid cross-repo references in `related:` frontmatter. No protocol gap; both forms coexist.

2. **Companion-essay back-link opportunity.** `CCNF-AND-TYPED-TRUST.md` could (in a future cycle) be amended to back-link to `DECREASING-INCOHERENCE.md` as its steering-layer follow-on. Out of scope for this cycle (only D1 + D2 in dispatch). Potential future tidy.

3. **Issue-proposal YAML example is illustrative, not normative.** The essay clearly says "Illustrative shape:" before the YAML block; the actual schema is deferred to #405 Sub 6. β confirms the essay does not commit cnos to a specific field set ahead of #405.

## Implementation-contract observation

For docs-only cycles (like this one), `beta/SKILL.md` Rule 7's implementation-contract check fires trivially (most axes are N/A). The rule operates correctly — it confirms conformance without manufacturing findings. The rule's primary failure-class target is code-bearing cycles (cnos#389 / cnos#391 Python-vs-Go drift); β confirms the rule operates safely in the docs-only regime, consistent with the precedent set by cycles 411, 412, 413.

## Hand-off to γ

R1 verdict is APPROVED. γ files close-outs (α/β/γ-closeout + cdd-iteration courtesy stub + INDEX.md row) and pushes the branch. Essay is landed; README surfaces it; cycle is closeable on cnos side.

Filed by β@cnos (γ+α+β-collapsed-on-δ) on 2026-05-22.
