---
cycle: 339
issue: "#339"
role: beta
---

# Beta Close-out — Cycle #339

## Review Context

**Issue:** #339 — cdd/release: mechanical pre-merge closure-gate enforcement + rubric closure-gate-failure handling (§3.8)

**Mode:** docs-only (§2.5b disconnect)

**β session start:** `origin/main` at `00e6f8e2ee4c6dfeabac6ab973853942d5634174`; `origin/cycle/339` at `7383716636e59d397178100e50ad88ef836a0d52`

**Skills loaded at intake:** `CDD.md`, `beta/SKILL.md`, `review/SKILL.md`, `release/SKILL.md`

**Review surfaces read:** git diff `origin/main..origin/cycle/339`, `.cdd/unreleased/339/` (self-coherence.md, alpha-closeout.md, cdd-iteration.md), `.cdd/iterations/INDEX.md`, `scripts/validate-release-gate.sh` (current + diff), `src/packages/cnos.cdd/skills/cdd/release/SKILL.md §3.8` (current + diff), issue #339 body.

---

## Narrowing Pattern

**R1 only (no RC).**

The cycle presented clean implementation for both deliverables:

- AC1 (gate script): the `--mode pre-merge` extension reuses the existing artifact-presence loop by parameterizing on `REQUIRED` array selection. The triadic cycle detection via `beta-review.md` presence was consistent with `CDD.md §1.2`. Diagnostic format (cycle number + filename) matched the oracle specification verbatim. Positive and negative fixtures verified by β before merge.

- AC2 (§3.8 amendment): the override clause was placed before the geometric-mean line (source-order constraint satisfied). The letter normalization paragraph declared `C−` as the operator-visible projection of `<C` without ambiguity. Cross-references to `gamma/SKILL.md §2.10` and `CDD.md §5.3b` present in both the script diagnostic and the §3.8 text.

- AC3 (SHA verification): all 6 empirical anchor SHAs resolved via `git show`. Source files for F2 and F7 exist and contain the referenced content.

- AC5 (cdd-iteration.md): both findings structured correctly per Step 5.6b with required fields; disposition `patch-landed`; INDEX.md row consistent with finding count.

No RC was required. The only observations were: the gate bootstrapping gap (O1, B-level — inherent to the protocol, not an implementation defect), the deferred `operator/SKILL.md §3.4` update (O2, B-level — disclosed known debt per issue scope), and the missing `eng/writing/SKILL.md` at the declared path (O3, A-level — disclosed friction, no content gap).

---

## Merge Evidence

**Merge commit:** `544a0843b14e92a126c874e4377c46375dcd4a01`

**Merge commit message:** `Closes #339: mechanical pre-merge closure-gate enforcement + §3.8 rubric amendment (docs-only)`

**Author:** `Beta <beta@cdd.cnos>` (verified via `git config --get user.email` = `beta@cdd.cnos` before merge)

**Strategy:** `--no-ff` (non-fast-forward); `ort` strategy; zero conflicts

**Files merged (6):**
- `.cdd/iterations/INDEX.md` (row added)
- `.cdd/unreleased/339/alpha-closeout.md` (new, provisional)
- `.cdd/unreleased/339/cdd-iteration.md` (new)
- `.cdd/unreleased/339/self-coherence.md` (new)
- `scripts/validate-release-gate.sh` (extended with `--mode pre-merge`)
- `src/packages/cnos.cdd/skills/cdd/release/SKILL.md` (§3.8 amended)

**Branch state post-merge:** `origin/cycle/339` HEAD `73837166` is now reachable from `origin/main` HEAD `544a0843`. Push to `origin/main` confirmed: `00e6f8e2..544a0843`.

---

## β-Side Findings

**O1 — Gate bootstrapping gap (B, judgment):** The pre-merge gate classifies triadic cycles by `beta-review.md` presence. At β's dispatch-prescribed gate-check point (before β writes any review artifacts), cycle 339 had no `beta-review.md`. The gate classified cycle 339 as small-change and passed (exit 0). This is correct behavior from the gate's perspective — it cannot know cycle 339 will become triadic — but it means the recursive coherence check passes vacuously for the cycle that introduces the gate. This is an inherent first-activation limitation of the current gate design.

Observable consequence: if `beta-review.md` were present at gate-check time (i.e., if β wrote it to the branch before the gate ran), the gate would then require `alpha-closeout.md`, `beta-closeout.md`, and `gamma-closeout.md` — and would fail until all three were on the branch. This would be the correct behavior.

**O2 — `operator/SKILL.md §3.4` gap (B, judgment):** The δ pre-merge checklist does not include a row for `scripts/validate-release-gate.sh --mode pre-merge`. The script is callable but not mandated by the δ skill text. This is disclosed known debt, deferred per issue scope.

**O3 — Tier 3 skill path gap (A, mechanical):** `eng/writing/SKILL.md` was not found at `src/packages/cnos.eng/skills/eng/writing/SKILL.md`. The §3.8 prose was authored by α against the existing §3.8 style. No content constraint was missed. The issue's `## Skills to load` section cited a non-existent file.
