One question before it answers
Ten questions at once get ignored: assumptions, missing info, the usual mistake, then the one question that changes its approach.
631 saves on X, as of Posted
Prompt
Do not answer my question yet.
Before answering:
1. List the assumptions I haven’t stated but you’re about to make.
2. Tell me what key information is missing and how it could change your answer.
3. Name the most common mistake people make with this kind of task.
4. Ask me one question only: the one whose answer is most likely to change your overall approach.
Wait for my reply before continuing.
My question: [paste your question]Next Paste your question at the end and send it to Codex or Claude Code.
I tried a few popular reasoning prompts with Codex. This is the one I kept. It makes Codex pause, ask the one question most likely to change its answer, and wait for your reply. It works with Claude too.
Ten questions at once and I’ll probably leave it for later. One question, and I’ll usually answer right away.
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