Versioned prompts for running a Gauntlet Loop inside an agentic harness (Claude Code, Cursor, Codex, and similar).
This repo is a living collection: base prompts, stronger variants, and task-specific adaptations. Use it to track what worked, what failed, and how the wording evolved.
The Gauntlet Loop concept and method come from Matt Shumer (@mattshumer_).
- Original write-up: How to Run a Gauntlet Loop
- Original demo context: Claude-built game from a single long-running agent prompt ("Claude of Duty")
Core idea (paraphrased from Shumer):
The agent breaks the goal into parts, gives each part a specialist builder and a ruthless blind critic sub-agent, with a mandate to only pass if the artifact is better than a real-world equivalent. The human is the brake.
This repository does not claim ownership of that method. It only stores prompt text and variants derived for repeated use.
These prompts are meant for agentic environments, not plain chat:
- Claude Code
- Cursor (Agent mode)
- Codex / similar harnesses that can spawn sub-agents, edit files, and run for a long time
In normal chat, you only get a simulation of the loop. In a real harness, the loop can keep going until you stop it.
| File | Purpose |
|---|---|
prompts/00-classic-shape.md |
Minimal classic shape closest to Shumer’s original style |
prompts/01-strong-generic.md |
Strong general-purpose Gauntlet (high bar, aggressive wording) |
prompts/02-research-system.md |
Tuned for a production multi-agent research system |
- Open your project in Claude Code or Cursor Agent mode.
- Paste the chosen prompt from
prompts/. - Let it run. Watch any live progress file it creates.
- You decide when to stop.
Optional: after session limits or kills, keep a STEERING.md in the target project with concurrency caps (e.g. ≤3 agents) so the next session resumes cleanly.
- Bump filenames or add
prompts/vN-...when the wording changes in a meaningful way. - Note the date and what changed in the commit message.
- Prefer stricter bars over softer ones; do not weaken a bar just to make a run “pass.”
Prompt text in this repo is provided for practical reuse. Credit Matt Shumer for the Gauntlet Loop method when you write about or share derived prompts.