Kill Argument Exercise: Adversarial Attack-Defense Review

Stress-test the headline claims of a paper against the strongest possible rejection argument: $ARGUMENTS

Why This Exists

Standard score-based reviews (/peer-review, /research-review, /auto-paper-improvement-loop) tend to produce balanced weakness lists. Each weakness gets ~equal attention, ranked CRITICAL > MAJOR > MINOR. Empirically, this misses one specific failure mode: the single most damaging argument a reviewer would write in a rejection paragraph — the one sentence that, if a senior area chair reads it, kills the paper.

A balanced reviewer might list "scope-overclaim risk" as MAJOR alongside 3-5 other MAJORs, never quite committing. An adversarial reviewer must commit: their entire job is to convince the area chair to reject in 200 words.

This skill runs that adversarial pass deliberately, then forces a second fresh reviewer to defend point-by-point, classify each rejection as already-fixed / partially-fixed / still-unresolved, and surface what's actually load-bearing.

Empirical motivation: in a real submission run, after several rounds of standard improvement (score 7-8/10), the kill-argument exercise surfaced framing weaknesses that no prior review caught (e.g., a setting being mostly conditional rather than truly general, or a baseline being irrelevant to real systems). Author rebuttal forced explicit scope qualifications in abstract and discussion that weren't visible from the score-based reviews alone.

How This Differs From Other Review Skills

Skill	What it asks the reviewer	Output
/peer-review	"Score this paper, list weaknesses by severity"	balanced weakness list
/research-review	"Deep technical review of methods + claims"	structured deep critique
/proof-checker	"Is this theorem actually proved?"	per-step proof obligation audit
/paper-claim-audit	"Does the paper report numbers truthfully?"	per-claim evidence verification
/citation-audit	"Are citations real and used in correct context?"	per-entry KEEP/FIX/REPLACE/REMOVE
/kill-argument	"Write the single strongest rejection paragraph; then defend it."	attack memo + per-point defense + unresolved surfaced

This skill is complementary, not a replacement. Run after standard reviews when you want to know what the worst-case reviewer paragraph would look like, before camera-ready or rebuttal preparation.

When To Use

• After 1-2 rounds of /auto-paper-improvement-loop settled at a stable score, but before submission. Surfaces what additional fixes would close the headline-attack gap.
• During rebuttal preparation, to predict reviewer-2's strongest objection so you can prepare the response in advance.
• For theory papers with a high-level title that may oversimplify the actual theorem (the most common reject-attack pattern).
• For papers where a reviewer might attack scope, assumption-vs-claim mismatch, missing proof obligations, or evidence-vs-headline gaps.

This skill is most valuable for theory papers with ≥5 theorem-class environments (so the headline depends on real proof obligations). For empirical papers without theorems, use /peer-review instead.

Constants

• REVIEWER_MODEL = gpt-5.5 (default; specify gpt-5.4 if you want the older default). Reviewer reasoning effort = xhigh.
• CONTEXT_POLICY = fresh (REVIEWER_BIAS_GUARD). Each thread is a fresh mcp__codex__codex call. Never use mcp__codex__codex-reply. No prior review summary, fix list, or executor explanation enters either prompt.
• ATTACK_LENGTH = approximately 200 words (do not exceed 250). Single coherent argument, not a list.
• DEFENSE_DECOMPOSITION = 3-7 atomic rejection points extracted from the attack memo. Each gets its own classification.
• CLASSIFICATION = answered_by_current_text / partially_answered / still_unresolved. (Names chosen so the adjudicator does not assume "fixed" implies prior history of patching — they read the paper as a fresh reviewer would.)
• OUTPUT = KILL_ARGUMENT.md (human-readable) + KILL_ARGUMENT.json (machine-readable) in the paper directory.

Workflow

Step 1: Discover paper files

Locate the paper directory and inventory the source.

PAPER_DIR="$ARGUMENTS"   # e.g., paper-overleaf/ or paper/
cd "$PAPER_DIR"

# Find the LaTeX entry point
ENTRY=$(grep -lE '^\\documentclass' *.tex 2>/dev/null | head -1)
echo "Entry: $ENTRY"

# Find all source files codex should read
find . -name "*.tex" -not -path "./.git/*" 2>/dev/null
find . -name "*.bib" -not -path "./.git/*" 2>/dev/null
find figures/ -name "*.pdf" -o -name "*.png" 2>/dev/null
ls -la *.pdf 2>/dev/null  # compiled PDF

If a compiled PDF is missing, the skill should still run on .tex source alone, but the prompt should mention this so the reviewer doesn't waste cycles trying to extract from a non-existent PDF.

Step 2: Attack memo (Thread 1, fresh codex)

Invoke mcp__codex__codex (NOT codex-reply) with the following prompt structure:

mcp__codex__codex:
  model: gpt-5.5
  config: {"model_reasoning_effort": "xhigh"}
  sandbox: read-only
  cwd: <paper directory>
  prompt: |
    You are simulating a hostile NeurIPS / ICLR / ICML reviewer for a paper.
    This is a kill-argument adversarial check — your task is NOT to give a
    balanced review but to construct the **single strongest argument for
    rejecting this paper**.

    ## Files to read
    - LaTeX entry: <ENTRY>
    - All section files under sections/ or wherever they live
    - Macro files (math_commands.tex, etc.)
    - Compiled PDF: <main.pdf> (if available)

    Read the source carefully. Do not consult any prior reviews, fix lists,
    or summaries; this must be a fresh, zero-context adversarial pass.

    ## Your task
    Construct the single best argument to reject this paper in approximately
    200 words. Your goal is to write the worst-case rejection memo a senior
    NeurIPS area chair would produce after reading the paper.

    Focus on these axes (pick the most damaging combination, do not list all):
    1. Theorem validity: are central theorems actually proved as stated?
    2. Assumption-vs-claim mismatch: does the body silently retreat to a
       narrower object than the title/abstract advertise?
    3. Missing proof obligations: is a fundamental lemma invoked but not
       proved (e.g., concentration, generic position, prefactor envelope)
       that the headline depends on?
    4. Limit-order ambiguity: are limits in K/n/d/eps composed in a way the
       paper does not commit to?
    5. Claim-vs-evidence gap: is the empirical/numerical evidence too narrow
       to support the breadth of the stated theorem or take-away?
    6. Scope overclaim: does the title or abstract sell a result substantially
       broader than what the body proves?

    ## Constraints
    - Approximately 200 words total (do NOT exceed 250).
    - Single argument, not a list — pick the most damaging line of attack
      and develop it.
    - Cite specific file:line locations or equation numbers when accusing.
    - Tone: dispassionate but uncompromising. Do NOT hedge. Do NOT acknowledge
      mitigations the paper might have made elsewhere. This is the rejection
      paragraph; the defense gets the next pass.
    - Do NOT reference prior review rounds, fix lists, or any context outside
      the current paper files.

    Output: just the rejection memo, nothing else.

Save the returned threadId for the trace; do NOT pass it to Thread 2. Save the attack memo verbatim — both Thread 2 and the human-readable report use it.

Step 3: Adjudication memo (Thread 2, fresh codex with attack + paper)

Invoke a second mcp__codex__codex call (still NOT codex-reply — Thread 2 is independent of Thread 1's codex history):

mcp__codex__codex:
  model: gpt-5.5
  config: {"model_reasoning_effort": "xhigh"}
  sandbox: read-only
  cwd: <paper directory>
  prompt: |
    You are an independent area-chair adjudicator examining whether the
    current paper text answers a hostile reviewer's rejection memo.
    You are NOT the paper's defender — your job is to read the attack
    point-by-point and rule, from the current source files alone,
    whether each point stands or falls. Fresh, zero-context adjudication;
    do not reference any prior reviews / fix lists.

    ## Paper files
    [list paths same as Step 2]

    ## The hostile reviewer's rejection memo (the "attack")
    > <attack memo verbatim from Thread 1>

    ## Your task
    The attack is one continuous argument, but it makes multiple distinct
    rejection points that you must adjudicate separately. Decompose the
    attack into its atomic rejection points (3-7 of them), then for each
    point classify it:

    - answered_by_current_text: the current paper source already mitigates
      this point (cite specific file:line evidence)
    - partially_answered: paper has some response but not enough to refute
      the attack as written
    - still_unresolved: paper has no effective response

    The label `answered_by_current_text` is intentional — "fixed" implies
    history of patching and biases toward optimism. You are reading the
    paper as a reviewer would, with no knowledge of prior round drafts.

    For each rejection point, output:
    ### Point P_n: <short label>
    **Attack claim**: <the specific accusation, ~30 words>
    **Verdict**: answered_by_current_text | partially_answered | still_unresolved
    **Evidence (or lack of)**: <cite file:line, ~50 words>
    **Severity if unresolved**: critical | major | minor
    **If unresolved, recommended fix**: <one specific actionable sentence>

    After per-point analysis, output:

    ## Summary
    Total rejection points: N
    - answered_by_current_text: X
    - partially_answered: Y
    - still_unresolved: Z

    ## Net assessment
    <one short paragraph: would this paper survive a senior area-chair read
    of the attack memo, given only what is in the current source? Be honest —
    if Y or Z > 0 and they hit the headline, say so.>

    ## Top action items (in priority order, max 3)
    1. ...
    2. ...
    3. ...

    ## Constraints
    - Do NOT consult any prior round reviews or fix lists. Adjudication must
      be made strictly from current paper files.
    - If the paper cannot refute a point, do NOT minimize — keep severity
      honest.
    - If a point reflects an author-chosen position (e.g., conscious title
      scope decision), classify as `partially_answered` with a note that the
      position is intentional, AND say whether this position is sustainable
      under the attack — do NOT auto-grade as `answered_by_current_text`
      just because it is intentional.
    - Be specific. No flattery, no hedging, no rationalizing on the paper's
      behalf.

Save the returned threadId.

Step 4: Write KILL_ARGUMENT.md and KILL_ARGUMENT.json

Compose the human-readable report <paper-dir>/KILL_ARGUMENT.md:

# Kill Argument Report — <paper title>

**Date**: <YYYY-MM-DD>
**Reviewer model**: gpt-5.5 xhigh, fresh threads (no codex-reply)
**Attack thread**: <threadId 1>
**Adjudicator thread**: <threadId 2>
**Verdict**: <PASS / WARN / FAIL / NOT_APPLICABLE / BLOCKED / ERROR> (`reason_code: <...>`)

## Net assessment

<paragraph from adjudicator memo's "Net assessment">

## Attack memo (verbatim)

> <attack memo from Thread 1>

## Adjudication (per-point)

<copy verbatim from Thread 2 — uses labels answered_by_current_text / partially_answered / still_unresolved>

## Top action items

<copy from Thread 2>

## Recommendation

If P_4 (or whatever still_unresolved critical) is research-level, record
it as a known open problem in the conclusion / limitations. If it is
writing-level, queue for next /auto-paper-improvement-loop round.

Compose the machine-readable <paper-dir>/KILL_ARGUMENT.json per the ARIS Audit Artifact Schema (shared-references/assurance-contract.md):

{
  "audit_skill": "kill-argument",
  "verdict": "PASS | WARN | FAIL | NOT_APPLICABLE | BLOCKED | ERROR",
  "reason_code": "<see verdict mapping below>",
  "summary": "<one-line summary, ~80 chars>",
  "audited_input_hashes": {
    "main.tex":                          "sha256:<...>",
    "sec/0.abstract.tex":                "sha256:<...>",
    "sec/<each-section>.tex":            "sha256:<...>",
    "references.bib":                    "sha256:<...>",
    "main.pdf":                          "sha256:<...>"
  },
  "trace_path": ".aris/traces/kill-argument/<date>_run<NN>/",
  "thread_id": "<defense threadId — primary; attack threadId in details>",
  "reviewer_model": "gpt-5.5",
  "reviewer_reasoning": "xhigh",
  "generated_at": "<UTC ISO-8601>",
  "details": {
    "attack_thread_id": "<threadId 1>",
    "defense_thread_id": "<threadId 2 — same as top-level thread_id>",
    "attack_memo": "<verbatim>",
    "decomposed_points": [
      {
        "id": "P_1",
        "label": "<short label>",
        "attack_claim": "<...>",
        "verdict": "answered_by_current_text | partially_answered | still_unresolved",
        "evidence": "<file:line citation>",
        "severity_if_unresolved": "critical | major | minor",
        "recommended_fix": "<...>"
      }
    ],
    "counts": {
      "answered_by_current_text": <int>,
      "partially_answered":       <int>,
      "still_unresolved":         <int>
    },
    "net_assessment": "<adjudicator memo's net assessment>",
    "top_action_items": ["...", "...", "..."]
  }
}

Hash inputs (audited_input_hashes): use paper-relative paths, sha256 of every .tex consumed plus references.bib and the compiled main.pdf if it exists. The verifier rehashes these on verify_paper_audits.sh and flags STALE if the user edited the paper after running the audit.

Verdict mapping (every (counts, severity) tuple must hit exactly one row):

Verdict	reason_code	Trigger
FAIL	unresolved_critical	≥1 still_unresolved at critical severity
WARN	unresolved_major_or_minor	≥1 still_unresolved at major or minor severity (and no critical)
WARN	partial_critical_or_repeated_major	≥1 partially_answered at critical, OR ≥2 partially_answered at major
PASS	defense_survives_with_minor_partial_only	0 still_unresolved, AND all partially_answered are at minor severity
PASS	defense_survives	0 still_unresolved, AND 0 partially_answered
NOT_APPLICABLE	not_theory_or_scope_paper	Paper has <2 \begin{theorem|lemma|proposition|corollary} AND no scope / generality claims in abstract
NOT_APPLICABLE	headline_unstable	Title or abstract changed within the last 2 commits — re-run after headline stabilizes
BLOCKED	paper_compile_failed	Compiled PDF missing AND main.tex does not compile clean — adjudication needs source fidelity
BLOCKED	source_files_missing	main.tex not found, or no sec/*.tex files
ERROR	codex_api_error	mcp__codex__codex call failed
ERROR	decomposition_parse_failed	Adjudicator thread did not return parseable per-point structure
ERROR	trace_save_failed	Trace directory write failed

PASS requires still_unresolved == 0. Any partially_answered at major or higher → at most WARN.

The verdict is computed from the per-point counts; do NOT let the defense thread output the top-level verdict directly (that would let it self-grade). The skill code does the verdict mapping.

Step 5: Print summary

To the user:

🗡  Kill Argument complete.

  Attack: <one-sentence summary of the rejection thrust>

  Adjudication breakdown:
    answered_by_current_text:   X
    partially_answered:         Y
    still_unresolved:           Z   ← critical: <names>

  Verdict: <PASS / WARN / FAIL / NOT_APPLICABLE / BLOCKED / ERROR>
  Reason:  <reason_code, e.g., defense_survives, unresolved_critical>

  Top action items:
  1. ...
  2. ...
  3. ...

  Full report: <paper-dir>/KILL_ARGUMENT.md

Output Contract

• <paper-dir>/KILL_ARGUMENT.md — human-readable report
• <paper-dir>/KILL_ARGUMENT.json — machine-readable ledger
• .aris/traces/kill-argument/<date>_runNN/ — per-thread codex traces (Attack memo + Adjudication memo)
• Optional: applied fixes if user explicitly requests; default is detect-only, do not auto-modify.

Key Rules

• Fresh thread per call. Both Attack and Adjudication use mcp__codex__codex, never codex-reply. Thread 1 and Thread 2 must not share codex context.
• Zero prior context. Neither thread receives prior round reviews, fix lists, executor summaries, or improvement-loop logs.
• Attack must commit. Single argument, ~200 words. No "consider also" hedge. The whole value is in forcing the reviewer to pick the most damaging line.
• Adjudicator must classify, not minimize. still_unresolved is honest if the paper has no effective response. Don't downgrade to partially_answered unless evidence is real.
• Author-chosen positions (e.g., deliberate title scope, deliberate omission of qualifier): mark partially_answered with note that the position is intentional, AND say whether the position is sustainable under the attack. Don't auto-grade as answered_by_current_text just because it's intentional.
• Verdict is computed by the skill, not by the adjudicator. The Codex thread emits per-point classifications; the skill code maps those to one of the 6 audit verdicts via the table in Step 4. Never let the adjudicator self-grade the top-level verdict.
• Detect-only by direct invocation; can be invoked by /auto-paper-improvement-loop Step 5.5 which then merges unresolved findings into its fix list. When a user runs /kill-argument paper/ directly, the output is informational and the human decides whether to act. When the skill is invoked from inside the auto-improvement loop, the loop reads KILL_ARGUMENT.json, deduplicates against its existing weakness list, and feeds novel still_unresolved points into Step 6 fixes — /kill-argument itself never edits paper files.

When NOT to Use

• Empirical papers without theorems / scope claims — /peer-review is more useful. The skill emits NOT_APPLICABLE with reason_code: not_theory_or_scope_paper in this case.
• Very early drafts where the headline isn't stable yet — fix the headline first. The skill emits NOT_APPLICABLE with reason_code: headline_unstable if the title or abstract changed within the last 2 commits.
• Papers with ongoing experiments — wait until results stabilize, then run.
• (/auto-paper-improvement-loop Step 5.5 used to run this protocol inline; as of May 2026 it now invokes /kill-argument and reads KILL_ARGUMENT.json instead, so there is no longer a "do not invoke from inside auto-loop" exclusion.)

Review Tracing

After each mcp__codex__codex reviewer call, save the trace following shared-references/review-tracing.md. Use tools/save_trace.sh or write files directly to .aris/traces/kill-argument/<date>_run<NN>/. Both threads' raw responses should be preserved.

Notes

This skill was extracted as a standalone primitive from /auto-paper-improvement-loop Step 5.5 in May 2026, after the protocol proved valuable in surfacing headline-vs-body scope gaps that score-based reviews missed. The attack-then-defense pattern was kept exactly because of empirical evidence that asking one model to "write the rejection memo" produces qualitatively different feedback than asking it to "review and grade" — the former forces commitment, the latter encourages hedging.