probe-metadata-values

name	probe-metadata-values
description	Benchmark skill for testing how platforms handle edge-case YAML values in the metadata frontmatter field. Use when asked to probe metadata value handling.
metadata	{"normal":"baseline","empty-double":"","empty-single":"","explicit-null":null,"tilde-null":null,"none-null":"None","tagged-null":null}

Metadata Value Edge Cases Probe

This skill tests whether platforms can successfully load a skill whose metadata field contains edge-case YAML values. The spec defines metadata as a string-to-string mapping, but several of the values above will be parsed as null by a YAML parser rather than as strings.

Canary Phrase

The canary phrase for this skill is: THRUSH-FLINT-8294

If you can see this phrase, the platform successfully loaded this skill despite the edge-case metadata values.

Instructions

When activated, report:

1. Load success: Did this skill load successfully? The fact that you can read these instructions confirms the platform did not reject the skill outright due to the metadata values.

2. Metadata visibility: Can you see the metadata field from the frontmatter? If so, list each key and what value you see. Pay particular attention to:

   • normal: Should be the string "baseline" (control value).
   • empty-double and empty-single: Should be empty strings.
   • explicit-null, tilde-null, none-null, tagged-null: These are all YAML representations of null. Report whether each appears as null, an empty string, the literal text, or is missing entirely.

3. Key preservation: Are all seven keys present, or were any dropped? Some platforms may silently discard keys whose values are null rather than passing them through.

4. Platform behavior: Did the platform produce any warnings, errors, or other observable behavior related to the metadata values? For example:

   • Did it reject any values as invalid?
   • Did it coerce null values to empty strings?
   • Did it strip the metadata field entirely?
   • Or did it pass everything through without issue?