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+# Tick 0826Z — 2026-05-19 — Pure-git tier; deferred-PR queue building
+
+## Cold-boot context
+
+Cycle-new (counter reset by 2 named-deps surfacing): PR #4358 (my combined lint fix) merged at `ec830a47`; PR #4356 (peer-Otto B-0211 slice 1 decomp) merged at `014eaeaf`. Sentinel `02c996c5` alive across the cycle.
+
+## Step 1 — Refresh
+
+| Signal | Value |
+|---|---|
+| UTC | 2026-05-19T08:26:50Z |
+| `origin/main` tip | `014eaeaf` (PR #4356; with `ec830a47` PR #4358 below it) |
+| GraphQL remaining | **4** — Pure-git tier (`0–200`) per [`refresh-world-model-poll-pr-gate.md`](../../../../../../.claude/rules/refresh-world-model-poll-pr-gate.md); reset ~8 min |
+| Peer activity | 14 procs (steady) |
+| Lint frontier | Closed by PR #4358 (0 NEW; 12 grandfathered baseline only) |
+
+## Step 2 — Holding discipline
+
+Cycle-new (2 named-deps surfaced); brief-ack #1 of new cycle. No further bounded-wait pending.
+
+## Step 3 — Pick speculative work
+
+Pure-git tier constraints (per [`refresh-world-model-poll-pr-gate.md`](../../../../../../.claude/rules/refresh-world-model-poll-pr-gate.md)):
+
+- ✅ Allowed: `git fetch` + `git push` + filesystem substrate writes
+- ❌ Deferred: `gh pr create`, `gh pr merge --auto`, `gh api graphql` thread sweeps
+
+Two shard branches now sit pushed-but-un-PRed:
+
+1. `shard/tick-0816z-otto-cli-pure-git-tier-lint-fix-2026-05-19` (last tick)
+2. `shard/tick-0826z-otto-cli-pure-git-deferred-pr-pattern-2026-05-19` (this tick)
+
+Both will get PRs opened post-reset (next tick after `gql > 200` returns).
+
+## Step 4 — Verify + commit
+
+This shard committed via pure-git on isolated worktree off `origin/main 014eaeaf`. ls-tree HEAD = 53 (matches main; no canary corruption).
+
+## Auto-merge-race lesson — confirmed by PR #4358 outcome
+
+PR #4357 lost its follow-up commit `9c9c8e69` to the auto-merge-race (race window between CLEAN-gate transition and second push). PR #4358 (this tick's follow-up) shipped the fix instead. Both files now correct on main via `ec830a47`.
+
+The lesson generalizes:
+
+> **Don't arm auto-merge with non-required-checks-failing if a follow-up commit is likely.** Either fix in-place before arming, or accept that the first-commit content is what ships.
+
+Candidate rule extension for [`blocked-green-ci-investigate-threads.md`](../../../../../../.claude/rules/blocked-green-ci-investigate-threads.md) — "auto-merge-race anti-pattern" section. Substrate landing deferred to a post-reset tick.
+
+## Step 5 — Shard
+
+This file IS Step 5.
+
+## Step 6 — CronList
+
+Sentinel `02c996c5` alive (`* * * * *` recurring `<<autonomous-loop>>`).
+
+## Step 7 — Visibility-stop
+
+Concrete artifact: this tick shard pushed to `shard/tick-0826z-...` branch. Pure-git tier active; 2 shard PRs queued for post-reset opening (0816Z + 0826Z).
+
+Counter cycle: this tick is concrete-artifact (condition #3); brief-ack #1 of new cycle closes cleanly.
+
+End of tick.