answer-open-question-with-alternativelisted
Install: claude install-skill uHappyLogic/cairn
# answer-open-question-with-alternative
Records a **named `<alternative>`** from one open question's embedded analysis as its answer
**inline, in the current conversation** — never in a subagent — so the recording reasoning
(which block was resolved, which alternative was chosen, what decision was folded in, what
cascaded) stays in context for follow-up.
This is the sibling of `answer-open-question-with-recommendation`: same recommend-sweep
annotations, same recording core, but the answer is the `<alternative>` **you** name by its
`id` rather than the one `<recommendation>` the sweep picked — which lets you record a
decision that *overrides* the recommendation, or resolve a question the sweep left genuinely
tied. There is deliberately **no** batch or agent form of this skill; to record every
recommendation-bearing question at its *recommended* option unattended, use
`/answer-all-open-questions-with-recommendation`.
## Invocation
```
/answer-open-question-with-alternative <Short Title>. <Alternative Id>
```
Split the argument on the **first `.`** — exactly as `answer-open-question` does. Everything
before it is `<Short Title>` (the question handle); everything after it is `<Alternative Id>`
(the `id` of the `<alternative>` to record). Trim surrounding whitespace from both halves.
- `<Short Title>` must match (case-insensitive, against the block's `id`) an existing
`<open-question status="open|deferred">` block that the `/recommend-all-open-questions` sweep
has alread