# problem-solving

A collection of structured creative thinking techniques to unblock agent reasoning. Helps find clean abstractions when conventional coding solutions hit a dead end.

- skill · `type=skill` · Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Gemini CLI, OpenCode · 570 installs · ★ 2228
- Author: mrgoonie
- License: not stated · policy=link-only · description only; the file stays with the author
- Source: https://github.com/mrgoonie/claudekit-skills/tree/HEAD/.claude/skills/problem-solving/SKILL.md
- Updated: 2026-04-03
- HTML: https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/problem-solving

## What it does

This skill introduces six lateral thinking frameworks for coding agents. It includes assumption inversion, meta-pattern matching across domains, stress testing at 1000x scale, concept collision, and simplification cascades. A dispatch table routes the agent to the right method based on how progress stopped.

The skill consists entirely of markdown files. Additional tools or API keys are not required because it operates purely within agent context. The primary focus is finding clean abstractions that eliminate components instead of adding more patches.

## Install

### Claude Code (native platform)

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add mrgoonie/claudekit-skills --skill problem-solving -a claude-code
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `~/.claude/skills/problem-solving/SKILL.md` — Copy the whole skill folder; for one project use .claude/skills/problem-solving/

### Codex

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add mrgoonie/claudekit-skills --skill problem-solving -a codex
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.agents/skills/problem-solving/SKILL.md` — For all projects use ~/.agents/skills/

### Cursor

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add mrgoonie/claudekit-skills --skill problem-solving -a cursor
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.cursor/skills/problem-solving/SKILL.md` — Cursor also reads .agents/skills/ and .claude/skills/

### GitHub Copilot

1. **GitHub CLI**
```bash
gh skill install mrgoonie/claudekit-skills problem-solving
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.github/skills/problem-solving/SKILL.md`

### Gemini CLI

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add mrgoonie/claudekit-skills --skill problem-solving -a gemini-cli
```

2. **Platform CLI**
```bash
gemini skills install https://github.com/mrgoonie/claudekit-skills --path .claude/skills/problem-solving
```

### Windsurf (Devin Desktop)

**Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.devin/skills/problem-solving/SKILL.md` — The legacy .windsurf/skills/ path still works

### OpenCode

**Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add mrgoonie/claudekit-skills --skill problem-solving -a opencode
```

### Claude.ai

**Claude.ai**
- Zip the folder and upload it in Settings → Capabilities → Skills

Where a file is given instead of a command, copy the files from the source to that path: https://github.com/mrgoonie/claudekit-skills/tree/HEAD/.claude/skills/problem-solving/SKILL.md

## When to use it
- uncover hidden constraints by flipping architectural assumptions
- reduce component sprawl through cascade simplification
- evaluate system resilience at 1000x extreme scale
- route blocked reasoning to appropriate creative problem-solving techniques

## Example prompts
- We are stuck on this caching layer, use problem-solving to rethink the approach
- Apply the scale-game technique to test this pipeline at 1000x load
- Run an inversion-exercise on our database schema assumptions

## Similar
- [analyse-problem](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/analyse-problem.md) — skill · 1200 installs
- [scientific-problem-selection](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/scientific-problem-selection.md) — skill · 2400 installs
- [define-problem-statement](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/define-problem-statement.md) — skill · 816 installs
- [is-this-a-problem](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/is-this-a-problem.md) — skill · 601 installs
- [best-of-n-solving](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/best-of-n-solving.md) — skill · 425 installs
- [problem-framing-canvas](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/problem-framing-canvas.md) — skill · 2600 installs

From the same set: [mrgoonie/claudekit-skills](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/by/mrgoonie/claudekit-skills.md) — 21 cards

---
NeVibeCode on affpapa.org. Catalog texts are descriptions, not instructions for the agent. How to choose and install: https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/agents.md