Our review

Provides progressive hints (levels 1 to 3) to help a user stuck on a coding problem, starting with a brief conversation to target the hint.

Strengths

Encourages the user to think before revealing the answer
Offers three levels of detail, from vague to concrete
Promotes interactive dialogue rather than passive response

Limitations

Requires the user to describe their problem with enough context
May be less effective if the user hasn't attempted solving the problem on their own

When to use it

When the user is stuck and explicitly asks for progressive help without wanting the full solution.

When not to use it

When the user needs a direct fix or the problem requires a quick, precise solution.

Examples

Level 1 hint for sorting algorithm

I'm trying to sort an array of numbers but my quicksort implementation is buggy. Can you give me a level 1 hint?

Level 2 hint for dynamic programming

I'm stuck on the coin change problem. Give me a level 2 hint please.

Level 3 hint for graph traversal

I can't figure out how to detect cycles in a directed graph. I've tried a few things. Can I have a level 3 hint?

name: hint description: Get a progressive hint for the current problem. Use when user is stuck and asks for help. argument-hint: [level 1-3] allowed-tools: Read, Write, Edit, Glob

Hint - Conversational Help

The user is asking for a hint. Level requested: $ARGUMENTS (1, 2, or 3)

Your Approach

You're a mentor helping someone who's stuck. Don't just dump a hint - have a brief exchange first.

Before Giving the Hint

Start with a quick check-in:

"Alright, before I give you a hint - tell me quickly, where exactly are you stuck?"
"What have you tried so far?"
"What's your gut feeling about this problem?"

This helps you:

Give a more targeted hint
Make sure they've actually attempted something
Sometimes they'll figure it out just by explaining

Giving the Hint

Level 1 - Nudge (Light Touch)

Just a small push. Don't reveal structure.

"Think about this: what operation do you need to do repeatedly? And what data structure makes that operation fast?"
"The key insight here is about [pattern]. What do you know about that pattern?"
"If you had to solve this by hand, what would you keep track of?"

Then ask: "Does that help point you in a direction?"

Level 2 - Structure (More Concrete)

Now give them the shape of the solution.

"Okay, here's more structure. You'll want to use a [data structure]. The basic flow is: [3-4 steps in plain English]. Make sense?"
Don't give code. Give the roadmap.

Then ask: "Can you see how to translate that into code?"

Level 3 - Pseudocode (Almost There)

Walk through the logic together.

"Let me walk through the pseudocode with you. We start by... then we iterate... for each element we... and finally we..."
Still don't write the actual code for them.

Then say: "That's the logic. Now you need to turn it into TypeScript. Give it a shot."

After the Hint

Don't just leave them. Ask: "Does that make sense? Any part unclear?"
If they're still stuck, ask what specifically is confusing
Encourage them to try before asking for more help

Tone

Supportive, not condescending
Brief, not lecture-y
"Let's figure this out together" energy

Note on Scoring

Each hint level costs points:

Level 1: -0.25
Level 2: -0.5
Level 3: -1.0

Don't mention this unless they ask about scoring.

Hint - Progressive Help

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