fix(receipt): --check-prose skips the required Review-loop exception line (GST-977)

write --review-loop-exception requires the PR body to carry the exception line word for word, and read --check-prose read the owner reason in it as counter claims ("outside 1 and 2 skip detector" as 2 skip against 70, gstack-evals #139). The prose check now skips the line that matches the receipt exception exactly, as it skips the rendered Approvals block.

Co-authored-by: capy-ai[bot] <230910855+capy-ai[bot]@users.noreply.github.com>

changelog.d/gst-977-prose-skips-exception-line.md

@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+**`gstack-ship-receipt read --check-prose` no longer reads the required Review-loop exception line as counter claims (GST-977).** `write --review-loop-exception` requires the PR body to carry the whole `Review-loop exception: …` line word for word, but the prose check read that line as prose. On gstack-evals #139 the owner's reason "outside 1 and 2 skip detector" was read as a `2 skip` claim against the receipt's 70 skips, so no body could pass both checks.
+
+### Fixed
+- **`lib/ship-receipt-prose.ts`:** the line that matches the receipt's own exception exactly (the same test `write` applies) is skipped, like the rendered `## Approvals` block. The same words anywhere else, or a line for a different exception, are still checked.
+
+### Tests
+- `test/ship-receipt-prose.test.ts`: the #139 exception text passes `--check-prose` beside a matching `70 skip` claim, and a wrong number elsewhere still fails. On main the same body failed with `gate.unit.skip body=2 receipt=70`.

docs/ship-policy.md

@@ -1222,7 +1222,11 @@ block `gstack-approvals` renders (its heading, the Date | Asked | Exact words
 table and the `Source: gstack-approvals record` line) quotes the owner's
 words, not this PR's numbers, so it is skipped: "one Step 11 pass" in that table
 is not a `pass` claim. Text you write under the heading after that block, and
-a `## Approvals` example inside a code fence, are still checked. Data PRs (evals,
+a `## Approvals` example inside a code fence, are still checked. The
+`Review-loop exception: …` line the receipt's own exception requires is
+skipped the same way (GST-977): it quotes the owner's reason, so "outside 1 and
+2 skip detector" is not a `2 skip` claim. Only a line that matches the rendered
+line exactly is skipped; the same words anywhere else are still checked. Data PRs (evals,
 measurements, sweeps) run it before READY so the body's numbers are the run's.
 
 <a id="review-scope"></a>

docs/troubleshooting.md

@@ -5766,7 +5766,8 @@ body that names a counter the receipt records (`passes=3` against
 against `gate.passed: 41`) with a different value. The receipt is written from
 the run; the prose was typed, so a reader of the body would learn a number the
 run did not produce. The `PROSE:` line names each field with both values. The
-`## Approvals` table `gstack-approvals` renders is never read as a claim.
+`## Approvals` table `gstack-approvals` renders, and the `Review-loop exception: …`
+line the receipt's exception requires, are never read as claims.
 
 **Fix.** Correct the body to the receipt's number. When the receipt is the
 stale one (the run was repeated), rerun `/ship` so the receipt is rewritten

lib/ship-receipt-prose.ts

@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
  */
 import { APPROVALS_FOOTER_END, APPROVALS_TABLE_HEADER } from './approval-record';
 import { RECEIPT_FENCE } from './ship-receipt';
+import { parseReviewLoopException, reviewLoopExceptionLine } from './ship-receipt-depth';
 
 export interface ProseClaim { field: string; prose: number; receipt: number }
 export interface ProseCheck { checked: number; mismatches: ProseClaim[] }
@@ -65,9 +66,23 @@ function withoutApprovalsBlocks(body: string): string {
   return out.join('');
 }
 
+/**
+ * The body without the `Review-loop exception: …` line the receipt's own exception requires (GST-977): write and the
+ * receipt check want it word for word, and it quotes the owner's reason (`outside 1 and 2 skip detector`), not this
+ * PR's counters. Only a line whose trimmed text is that rendered line, the test write applies, is left out; the same
+ * words anywhere else stay prose. A marker line takes its place so the text on either side never joins into a claim.
+ */
+function withoutExceptionLine(body: string, exception: unknown): string {
+  if (exception === undefined) return body;
+  const parsed = parseReviewLoopException(exception);
+  if (!parsed.ok) return body;
+  const line = reviewLoopExceptionLine(parsed.exception);
+  return body.split(/(?<=\n)/).map(l => (l.trim() === line ? '(review-loop exception line)\n' : l)).join('');
+}
+
 /**
  * Every `<name>=<n>`, `<name>: <n>` and `<n> <name>` in the prose (the body
- * without its receipt block and its rendered Approvals block), where `<name>` is a counter's leaf key with `_`
+ * without its receipt block, its rendered Approvals block and its review-loop exception line), where `<name>` is a counter's leaf key with `_`
  * matched as `_`, space or `-` and not part of a longer word (`3 pass-through`
  * is not a `pass` claim), compared with the receipt. A leaf key shared by
  * several counters (`pass` under every gate lane, `passed` under gate and ci)
@@ -77,7 +92,7 @@ function withoutApprovalsBlocks(body: string): string {
  * `<n> <name>` claim about the next key (#3513).
  */
 export function checkReceiptProse(receipt: Record<string, unknown>, body: string): ProseCheck {
-  const prose = withoutApprovalsBlocks(body.replace(BLOCK_RE, ''));
+  const prose = withoutExceptionLine(withoutApprovalsBlocks(body.replace(BLOCK_RE, '')), receipt.review_loop_exception);
   const byLeaf = new Map<string, Array<{ field: string; value: number }>>();
   for (const [field, value] of receiptCounters(receipt)) {
     const leaf = field.split('.').at(-1)!;

test/ship-receipt-prose.test.ts

@@ -118,6 +118,30 @@ describe('the rendered Approvals block is not prose', () => {
   });
 });
 
+describe('the Review-loop exception line (GST-977, gstack-evals #139)', () => {
+  const excepted = {
+    ...receipt,
+    review_loop: { ...receipt.review_loop, fix_checks: 1 },
+    gate: { status: 'green', run: '139', unit: { pass: 1181, skip: 70 } },
+    review_loop_exception: { accepted_by: 'Garry', date: '2026-11-01', via: 'GEVA-2', reason: 'outside 1 and 2 skip detector', fix_check: { head: 'b'.repeat(40), findings: 0 } },
+  };
+  const line = 'Review-loop exception: accepted by Garry 2026-11-01 via GEVA-2: outside 1 and 2 skip detector (fix-check at bbbbbbbbbbbb, 0 findings)';
+
+  // Value: protects=a body that carries the exception line write requires can also pass --check-prose; fails_when=the
+  //   owner's reason is read as counter claims ("2 skip" against 70); seam=lib/ship-receipt-prose.ts checkReceiptProse
+  test('the exact line the receipt\'s exception requires is not prose; the rest of the body still is', () => {
+    expect(checkReceiptProse(excepted, `${line}\n\nGate: 70 skip.\n`)).toEqual({ checked: 1, mismatches: [] });
+    expect(checkReceiptProse(excepted, `  ${line}\r\nGate: 69 skip.`).mismatches).toEqual([{ field: 'gate.unit.skip', prose: 69, receipt: 70 }]);
+  });
+
+  test('the same words anywhere else, or a line for a different exception, stay prose', () => {
+    const twoSkip = [{ field: 'gate.unit.skip', prose: 2, receipt: 70 }];
+    expect(checkReceiptProse(excepted, `Note: ${line}`).mismatches).toEqual(twoSkip);
+    expect(checkReceiptProse(excepted, line.replace('GEVA-2', 'GEVA-3')).mismatches).toEqual(twoSkip);
+    expect(checkReceiptProse({ ...excepted, review_loop_exception: undefined }, line).mismatches).toEqual(twoSkip);
+  });
+});
+
 describe('gstack-ship-receipt read --check-prose', () => {
   const run = (body: string) => {
     const dir = fs.mkdtempSync(path.join(os.tmpdir(), 'receipt-prose-'));