diff --git a/.custodian-brief.md b/.custodian-brief.md
index 198b79d..6a3cdd3 100644
--- a/.custodian-brief.md
+++ b/.custodian-brief.md
@@ -2,23 +2,22 @@
 # Custodian Brief — clay-borg
 
 **Domain:** consumer  
-**Last synced:** 2026-07-30 22:13 UTC  
+**Last synced:** 2026-07-30 22:48 UTC  
 **State Hub:** http://127.0.0.1:8000 *(adjust if running on a remote machine)*
 
 ## Active Workstreams
 
 ### Establish the assimilate-and-surpass inner loop via the GROUND game kernel
-Progress: 0/9 done  |  workplan_id: `a1b434dc-b1c6-46b5-bbd9-80a4e6b7620f`
+Progress: 2/9 done  |  workplan_id: `a1b434dc-b1c6-46b5-bbd9-80a4e6b7620f`
 
 **Open tasks:**
-- · Task: Write specs/InnerLoop.md — the assimilate-and-surpass loop  `7a0ff270`
-- · Task: Define the metrics and scenario conventions  `04e2c44c`
 - · Task: SOTA research — game-state kernel survey  `8dec6577`
 - · Task: Approval and implementation decision (ADR)  `2024c17d`
 - · Task: Write the GROUND rules specification  `2b35574b`
 - · Task: Write the kernel specification with acceptance metrics  `fc3fa174`
 - · Task: Scaffold the workspace and metrics harness  `9988219a`
-- … and 2 more open tasks
+- · Task: Implement the kernel against scenarios and metrics  `3a42ff70`
+- · Task: Retrospective — harden the loop from what the example taught  `e99b107e`
 
 ---
 ## MCP Orientation (when available)