Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

Annotations already cover the safety profile (readOnlyHint, idempotentHint, openWorldHint, non-destructive), so the bar is lower, and the description adds genuinely useful behavioral context beyond them: the routing candidate can be 'enabled live whenever one is under test,' no candidate is active so behavior currently matches ask_pipeworx exactly, and the 'Falls back to nothing — this IS a full working router' note preempts the misconception that the beta is a stub. This is meaningful experimental-edge disclosure, though it could add what the response shape actually is.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

The description is front-loaded with the beta identity and each sentence adds distinct value: identical surface, live-candidate behavior, current no-candidate state, usage instruction, comparison purpose, and non-stub reassurance. It is slightly verbose — '(same 5,798 tools, same arguments, same response shape)' restates 'identical,' and the 'retired on outcome evidence 2026-07-26' date is more granular than needed — but nothing is wasted.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

For a simple one-required-parameter router with complete schema coverage and rich annotations, the description plus schema gives an agent everything needed to invoke it correctly. The remaining gaps are minor: it references 'same response shape' without describing it, and 'routing improvements' is never concretely explained, but the explicit equivalence to ask_pipeworx covers the practical invocation case.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

Schema description coverage is 100% — all six parameters are individually documented, five as 'Alias for question' and one as the canonical question parameter — so the schema fully carries parameter meaning. The description's 'same arguments' adds only meta-level confirmation, not param-specific semantics, which matches the baseline 3 for high schema coverage.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

The description states the tool is a 'Beta version of ask_pipeworx: identical universal router' — a specific resource with a clearly implied routing/answering function, and it differentiates itself from the stable ask_pipeworx through the experimental-candidate framing. However, 'universal router' is jargon; the concrete user-facing function (submit a question and get routed to the best of 5,798 tools) is only inferred via 'Use it exactly like ask_pipeworx,' which prevents a 5.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

Gives an explicit usage condition: 'Use it exactly like ask_pipeworx when you want the newest routing.' It also clarifies the current-state nuance — no active candidate means it presently matches the stable router — which is exactly what an agent needs to decide between this and ask_pipeworx. It does not provide an explicit when-not-to-use clause or name alternatives like ask_pipeworx_grounded, so it falls just short of a 5.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.