fix: skip code blocks in command cross-reference validation

The validator was matching example/template content inside fenced code
blocks as real cross-references, causing false positives for evolve.md
(example /new-table command and debugger agent).

- Strip ``` blocks before running cross-reference checks
- Change evolve.md examples to use bold instead of backtick formatting
  for hypothetical outputs

All 261 tests pass.

commands/evolve.md

@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ Example:
 - `new-table-step2`: "when adding a database table, update schema"
 - `new-table-step3`: "when adding a database table, regenerate types"
 
-→ Creates: `/new-table` command
+→ Creates: **new-table** command
 
 ### → Skill (Auto-Triggered)
 When instincts describe behaviors that should happen automatically:
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ Example:
 - `debug-step3`: "when debugging, create minimal reproduction"
 - `debug-step4`: "when debugging, verify fix with test"
 
-→ Creates: `debugger` agent
+→ Creates: **debugger** agent
 
 ## What to Do
 

scripts/ci/validate-commands.js

@@ -1,12 +1,16 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env node
 /**
- * Validate command markdown files are non-empty and readable
+ * Validate command markdown files are non-empty, readable,
+ * and have valid cross-references to other commands, agents, and skills.
  */
 
 const fs = require('fs');
 const path = require('path');
 
-const COMMANDS_DIR = path.join(__dirname, '../../commands');
+const ROOT_DIR = path.join(__dirname, '../..');
+const COMMANDS_DIR = path.join(ROOT_DIR, 'commands');
+const AGENTS_DIR = path.join(ROOT_DIR, 'agents');
+const SKILLS_DIR = path.join(ROOT_DIR, 'skills');
 
 function validateCommands() {
   if (!fs.existsSync(COMMANDS_DIR)) {
@@ -16,6 +20,35 @@ function validateCommands() {
 
   const files = fs.readdirSync(COMMANDS_DIR).filter(f => f.endsWith('.md'));
   let hasErrors = false;
+  let warnCount = 0;
+
+  // Build set of valid command names (without .md extension)
+  const validCommands = new Set(files.map(f => f.replace(/\.md$/, '')));
+
+  // Build set of valid agent names (without .md extension)
+  const validAgents = new Set();
+  if (fs.existsSync(AGENTS_DIR)) {
+    for (const f of fs.readdirSync(AGENTS_DIR)) {
+      if (f.endsWith('.md')) {
+        validAgents.add(f.replace(/\.md$/, ''));
+      }
+    }
+  }
+
+  // Build set of valid skill directory names
+  const validSkills = new Set();
+  if (fs.existsSync(SKILLS_DIR)) {
+    for (const f of fs.readdirSync(SKILLS_DIR)) {
+      const skillPath = path.join(SKILLS_DIR, f);
+      try {
+        if (fs.statSync(skillPath).isDirectory()) {
+          validSkills.add(f);
+        }
+      } catch {
+        // skip unreadable entries
+      }
+    }
+  }
 
   for (const file of files) {
     const filePath = path.join(COMMANDS_DIR, file);
@@ -32,6 +65,56 @@ function validateCommands() {
     if (content.trim().length === 0) {
       console.error(`ERROR: ${file} - Empty command file`);
       hasErrors = true;
+      continue;
+    }
+
+    // Strip fenced code blocks before checking cross-references.
+    // Examples/templates inside ``` blocks are not real references.
+    const contentNoCodeBlocks = content.replace(/```[\s\S]*?```/g, '');
+
+    // Check cross-references to other commands (e.g., `/build-fix`)
+    // Skip lines that describe hypothetical output (e.g., "→ Creates: `/new-table`")
+    const cmdRefs = contentNoCodeBlocks.matchAll(/^.*`\/([a-z][-a-z0-9]*)`.*$/gm);
+    for (const match of cmdRefs) {
+      const line = match[0];
+      if (/creates:|would create:/i.test(line)) continue;
+      const refName = match[1];
+      if (!validCommands.has(refName)) {
+        console.error(`ERROR: ${file} - references non-existent command /${refName}`);
+        hasErrors = true;
+      }
+    }
+
+    // Check agent references (e.g., "agents/planner.md" or "`planner` agent")
+    const agentPathRefs = contentNoCodeBlocks.matchAll(/agents\/([a-z][-a-z0-9]*)\.md/g);
+    for (const match of agentPathRefs) {
+      const refName = match[1];
+      if (!validAgents.has(refName)) {
+        console.error(`ERROR: ${file} - references non-existent agent agents/${refName}.md`);
+        hasErrors = true;
+      }
+    }
+
+    // Check skill directory references (e.g., "skills/tdd-workflow/")
+    const skillRefs = contentNoCodeBlocks.matchAll(/skills\/([a-z][-a-z0-9]*)\//g);
+    for (const match of skillRefs) {
+      const refName = match[1];
+      if (!validSkills.has(refName)) {
+        console.warn(`WARN: ${file} - references skill directory skills/${refName}/ (not found locally)`);
+        warnCount++;
+      }
+    }
+
+    // Check agent name references in workflow diagrams (e.g., "planner -> tdd-guide")
+    const workflowLines = contentNoCodeBlocks.matchAll(/^([a-z][-a-z0-9]*(?:\s*->\s*[a-z][-a-z0-9]*)+)$/gm);
+    for (const match of workflowLines) {
+      const agents = match[1].split(/\s*->\s*/);
+      for (const agent of agents) {
+        if (!validAgents.has(agent)) {
+          console.error(`ERROR: ${file} - workflow references non-existent agent "${agent}"`);
+          hasErrors = true;
+        }
+      }
     }
   }
 
@@ -39,7 +122,11 @@ function validateCommands() {
     process.exit(1);
   }
 
-  console.log(`Validated ${files.length} command files`);
+  let msg = `Validated ${files.length} command files`;
+  if (warnCount > 0) {
+    msg += ` (${warnCount} warnings)`;
+  }
+  console.log(msg);
 }
 
 validateCommands();