fix(booth): a partial ask answer is recorded, not refused

Operator: the form failed when a question was left blank. Refusing the whole
submission over one blank threw away the picks that were made, and the HTML
`required` on the radios blocked it in the browser before the server saw it.

- answered questions recorded; blank ones land in `unanswered`; `complete` says
  whether the set is finished; a blank question carrying a note keeps the note
- `required` dropped from both templates so the browser cannot block a partial
- refused only when there is no pick anywhere AND no notes (a 400 — that would
  flip an open ask to answered with no decision recorded); a choice outside the
  option list is still an error
- new ◐ partial state with an n/N count; skipped questions render as skipped
- README + global CLAUDE.md tell reading sessions to check `complete`
- 154 tests; v0.1.15

booth/asks.py

@@ -34,7 +34,11 @@ Multi-question form (one submit, one sidecar):
                    {"key": "q2", "prompt": "Render 2?", "options": ["keep", "drop"]}],
      "notes": true}
     -> {"stem", "title", "answers": {"q1": {"prompt", "choice", "choice_index", "label", "notes"}, …},
-        "notes", "answered_at", "answered_by"}
+        "unanswered": ["q2"], "complete": false, "notes", "answered_at", "answered_by"}
+
+A question left blank is legal: it lands in `unanswered` and is absent from
+`answers` (unless it carried a note). `complete` is false until every question
+has a pick. Only a submission with no pick AND no notes anywhere is refused.
 
 Re-answering overwrites: the sidecar is the current answer, not a log. A
 session that wants history keeps its own.
@@ -257,60 +261,103 @@ def list_asks(booth: Path) -> list[dict]:
 
 
 def _pick(options: list[dict], choice, where: str) -> tuple[int, dict]:
-    if not isinstance(choice, str):
-        raise AskError(f"{where}: no choice given")
     idx = next((i for i, o in enumerate(options) if o["id"] == choice), None)
     if idx is None:
         raise AskError(f"{where}: choice is not one of the options")
     return idx, options[idx]
 
 
+def _blank(choice) -> bool:
+    """A question the operator left alone. An empty string is what an unchecked
+    radio group posts, and None is what a missing field looks like — both mean
+    'no pick', neither is an error."""
+    return choice is None or (isinstance(choice, str) and not choice.strip())
+
+
 def _clean_notes(text) -> str:
     return (text or "").replace("\r\n", "\n").strip()[:NOTES_MAX]
 
 
 def write_answer(booth: Path, stem: str, choice, notes: str = "", who: str = "",
                  qnotes: dict | None = None) -> dict:
-    """Record the operator's answer. Validates every choice against the ask,
+    """Record the operator's answer. Validates the choices that were MADE,
     writes `<stem>.answer.json` via temp-file + os.replace so a reader never
     sees a half-written document. Returns the answer written.
 
+    PARTIAL ANSWERS ARE LEGAL (operator ruling 2026-09-09). A question left
+    blank is a deliberate outcome — "none of these", "I did not listen to that
+    one yet", "ask me later" — and refusing the whole submission because one of
+    four was skipped threw away the three that were made. So:
+
+      * every question the operator DID answer is recorded and validated;
+      * every one left blank is listed in `unanswered`, absent from `answers`;
+      * `complete` says whether all of them were answered.
+
+    The one thing refused is a submission carrying NOTHING — no choice anywhere
+    and no notes. That would flip an open ask to "answered" while recording no
+    decision, which is strictly worse for the reading session than leaving it
+    open. A choice that is offered but not in the option list is still an error:
+    that is a broken form, not a skipped question.
+
     `choice` is the option id (str) for a single-question ask, or a
-    {key: option id} dict for a multi-question ask — every question required.
-    `qnotes` is {key: text} for per-question notes fields (multi only).
+    {key: option id} dict for a multi-question ask. `qnotes` is {key: text} for
+    per-question notes fields (multi only).
     """
     ask = load_ask(booth, stem)  # raises AskError if the ask is gone/invalid
     stamp = {
         "answered_at": datetime.now().astimezone().isoformat(timespec="seconds"),
         "answered_by": who or "",
     }
+    form_notes = _clean_notes(notes) if ask["notes"] else ""
     if ask["multi"]:
         if not isinstance(choice, dict):
             raise AskError("a multi-question ask needs a {key: choice} mapping")
         qnotes = qnotes or {}
         answers: dict[str, dict] = {}
+        unanswered: list[str] = []
         for q in ask["questions"]:
-            idx, opt = _pick(q["options"], choice.get(q["key"]), f"question {q['key']!r}")
+            c = choice.get(q["key"])
+            note = _clean_notes(qnotes.get(q["key"])) if q["notes"] else ""
+            if _blank(c):
+                unanswered.append(q["key"])
+                if note:  # a note without a pick is still worth keeping
+                    answers[q["key"]] = {"prompt": q["prompt"], "choice": None,
+                                         "choice_index": None, "label": "", "notes": note}
+                continue
+            idx, opt = _pick(q["options"], c, f"question {q['key']!r}")
             answers[q["key"]] = {
                 "prompt": q["prompt"],
                 "choice": opt["id"],
                 "choice_index": idx,
                 "label": opt["label"],
-                "notes": _clean_notes(qnotes.get(q["key"])) if q["notes"] else "",
+                "notes": note,
             }
+        picked = [k for k, v in answers.items() if v["choice"] is not None]
+        if not picked and not form_notes and not any(v["notes"] for v in answers.values()):
+            raise AskError("nothing to record — no choice made and no notes")
         answer = {"stem": stem, "title": ask["title"], "answers": answers,
-                  "notes": _clean_notes(notes) if ask["notes"] else "", **stamp}
+                  "unanswered": unanswered, "complete": not unanswered,
+                  "notes": form_notes, **stamp}
     else:
-        idx, opt = _pick(ask["options"], choice, "ask")
-        answer = {
-            "stem": stem,
-            "prompt": ask["prompt"],
-            "choice": opt["id"],
-            "choice_index": idx,
-            "label": opt["label"],
-            "notes": _clean_notes(notes) if ask["notes"] else "",
-            **stamp,
-        }
+        if _blank(choice):
+            if not form_notes:
+                raise AskError("nothing to record — no choice made and no notes")
+            answer = {"stem": stem, "prompt": ask["prompt"], "choice": None,
+                      "choice_index": None, "label": "", "unanswered": [None],
+                      "complete": False, "notes": form_notes, **stamp}
+        else:
+            idx, opt = _pick(ask["options"], choice, "ask")
+            answer = {
+                "stem": stem,
+                "prompt": ask["prompt"],
+                "choice": opt["id"],
+                "choice_index": idx,
+                "label": opt["label"],
+                "unanswered": [],
+                "complete": True,
+                "notes": form_notes,
+                **stamp,
+            }
     path = Path(booth) / f"{stem}{ANSWER_SUFFIX}"
     tmp = path.with_suffix(path.suffix + ".tmp")
     tmp.write_text(json.dumps(answer, ensure_ascii=False, indent=2) + "\n", encoding="utf-8")

booth/templates/_ask_inline.html

@@ -18,6 +18,8 @@
   border-top:2px solid #e0b93c;border-radius:9px;background:rgba(128,140,160,.07);
   font:15px/1.5 ui-sans-serif,system-ui,-apple-system,"Segoe UI",Roboto,sans-serif}
 .bk-ask.bk-done{border-top-color:#3fae6a}
+.bk-ask.bk-skip{border-top-color:#6f7c8c}
+.bk-ask.bk-skip .bk-ask-tag{color:#8a97a6}
 .bk-ask-tag{display:block;margin-bottom:.5rem;font:700 10px/1 ui-monospace,SFMono-Regular,Menlo,monospace;
   letter-spacing:.12em;text-transform:uppercase;color:#c9a227}
 .bk-ask.bk-done .bk-ask-tag{color:#3fae6a}
@@ -53,14 +55,17 @@
 {% macro question(a, q, form_id, name_url, standalone=False) %}
 {% set field = 'choice.' ~ q.key if a.multi else 'choice' %}
 {% set qa = (a.answer.answers.get(q.key) if a.multi else a.answer) if a.answer else None %}
-<div class="bk-ask{% if qa %} bk-done{% endif %}" id="bk-ask-{{ a.stem }}{% if q.key %}-{{ q.key }}{% endif %}">
-  <span class="bk-ask-tag">{% if qa %}✓ answered{% else %}? your pick{% endif %}</span>
+{% set picked = qa and qa.choice is not none %}
+{% set skipped = a.answer and not picked %}
+<div class="bk-ask{% if picked %} bk-done{% elif skipped %} bk-skip{% endif %}" id="bk-ask-{{ a.stem }}{% if q.key %}-{{ q.key }}{% endif %}">
+  <span class="bk-ask-tag">{% if picked %}✓ answered{% elif skipped %}— skipped{% else %}? your pick{% endif %}</span>
   <p class="bk-ask-prompt">{{ q.prompt }}</p>
-  {% if qa %}<p class="bk-ask-was">recorded: <b>{{ qa.label }}</b>{% if qa.notes %} — {{ qa.notes }}{% endif %}</p>{% endif %}
+  {% if picked %}<p class="bk-ask-was">recorded: <b>{{ qa.label }}</b>{% if qa.notes %} — {{ qa.notes }}{% endif %}</p>
+  {% elif skipped %}<p class="bk-ask-was">left blank — pick one any time, or leave it{% if qa and qa.notes %}; note: {{ qa.notes }}{% endif %}</p>{% endif %}
   <div class="bk-ask-opts">
   {% for o in q.options %}
     <label class="bk-ask-opt">
-      <input type="radio" name="{{ field }}" value="{{ o.id }}" required
+      <input type="radio" name="{{ field }}" value="{{ o.id }}"
              {% if not standalone %}form="{{ form_id }}"{% endif %}
              {% if qa and qa.choice == o.id %}checked{% endif %}>
       <span class="bk-ask-lab"><span>{{ o.label }}</span>
@@ -82,7 +87,10 @@
 <div class="bk-ask{% if a.answer %} bk-done{% endif %}" id="bk-ask-{{ a.stem }}-submit">
   <form id="{{ form_id }}" method="post" action="/b/{{ name_url }}/answer"></form>
   <input type="hidden" name="ask" value="{{ a.stem }}" form="{{ form_id }}">
-  <span class="bk-ask-tag">{% if a.answer %}✓ answered {{ a.answer.answered_at }}{% else %}? submit your picks{% endif %}</span>
+  <span class="bk-ask-tag">{% if a.answer and a.answer.complete %}✓ answered {{ a.answer.answered_at }}
+    {%- elif a.answer %}◐ {{ a.questions|length - (a.answer.unanswered|length) }} of {{ a.questions|length }} answered · {{ a.answer.answered_at }}
+    {%- else %}? submit your picks{% endif %}</span>
+  {% if not a.answer %}<p class="bk-ask-was">Answer what you can — blanks are fine, and you can come back.</p>{% endif %}
   {% if a.notes %}
     <textarea class="bk-ask-notes" name="notes" rows="3" form="{{ form_id }}"
               placeholder="{{ a.notes_label }} (optional)">{{ a.answer.notes if a.answer else '' }}</textarea>

booth/templates/_asks.html

@@ -8,11 +8,12 @@
      collapsed "change" form, since the sidecar is the CURRENT answer. #}
   <section class="asks">
   {% for a in asks %}
-    <article class="ask{% if a.answer %} is-answered{% elif a.error %} is-broken{% endif %}" id="ask-{{ a.stem }}">
+    <article class="ask{% if a.answer and a.answer.complete %} is-answered{% elif a.answer %} is-partial{% elif a.error %} is-broken{% endif %}" id="ask-{{ a.stem }}">
       <header class="ask-head">
-        <span class="ask-state">{% if a.error %}⚠ broken{% elif a.answer %}✓ answered{% else %}? open{% endif %}</span>
+        <span class="ask-state">{% if a.error %}⚠ broken{% elif a.answer and a.answer.complete %}✓ answered{% elif a.answer %}◐ partial{% else %}? open{% endif %}</span>
         <span class="ask-stem"><code>{{ a.stem }}.ask.json</code>{% if a.multi %} · {{ a.questions|length }} questions{% endif %}</span>
         <span class="board-spacer"></span>
+        {% if a.answer and not a.answer.complete %}<span class="ask-part">{{ (a.questions|length) - (a.answer.unanswered|length) }}/{{ a.questions|length }}</span>{% endif %}
         {% if a.answer %}<span class="ask-when">{{ a.answer.answered_at }}{% if a.answer.answered_by %} · {{ a.answer.answered_by }}{% endif %}</span>{% endif %}
       </header>
       {% if a.error %}
@@ -26,7 +27,7 @@
               {% for q in a.questions %}{% set qa = a.answer.answers.get(q.key) %}
               <div class="ask-answer-q">
                 <span class="ask-answer-qprompt">{{ q.prompt }}</span>
-                <div class="ask-answer-choice">{{ qa.label if qa else '—' }}</div>
+                <div class="ask-answer-choice{% if not (qa and qa.choice is not none) %} is-skipped{% endif %}">{{ qa.label if (qa and qa.choice is not none) else 'left blank' }}</div>
                 {% if qa and qa.notes %}<pre class="ask-answer-notes">{{ qa.notes }}</pre>{% endif %}
               </div>
               {% endfor %}
@@ -52,7 +53,7 @@
               <div class="ask-options">
               {% for o in q.options %}
                 <label class="ask-opt{% if qa and qa.choice == o.id %} is-current{% endif %}">
-                  <input type="radio" name="{{ field }}" value="{{ o.id }}" required
+                  <input type="radio" name="{{ field }}" value="{{ o.id }}"
                          {% if qa and qa.choice == o.id %}checked{% endif %}>
                   <span class="ask-opt-main">
                     <span class="ask-opt-label">{{ o.label }}</span>

booth/templates/base.html

@@ -267,6 +267,14 @@
   .ask{border:1px solid var(--border-subtle);border-top:2px solid var(--aus-bright-yellow);
     border-radius:.5rem;background:var(--rk-panel);overflow:hidden}
   .ask.is-answered{border-top-color:var(--aus-bright-green)}
+  /* Partial: answered SOME questions. Not a failure and not done — blanks are a
+     legal outcome (operator ruling 2026-09-09), so it gets its own state rather
+     than being forced into one of the other two. */
+  .ask.is-partial{border-top-color:var(--aus-bright-blue)}
+  .ask.is-partial .ask-state{color:var(--aus-bright-blue)}
+  .ask-part{font-family:var(--font-mono);font-size:.68rem;color:var(--aus-bright-blue);font-weight:700}
+  .ask-answer-choice.is-skipped{opacity:.55;font-style:italic}
+  .ask-answer-choice.is-skipped::before{content:"— ";color:var(--fg-3)}
   .ask.is-broken{border-top-color:var(--aus-bright-red)}
   .ask-head{display:flex;align-items:center;gap:.6rem;padding:.4rem .8rem;
     border-bottom:1px solid var(--border-subtle);background:var(--rk-well);