diff --git a/skill/SKILL.md b/skill/SKILL.md
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--- /dev/null
+++ b/skill/SKILL.md
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+---
+name: work-queue
+description: "Work queue skill for TheLab agents. Submit, dispatch, track, and complete work items via the Work Queue API. Embeds TheLab dispatch opinion: one in_progress per agent, stale detection, automatic blocking of timed-out items."
+---
+
+# Work Queue Skill
+
+ Thin wrapper around the Work Queue API with embedded dispatch opinion.
+
+## Setup
+
+Set the base URL:
+```bash
+export WORK_QUEUE_API_URL=https://api.example.com  # replace with actual API URL
+```
+
+The skill reads `WORK_QUEUE_API_URL` from env.
+
+## Core Commands
+
+### `wq add`
+
+Submit a new work item (status=queued).
+
+```bash
+wq add <type> <description> [--agent <agent>] [--project-id <id>] [--priority 1-5>] [--payload <json>]
+```
+
+Example:
+```bash
+wq add code_review "Review PR #3 in shopping-list-api" --agent steve-w --priority 2 --payload '{"pr":3,"repo":"shopping-list-api"}'
+```
+
+### `wq dispatch`
+
+Dispatch a queued item to an agent (moves queued→dispatched→in_progress atomically).
+
+```bash
+wq dispatch <work_item_id> <agent>
+```
+
+Fails if agent already has an in_progress item.
+
+### `wq update`
+
+Update status, outcome, or notes on a work item.
+
+```bash
+wq update <work_item_id> [--status <status>] [--outcome <success|failed|cancelled>] [--notes <text>]
+```
+
+Valid status transitions:
+- dispatched → in_progress (agent picked it up)
+- in_progress → blocked (waiting on something)
+- in_progress → completed (done)
+- in_progress → failed (unrecoverable error)
+- queued → cancelled
+- dispatched → cancelled
+
+### `wq list`
+
+List work items, optionally filtered.
+
+```bash
+wq list [--status <status>] [--agent <agent>] [--project-id <id>]
+```
+
+### `wq get`
+
+Get a single work item by ID.
+
+```bash
+wq get <work_item_id>
+```
+
+### `wq my-queue`
+
+Short-cut: list items assigned to a given agent with status=dispatched (what Steve should poll).
+
+```bash
+wq my-queue <agent>
+```
+
+---
+
+## Dispatch Opinion
+
+These rules are enforced automatically by the skill:
+
+1. **One in_progress per agent** — dispatch fails if target agent is already in_progress
+2. **Stale detection** — on every heartbeat, `wq stale-check` is called; items in_progress >30min are automatically marked blocked
+3. **Terminal states require outcome** — moving to completed/failed/cancelled requires outcome field
+4. **Cancelled only from queued/dispatched** — cannot cancel something already in_progress
+
+---
+
+## Stale Check (for heartbeat)
+
+```bash
+wq stale-check [--timeout-minutes 30]
+```
+
+Finds all in_progress items older than timeout, marks them blocked, prints a summary line per item.
+
+---
+
+## Integration with Gitea Watcher
+
+The Gitea watcher (`gitea_cron/check.sh`) outputs `dispatch:` lines. On heartbeat, parse those lines and for each:
+
+```bash
+wq add <type> <description> --agent steve-w --payload '<json>'
+```
+
+The watcher itself does NOT call the API — it just emits dispatch lines. Marcus's heartbeat parses them, creates real work items via `wq add`, then dispatches via `wq dispatch`.
diff --git a/skill/bin/wq b/skill/bin/wq
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--- /dev/null
+++ b/skill/bin/wq
@@ -0,0 +1,47 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+# wq — Work Queue CLI wrapper
+# Usage: wq <command> [options]
+
+set -e
+
+API_URL="${WORK_QUEUE_API_URL:-}"
+if [[ -z "$API_URL" ]]; then
+  if [[ -f ~/.config/work_queue_api_url ]]; then
+    API_URL=$(cat ~/.config/work_queue_api_url)
+  else
+    echo "Error: WORK_QUEUE_API_URL not set and no ~/.config/work_queue_api_url" >&2
+    exit 1
+  fi
+fi
+
+CMD="$1"
+shift || { echo "Usage: wq <command> [args]" >&2; exit 1; }
+
+case "$CMD" in
+  add)
+    wq_add "$@"
+    ;;
+  dispatch)
+    wq_dispatch "$@"
+    ;;
+  update)
+    wq_update "$@"
+    ;;
+  list)
+    wq_list "$@"
+    ;;
+  get)
+    wq_get "$@"
+    ;;
+  my-queue)
+    wq_my_queue "$@"
+    ;;
+  stale-check)
+    wq_stale_check "$@"
+    ;;
+  *)
+    echo "Unknown command: $CMD" >&2
+    echo "Commands: add, dispatch, update, list, get, my-queue, stale-check" >&2
+    exit 1
+    ;;
+esac
diff --git a/skill/bin/wq_add b/skill/bin/wq_add
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..34a0cdb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/skill/bin/wq_add
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+# wq_add — submit a new work item
+
+wq_add() {
+  local type desc agent project_id priority payload_json
+
+  while [[ $# -gt 0 ]]; do
+    case "$1" in
+      --agent) agent="$2"; shift 2;;
+      --project-id) project_id="$2"; shift 2;;
+      --priority) priority="$2"; shift 2;;
+      --payload) payload_json="$2"; shift 2;;
+      --) shift; break;;
+      -*) echo "Unknown option: $1" >&2; exit 1;;
+      *) 
+        if [[ -z "$type" ]]; then
+          type="$1"
+        elif [[ -z "$desc" ]]; then
+          desc="$1"
+        fi
+        shift;;
+    esac
+  done
+
+  if [[ -z "$type" ]] || [[ -z "$desc" ]]; then
+    echo "Usage: wq add <type> <description> [--agent <agent>] [--project-id <id>] [--priority 1-5>] [--payload <json>]" >&2
+    exit 1
+  fi
+
+  local body="{\"type\":\"$type\",\"description\":\"$desc\"}"
+  [[ -n "$agent" ]] && body=$(echo "$body" | jq ".assigned_agent=\"$agent\"")
+  [[ -n "$project_id" ]] && body=$(echo "$body" | jq ".project_id=\"$project_id\"")
+  [[ -n "$priority" ]] && body=$(echo "$body" | jq ".priority=$priority")
+  [[ -n "$payload_json" ]] && body=$(echo "$body" | jq ".payload=$payload_json")
+
+  curl -sf -X POST "$API_URL/work" \
+    -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
+    -d "$body" | jq .
+}
diff --git a/skill/bin/wq_dispatch b/skill/bin/wq_dispatch
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..0fac5bb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/skill/bin/wq_dispatch
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+# wq_dispatch — dispatch queued item to agent (queued→dispatched→in_progress atomically)
+
+wq_dispatch() {
+  local work_id="$1" agent="$2"
+
+  if [[ -z "$work_id" ]] || [[ -z "$agent" ]]; then
+    echo "Usage: wq dispatch <work_item_id> <agent>" >&2
+    exit 1
+  fi
+
+  # Check if agent already has in_progress
+  local existing
+  existing=$(curl -sf "$API_URL/work?status=in_progress&agent=$agent" | jq 'length')
+  if [[ "$existing" -gt 0 ]]; then
+    echo "Error: $agent already has an in_progress item" >&2
+    exit 1
+  fi
+
+  curl -sf -X PATCH "$API_URL/work/$work_id" \
+    -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
+    -d "{\"status\":\"dispatched\",\"assigned_agent\":\"$agent\"}" | jq .
+
+  curl -sf -X PATCH "$API_URL/work/$work_id" \
+    -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
+    -d "{\"status\":\"in_progress\"}" | jq .
+}
diff --git a/skill/bin/wq_get b/skill/bin/wq_get
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..610371b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/skill/bin/wq_get
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+# wq_get — get single work item
+
+wq_get() {
+  local work_id="$1"
+  [[ -z "$work_id" ]] && { echo "Usage: wq get <work_item_id>" >&2; exit 1; }
+  curl -sf "$API_URL/work/$work_id" | jq .
+}
diff --git a/skill/bin/wq_list b/skill/bin/wq_list
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..991ef0e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/skill/bin/wq_list
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+# wq_list — list work items with optional filters
+
+wq_list() {
+  local status agent project_id since qs="?"
+
+  while [[ $# -gt 0 ]]; do
+    case "$1" in
+      --status) status="$2"; shift 2;;
+      --agent) agent="$2"; shift 2;;
+      --project-id) project_id="$2"; shift 2;;
+      --since) since="$2"; shift 2;;
+      --) shift; break;;
+      -*) echo "Unknown option: $1" >&2; exit 1;;
+      *) echo "Unknown arg: $1" >&2; exit 1;;
+    esac
+  done
+
+  [[ -n "$status" ]] && qs="${qs}status=$status&"
+  [[ -n "$agent" ]] && qs="${qs}agent=$agent&"
+  [[ -n "$project_id" ]] && qs="${qs}project_id=$project_id&"
+  [[ -n "$since" ]] && qs="${qs}since=$since&"
+
+  curl -sf "$API_URL/work${qs}" | jq .
+}
diff --git a/skill/bin/wq_my_queue b/skill/bin/wq_my_queue
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..613ce20
--- /dev/null
+++ b/skill/bin/wq_my_queue
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+# wq_my_queue — list dispatched items for a given agent (what Steve polls)
+
+wq_my_queue() {
+  local agent="$1"
+  [[ -z "$agent" ]] && { echo "Usage: wq my-queue <agent>" >&2; exit 1; }
+  curl -sf "$API_URL/work?status=dispatched&agent=$agent" | jq .
+}
diff --git a/skill/bin/wq_stale_check b/skill/bin/wq_stale_check
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..e4bd487
--- /dev/null
+++ b/skill/bin/wq_stale_check
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+# wq_stale_check — find in_progress items older than timeout, mark blocked
+
+wq_stale_check() {
+  local timeout_minutes="${1:-30}"
+
+  local items
+  items=$(curl -sf "$API_URL/work?status=in_progress" | jq -r '.[] | @json' 2>/dev/null || echo "")
+
+  if [[ -z "$items" ]]; then
+    echo "No in_progress items found."
+    return 0
+  fi
+
+  local count=0
+  now_ts=$(date -u +%s)
+
+  while IFS= read -r item; do
+    [[ -z "$item" ]] && continue
+    work_id=$(echo "$item" | jq -r '.id')
+    updated_at=$(echo "$item" | jq -r '.updated_at')
+    agent=$(echo "$item" | jq -r '.assigned_agent')
+    age_minutes=$(( (now_ts - $(date -u -d "$updated_at" +%s 2>/dev/null || echo "$now_ts")) / 60 ))
+
+    if [[ "$age_minutes" -gt "$timeout_minutes" ]]; then
+      echo "Stale: $work_id ($agent, ${age_minutes}m old) — marking blocked"
+      curl -sf -X PATCH "$API_URL/work/$work_id" \
+        -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
+        -d "{\"status\":\"blocked\",\"notes\":\"Auto-blocked: stale for ${age_minutes} minutes (>$timeout_minutes)\"}" | jq -r '.id' > /dev/null
+      count=$((count + 1))
+    fi
+  done <<< "$items"
+
+  echo "Stale check complete: $count items marked blocked."
+}
diff --git a/skill/bin/wq_update b/skill/bin/wq_update
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..c4f5c3c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/skill/bin/wq_update
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+# wq_update — update status, outcome, or notes
+
+wq_update() {
+  local work_id status outcome notes
+
+  while [[ $# -gt 0 ]]; do
+    case "$1" in
+      --status) status="$2"; shift 2;;
+      --outcome) outcome="$2"; shift 2;;
+      --notes) notes="$2"; shift 2;;
+      --) shift; break;;
+      -*) echo "Unknown option: $1" >&2; exit 1;;
+      *)
+        if [[ -z "$work_id" ]]; then
+          work_id="$1"
+        fi
+        shift;;
+    esac
+  done
+
+  if [[ -z "$work_id" ]]; then
+    echo "Usage: wq update <work_item_id> [--status <status>] [--outcome <success|failed|cancelled>] [--notes <text>]" >&2
+    exit 1
+  fi
+
+  if [[ -z "$status" ]] && [[ -z "$outcome" ]] && [[ -z "$notes" ]]; then
+    echo "Error: at least one of --status, --outcome, or --notes required" >&2
+    exit 1
+  fi
+
+  local body="{}"
+  [[ -n "$status" ]] && body=$(echo "$body" | jq ".status=\"$status\"")
+  [[ -n "$outcome" ]] && body=$(echo "$body" | jq ".outcome=\"$outcome\"")
+  [[ -n "$notes" ]] && body=$(echo "$body" | jq ".notes=\"$notes\"")
+
+  curl -sf -X PATCH "$API_URL/work/$work_id" \
+    -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
+    -d "$body" | jq .
+}