diff --git a/wizard-work/forge/verify_append_only_audit_dry_refactor.py b/wizard-work/forge/verify_append_only_audit_dry_refactor.py
index 6e2fe6a..09d40fb 100644
--- a/wizard-work/forge/verify_append_only_audit_dry_refactor.py
+++ b/wizard-work/forge/verify_append_only_audit_dry_refactor.py
@@ -1,4 +1,7 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env python3
+# Q63 (2026-10-24): no committed gate invokes this file -- `git grep -F -n verify_append_only_audit_dry_refactor.py HEAD
+#   -- '*.py' '*.sh' CHECK` matches nothing outside this file -- so it is a one-off
+#   artifact, run by hand against its subject, not a standing check.
 """verify_append_only_audit_dry_refactor.py
 
 Equivalence proof for the DRY collapse in tools/append_only_audit.py