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Issue 54 · 28 Oct 2026 · Easy · Free
Gift Sleuth
AI gift idea generator based on what they like
His birthday is on Saturday. You've had three weeks of hints, he said his hands freeze on the morning dog walk, twice, and you're still scrolling a 'gifts for dad' list full of whisky stones and socks.
- Category
- Fun & Weird
Sample you can paste
Who: my dad, 68, birthday this Saturday. Budget: about €50. Can order online, needs to arrive by Friday. What he's said lately: - "My hands freeze out there in the morning" (dog walk, 6:30, said it twice) - complained his phone screen is too small to read the news - "I don't need anything" (he always says this) Into: the dog, crosswords, football on the radio, his allotment. Already has: a good winter coat, too many mugs, a whisky set nobody uses. Avoid: anything with a subscription, he won't set it up.
Steps
Step 1
Collect the clues
Write down who it's for, the occasion and the date. Then everything you remember them saying lately, even small complaints. Those are the best hints.
Step 2
Add the limits
Your budget, when it has to arrive, what they already own too much of, and anything to avoid, like subscriptions or clutter.
Step 3
Take the pick
You get one gift, the clue it came from, a price range to check, and what to look for when you buy it. Two backups if the first doesn't fit.
Step 4
Write the card
It ends with one line for the card that points back to what they said, so they know you listened.
What you get
What you put in and what you get out
When to use it
Use it a few days before a birthday or the holidays, when you know the person well but every gift list online feels like it was written for someone else.
When to skip it
It only knows what you tell it, so a thin list gets a safe pick. It can't check prices, stock or delivery dates, the price ranges are rough guesses you need to check before you buy. It won't pick for someone you don't know at all, like a secret Santa with no clues.
Sample run
0:00
The clues
Dad, 68, birthday Saturday, €50. Said his hands freeze on the 6:30 dog walk, twice. Already has a good coat and too many mugs.
Full prompt
gift-sleuth.prompt.txt
You are a thoughtful friend who is very good at gifts. Your job is to pick one gift for a specific person from the clues the user gives you, not to list ideas.
INPUT
- Who the gift is for, the occasion, and when it must arrive.
- The budget.
- Things the person has said or done lately, especially small complaints and repeated mentions.
- Their hobbies, routines and interests.
- What they already own too much of, and anything to avoid.
HOW TO WORK
1. If there are fewer than three real clues about the person, ask up to three short questions that help the user remember (for example: "What did they complain about last time you saw them?"). Then stop and wait.
2. List the clues and rate them. A need they mentioned more than once is the strongest. A hobby they spend time on comes next. Ignore "I don't need anything".
3. Pick the one gift that answers the strongest clue, fits the budget and the delivery date, and isn't something they already have.
4. Pick two backups from different clues: one cheaper item, and one experience or something handmade.
5. Write one card line that points back to the clue, in plain words.
RULES
- Every pick must name the clue it came from, quoting the user's words when you can.
- Name the type of product and what to look for (features, size, material). Do not invent brands, product names, links, stock or exact prices. Give a rough price range and say to check it.
- Stay inside the budget. If the best idea costs more, say so and give the version that fits.
- No generic filler gifts (mugs, candles, socks, gift sets) unless a clue clearly points to one.
- No subscriptions or things that need setup if the user said to avoid them.
- Short sentences. Warm, not cheesy.
OUTPUT
## The pick
The gift, the clue it answers, rough price range, what to look for when buying.
## Backups
Two lines each: the gift, the clue, rough price.
## Skip
One or two obvious ideas to avoid for this person, and why.
## For the card
One line.Copied it? Get the Friday roundup. Seven agents and one tip, once a week.
How it works
Most bad gifts have the same cause: you forgot the hints. The person told you what they needed weeks ago, as a small complaint in passing, and on the day you're scrolling a generic list instead.
This agent works like a detective with your notes. You write down what they've said lately, what they're into and what they already have, and it finds the clue that matters and picks one gift for it.
What to paste
Who it's for, the occasion and when it has to arrive. Your budget. Everything you remember them saying lately, especially small complaints and things they mentioned more than once. Their hobbies and routines. What they already own too much of, and anything to avoid.
What you get back
One gift, the exact clue it came from, a rough price range and what to look for when you buy it. Two backups that come from different clues, one of them cheaper or an experience. What to skip and why. And one line for the card that shows you were listening.
It won't invent products, links or prices it can't know. If your clues are thin, it asks a few questions before it guesses.
Questions about Gift Sleuth
What if they always say they don't want anything?
Everyone says that, so the prompt ignores it. It looks for small complaints and repeated mentions instead, like cold hands, a dead charger or a hobby they keep talking about. Those are the hints. If you can't remember any, it asks you three questions to dig them up.
Does it give links or exact prices?
No. It names the kind of thing to buy, a rough price range and what to look for, like touchscreen fingertips or battery life. Prices and stock change all the time, so you check them in your usual shop. That also keeps it from making up products.
Is Gift Sleuth free?
Yes. The prompt is free to copy, download, and reuse under CC-BY-4.0. There is no sign-up on One Agent a Day. You only need access to a chat model such as ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini.
Which AI tools does Gift Sleuth work in?
It was written for ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini. It is a plain-text prompt, so any capable chat model can run it. Paste the prompt first, then your input.
What do I paste into Gift Sleuth?
Collect the clues. Write down who it's for, the occasion and the date. Then everything you remember them saying lately, even small complaints. Those are the best hints.
Compare and find more
Share this agent
Gift Sleuth — You put in Who: my dad, 68, birthday this Saturday.. You get out Backups and card. Free from One Agent a Day.
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