diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index d305e57..c1fbae9 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -26,6 +26,8 @@ Copy the skills into a specific project (`<repo>/.agents/skills` and `<repo>/.cl
 make project TARGET=/path/to/repo
 ```
 
+Both commands also enable the caveman and ponytail plugins in the target's `.claude/settings.json` so their modes auto-activate on session start; existing settings are preserved.
+
 Restart your agent afterwards so it loads the new skills.
 
 ## Maintenance 🔧
diff --git a/scripts/enable-plugins.js b/scripts/enable-plugins.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0ccf901
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/enable-plugins.js
@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env node
+// Enable the caveman and ponytail plugins in a Claude Code settings.json so
+// their SessionStart hooks auto-activate both modes. Merges non-destructively:
+// existing marketplaces and enabled plugins are preserved, unparseable files
+// are left untouched.
+"use strict";
+
+const fs = require("fs");
+
+const settingsPath = process.argv[2];
+if (!settingsPath) {
+  console.error("usage: enable-plugins.js <settings.json>");
+  process.exit(2);
+}
+
+const MARKETPLACES = {
+  caveman: { source: { source: "github", repo: "JuliusBrussee/caveman" } },
+  ponytail: { source: { source: "github", repo: "DietrichGebert/ponytail" } },
+};
+const PLUGINS = { "caveman@caveman": true, "ponytail@ponytail": true };
+
+let data = {};
+if (fs.existsSync(settingsPath)) {
+  const raw = fs.readFileSync(settingsPath, "utf8").trim();
+  if (raw) {
+    try {
+      data = JSON.parse(raw);
+    } catch (err) {
+      console.error(`skills: ${settingsPath} is not valid JSON; leaving it untouched (${err.message}).`);
+      process.exit(0);
+    }
+  }
+}
+
+data.extraKnownMarketplaces = data.extraKnownMarketplaces || {};
+for (const [name, entry] of Object.entries(MARKETPLACES)) {
+  if (!data.extraKnownMarketplaces[name]) data.extraKnownMarketplaces[name] = entry;
+}
+data.enabledPlugins = Object.assign(data.enabledPlugins || {}, PLUGINS);
+
+fs.writeFileSync(settingsPath, JSON.stringify(data, null, 2) + "\n");
+console.log(`skills: enabled caveman + ponytail plugins in ${settingsPath}`);
diff --git a/scripts/install.sh b/scripts/install.sh
index 535db01..ff99ef7 100644
--- a/scripts/install.sh
+++ b/scripts/install.sh
@@ -44,4 +44,12 @@ for dst in "${TARGET}/.agents/skills" "${TARGET}/.claude/skills"; do
 	cp -a "${src}/." "${dst}/"
 done
 
+settings="${TARGET}/.claude/settings.json"
+if command -v node &>/dev/null; then
+	log "skills: auto-enabling caveman + ponytail plugins in ${settings}"
+	node "${REPO_ROOT}/scripts/enable-plugins.js" "${settings}"
+else
+	warn "skills: node not found; skipped auto-enabling caveman/ponytail plugins."
+fi
+
 log "skills: done. Restart your agent to load the skills."
diff --git a/skills/shortcuts/SKILL.md b/skills/shortcuts/SKILL.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e66e585
--- /dev/null
+++ b/skills/shortcuts/SKILL.md
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+---
+name: shortcuts
+description: >
+  Portable operator conversation shortcuts, reusable across every project.
+  Trigger when the user's message is exactly one of these tokens (optionally
+  followed by arguments): sobu, soco, socobu, socon, sona, sote. Expand the
+  shortcut to the listed meaning and act on the expanded instruction.
+---
+
+When an operator message is one of the shortcuts below, expand it to the meaning and act on it.
+
+| Shortcut | Meaning |
+| --- | --- |
+| `sobu` | Stage next bundle: stage the next logical bundle of verified changes, explain what it does, and list what still remains uncommitted. |
+| `soco` | Commit: commit the currently staged changes (pre-commit hooks run). |
+| `socobu` | Commit no-verify, then stage next bundle: run `socon` followed by `sobu`. |
+| `socon` | Commit no-verify: commit the currently staged changes with `--no-verify`. |
+| `sona` | New alias: add the shortcut the operator states to the appropriate table, keeping it sorted. |
+| `sote` | Run `make test`. |
diff --git a/tests/test_shortcuts.py b/tests/test_shortcuts.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8864aa6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_shortcuts.py
@@ -0,0 +1,59 @@
+"""Validate the shortcuts skill table: rows present, sorted, ``soc``-prefixed,
+no two adjacent consonants."""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import re
+import unittest
+from pathlib import Path
+
+REPO_ROOT = Path(__file__).resolve().parents[1]
+SKILL = REPO_ROOT / "skills" / "shortcuts" / "SKILL.md"
+
+ROW_RE = re.compile(r"^\|\s*`(?P<shortcut>[^`]+)`\s*\|")
+VOWELS = frozenset("aeiou")
+
+
+def _has_consonant_cluster(name: str) -> bool:
+    prev_consonant = False
+    for char in name:
+        if not char.isalpha():
+            prev_consonant = False
+            continue
+        is_consonant = char.lower() not in VOWELS
+        if is_consonant and prev_consonant:
+            return True
+        prev_consonant = is_consonant
+    return False
+
+
+class TestShortcuts(unittest.TestCase):
+    def setUp(self):
+        self.assertTrue(SKILL.is_file(), f"missing {SKILL}")
+        self.shortcuts = [
+            match.group("shortcut")
+            for line in SKILL.read_text(encoding="utf-8").splitlines()
+            if (match := ROW_RE.match(line))
+        ]
+
+    def test_shortcuts_present(self):
+        self.assertTrue(self.shortcuts, "no shortcut rows found in shortcuts skill")
+
+    def test_shortcuts_sorted_ascending(self):
+        self.assertEqual(
+            self.shortcuts,
+            sorted(self.shortcuts),
+            f"shortcuts table not sorted; expected {sorted(self.shortcuts)}",
+        )
+
+    def test_shortcuts_start_with_so(self):
+        bad = [s for s in self.shortcuts if not s.startswith("so")]
+        self.assertFalse(bad, f"shortcuts not starting with 'so': {bad}")
+
+    def test_no_consecutive_consonants(self):
+        bad = [s for s in self.shortcuts if _has_consonant_cluster(s)]
+        self.assertFalse(bad, f"shortcuts with two adjacent consonants: {bad}")
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    unittest.main()