diff --git a/src/runtime/compiler.ts b/src/runtime/compiler.ts
index 7933233..bf44c16 100644
--- a/src/runtime/compiler.ts
+++ b/src/runtime/compiler.ts
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
  * The public `compileFpfSource()` API is unchanged.
  */
 
+import { PROJECT_ALIGNMENT_ROUTE_NAME } from './constants.js';
 import {
   buildExplicitReferenceRelations,
   buildLexiconRelations,
@@ -29,8 +30,11 @@ import { parseSource } from './source-parser.js';
 import { buildValidation } from './validation-runner.js';
 import type {
   AnchorRef,
+  HeuristicSeedRule,
   IndexMapNode,
   LexiconEntry,
+  PatternRecord,
+  RouteRecord,
   Snapshot,
 } from './types.js';
 
@@ -86,6 +90,8 @@ export function compileFpfSource(params: {
   );
   const indexes = buildIndexes(compiledNodes, patternGraph.nodes, routeGraph.nodes, lexicon);
 
+  const heuristicSeedRules = buildHeuristicSeedRules(patternGraph.nodes, routeGraph.nodes);
+
   // Stage 4: ValidationRunner — snapshot candidate → validation findings
   const validation = buildValidation(
     compiledNodes,
@@ -117,6 +123,7 @@ export function compileFpfSource(params: {
     compiledNodes,
     relationGraph: allRelations,
     indexes,
+    heuristicSeedRules,
     validation,
   };
 
@@ -142,3 +149,82 @@ export {
   scoreRouteQuery,
   selectBestAnchors,
 } from './query-helpers.js';
+
+function buildHeuristicSeedRules(
+  patternNodes: Record<string, PatternRecord>,
+  routeNodes: Record<string, RouteRecord>,
+): HeuristicSeedRule[] {
+  const rules: HeuristicSeedRule[] = [];
+
+  const creativityNodeIds = ['C.17', 'C.18', 'C.19', 'B.5.2.1', 'A.0'].filter(
+    (id) => id in patternNodes || id in routeNodes,
+  );
+  if (creativityNodeIds.length > 0) {
+    rules.push({
+      name: 'creative-search-heuristic',
+      allOf: [['creativity', 'creative']],
+      anyOf: [['open-ended', 'open ended'], ['search']],
+      seedNodeIds: creativityNodeIds,
+      seedScore: 64,
+      seedOrigin: 'lexical',
+      initialNodeIds: ['C.17', 'C.18', 'C.19'].filter((id) => id in patternNodes),
+    });
+  }
+
+  const alignmentRoute = Object.values(routeNodes).find(
+    (r) => r.name.toLowerCase() === PROJECT_ALIGNMENT_ROUTE_NAME,
+  );
+  const alignmentNodeIds = ['A.1.1', 'A.15', 'B.5.1', 'F.17'].filter(
+    (id) => id in patternNodes || id in routeNodes,
+  );
+  if (alignmentRoute) {
+    // Populate project-alignment constraints that were previously hard-coded in query-engine.ts
+    alignmentRoute.constraints = [
+      'Add F.11 and F.9 only when method/work vocabulary is explicitly at stake in the question.',
+      'Land on F.17 early rather than escalating to F.11 unless the asker names a cross-team mismatch.',
+    ];
+    rules.push({
+      name: 'vocabulary-alignment',
+      allOf: [['vocabulary']],
+      anyOf: [['overloaded'], ['across teams'], ['across contexts']],
+      seedNodeIds: alignmentNodeIds,
+      seedScore: 20,
+      seedOrigin: 'route_expansion',
+      initialNodeIds: [],
+      routeId: alignmentRoute.id,
+      routeScore: 80,
+    });
+  }
+
+  const roleNodeIds = ['A.1.1', 'A.2.1', 'A.2.5'].filter(
+    (id) => id in patternNodes || id in routeNodes,
+  );
+  if (roleNodeIds.length > 0) {
+    rules.push({
+      name: 'role-assignment-connection',
+      allOf: [['role assignment']],
+      anyOf: [['connect'], ['relation']],
+      seedNodeIds: roleNodeIds,
+      seedScore: 36,
+      seedOrigin: 'lexical',
+      initialNodeIds: [],
+    });
+  }
+
+  const entityNodeIds = ['A.6.3.CR', 'A.6.3.RT', 'E.17.ID.CR'].filter(
+    (id) => id in patternNodes || id in routeNodes,
+  );
+  if (entityNodeIds.length > 0) {
+    rules.push({
+      name: 'same-entity-comparative-reading',
+      allOf: [['same entity', 'same-entity']],
+      anyOf: [['rewrite'], ['comparative']],
+      seedNodeIds: entityNodeIds,
+      seedScore: 40,
+      seedOrigin: 'lexical',
+      initialNodeIds: entityNodeIds.filter((id) => id in patternNodes),
+    });
+  }
+
+  return rules;
+}
diff --git a/src/runtime/constants.ts b/src/runtime/constants.ts
index c1bef21..0e9e5da 100644
--- a/src/runtime/constants.ts
+++ b/src/runtime/constants.ts
@@ -15,6 +15,8 @@ export const PREFACE_MARKER = '# **Preface** (non-normative)';
 export const PREFACE_ROUTE_CITATION = 'Preface/Where to start';
 export const ROUTE_INDEX_CITATION = 'J.4';
 
+export const PROJECT_ALIGNMENT_ROUTE_NAME = 'project alignment';
+
 export const PART_C_LABEL = 'Part C - Kernel Extension Specifications';
 
 export const PART_C_CLUSTER_LABELS = [
diff --git a/src/runtime/graph-compiler.ts b/src/runtime/graph-compiler.ts
index c13b11c..380d456 100644
--- a/src/runtime/graph-compiler.ts
+++ b/src/runtime/graph-compiler.ts
@@ -146,6 +146,7 @@ export function buildRouteGraph(
       citations: unique([...existing.citations, ...route.citations]),
       anchorIds: unique([...existing.anchorIds, ...route.anchorIds]),
       searchableText: unique([existing.searchableText, route.searchableText]).join(' '),
+      constraints: unique([...existing.constraints, ...route.constraints]),
     });
   }
 
@@ -353,6 +354,7 @@ function parsePrefaceRoutes(
       citations: [PREFACE_ROUTE_CITATION],
       anchorIds: anchorMap[PREFACE_ROUTE_CITATION] ? [PREFACE_ROUTE_CITATION] : [],
       searchableText: cleanMarkdown(trimmed),
+      constraints: [],
     });
   }
 
@@ -413,6 +415,7 @@ function parseJ4Routes(
       citations: [ROUTE_INDEX_CITATION],
       anchorIds: anchorMap[ROUTE_INDEX_CITATION] ? [ROUTE_INDEX_CITATION] : [],
       searchableText: cleanMarkdown(cells.join(' ')),
+      constraints: [],
     });
   }
   return routes;
diff --git a/src/runtime/query-engine.ts b/src/runtime/query-engine.ts
index 79946df..6f7dfaf 100644
--- a/src/runtime/query-engine.ts
+++ b/src/runtime/query-engine.ts
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ import type {
   FrontierCandidate,
   FrontierOrigin,
   GraphExpansion,
+  HeuristicSeedRule,
   InspectAnchorResult,
   InspectNeighbor,
   InspectResult,
@@ -597,71 +598,44 @@ export class QueryEngine {
     }
   }
 
+  private matchesSeedRule(normalizedQuestion: string, rule: HeuristicSeedRule): boolean {
+    const matchesGroup = (alternatives: string[]): boolean =>
+      alternatives.some((term) => term.length > 0 && normalizedQuestion.includes(term));
+    return (
+      rule.allOf.every(matchesGroup) &&
+      rule.anyOf.some(matchesGroup)
+    );
+  }
+
   private addHeuristicSeeds(
     normalizedQuestion: string,
     addCandidate: (nodeId: string, delta: number, reason: string, origin: FrontierOrigin) => void,
   ): void {
-    if (
-      (normalizedQuestion.includes('creativity') || normalizedQuestion.includes('creative')) &&
-      (normalizedQuestion.includes('open-ended') ||
-        normalizedQuestion.includes('open ended') ||
-        normalizedQuestion.includes('search'))
-    ) {
-      for (const nodeId of ['C.17', 'C.18', 'C.19', 'B.5.2.1', 'A.0']) {
-        addCandidate(nodeId, 64, 'creative-search-heuristic', 'lexical');
+    for (const rule of this.snapshot.heuristicSeedRules ?? []) {
+      if (!this.matchesSeedRule(normalizedQuestion, rule)) {
+        continue;
       }
-    }
-
-    if (
-      normalizedQuestion.includes('vocabulary') &&
-      (normalizedQuestion.includes('overloaded') ||
-        normalizedQuestion.includes('across teams') ||
-        normalizedQuestion.includes('across contexts'))
-    ) {
-      addCandidate('route:project-alignment', 80, 'burden:project-alignment', 'route_expansion');
-      for (const nodeId of ['A.1.1', 'A.15', 'B.5.1', 'F.17']) {
-        addCandidate(nodeId, 20, 'project-alignment-route-surface', 'route_expansion');
+      if (rule.routeId !== undefined && rule.routeScore !== undefined) {
+        addCandidate(rule.routeId, rule.routeScore, `burden:${rule.name}`, 'route_expansion');
       }
-    }
-
-    if (
-      normalizedQuestion.includes('role assignment') &&
-      (normalizedQuestion.includes('connect') || normalizedQuestion.includes('relation'))
-    ) {
-      for (const nodeId of ['A.1.1', 'A.2.1', 'A.2.5']) {
-        addCandidate(nodeId, 36, 'role-assignment-connection', 'lexical');
-      }
-    }
-
-    if (
-      (normalizedQuestion.includes('same entity') || normalizedQuestion.includes('same-entity')) &&
-      (normalizedQuestion.includes('rewrite') || normalizedQuestion.includes('comparative'))
-    ) {
-      for (const nodeId of ['A.6.3.CR', 'A.6.3.RT', 'E.17.ID.CR']) {
-        addCandidate(nodeId, 40, 'same-entity-comparative-reading', 'lexical');
+      for (const nodeId of rule.seedNodeIds) {
+        addCandidate(nodeId, rule.seedScore, rule.name, rule.seedOrigin);
       }
     }
   }
 
   private heuristicInitialNodeIds(normalizedQuestion: string): string[] {
-    if (
-      (normalizedQuestion.includes('creativity') || normalizedQuestion.includes('creative')) &&
-      (normalizedQuestion.includes('open-ended') ||
-        normalizedQuestion.includes('open ended') ||
-        normalizedQuestion.includes('search'))
-    ) {
-      return ['C.17', 'C.18', 'C.19'].filter((nodeId) => Boolean(this.snapshot.patternGraph.nodes[nodeId]));
-    }
-
-    if (
-      (normalizedQuestion.includes('same entity') || normalizedQuestion.includes('same-entity')) &&
-      (normalizedQuestion.includes('rewrite') || normalizedQuestion.includes('comparative'))
-    ) {
-      return ['A.6.3.CR', 'A.6.3.RT', 'E.17.ID.CR'].filter((nodeId) =>
+    for (const rule of this.snapshot.heuristicSeedRules ?? []) {
+      if (rule.initialNodeIds.length === 0) {
+        continue;
+      }
+      if (!this.matchesSeedRule(normalizedQuestion, rule)) {
+        continue;
+      }
+      return rule.initialNodeIds.filter((nodeId) =>
         Boolean(this.snapshot.patternGraph.nodes[nodeId]),
       );
     }
-
     return [];
   }
 
@@ -1243,15 +1217,8 @@ export class QueryEngine {
       route.firstHonestBurden
         ? `First honest burden: ${route.firstHonestBurden}.`
         : 'Choose this route only when the stated burden matches the present problem.',
+      ...(route.constraints ?? []),
     ];
-    if (route.name.toLowerCase() === 'project alignment') {
-      constraints.push(
-        'Add F.11 and F.9 only when method/work vocabulary itself must be aligned across contexts.',
-      );
-      constraints.push(
-        'Land on F.17 early rather than escalating directly into heavier governance or assurance surfaces.',
-      );
-    }
     const answer = [
       `${route.name} is the matched first-practical route.`,
       route.firstHonestBurden ? `Burden: ${route.firstHonestBurden}.` : '',
diff --git a/src/runtime/runtime.ts b/src/runtime/runtime.ts
index c426391..bb59d59 100644
--- a/src/runtime/runtime.ts
+++ b/src/runtime/runtime.ts
@@ -311,6 +311,9 @@ function buildCompilerSummary(snapshot: Snapshot): BuildAudit['compiler'] {
 }
 
 function snapshotNeedsRebuild(snapshot: Snapshot): boolean {
+  if (!Array.isArray(snapshot.heuristicSeedRules)) {
+    return true;
+  }
   return Object.values(snapshot.indexMap).some(
     (node) =>
       typeof node.description !== 'string' ||
diff --git a/src/runtime/types.ts b/src/runtime/types.ts
index 8b01fcf..d39eb95 100644
--- a/src/runtime/types.ts
+++ b/src/runtime/types.ts
@@ -115,6 +115,7 @@ export interface RouteRecord {
   citations: string[];
   anchorIds: string[];
   searchableText: string;
+  constraints: string[];
 }
 
 export interface LexiconEntry {
@@ -164,6 +165,20 @@ export interface BuildValidation {
   brokenRoutes: string[];
 }
 
+export interface HeuristicSeedRule {
+  name: string;
+  /** Outer array = AND, inner array = OR alternatives for each term group. */
+  allOf: string[][];
+  /** Outer array = OR groups, inner array = OR alternatives within each group. */
+  anyOf: string[][];
+  seedNodeIds: string[];
+  seedScore: number;
+  seedOrigin: FrontierOrigin;
+  initialNodeIds: string[];
+  routeId?: string;
+  routeScore?: number;
+}
+
 export interface Snapshot {
   sourcePath: string;
   sourceHash: string;
@@ -184,6 +199,7 @@ export interface Snapshot {
   compiledNodes: Record<string, CompiledNode>;
   relationGraph: RelationEdge[];
   indexes: SnapshotIndexes;
+  heuristicSeedRules?: HeuristicSeedRule[];
   validation: BuildValidation;
 }