diff --git a/examples/README.md b/examples/README.md
index 148b338..7e20cbb 100644
--- a/examples/README.md
+++ b/examples/README.md
@@ -16,16 +16,22 @@ You need four things:
    most also hire `runtime="codex"`. Both CLIs must be installed and logged in.
    `launcher="resident"` additionally needs `tmux` (it spawns the sessions).
 4. **A repo to work on** — each score opens `Conductor(".", …)`, so run it from
-   the repository the agents should modify, with a **clean worktree** (most
-   scores `preflight(clean_worktree=True)` and fail fast otherwise).
+   the repository the agents should modify, with a **clean worktree** (the
+   arena and ensemble scores call `preflight(clean_worktree=True)` and fail
+   fast otherwise).
+
+`preflight(live=...)` is intended for the default `"attach"` launcher, where
+sessions must already be parked on their inboxes. Do not use that check before
+the first turn with `launcher="resident"`: resident sessions are started lazily
+when a turn is dispatched.
 
 Then run any example as a plain Python script. Three take the task as an
 optional CLI argument (falling back to a demo task):
 
 ```bash
-python examples/ensemble_score.py    "implement \`h5i pull\` mirroring \`h5i push\`"
-python examples/arena_score.py       "make \`h5i doctor\` exit non-zero on repair failures"
-python examples/review_escalation.py "fix the flaky msg_integration test"
+python examples/ensemble_score.py    "implement quicksort"
+python examples/arena_score.py       "implement quicksort"
+python examples/review_escalation.py "implement quicksort"
 ```
 
 The rest are self-contained — the task is written into the score:
@@ -39,15 +45,17 @@ python examples/custom_control_flow.py   # uses the default "attach" launcher:
                                          # park resident sessions yourself first
 ```
 
-Model coverage varies: `arena_score.py` and `review_escalation.py` hire
-`claude-haiku-4-5`, and `judge_panel_score.py`, `review_escalation.py`, and
-`tournament.py` hire `claude-opus-4-8` — edit the `model=` arguments if your
-account lacks a model. To resume an interrupted run, just re-run the same
-command — each script fixes its run id (`"arena-demo"`, `"pipeline-demo"`, …)
-and the journal replays completed steps. Scores that end in an `apply` pause
-at a durable human gate: the question is delivered over `h5i msg`, so answer
-it from the inbox (`h5i msg inbox`, then `h5i msg ack <n>` / `h5i msg reply
-<n> …`) before the winner touches your worktree.
+Every example pins inexpensive models instead of inheriting a potentially
+costly CLI default: Claude seats use `claude-haiku-4-5` and Codex seats use
+`gpt-5.4-mini`. Edit the `model=` arguments if your account lacks either model.
+Changing a model on an existing run does not rewrite a journaled hire, so also
+change the run id (for example, `"ensemble-demo-v2"`) when experimenting with
+another model. To resume an interrupted run without configuration changes,
+just re-run the same command — each script fixes its run id (`"arena-demo"`,
+`"pipeline-demo"`, …) and the journal replays completed steps. Scores that end
+in an `apply` pause at a durable human gate: the question is delivered over
+`h5i msg`, so answer it from the inbox (`h5i msg inbox`, then `h5i msg ack <n>`
+/ `h5i msg reply <n> …`) before the winner touches your worktree.
 
 ## One pattern each
 
diff --git a/examples/arena_score.py b/examples/arena_score.py
index cc33dd6..9586054 100644
--- a/examples/arena_score.py
+++ b/examples/arena_score.py
@@ -19,11 +19,13 @@
 async def main(task: str) -> None:
     async with Conductor(".", "arena-demo", launcher="resident") as c:
         agents = await asyncio.gather(
-            c.hire("claude", runtime="claude"),
-            c.hire("codex", runtime="codex"),
+            c.hire("claude", runtime="claude", model="claude-haiku-4-5"),
+            c.hire("codex", runtime="codex", model="gpt-5.4-mini"),
             c.hire("haiku", runtime="claude", model="claude-haiku-4-5"),
         )
-        await c.preflight(live=agents, clean_worktree=True)
+        # LaunchResident starts each session on its first turn, so there is no
+        # live session to check yet.  Still fail fast on repository hygiene.
+        await c.preflight(clean_worktree=True)
 
         outcome = await patterns.arena(
             c,
diff --git a/examples/custom_control_flow.py b/examples/custom_control_flow.py
index 015d63c..9502f6b 100644
--- a/examples/custom_control_flow.py
+++ b/examples/custom_control_flow.py
@@ -12,8 +12,15 @@
 
 async def main() -> None:
     async with Conductor(".", "triage-and-fix") as c:
-        lead = await c.hire("lead", runtime="claude")
-        crew = [await c.hire(f"fixer{i}", runtime="claude") for i in range(2)]
+        lead = await c.hire(
+            "lead", runtime="claude", model="claude-haiku-4-5"
+        )
+        crew = [
+            await c.hire(
+                f"fixer{i}", runtime="claude", model="claude-haiku-4-5"
+            )
+            for i in range(2)
+        ]
 
         # A data turn: the agent replies with JSON, not code. The reply is
         # journaled — on resume this list comes back without re-asking.
diff --git a/examples/debate_then_build.py b/examples/debate_then_build.py
index dbca893..2003da5 100644
--- a/examples/debate_then_build.py
+++ b/examples/debate_then_build.py
@@ -20,9 +20,11 @@
 
 async def main() -> None:
     async with Conductor(".", "debate-demo", launcher="resident") as c:
-        pro = await c.hire("pro", runtime="claude")
-        con = await c.hire("con", runtime="codex")
-        moderator = await c.hire("moderator", runtime="claude")
+        pro = await c.hire("pro", runtime="claude", model="claude-haiku-4-5")
+        con = await c.hire("con", runtime="codex", model="gpt-5.4-mini")
+        moderator = await c.hire(
+            "moderator", runtime="claude", model="claude-haiku-4-5"
+        )
 
         outcome = await patterns.debate(
             c, QUESTION, [pro, con], moderator=moderator, rounds=2
diff --git a/examples/ensemble_score.py b/examples/ensemble_score.py
index 764fd73..8ed67d7 100644
--- a/examples/ensemble_score.py
+++ b/examples/ensemble_score.py
@@ -17,11 +17,15 @@
 
 async def main(task: str) -> None:
     async with Conductor(".", "ensemble-demo", launcher="resident") as c:
-        claude = await c.hire("claude", runtime="claude")
-        codex = await c.hire("codex", runtime="codex")
+        claude = await c.hire(
+            "claude", runtime="claude", model="claude-haiku-4-5"
+        )
+        codex = await c.hire("codex", runtime="codex", model="gpt-5.4-mini")
 
         # Fail the predictable ways now, not at minute 30.
-        await c.preflight(live=[claude, codex], clean_worktree=True)
+        # LaunchResident starts each session on its first turn, so there is no
+        # live session to check yet.  Still fail fast on repository hygiene.
+        await c.preflight(clean_worktree=True)
 
         # Independent attempts, in parallel — then seal the round.
         a, b = await asyncio.gather(
diff --git a/examples/judge_panel_score.py b/examples/judge_panel_score.py
index 6b2eec3..efe44a0 100644
--- a/examples/judge_panel_score.py
+++ b/examples/judge_panel_score.py
@@ -26,12 +26,12 @@
 async def main() -> None:
     async with Conductor(".", "panel-demo", launcher="resident") as c:
         workers = await asyncio.gather(
-            c.hire("claude", runtime="claude"),
-            c.hire("codex", runtime="codex"),
+            c.hire("claude", runtime="claude", model="claude-haiku-4-5"),
+            c.hire("codex", runtime="codex", model="gpt-5.4-mini"),
         )
         judges = await asyncio.gather(
-            c.hire("judge-a", runtime="claude"),
-            c.hire("judge-b", runtime="claude", model="claude-opus-4-8"),
+            c.hire("judge-a", runtime="claude", model="claude-haiku-4-5"),
+            c.hire("judge-b", runtime="claude", model="claude-haiku-4-5"),
         )
 
         # Independent attempts → seal → neutral evidence for the panel.
diff --git a/examples/pipeline_score.py b/examples/pipeline_score.py
index 87d71f3..b0b1843 100644
--- a/examples/pipeline_score.py
+++ b/examples/pipeline_score.py
@@ -18,9 +18,13 @@
 
 async def main() -> None:
     async with Conductor(".", "pipeline-demo", launcher="resident") as c:
-        architect = await c.hire("architect", runtime="claude")
-        builder = await c.hire("builder", runtime="codex")
-        hardener = await c.hire("hardener", runtime="claude")
+        architect = await c.hire(
+            "architect", runtime="claude", model="claude-haiku-4-5"
+        )
+        builder = await c.hire("builder", runtime="codex", model="gpt-5.4-mini")
+        hardener = await c.hire(
+            "hardener", runtime="claude", model="claude-haiku-4-5"
+        )
 
         design, impl, hardened = await patterns.pipeline(
             c,
diff --git a/examples/review_escalation.py b/examples/review_escalation.py
index 9847d8a..0cc39a9 100644
--- a/examples/review_escalation.py
+++ b/examples/review_escalation.py
@@ -20,7 +20,9 @@
 async def main(task: str) -> None:
     async with Conductor(".", "escalation-demo", launcher="resident") as c:
         junior = await c.hire("junior", runtime="claude", model="claude-haiku-4-5")
-        senior = await c.hire("senior", runtime="claude", model="claude-opus-4-8")
+        senior = await c.hire(
+            "senior", runtime="claude", model="claude-haiku-4-5"
+        )
 
         artifact = await junior.work(task)
         await c.freeze()
diff --git a/examples/tournament.py b/examples/tournament.py
index 7b43451..fa6db42 100644
--- a/examples/tournament.py
+++ b/examples/tournament.py
@@ -18,10 +18,10 @@
 
 #: (name, runtime, model) seeds, bracket order.
 SEEDS = [
-    ("claude", "claude", None),
-    ("codex", "codex", None),
+    ("claude", "claude", "claude-haiku-4-5"),
+    ("codex", "codex", "gpt-5.4-mini"),
     ("haiku", "claude", "claude-haiku-4-5"),
-    ("opus", "claude", "claude-opus-4-8"),
+    ("haiku-2", "claude", "claude-haiku-4-5"),
 ]
 
 
diff --git a/tests/test_examples.py b/tests/test_examples.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4e46125
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_examples.py
@@ -0,0 +1,54 @@
+import ast
+from pathlib import Path
+
+import pytest
+
+
+EXAMPLES = Path(__file__).parents[1] / "examples"
+CHEAP_MODELS = {"claude-haiku-4-5", "gpt-5.4-mini"}
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("path", sorted(EXAMPLES.glob("*.py")), ids=lambda p: p.name)
+def test_examples_are_valid_python(path: Path):
+    ast.parse(path.read_text(), filename=str(path))
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("name", ["arena_score.py", "ensemble_score.py"])
+def test_resident_examples_do_not_preflight_live_sessions(name: str):
+    tree = ast.parse((EXAMPLES / name).read_text())
+    live_checks = [
+        call
+        for call in ast.walk(tree)
+        if isinstance(call, ast.Call)
+        and isinstance(call.func, ast.Attribute)
+        and call.func.attr == "preflight"
+        and any(keyword.arg == "live" for keyword in call.keywords)
+    ]
+
+    assert not live_checks, (
+        'launcher="resident" starts sessions lazily on the first turn; '
+        "preflight(live=...) fails before that turn can start them"
+    )
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("path", sorted(EXAMPLES.glob("*.py")), ids=lambda p: p.name)
+def test_examples_pin_cheap_models(path: Path):
+    tree = ast.parse(path.read_text())
+    hire_calls = [
+        call
+        for call in ast.walk(tree)
+        if isinstance(call, ast.Call)
+        and isinstance(call.func, ast.Attribute)
+        and call.func.attr == "hire"
+    ]
+
+    assert all(any(keyword.arg == "model" for keyword in call.keywords) for call in hire_calls)
+
+    explicit_models = {
+        node.value
+        for node in ast.walk(tree)
+        if isinstance(node, ast.Constant)
+        and isinstance(node.value, str)
+        and (node.value.startswith("claude-") or node.value.startswith("gpt-"))
+    }
+    assert explicit_models <= CHEAP_MODELS