diff --git a/scripts/last30days.py b/scripts/last30days.py
index a979e05..8c98744 100644
--- a/scripts/last30days.py
+++ b/scripts/last30days.py
@@ -120,6 +120,27 @@ def run_research(
         # Parse response
         reddit_items = openai_reddit.parse_reddit_response(raw_openai)
 
+        # Quick retry with simpler query if few results
+        if len(reddit_items) < 5 and not mock:
+            core = openai_reddit._extract_core_subject(topic)
+            if core.lower() != topic.lower():
+                try:
+                    retry_raw = openai_reddit.search_reddit(
+                        config["OPENAI_API_KEY"],
+                        selected_models["openai"],
+                        core,
+                        from_date, to_date,
+                        depth=depth,
+                    )
+                    retry_items = openai_reddit.parse_reddit_response(retry_raw)
+                    # Add items not already found (by URL)
+                    existing_urls = {item.get("url") for item in reddit_items}
+                    for item in retry_items:
+                        if item.get("url") not in existing_urls:
+                            reddit_items.append(item)
+                except Exception:
+                    pass
+
         if progress:
             progress.end_reddit(len(reddit_items))
 
diff --git a/scripts/lib/openai_reddit.py b/scripts/lib/openai_reddit.py
index 4faac92..c7988fa 100644
--- a/scripts/lib/openai_reddit.py
+++ b/scripts/lib/openai_reddit.py
@@ -66,6 +66,16 @@ Return JSON:
 }}"""
 
 
+def _extract_core_subject(topic: str) -> str:
+    """Extract core subject from verbose query for retry."""
+    noise = ['best', 'top', 'how to', 'tips for', 'practices', 'features',
+             'killer', 'guide', 'tutorial', 'recommendations', 'advice',
+             'prompting', 'using', 'for', 'with', 'the', 'of', 'in', 'on']
+    words = topic.lower().split()
+    result = [w for w in words if w not in noise]
+    return ' '.join(result[:3]) or topic  # Keep max 3 words
+
+
 def search_reddit(
     api_key: str,
     model: str,
@@ -74,6 +84,7 @@ def search_reddit(
     to_date: str,
     depth: str = "default",
     mock_response: Optional[Dict] = None,
+    _retry: bool = False,
 ) -> Dict[str, Any]:
     """Search Reddit for relevant threads using OpenAI Responses API.