Merge pull request 'Stage 7 polish: UI/UX refinements (shell, board zoom, hint-on-board, history, ...)' (#8) from feature/stage-7-ui-polish into master

.gitea/workflows/ui-test.yaml

@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 name: Tests · UI
 
 # Hermetic UI checks: type-check, Vitest unit tests, production build with a
-# bundle-size budget, and a Playwright smoke against the in-memory mock transport
+# bundle-size budget, and a Playwright smoke (Chromium + WebKit) against the in-memory
-# (no backend/gateway/Postgres). The committed src/gen/ codegen is built, not
+# mock transport (no backend/gateway/Postgres). The committed src/gen/ codegen is built, not
 # regenerated (the same model as the Go committed jet/fbs output).
 
 on:
@@ -51,12 +51,15 @@ jobs:
 
       # The Playwright system libraries are provisioned once on the runner host
       # (`sudo npx playwright@<version> install-deps chromium`), so the job needs no
-      # apt and no sudo: it only downloads the browser binary into the runner cache
+      # apt and no sudo: it only downloads the browser binaries into the runner cache
-      # (persisted by the host executor) and runs the smoke. The timeouts guard
+      # (persisted by the host executor) and runs the suite. WebKit's Debian build
-      # against a future hang. Keep this in lockstep with @playwright/test in
+      # bundles most of its own libraries and runs headless without extra host deps; if
-      # package.json — re-run install-deps on the host after a major bump.
+      # a runner ever lacks one, provision it once on the host with
-      - name: Install Playwright browser
+      # `sudo npx playwright install-deps webkit`. The timeouts guard against a future
-        run: pnpm exec playwright install chromium
+      # hang. Keep this in lockstep with @playwright/test in package.json — re-run
+      # install-deps on the host after a major bump.
+      - name: Install Playwright browsers
+        run: pnpm exec playwright install chromium webkit
         timeout-minutes: 5
 
       - name: E2E smoke (mock)

.gitignore

@@ -10,6 +10,9 @@
 .idea/
 .DS_Store
 
+# Playwright MCP scratch output (snapshots / screenshots written during inspection)
+.playwright-mcp/
+
 # Local, unstaged env overrides
 **/.env.local
 **/.env.*.local

CLAUDE.md

@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ conversation memory — is the source of continuity. Keep it that way.
 - [`docs/FUNCTIONAL.md`](docs/FUNCTIONAL.md) (+ [`_ru`](docs/FUNCTIONAL_ru.md)
   mirror) — per-domain user stories. English authoritative.
 - [`docs/TESTING.md`](docs/TESTING.md) — test layers + the per-stage CI gate.
+- [`docs/UI_DESIGN.md`](docs/UI_DESIGN.md) — the `ui` visual/interaction design system.
 
 ## Mandatory per-stage workflow
 

PLAN.md

@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ independent (see ARCHITECTURE §9.1).
 | 4 | Lobby & social (matchmaking, friends, block, chat, profile, nudge) | **done** |
 | 5 | Robot opponent | **done** |
 | 6 | Gateway edge (Connect/FB, platform auth, sessions, push bridge, admin) | **done** |
-| 7 | UI — playable slice (Svelte+Vite, board, lobby, chat, hint/word-check, i18n) | todo |
+| 7 | UI — playable slice + UX polish (Svelte+Vite, board, lobby, chat, hint/word-check, i18n) | **done** |
 | 8 | UI — social/account/history (friends, blocks, invitations, profile edit, stats, history/GCG) | todo |
 | 9 | Telegram integration (bot side-service, deep-link, push) | todo |
 | 10 | Admin & dictionary ops (complaint review, version reload) | todo |
@@ -525,6 +525,18 @@ Open details: deployment target/host; dashboards; load expectations.
     **bundle-size budget** — prod is ~67 KB gzip JS — and a chromium e2e). The Go
     workflows already cover the new backend/gateway/pkg code; a `game.ListForAccount`
     integration test and gateway transcode tests for the new ops were added.
+  - **UX polish** (follow-up PR): a mobile-app **app shell** (growing nav bar, content
+    pinned to the bottom) + a one-line **announcement banner** (client-side mock
+    rotation now; server-driven channel later — §10); a mobile-OS **tab bar** and a
+    reusable **HoldConfirm** press-and-hold control (MakeMove 🏁 + game-action confirms);
+    board **zoom reworked** to a width-based zoom in a fixed viewport (real native
+    scroll, double-tap; pinch/swipe dropped) with constant `cqw` labels, corner-letter
+    tiles, contrasting grid lines, last-word dark-tile highlight, and a Settings
+    **bonus-label style** (beginner/
+    classic/none); **hint lays its tiles on the board** (no spend when no move — a new
+    `no_hint_available` result code); the history opens as an in-place **slide-down**
+    (not a modal); word-check is alphabet/length-limited, cached and throttled. Design
+    details live in the new [`docs/UI_DESIGN.md`](docs/UI_DESIGN.md).
 
 ## Deferred TODOs (cross-stage)
 
@@ -551,3 +563,10 @@ Open details: deployment target/host; dashboards; load expectations.
   row behind. Add a periodic reaper (or a finished-and-idle sweep) that deletes
   guest accounts with no active games once their last session is gone; the
   `ON DELETE CASCADE` foreign keys clean up the dependent rows.
+- **TODO-4 — put the per-game alphabet on the wire (owner's idea, Stage 7).** Today the
+  client hardcodes each variant's letters/values (ported into `ui/src/lib/premiums.ts`
+  from `scrabble-solver/rules/rules.go`) and the edge exchanges plays/hints by concrete
+  letters. Consider extending `game.state` to carry the variant's `(letter, index,
+  value)` table so the UI stops duplicating it, and optionally moving tile exchange to
+  letter **indices** end-to-end. Caveat (as for the dictionaries, TODO-2): the wire table
+  must stay pinned to the same `rules.Alphabet` the engine uses, or indices drift.

backend/internal/server/dto_test.go

@@ -51,6 +51,8 @@ func TestStatusForError(t *testing.T) {
 		"code mismatch":  {account.ErrCodeMismatch, http.StatusUnauthorized, "code_invalid"},
 		"session gone":   {session.ErrNotFound, http.StatusUnauthorized, "session_invalid"},
 		"chat forbidden": {social.ErrForbiddenContent, http.StatusUnprocessableEntity, "chat_rejected"},
+		"no hint move":   {game.ErrNoHintAvailable, http.StatusConflict, "no_hint_available"},
+		"no hints left":  {game.ErrNoHintsLeft, http.StatusConflict, "hint_unavailable"},
 		"unknown -> 500": {context_deadline, http.StatusInternalServerError, "internal"},
 	}
 	for name, tc := range cases {

backend/internal/server/handlers.go

@@ -121,7 +121,11 @@ func statusForError(err error) (int, string) {
 		return http.StatusConflict, "already_queued"
 	case errors.Is(err, game.ErrInvalidConfig):
 		return http.StatusBadRequest, "invalid_config"
-	case errors.Is(err, game.ErrHintsDisabled), errors.Is(err, game.ErrNoHintsLeft), errors.Is(err, game.ErrNoHintAvailable):
+	case errors.Is(err, game.ErrNoHintAvailable):
+		// No legal move for the rack — distinct from a budget/disabled hint so the UI
+		// can say "no options" (and the service spends nothing in this case).
+		return http.StatusConflict, "no_hint_available"
+	case errors.Is(err, game.ErrHintsDisabled), errors.Is(err, game.ErrNoHintsLeft):
 		return http.StatusConflict, "hint_unavailable"
 	case errors.Is(err, engine.ErrIllegalPlay), errors.Is(err, engine.ErrTilesNotOnRack), errors.Is(err, engine.ErrGameOver):
 		return http.StatusUnprocessableEntity, "illegal_play"

docs/ARCHITECTURE.md

@@ -38,6 +38,11 @@ Three executables plus per-platform side-services:
   is a hash router and the session token is held in memory + IndexedDB. A build-flagged
   in-memory mock transport (`pnpm start`) runs the whole slice with no backend.
   Embeddable in platform webviews; packageable to native (iOS/Android) via Capacitor.
+  The client uses a mobile-app shell (a growing nav bar; content pinned to the bottom),
+  a one-line **announcement banner** under the nav (a client-side mock rotation today —
+  a server-driven channel later, §10), and a client **board-style** setting (bonus-label
+  mode). The visual/interaction design system is documented in
+  [`UI_DESIGN.md`](UI_DESIGN.md).
 - **`platform/<name>`** *(planned)* — per-platform side-services (Telegram bot
   first): deep-link invites and platform-native push notifications. They talk
   to `backend` over an internal API.
@@ -209,7 +214,11 @@ Key points:
   (`hint_balance`, spent after the allowance; top-ups are a later feature). A hint
   reveals the top-1 ranked move (`GenerateMoves[0]`). The lobby/tournament caller
   picks the per-game defaults (e.g. one in casual random games, none in
-  tournaments).
+  tournaments). The client **lays the hinted tiles onto the board** as a pending
+  placement and leaves the commit to the player. When the rack has no legal move the
+  service spends **nothing** and returns `ErrNoHintAvailable` — surfaced as the distinct
+  result code `no_hint_available` (separate from `hint_unavailable`) so the UI can say
+  "no options" rather than "no hints left".
 - **Word-check tool**: unlimited dictionary lookups against the game's pinned
   dictionary; each result offers a **complaint** (complainant, game, variant,
   dict_version, word, the disputed result, an optional note) that lands in an
@@ -363,6 +372,10 @@ match-found. Out-of-app platform push (your-turn, nudge) is wired in Stage 9;
 session-revocation events and cursor-based stream resume are deferred
 (single-instance MVP).
 
+A separate **announcements channel** feeds the client's one-line banner (UI_DESIGN.md).
+It is a client-side **mock** rotation today; a server-driven source (operational notices,
+promotions) is future work and would deliver short markdown messages (text + links).
+
 ## 11. Observability
 
 - Structured logging with `go.uber.org/zap` (JSON). OpenTelemetry tracer and

docs/FUNCTIONAL.md

@@ -17,7 +17,10 @@ the top-1 hint, the unlimited word-check with complaint, per-game chat and nudge
 real-time in-app updates, switching interface language (en/ru) and theme, and a
 read-only profile. Managing friends and blocks, creating friend games (invitations),
 editing the profile, the statistics screen and the history/GCG viewer arrive in
-Stage 8.
+Stage 8. Settings also pick the board's bonus-label style (beginner / classic /
+none). A hint **lays the suggested tiles on the board** for the player to confirm and
+costs nothing when the rack has no legal move. The word-check accepts only the
+variant's alphabet, remembers answers within the session and rate-limits repeats.
 
 ### Identity & sessions *(Stage 1 / 6)*
 A player arrives from a platform (Telegram first), via email login, or as an

docs/FUNCTIONAL_ru.md

@@ -16,7 +16,11 @@ top-1 подсказку, безлимитную проверку слова с
 обновления в реальном времени, переключение языка интерфейса (en/ru) и темы и
 профиль только для чтения. Управление друзьями и блоками, создание дружеских игр
 (приглашения), редактирование профиля, экран статистики и просмотр истории/GCG
-появятся в Stage 8.
+появятся в Stage 8. В настройках также выбирается стиль подписей бонус-клеток
+(новичок / классика / без текста). Подсказка **выставляет предложенные фишки на
+доску** — игрок сам решает сделать ход, и подсказка не тратится, если ходов нет.
+Проверка слова принимает только алфавит варианта, запоминает ответы в рамках сессии
+и ограничивает частоту повторов.
 
 ### Личность и сессии *(Stage 1 / 6)*
 Игрок приходит с платформы (сначала Telegram), через email-вход или как

docs/UI_DESIGN.md

@@ -0,0 +1,84 @@
+# Scrabble Game — UI design system
+
+Visual and interaction conventions for the `ui` client. Behaviour lives in
+[`FUNCTIONAL.md`](FUNCTIONAL.md); cross-service architecture (including the global
+points this doc references) lives in [`ARCHITECTURE.md`](ARCHITECTURE.md). The client
+is **pure HTML5/CSS + Unicode** — no image/font/SVG assets; icons are CSS shapes or
+emoji glyphs. Tokens are CSS custom properties (`ui/src/app.css`), light/dark via
+`prefers-color-scheme` or an explicit Settings choice, and **Telegram-themeParams-ready**
+(the tokens can be overridden at runtime).
+
+## Layout shell (`components/Screen.svelte`)
+
+A full-height flex column: the nav bar, the announcement strip, the content, and an
+optional bottom tab bar (the tab bar always sits at the screen bottom). On most screens
+the nav is minimal and the **content fills** between nav and tab bar. **Only in the
+game** (`growNav`) does the nav bar grow to absorb spare height (buttons top-aligned),
+pinning the board and controls to the **bottom** for thumb reach. Every screen except
+Login uses `Screen`.
+
+## Navigation
+
+- **Back**: a thin, compact `<` drawn from two rotated CSS borders (`Header.svelte`
+  `.chev`) — lighter than a glyph.
+- **Hamburger**: a CSS three-bar (`Menu.svelte`), deliberately larger; opens a dropdown
+  of items (lobby: Profile/Settings/About; game: History/Chat/Check word/Drop game).
+- **Tab bar** (`TabBar.svelte`): square, borderless, evenly distributed buttons — a large
+  emoji icon over a tiny truncated label. A press highlights a rounded **square** behind
+  the icon (slightly larger than it) until release; spacing keeps adjacent labels from
+  touching. No text selection on nav / tab-bar / buttons (`user-select: none`).
+
+## Tiles & board
+
+- **Tiles**: the letter sits in the **top-left** corner (offset a touch more than the
+  value), the point value bottom-right; blanks show no value.
+- **Board zoom** (`Board.svelte`): a two-state zoom (full 15×15 ↔ ~9 cells) by **growing
+  the board's width** inside a fixed-size viewport (a real layout change → native scroll
+  that works consistently across browsers; no `transform`, which broke scrolling
+  differently in Safari/Chrome). Labels are sized in `cqw` against the fixed viewport, so
+  they stay a constant size as the cells grow (relatively smaller at higher zoom).
+  **Double-tap** toggles zoom and, on touch, placing a tile auto-zooms in centred on the
+  target; the custom pinch and swipe-to-open-history gestures were dropped because they
+  fight native scroll — history opens from the menu.
+- **Highlights**: pending tiles use a slightly darker tile background (no outline). The
+  last completed word gets a dark tile background — static while it is the opponent's
+  turn (our word), and a 1 s flash when it is our turn (their word). While placing, only
+  the pending tiles are highlighted.
+- **Bonus-square labels** — a Settings choice (`boardlabels.ts`): `beginner` shows a
+  split `3×` / `word` (localized слово/буква), `classic` a single `3W` / `3С`, `none`
+  nothing. Default **beginner**.
+- **Grid lines**: the inter-cell gap shows a contrasting `--cell-line` (darker in light,
+  lighter in dark) to avoid a wavy-line optical illusion.
+
+## Controls
+
+- **HoldConfirm** (`components/HoldConfirm.svelte`): the shared press-and-hold control. A
+  short tap opens a small popover above the button; a ~0.7 s hold runs the primary action
+  immediately. Reused by:
+  - **MakeMove** (appears when ≥1 tile is pending; the rack collapses its used slots and
+    shifts left to free room): a **🏁** button whose popover offers **Make move ✅** /
+    **Reset ❌**.
+  - **Game tab bar**: 🔄 Draw (disabled when the bag is empty), 🥺 Skip, 🛟 Hint (with a
+    remaining-count badge) — each confirmed by an **Ok ✅** popover; 🔀 Shuffle has no
+    label and no confirm. The under-board slot shows the **Scores: N** preview.
+
+## Announcement banner (`components/AdBanner.svelte`, `lib/banner.ts`)
+
+A one-line inset strip under the nav bar. Content is minimal markdown (text + links,
+escaped + linkified). A parameterised **rotator** drives messages: a fitting message
+holds `holdMs` (default 60 s) then cross-fades to the next; a message wider than the strip
+pauses (`edgePauseMs`), scrolls to its right edge at `scrollPxPerSec`, pauses, and repeats
+until the cycle exceeds `holdMs`. Today a **mock** provider rotates a long and a short
+message; the source becomes a server-driven channel later (see ARCHITECTURE).
+
+## Result / status iconography (`lib/result.ts`)
+
+Lobby rows show two lines (opponents, then result + score) with a large place-based emoji
+on the right: Victory 🏆 / Defeat 🥈 / Draw 🏅, and for 3–4-player games II 🥈 / III 🥉 /
+IV 🏅; active games show Your move 🟢 / Opponent's move ⏳; invitations use 💌.
+
+## Caveat
+
+Emoji are rendered by the platform's system emoji font, so their exact look varies across
+OSes — acceptable for the MVP, and consistent with the no-asset rule (no glyphs are
+downloaded).

ui/e2e/game.spec.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,86 @@
+import { expect, test, type Page } from '@playwright/test';
+
+// Behaviour/display coverage for the polished game screen, driven entirely by the mock
+// transport (no backend). These lock the round-1..4 interactions so future UI edits
+// surface as a failing assertion — to be re-agreed or fixed. The pure logic behind them
+// (placement, check-word, board labels, result badges) is unit-tested separately.
+
+async function openGame(page: Page): Promise<void> {
+  await page.goto('/');
+  await page.getByRole('button', { name: /guest/i }).click();
+  await page.getByRole('button', { name: /Ann/ }).click(); // the seeded active game vs Ann
+  await expect(page.locator('[data-cell]').first()).toBeVisible();
+}
+
+test('placing a tile and confirming via 🏁 commits the move', async ({ page }) => {
+  await openGame(page);
+  await page.locator('.rack .tile').first().click();
+  await page.locator('[data-cell]:not(.filled)').nth(30).click();
+  await expect(page.locator('[data-cell].pending')).toHaveCount(1);
+
+  await page.locator('.make').click(); // open the MakeMove popover (short tap)
+  await page.locator('.pop.go').click(); // "Make move ✅"
+
+  // After the commit the placement is cleared: no pending tile, no 🏁 control.
+  await expect(page.locator('[data-cell].pending')).toHaveCount(0);
+  await expect(page.locator('.make')).toBeHidden();
+});
+
+test('history slides the board down and closes on a board tap', async ({ page }) => {
+  await openGame(page);
+  await page.locator('.burger').click();
+  await page.locator('.dropdown button').nth(0).click(); // History
+  await expect(page.locator('.history')).toBeVisible();
+  await expect(page.locator('.boardwrap.slid')).toBeVisible();
+
+  await page.locator('.boardwrap').click(); // tapping the board closes it
+  await expect(page.locator('.history')).toBeHidden();
+});
+
+test('Draw opens the exchange dialog and confirms a selection', async ({ page }) => {
+  await openGame(page);
+  await page.locator('button:has-text("🔄")').click(); // Draw tab
+  await expect(page.locator('.exch')).toBeVisible();
+
+  await page.locator('.etile').first().click();
+  await expect(page.locator('.etile.sel')).toHaveCount(1);
+  await page.locator('button.confirm').click();
+  await expect(page.locator('.exch')).toBeHidden();
+});
+
+test('check-word sanitises input and shows a verdict', async ({ page }) => {
+  await openGame(page);
+  await page.locator('.burger').click();
+  await page.locator('.dropdown button').nth(2).click(); // Check word
+
+  const input = page.locator('.check input');
+  await input.fill('qz9!a'); // digits/punctuation dropped, letters upper-cased
+  await expect(input).toHaveValue('QZA');
+
+  await page.locator('.check button').click(); // Check (enabled: length 3)
+  await expect(page.locator('.ok, .bad')).toBeVisible();
+});
+
+test('dropping the game ends it and shows the result', async ({ page }) => {
+  await openGame(page);
+  await page.locator('.burger').click();
+  await page.locator('.dropdown button').nth(3).click(); // Drop game
+  await page.locator('button.danger').click(); // confirm in the modal
+  await expect(page.locator('.status .over')).toBeVisible();
+});
+
+test('the board-label mode in Settings changes the on-board labels', async ({ page }) => {
+  await openGame(page);
+  // beginner (default) renders split "3× / word" labels.
+  await expect(page.locator('.bsplit').first()).toBeVisible();
+  await expect(page.locator('.b1')).toHaveCount(0);
+
+  // Switch to "classic" in Settings (in-SPA hash nav keeps the guest session).
+  await page.evaluate(() => (location.hash = '/settings'));
+  await page.locator('.seg').nth(2).locator('.opt').nth(1).click(); // board labels -> classic
+  await page.evaluate(() => (location.hash = '/game/g1'));
+
+  // classic renders single "3W"/"2L" labels and no split labels.
+  await expect(page.locator('.b1').first()).toBeVisible();
+  await expect(page.locator('.bsplit')).toHaveCount(0);
+});

ui/e2e/smoke.spec.ts

@@ -22,8 +22,9 @@ test('guest reaches a board and previews a placement', async ({ page }) => {
   await rackTile.click();
   await page.locator('[data-cell]:not(.filled)').nth(30).click();
   await expect(page.locator('[data-cell].pending')).toHaveCount(1);
-  await expect(page.locator('.preview')).toContainText(/\d/);
+  // The score preview appears where the hints count used to be.
+  await expect(page.locator('.scores')).toContainText(/\d/);
 
-  // The contextual MakeMove control appears once a tile is pending.
+  // The contextual MakeMove control (🏁) appears once a tile is pending.
-  await expect(page.getByRole('button', { name: /make move/i })).toBeVisible();
+  await expect(page.locator('.make')).toBeVisible();
 });

ui/e2e/zoom.spec.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+import { expect, test } from '@playwright/test';
+
+// Item 5: zooming the board must enlarge the labels too (a magnifying-glass zoom).
+// cqw is sized against the zoom-scaled board, so the font grows with the cells.
+test('zoom enlarges the board labels with the board', async ({ page }) => {
+  await page.goto('/');
+  await page.getByRole('button', { name: /guest/i }).click();
+  await page.getByRole('button', { name: /Ann/ }).click();
+
+  const letter = page.locator('[data-cell] .letter').first();
+  await expect(letter).toBeVisible();
+  const base = await letter.evaluate((el) => parseFloat(getComputedStyle(el).fontSize));
+
+  // Double-tap an empty cell to zoom in (two synchronous clicks = a double-tap).
+  await page
+    .locator('[data-cell]:not(.filled)')
+    .nth(20)
+    .evaluate((el: HTMLElement) => {
+      el.click();
+      el.click();
+    });
+  await page.waitForTimeout(400); // let the width transition settle
+
+  const zoomed = await letter.evaluate((el) => parseFloat(getComputedStyle(el).fontSize));
+  expect(zoomed).toBeGreaterThan(base * 1.4);
+});

ui/playwright.config.ts

@@ -18,5 +18,12 @@ export default defineConfig({
     reuseExistingServer: !process.env.CI,
     timeout: 60_000,
   },
-  projects: [{ name: 'chromium', use: { ...devices['Desktop Chrome'] } }],
+  // Run the same hermetic specs in Chromium and WebKit (Safari's engine) so the UI is
+  // exercised in both rendering/JS engines. Note: desktop WebKit on Linux does not
+  // reproduce iOS Safari's text auto-inflation, so the `text-size-adjust` guard in
+  // app.css is not regression-covered here — but engine-level CSS/JS differences are.
+  projects: [
+    { name: 'chromium', use: { ...devices['Desktop Chrome'] } },
+    { name: 'webkit', use: { ...devices['Desktop Safari'] } },
+  ],
 });

ui/src/app.css

@@ -23,12 +23,12 @@
   /* board + tiles (all drawn with CSS primitives) */
   --board-bg: #cdd6cf;
   --cell-bg: #e7ece8;
-  --cell-line: #b6c0b8;
+  --cell-line: #7f8d83;
   --tile-bg: #f4e2b8;
   --tile-edge: #d8c190;
   --tile-text: #2a2113;
-  --tile-pending: #ffe7a3;
+  --tile-pending: #f2cf73;
-  --tile-recent: #fff6d8;
+  --tile-recent: #c8a85c;
   --prem-tw: #e06a5b; /* triple word */
   --prem-dw: #efa6a0; /* double word + centre */
   --prem-tl: #4f8fd6; /* triple letter */
@@ -62,12 +62,12 @@
 
     --board-bg: #2a3330;
     --cell-bg: #222a27;
-    --cell-line: #38433d;
+    --cell-line: #56655c;
     --tile-bg: #d9c79a;
     --tile-edge: #b6a473;
     --tile-text: #20190d;
-    --tile-pending: #f0d98f;
+    --tile-pending: #d8b75e;
-    --tile-recent: #4a4636;
+    --tile-recent: #7a6638;
     --prem-tw: #b1493d;
     --prem-dw: #8c5450;
     --prem-tl: #34608f;
@@ -123,6 +123,9 @@ body {
   line-height: 1.4;
   -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased;
   text-rendering: optimizeLegibility;
+  /* Stop iOS/Safari from auto-inflating text (e.g. the long marquee message). */
+  text-size-adjust: 100%;
+  -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;
   /* never let the page scroll/zoom out from under the board */
   overscroll-behavior: none;
   touch-action: manipulation;
@@ -130,12 +133,23 @@ body {
 
 #app {
   height: 100%;
+  /* No text selection anywhere by default; inputs opt back in below. */
+  user-select: none;
+  -webkit-user-select: none;
+}
+
+input,
+textarea {
+  user-select: text;
+  -webkit-user-select: text;
 }
 
 button {
   font: inherit;
   color: inherit;
   cursor: pointer;
+  user-select: none;
+  -webkit-user-select: none;
 }
 
 .reduce-motion * {

ui/src/components/AdBanner.svelte

@@ -0,0 +1,80 @@
+<script lang="ts">
+  import { onDestroy, onMount } from 'svelte';
+  import { fade } from 'svelte/transition';
+  import {
+    createBannerRotator,
+    defaultBannerConfig,
+    linkify,
+    mockBanners,
+    type BannerConfig,
+    type BannerItem,
+  } from '../lib/banner';
+
+  let { items = mockBanners(), config = defaultBannerConfig }: { items?: BannerItem[]; config?: BannerConfig } =
+    $props();
+
+  let current = $state(0);
+  let tx = $state(0);
+  let txDur = $state(0);
+  let track = $state<HTMLElement>();
+  let viewport = $state<HTMLElement>();
+
+  let rotator: ReturnType<typeof createBannerRotator> | null = null;
+
+  onMount(() => {
+    rotator = createBannerRotator(items, {
+      overflowPx: () => Math.max(0, (track?.scrollWidth ?? 0) - (viewport?.clientWidth ?? 0)),
+      show: (i) => {
+        current = i;
+        tx = 0;
+        txDur = 0;
+      },
+      scrollTo: (toPx, durationMs) => {
+        txDur = durationMs;
+        tx = -toPx;
+      },
+    }, config);
+    rotator.start();
+  });
+  onDestroy(() => rotator?.stop());
+</script>
+
+<div class="ad" bind:this={viewport}>
+  {#key current}
+    <div
+      class="track"
+      bind:this={track}
+      in:fade={{ duration: config.fadeMs }}
+      style="transform:translateX({tx}px); transition:transform {txDur}ms linear"
+    >
+      {@html linkify(items[current]?.md ?? '')}
+    </div>
+  {/key}
+</div>
+
+<style>
+  .ad {
+    overflow: hidden;
+    white-space: nowrap;
+    padding: 6px 0;
+    background: var(--surface-2);
+    color: var(--text-muted);
+    font-size: 0.85rem;
+    line-height: 1.2;
+    box-shadow: inset 0 1px 2px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.18);
+    border-top: 1px solid var(--border);
+    border-bottom: 1px solid var(--border);
+    user-select: none;
+  }
+  .track {
+    display: inline-block;
+    /* The side inset lives on the track (not the clipping .ad) so the scroll distance
+       (scrollWidth - viewport.clientWidth) reaches the very end of a long message. */
+    padding: 0 var(--pad);
+    will-change: transform;
+  }
+  .track :global(a) {
+    color: var(--accent);
+    text-decoration: underline;
+  }
+</style>

ui/src/components/Header.svelte

@@ -2,30 +2,45 @@
   import type { Snippet } from 'svelte';
   import { navigate } from '../lib/router.svelte';
 
-  let { title, back, menu }: { title: string; back?: string; menu?: Snippet } = $props();
+  let { title, back, menu, grow = false }: { title: string; back?: string; menu?: Snippet; grow?: boolean } =
+    $props();
 </script>
 
-<header class="topbar">
+<header class="nav" class:grow>
+  <div class="bar">
     {#if back}
-    <button class="icon" onclick={() => back && navigate(back)} aria-label="Back">◄</button>
+      <button class="icon back" onclick={() => back && navigate(back)} aria-label="Back">
+        <span class="chev"></span>
+      </button>
     {:else}
       <span class="spacer"></span>
     {/if}
     <h1>{title}</h1>
     <div class="end">{#if menu}{@render menu()}{/if}</div>
+  </div>
 </header>
 
 <style>
-  .topbar {
+  /* By default the nav bar is minimal and the content fills the screen. In the game
+     it grows (class `grow`) to push the board and controls to the bottom. */
+  .nav {
+    flex: 0 0 auto;
+    min-height: 52px;
+    background: var(--bg-elev);
+    border-bottom: 1px solid var(--border);
+    display: flex;
+    flex-direction: column;
+    user-select: none;
+    -webkit-user-select: none;
+  }
+  .nav.grow {
+    flex: 1 1 auto;
+  }
+  .bar {
     display: flex;
     align-items: center;
     gap: var(--gap);
     padding: 10px var(--pad);
-    background: var(--bg-elev);
-    border-bottom: 1px solid var(--border);
-    position: sticky;
-    top: 0;
-    z-index: 5;
   }
   h1 {
     font-size: 1.05rem;
@@ -33,28 +48,40 @@
     flex: 1;
     text-align: center;
     font-weight: 600;
+    white-space: nowrap;
+    overflow: hidden;
+    text-overflow: ellipsis;
   }
   .icon,
   .spacer,
   .end {
-    width: 40px;
+    min-width: 40px;
-    height: 32px;
+    height: 36px;
     display: inline-flex;
     align-items: center;
     justify-content: center;
   }
   .end {
     width: auto;
-    min-width: 40px;
+    justify-content: flex-end;
   }
-  .icon {
+  .back {
     background: none;
     border: none;
-    font-size: 1.1rem;
     color: var(--text);
     border-radius: var(--radius-sm);
+    padding: 0 8px;
   }
-  .icon:hover {
+  .back:hover {
     background: var(--surface-2);
   }
+  /* A thin, compact "<" drawn from two borders — lighter than a glyph. */
+  .chev {
+    width: 11px;
+    height: 11px;
+    border-left: 2.5px solid currentColor;
+    border-bottom: 2.5px solid currentColor;
+    transform: rotate(45deg);
+    margin-left: 3px;
+  }
 </style>

ui/src/components/HoldConfirm.svelte

@@ -0,0 +1,108 @@
+<script lang="ts">
+  import type { Snippet } from 'svelte';
+  // A press-and-hold control: a short tap opens a popover (the consumer renders its
+  // buttons), a ~holdMs hold runs `onhold` immediately. Reused by MakeMove and the
+  // game tab-bar confirmations. The popover snippet receives a `close` callback.
+  let {
+    onhold,
+    holdMs = 700,
+    disabled = false,
+    triggerClass = '',
+    trigger,
+    popover,
+  }: {
+    onhold: () => void;
+    holdMs?: number;
+    disabled?: boolean;
+    triggerClass?: string;
+    trigger: Snippet;
+    popover: Snippet<[() => void]>;
+  } = $props();
+
+  let open = $state(false);
+  let timer: ReturnType<typeof setTimeout> | null = null;
+  let held = false;
+
+  function clear() {
+    if (timer) {
+      clearTimeout(timer);
+      timer = null;
+    }
+  }
+  function down() {
+    if (disabled) return;
+    held = false;
+    clear();
+    timer = setTimeout(() => {
+      held = true;
+      open = false;
+      onhold();
+    }, holdMs);
+  }
+  function up() {
+    clear();
+    if (!held && !disabled) open = true;
+  }
+  function leave() {
+    clear();
+  }
+  const close = () => (open = false);
+</script>
+
+<div class="hc">
+  <button
+    class="trigger {triggerClass}"
+    {disabled}
+    onpointerdown={down}
+    onpointerup={up}
+    onpointerleave={leave}
+    onpointercancel={leave}
+  >
+    {@render trigger()}
+  </button>
+
+  {#if open}
+    <!-- svelte-ignore a11y_click_events_have_key_events -->
+    <!-- svelte-ignore a11y_no_static_element_interactions -->
+    <div class="backdrop" onclick={close}></div>
+    <div class="popover">{@render popover(close)}</div>
+  {/if}
+</div>
+
+<style>
+  .hc {
+    position: relative;
+    display: flex;
+  }
+  .trigger {
+    width: 100%;
+    background: none;
+    border: none;
+    padding: 0;
+    color: inherit;
+    touch-action: none;
+    user-select: none;
+    -webkit-user-select: none;
+  }
+  .backdrop {
+    position: fixed;
+    inset: 0;
+    z-index: 18;
+  }
+  .popover {
+    position: absolute;
+    bottom: calc(100% + 6px);
+    right: 0;
+    z-index: 19;
+    display: flex;
+    flex-direction: column;
+    gap: 2px;
+    white-space: nowrap;
+    background: var(--surface);
+    border: 1px solid var(--border);
+    border-radius: var(--radius-sm);
+    box-shadow: var(--shadow);
+    padding: 4px;
+    min-width: 132px;
+  }
+</style>

ui/src/components/Menu.svelte

@@ -0,0 +1,83 @@
+<script lang="ts">
+  // The header hamburger + dropdown, shared by the lobby and game screens.
+  let { items }: { items: { label: string; onclick: () => void }[] } = $props();
+  let open = $state(false);
+
+  function pick(fn: () => void) {
+    open = false;
+    fn();
+  }
+</script>
+
+<div class="menu">
+  <button class="burger" onclick={() => (open = !open)} aria-label="Menu">
+    <span></span><span></span><span></span>
+  </button>
+  {#if open}
+    <!-- svelte-ignore a11y_click_events_have_key_events -->
+    <!-- svelte-ignore a11y_no_static_element_interactions -->
+    <div class="backdrop" onclick={() => (open = false)}></div>
+    <div class="dropdown">
+      {#each items as it (it.label)}
+        <button onclick={() => pick(it.onclick)}>{it.label}</button>
+      {/each}
+    </div>
+  {/if}
+</div>
+
+<style>
+  .menu {
+    position: relative;
+    display: inline-flex;
+  }
+  .burger {
+    background: none;
+    border: none;
+    width: 44px;
+    height: 38px;
+    display: flex;
+    flex-direction: column;
+    justify-content: center;
+    gap: 5px;
+    padding: 0 10px;
+    user-select: none;
+    -webkit-user-select: none;
+  }
+  .burger span {
+    display: block;
+    height: 3px;
+    background: var(--text);
+    border-radius: 2px;
+  }
+  .backdrop {
+    position: fixed;
+    inset: 0;
+    z-index: 8;
+  }
+  .dropdown {
+    position: absolute;
+    right: 0;
+    top: calc(100% + 6px);
+    z-index: 9;
+    background: var(--surface);
+    border: 1px solid var(--border);
+    border-radius: var(--radius-sm);
+    box-shadow: var(--shadow);
+    display: flex;
+    flex-direction: column;
+    min-width: 170px;
+    overflow: hidden;
+  }
+  .dropdown button {
+    padding: 12px 16px;
+    text-align: left;
+    background: none;
+    border: none;
+    color: var(--text);
+    user-select: none;
+    -webkit-user-select: none;
+  }
+  .dropdown button:hover {
+    background: var(--surface-2);
+  }
+</style>

ui/src/components/Screen.svelte

@@ -0,0 +1,56 @@
+<script lang="ts">
+  import type { Snippet } from 'svelte';
+  import Header from './Header.svelte';
+  import AdBanner from './AdBanner.svelte';
+
+  // The app-shell layout (all screens): the nav bar grows; the ad strip, content and
+  // optional tab bar pin to the bottom (ad directly above the content). Pass `scroll`
+  // false for screens that own their vertical fit (the game board).
+  let {
+    title,
+    back,
+    menu,
+    tabbar,
+    children,
+    scroll = true,
+    growNav = false,
+  }: {
+    title: string;
+    back?: string;
+    menu?: Snippet;
+    tabbar?: Snippet;
+    children?: Snippet;
+    scroll?: boolean;
+    growNav?: boolean;
+  } = $props();
+</script>
+
+<div class="screen">
+  <Header {title} {back} {menu} grow={growNav} />
+  <AdBanner />
+  <main class="content" class:scroll class:fill={!growNav}>{@render children?.()}</main>
+  {#if tabbar}
+    <nav class="tabbar">{@render tabbar()}</nav>
+  {/if}
+</div>
+
+<style>
+  .screen {
+    display: flex;
+    flex-direction: column;
+    height: 100%;
+  }
+  .content {
+    flex: 0 1 auto;
+    min-height: 0;
+  }
+  .content.fill {
+    flex: 1 1 auto;
+  }
+  .content.scroll {
+    overflow-y: auto;
+  }
+  .tabbar {
+    flex: 0 0 auto;
+  }
+</style>

ui/src/components/TabBar.svelte

@@ -0,0 +1,64 @@
+<script lang="ts">
+  import type { Snippet } from 'svelte';
+  // The bottom tab bar: square borderless buttons, evenly distributed, mobile-OS feel.
+  // Direct children (plain `.tab` buttons or HoldConfirm wrappers) share the width.
+  let { children }: { children?: Snippet } = $props();
+</script>
+
+<div class="tabbar">{@render children?.()}</div>
+
+<style>
+  .tabbar {
+    display: flex;
+    gap: 12px;
+    padding: 8px var(--pad);
+    background: var(--bg-elev);
+    border-top: 1px solid var(--border);
+    user-select: none;
+    -webkit-user-select: none;
+  }
+  :global(.tabbar > *) {
+    flex: 1 1 0;
+    min-width: 0;
+  }
+  /* Tab face: an icon square (the press-highlight target) + a tiny truncated label. */
+  :global(.tab) {
+    display: flex;
+    flex-direction: column;
+    align-items: center;
+    gap: 0;
+    background: none;
+    border: none;
+    padding: 1px 0;
+    color: var(--text);
+    width: 100%;
+    user-select: none;
+    -webkit-user-select: none;
+  }
+  :global(.tab:disabled) {
+    opacity: 0.4;
+  }
+  /* The icon square hugs the emoji (just a little padding) so it is the press-highlight
+     target and the badge can sit on its corner. */
+  :global(.tab .sq) {
+    position: relative;
+    display: inline-grid;
+    place-items: center;
+    padding: 3px 10px;
+    border-radius: 12px;
+    font-size: 1.75rem;
+    line-height: 1;
+    transition: background-color 0.12s;
+  }
+  :global(.tab:active:not(:disabled) .sq) {
+    background: var(--surface-2);
+  }
+  :global(.tab .lbl) {
+    font-size: 0.62rem;
+    color: var(--text-muted);
+    max-width: 100%;
+    white-space: nowrap;
+    overflow: hidden;
+    text-overflow: ellipsis;
+  }
+</style>

ui/src/game/Board.svelte

@@ -3,39 +3,64 @@
   import type { Premium } from '../lib/premiums';
   import { tileValue } from '../lib/premiums';
   import type { Variant } from '../lib/model';
+  import { bonusLabel, type BoardLabelMode } from '../lib/boardlabels';
+  import type { Locale } from '../lib/i18n/catalog';
 
   let {
     board,
     premium,
     pending,
-    recent,
+    highlight,
+    flash,
     centre,
     zoomed,
     variant,
+    labelMode,
+    locale,
+    focus,
     oncell,
     ontogglezoom,
   }: {
     board: (BoardCell | null)[][];
     premium: Premium[][];
     pending: Map<string, { letter: string; blank: boolean }>;
-    recent: Set<string>;
+    highlight: Set<string>;
+    flash: boolean;
     centre: { row: number; col: number };
     zoomed: boolean;
     variant: Variant;
+    labelMode: BoardLabelMode;
+    locale: Locale;
+    focus: { row: number; col: number } | null;
     oncell: (row: number, col: number) => void;
     ontogglezoom: () => void;
   } = $props();
 
-  const premClass: Record<Premium, string> = {
+  const Z = 1.85;
-    '': '',
+  const z = $derived(zoomed ? Z : 1);
-    TW: 'tw',
+  const premClass: Record<Premium, string> = { '': '', TW: 'tw', DW: 'dw', TL: 'tl', DL: 'dl' };
-    DW: 'dw',
-    TL: 'tl',
-    DL: 'dl',
-  };
-  const premLabel: Record<Premium, string> = { '': '', TW: '3W', DW: '2W', TL: '3L', DL: '2L' };
 
-  // Double-tap toggles zoom.
+  let viewport = $state<HTMLElement>();
+
+  // Genuine layout zoom (the board grows; cqw labels stay constant), so native scroll
+  // works in every browser. Keep the focus cell centred on every frame of the zoom-in
+  // (the board widens over ~0.25s) so it magnifies *into* that cell, rather than growing
+  // from the top-left corner and then jumping to centre once the transition ends.
+  $effect(() => {
+    const vp = viewport;
+    if (!vp || !zoomed || !focus) return;
+    const f = focus;
+    const start = performance.now();
+    let raf = requestAnimationFrame(function tick(now) {
+      const cell = vp.scrollWidth / 15; // grows frame by frame as the board widens
+      vp.scrollLeft = (f.col + 0.5) * cell - vp.clientWidth / 2;
+      vp.scrollTop = (f.row + 0.5) * cell - vp.clientHeight / 2;
+      if (now - start < 300) raf = requestAnimationFrame(tick);
+    });
+    return () => cancelAnimationFrame(raf);
+  });
+
+  // Double-tap toggles zoom (pinch was dropped — it conflicts with native scroll).
   let lastTap = 0;
   function onTap(row: number, col: number) {
     const now = Date.now();
@@ -48,62 +73,24 @@
     oncell(row, col);
   }
 
-  // Minimal pinch: two pointers spreading apart zoom in, pinching together zoom out.
+  const key = (r: number, c: number) => `${r},${c}`;
-  const pts = new Map<number, { x: number; y: number }>();
-  let startDist = 0;
-  function dist(): number {
-    const p = [...pts.values()];
-    if (p.length < 2) return 0;
-    return Math.hypot(p[0].x - p[1].x, p[0].y - p[1].y);
-  }
-  function onPointerDown(e: PointerEvent) {
-    pts.set(e.pointerId, { x: e.clientX, y: e.clientY });
-    if (pts.size === 2) startDist = dist();
-  }
-  function onPointerMove(e: PointerEvent) {
-    if (!pts.has(e.pointerId)) return;
-    pts.set(e.pointerId, { x: e.clientX, y: e.clientY });
-    if (pts.size === 2 && startDist > 0) {
-      const d = dist();
-      if (!zoomed && d > startDist * 1.25) {
-        ontogglezoom();
-        startDist = 0;
-      } else if (zoomed && d < startDist * 0.8) {
-        ontogglezoom();
-        startDist = 0;
-      }
-    }
-  }
-  function onPointerUp(e: PointerEvent) {
-    pts.delete(e.pointerId);
-    if (pts.size < 2) startDist = 0;
-  }
-
-  function key(r: number, c: number): string {
-    return `${r},${c}`;
-  }
 </script>
 
-<!-- svelte-ignore a11y_no_static_element_interactions -->
+<div class="viewport" class:zoomed bind:this={viewport}>
-<div
+  <div class="scaler" style="--z: {z};">
-  class="viewport"
+    <div class="grid">
-  class:zoomed
-  onpointerdown={onPointerDown}
-  onpointermove={onPointerMove}
-  onpointerup={onPointerUp}
-  onpointercancel={onPointerUp}
->
-  <div class="grid" class:zoomed>
       {#each board as rowCells, r (r)}
         {#each rowCells as cell, c (c)}
           {@const p = pending.get(key(r, c))}
           {@const letter = cell?.letter ?? p?.letter ?? ''}
           {@const blank = cell?.blank ?? p?.blank ?? false}
+          {@const bl = letter ? null : bonusLabel(labelMode, premium[r][c], locale)}
           <button
             class="cell {premClass[premium[r][c]]}"
             class:filled={!!cell}
             class:pending={!!p && !cell}
-          class:recent={recent.has(key(r, c))}
+            class:hl={!!cell && highlight.has(key(r, c)) && !flash}
+            class:flash={!!cell && flash && highlight.has(key(r, c))}
             data-cell
             data-row={r}
             data-col={c}
@@ -114,50 +101,53 @@
               {#if !blank}<span class="val">{tileValue(variant, letter)}</span>{/if}
             {:else if r === centre.row && c === centre.col}
               <span class="star">★</span>
-          {:else if premLabel[premium[r][c]]}
+            {:else if bl?.kind === 'single'}
-            <span class="plabel">{premLabel[premium[r][c]]}</span>
+              <span class="b1">{bl.text}</span>
+            {:else if bl?.kind === 'split'}
+              <span class="bsplit"><span class="bt">{bl.top}</span><span class="bb">{bl.bottom}</span></span>
             {/if}
           </button>
         {/each}
       {/each}
     </div>
   </div>
+</div>
 
 <style>
   .viewport {
     width: 100%;
+    aspect-ratio: 1;
+    overflow: hidden;
     background: var(--board-bg);
-    padding: 4px;
     border-radius: var(--radius-sm);
-    touch-action: none;
   }
   .viewport.zoomed {
     overflow: auto;
-    max-height: 70vh;
+  }
+  /* The query container is the (zoom-scaled) board, so cqw labels scale WITH the board
+     — a magnifying-glass zoom. */
+  .scaler {
+    width: calc(100% * var(--z));
+    transition: width 0.25s ease;
+    container-type: inline-size;
   }
   .grid {
     display: grid;
     grid-template-columns: repeat(15, 1fr);
-    gap: 2px;
+    gap: 1px;
-    width: 100%;
+    background: var(--cell-line);
-  }
+    padding: 1px;
-  .grid.zoomed {
-    grid-template-columns: repeat(15, 2.6rem);
-    width: max-content;
   }
   .cell {
     position: relative;
     aspect-ratio: 1;
     border: none;
-    border-radius: 2px;
+    border-radius: 1px;
     background: var(--cell-bg);
     color: var(--prem-text);
-    display: flex;
-    align-items: center;
-    justify-content: center;
-    font-size: 0.62rem;
     padding: 0;
     overflow: hidden;
+    font-size: 0;
   }
   .cell.tw {
     background: var(--prem-tw);
@@ -179,35 +169,76 @@
   }
   .cell.pending {
     background: var(--tile-pending);
-    outline: 2px solid var(--accent);
-    outline-offset: -2px;
   }
-  .cell.recent {
+  .cell.hl {
-    box-shadow:
+    background: var(--tile-recent);
-      inset 0 -2px 0 var(--tile-edge),
-      0 0 0 2px var(--warn);
   }
+  .cell.flash {
+    /* Two flashes to draw the eye, then settle back to normal so it does not distract. */
+    animation: tileflash 1s ease-in-out 2;
+  }
+  @keyframes tileflash {
+    0%,
+    100% {
+      background: var(--tile-bg);
+    }
+    50% {
+      background: var(--tile-recent);
+    }
+  }
+  /* cqw fonts are sized against the fixed viewport, so labels stay a constant size as
+     the board grows on zoom (relatively smaller, never overflowing). */
   .letter {
-    font-size: 1.05em;
+    position: absolute;
+    top: 5%;
+    left: 8%;
+    font-size: 4.2cqw;
     font-weight: 700;
     line-height: 1;
   }
-  .grid:not(.zoomed) .letter {
-    font-size: 2.6vw;
-  }
   .val {
     position: absolute;
-    right: 1px;
+    right: 5%;
-    bottom: 0;
+    bottom: 3%;
-    font-size: 0.55em;
+    font-size: 2.4cqw;
-    font-weight: 600;
-  }
-  .plabel {
-    opacity: 0.85;
     font-weight: 600;
   }
   .star {
-    font-size: 1.1em;
+    position: absolute;
+    inset: 0;
+    display: grid;
+    place-items: center;
+    font-size: 3.6cqw;
     opacity: 0.7;
   }
+  .b1 {
+    position: absolute;
+    inset: 0;
+    display: grid;
+    place-items: center;
+    font-size: 2.7cqw;
+    font-weight: 600;
+    opacity: 0.9;
+  }
+  .bsplit {
+    position: absolute;
+    inset: 0;
+    display: flex;
+    flex-direction: column;
+    align-items: center;
+    justify-content: center;
+    line-height: 1.05;
+    opacity: 0.92;
+    overflow: hidden;
+    padding: 0 1px;
+  }
+  .bt {
+    font-size: 1.7cqw;
+    font-weight: 600;
+  }
+  .bb {
+    font-size: 1.9cqw;
+    font-weight: 700;
+    white-space: nowrap;
+  }
 </style>

ui/src/game/Game.svelte

@@ -1,23 +1,26 @@
 <script lang="ts">
   import { onDestroy, onMount } from 'svelte';
-  import Header from '../components/Header.svelte';
+  import Screen from '../components/Screen.svelte';
+  import Menu from '../components/Menu.svelte';
+  import TabBar from '../components/TabBar.svelte';
+  import HoldConfirm from '../components/HoldConfirm.svelte';
   import Modal from '../components/Modal.svelte';
   import Board from './Board.svelte';
   import Rack from './Rack.svelte';
-  import MakeMove from './MakeMove.svelte';
-  import Controls from './Controls.svelte';
   import Chat from './Chat.svelte';
   import { gateway } from '../lib/gateway';
   import { app, handleError, showToast } from '../lib/app.svelte';
+  import { GatewayError } from '../lib/client';
   import { t } from '../lib/i18n/index.svelte';
   import type { ChatMessage, Direction, EvalResult, MoveRecord, StateView } from '../lib/model';
-  import { lastPlayTiles, replay } from '../lib/board';
+  import { replay } from '../lib/board';
   import { alphabet, centre, premiumGrid } from '../lib/premiums';
+  import { canCheckWord, sanitizeCheckWord } from '../lib/checkword';
   import {
     BLANK,
-    direction,
     newPlacement,
     place,
+    placementFromHint,
     rackView,
     recallAt,
     reset,
@@ -35,8 +38,9 @@
   let busy = $state(false);
   let zoomed = $state(false);
   let selected = $state<number | null>(null);
-  let panel = $state<'none' | 'chat' | 'history'>('none');
+  let focus = $state<{ row: number; col: number } | null>(null);
-  let menuOpen = $state(false);
+  let panel = $state<'none' | 'chat'>('none');
+  let historyOpen = $state(false);
   let blankPrompt = $state<{ rackIndex: number; row: number; col: number } | null>(null);
   let exchangeOpen = $state(false);
   let exchangeSel = $state<number[]>([]);
@@ -47,6 +51,9 @@
   let messages = $state<ChatMessage[]>([]);
   let drag = $state<{ letter: string; blank: boolean; x: number; y: number } | null>(null);
 
+  const checkedWords = new Map<string, boolean>();
+  let cooling = $state(false);
+
   const variant = $derived(view?.game.variant ?? 'english');
   const board = $derived(replay(moves));
   const premium = $derived(premiumGrid(variant));
@@ -54,14 +61,25 @@
   const pendingMap = $derived(
     new Map(placement.pending.map((p) => [`${p.row},${p.col}`, { letter: p.letter, blank: p.blank }])),
   );
-  const recent = $derived(new Set(lastPlayTiles(moves).map((tt) => `${tt.row},${tt.col}`)));
+  const lastPlay = $derived([...moves].reverse().find((m) => m.action === 'play') ?? null);
-  const slots = $derived(rackView(placement));
+  // Highlight the last word with a dark tile bg; while placing, only the pending tiles
-  const isMyTurn = $derived(
+  // are highlighted. It flashes when the opponent just moved and it is now our turn.
-    !!view && view.game.status === 'active' && view.game.toMove === view.seat,
+  const highlight = $derived(
+    placement.pending.length > 0 || !lastPlay
+      ? new Set<string>()
+      : new Set(lastPlay.tiles.map((tt) => `${tt.row},${tt.col}`)),
   );
+  const flash = $derived(
+    !!lastPlay &&
+      !!view &&
+      view.game.status === 'active' &&
+      lastPlay.player !== view.seat &&
+      view.game.toMove === view.seat,
+  );
+  const slots = $derived(rackView(placement));
+  const isMyTurn = $derived(!!view && view.game.status === 'active' && view.game.toMove === view.seat);
   const gameOver = $derived(!!view && view.game.status !== 'active');
-  const dir = $derived(dirOverride ?? direction(placement) ?? 'H');
+  const bagEmpty = $derived((view?.bagLen ?? 0) === 0);
-  const ambiguous = $derived(placement.pending.length === 1);
 
   async function load() {
     try {
@@ -76,7 +94,6 @@
       handleError(e);
     }
   }
-
   async function loadChat() {
     try {
       messages = await gateway.chatList(id);
@@ -84,7 +101,6 @@
       handleError(e);
     }
   }
-
   onMount(load);
 
   $effect(() => {
@@ -99,7 +115,7 @@
     return typeof matchMedia !== 'undefined' && matchMedia('(pointer: coarse)').matches;
   }
 
-  // --- tile placement: pointer drag + tap, both feeding the placement model ---
+  // --- tile placement: pointer drag + tap ---
   let downInfo: { index: number; x0: number; y0: number } | null = null;
   let dragMoved = false;
   let swallowClick = false;
@@ -117,7 +133,8 @@
       dragMoved = true;
       const slot = placement.rack[downInfo.index];
       drag = { letter: slot, blank: slot === BLANK, x: e.clientX, y: e.clientY };
-      if (isCoarse() && !zoomed) zoomed = true; // auto zoom-in on touch placement
+      // No zoom on drag start: the player may still change their mind. The zoom
+      // (and centring) happens on drop, in attemptPlace.
     }
     if (drag) drag = { ...drag, x: e.clientX, y: e.clientY };
   }
@@ -154,14 +171,18 @@
       return;
     }
     if (selected != null) {
+      // A committed tile already sits here: keep the rack selection so a stray tap
+      // on an occupied cell doesn't cancel placement — wait for an empty cell.
+      if (board[row]?.[col]) return;
       attemptPlace(selected, row, col);
       selected = null;
     }
   }
-
   function attemptPlace(index: number, row: number, col: number) {
     if (board[row]?.[col]) return;
     if (pendingMap.has(`${row},${col}`)) return;
+    focus = { row, col };
+    if (isCoarse() && !zoomed) zoomed = true;
     if (placement.rack[index] === BLANK) {
       blankPrompt = { rackIndex: index, row, col };
       return;
@@ -169,7 +190,6 @@
     placement = place(placement, index, row, col);
     recompute();
   }
-
   function chooseBlank(letter: string) {
     if (!blankPrompt) return;
     placement = place(placement, blankPrompt.rackIndex, blankPrompt.row, blankPrompt.col, letter);
@@ -187,7 +207,7 @@
       try {
         preview = await gateway.evaluate(id, sub.dir, sub.tiles);
       } catch {
-        /* preview is best-effort */
+        /* best-effort */
       }
     }, 250);
   }
@@ -198,6 +218,7 @@
     busy = true;
     try {
       await gateway.submitPlay(id, sub.dir, sub.tiles);
+      zoomed = false;
       await load();
     } catch (e) {
       handleError(e);
@@ -205,7 +226,6 @@
       busy = false;
     }
   }
-
   function resetPlacement() {
     placement = reset(placement);
     preview = null;
@@ -224,7 +244,6 @@
       busy = false;
     }
   }
-
   async function doResign() {
     resignOpen = false;
     busy = true;
@@ -237,18 +256,24 @@
       busy = false;
     }
   }
-
   async function doHint() {
     try {
       const h = await gateway.hint(id);
-      const word = h.move.words[0] ?? h.move.tiles.map((x) => x.letter).join('');
+      if (h.move.tiles.length && view) {
-      showToast(t('game.hintShown', { word, n: h.move.score }));
+        placement = placementFromHint(h.move.tiles, view.rack);
-      if (view) view = { ...view, hintsRemaining: h.hintsRemaining };
+        if (isCoarse()) zoomed = true;
+        view = { ...view, hintsRemaining: h.hintsRemaining };
+        recompute();
+      }
     } catch (e) {
+      // The backend does not spend a hint when there is no move.
+      if (e instanceof GatewayError && e.code === 'no_hint_available') {
+        showToast(t('game.noHintOptions'), 'info');
+      } else {
         handleError(e);
       }
     }
-
+  }
   function shuffle() {
     if (placement.pending.length > 0) return;
     const r = [...placement.rack];
@@ -258,14 +283,7 @@
     }
     placement = newPlacement(r);
   }
-
-  function toggleDir() {
-    dirOverride = dir === 'H' ? 'V' : 'H';
-    recompute();
-  }
-
   function openExchange() {
-    menuOpen = false;
     resetPlacement();
     exchangeSel = [];
     exchangeOpen = true;
@@ -289,16 +307,27 @@
   }
 
   function openCheck() {
-    menuOpen = false;
     checkWord = '';
     checkResult = null;
     checkOpen = true;
   }
+  function onCheckInput(e: Event) {
+    checkWord = sanitizeCheckWord((e.target as HTMLInputElement).value, alphabet(variant));
+  }
+  // Check is disabled while cooling down, for an already-checked word, or an out-of-range
+  // length. The input filter already restricts to the variant's alphabet.
+  function canCheck(): boolean {
+    return canCheckWord(checkWord, checkedWords.has(checkWord.trim().toUpperCase()), cooling);
+  }
   async function runCheck() {
-    const w = checkWord.trim();
+    if (!canCheck()) return;
-    if (!w) return;
+    const w = checkWord.trim().toUpperCase();
+    cooling = true;
+    setTimeout(() => (cooling = false), 5000);
     try {
-      checkResult = await gateway.checkWord(id, w);
+      const r = await gateway.checkWord(id, w);
+      checkedWords.set(r.word.toUpperCase(), r.legal);
+      checkResult = r;
     } catch (e) {
       handleError(e);
     }
@@ -308,28 +337,26 @@
     try {
       await gateway.complaint(id, checkResult.word, '');
       showToast(t('game.complaintSent'));
+      checkOpen = false;
     } catch (e) {
       handleError(e);
     }
   }
 
   function openChat() {
-    menuOpen = false;
     panel = 'chat';
     void loadChat();
   }
   async function sendChat(text: string) {
     try {
-      const m = await gateway.chatPost(id, text);
+      messages = [...messages, await gateway.chatPost(id, text)];
-      messages = [...messages, m];
     } catch (e) {
       handleError(e);
     }
   }
   async function nudge() {
     try {
-      const m = await gateway.nudge(id);
+      messages = [...messages, await gateway.nudge(id)];
-      messages = [...messages, m];
     } catch (e) {
       handleError(e);
     }
@@ -341,24 +368,19 @@
     if (me?.isWinner) return t('game.won');
     return view.game.seats.some((s) => s.isWinner) ? t('game.lost') : t('game.tied');
   }
+
+  const menuItems = $derived([
+    { label: t('game.history'), onclick: () => (historyOpen = true) },
+    { label: t('game.chat'), onclick: openChat },
+    { label: t('game.checkWord'), onclick: openCheck },
+    { label: t('game.dropGame'), onclick: () => (resignOpen = true) },
+  ]);
 </script>
 
-<Header title={t('app.title')} back="/">
+<Screen title={t('app.title')} back="/" growNav scroll={!historyOpen}>
   {#snippet menu()}
-    <button class="icon" onclick={() => (menuOpen = !menuOpen)} aria-label="Menu">≡</button>
+    <Menu items={menuItems} />
-    {#if menuOpen}
-      <!-- svelte-ignore a11y_click_events_have_key_events -->
-      <!-- svelte-ignore a11y_no_static_element_interactions -->
-      <div class="backdrop" onclick={() => (menuOpen = false)}></div>
-      <div class="dropdown">
-        <button onclick={() => { menuOpen = false; panel = 'history'; }}>{t('game.history')}</button>
-        <button onclick={openChat}>{t('game.chat')}</button>
-        <button onclick={openCheck}>{t('game.checkWord')}</button>
-        <button onclick={() => { menuOpen = false; resignOpen = true; }}>{t('game.dropGame')}</button>
-      </div>
-    {/if}
   {/snippet}
-</Header>
 
   {#if view}
     <div class="scoreboard">
@@ -370,28 +392,57 @@
       {/each}
     </div>
 
-  <div class="boardwrap">
+    <div class="stage">
+      {#if historyOpen}
+        <div class="history">
+          <ol>
+            {#each moves as m, i (i)}
+              <li>
+                <span class="hp">{view.game.seats[m.player]?.displayName ?? m.player}</span>
+                <span class="ha">{m.action === 'play' ? m.words.join(', ') : m.action}</span>
+                <span class="hs">{m.score}</span>
+              </li>
+            {/each}
+            {#if moves.length === 0}<li class="hempty">—</li>{/if}
+          </ol>
+        </div>
+      {/if}
+
+      <!-- svelte-ignore a11y_no_static_element_interactions -->
+      <!-- svelte-ignore a11y_click_events_have_key_events -->
+      <div
+        class="boardwrap"
+        class:slid={historyOpen}
+        onclick={() => historyOpen && (historyOpen = false)}
+      >
         <Board
           {board}
           {premium}
           pending={pendingMap}
-      {recent}
+          {highlight}
+          {flash}
           centre={ctr}
           {zoomed}
           {variant}
+          labelMode={app.boardLabels}
+          locale={app.locale}
+          {focus}
           oncell={onCell}
           ontogglezoom={() => (zoomed = !zoomed)}
         />
       </div>
+    </div>
 
     <div class="status">
       <span>{t('game.bag', { n: view.bagLen })}</span>
       {#if gameOver}
         <strong class="over">{t('game.over')} — {resultText()}</strong>
       {:else}
-      <span class="turn-ind">{isMyTurn ? t('game.yourTurn') : t('game.waiting', { name: view.game.seats[view.game.toMove]?.displayName ?? '' })}</span>
+        <span class="turn-ind">{isMyTurn ? t('game.yourTurn') : view.game.seats[view.game.toMove]?.displayName ?? ''}</span>
       {/if}
-    <span>{t('game.hints', { n: view.hintsRemaining })}</span>
+      <span class="scores">
+        {#if preview}{preview.legal ? t('game.scores', { n: preview.score }) : t('game.previewIllegal')}{/if}
+      </span>
     </div>
 
     {#if !gameOver}
@@ -400,32 +451,45 @@
           <Rack {slots} {variant} {selected} ondown={onRackDown} />
         </div>
         {#if placement.pending.length > 0}
-        <MakeMove
+          <HoldConfirm triggerClass="make" onhold={commit}>
-          label={t('game.makeMove')}
+            {#snippet trigger()}<span class="flag">🏁</span>{/snippet}
-          resetLabel={t('game.reset')}
+            {#snippet popover(close)}
-          onmake={commit}
+              <button class="pop go" onclick={() => { close(); commit(); }}>{t('game.makeMove')} ✅</button>
-          onreset={resetPlacement}
+              <button class="pop rs" onclick={() => { close(); resetPlacement(); }}>{t('game.reset')} ❌</button>
-        />
+            {/snippet}
+          </HoldConfirm>
         {/if}
       </div>
-
-    <Controls
-      {preview}
-      hints={view.hintsRemaining}
-      busy={busy || !isMyTurn}
-      {ambiguous}
-      {dir}
-      ondraw={openExchange}
-      onskip={doPass}
-      onshuffle={shuffle}
-      onhint={doHint}
-      ondir={toggleDir}
-    />
     {/if}
   {:else}
     <p class="loading">{t('common.loading')}</p>
   {/if}
 
+  {#snippet tabbar()}
+    {#if view && !gameOver}
+      <TabBar>
+        <button class="tab" disabled={busy || !isMyTurn || bagEmpty} onclick={openExchange}>
+          <span class="sq">🔄</span><span class="lbl">{t('game.draw')}</span>
+        </button>
+        <HoldConfirm triggerClass="tab" disabled={busy || !isMyTurn} onhold={doPass}>
+          {#snippet trigger()}<span class="sq">🥺</span><span class="lbl">{t('game.skip')}</span>{/snippet}
+          {#snippet popover(close)}<button class="pop go" onclick={() => { close(); doPass(); }}>{t('game.confirm')} ✅</button>{/snippet}
+        </HoldConfirm>
+        <HoldConfirm triggerClass="tab" disabled={busy || !isMyTurn} onhold={doHint}>
+          {#snippet trigger()}
+            <span class="sq">🛟{#if (view?.hintsRemaining ?? 0) > 0}<span class="badge">{view?.hintsRemaining}</span>{/if}</span>
+            <span class="lbl">{t('game.hint')}</span>
+          {/snippet}
+          {#snippet popover(close)}<button class="pop go" onclick={() => { close(); doHint(); }}>{t('game.confirm')} ✅</button>{/snippet}
+        </HoldConfirm>
+        <button class="tab" disabled={busy || placement.pending.length > 0} onclick={shuffle}>
+          <span class="sq">🔀</span>
+        </button>
+      </TabBar>
+    {/if}
+  {/snippet}
+</Screen>
+
 {#if drag}
   <div class="ghost" style="left:{drag.x}px; top:{drag.y}px">
     <span>{drag.blank ? '' : drag.letter}</span>
@@ -460,8 +524,13 @@
 {#if checkOpen}
   <Modal title={t('game.checkWord')} onclose={() => (checkOpen = false)}>
     <div class="check">
-      <input placeholder={t('game.checkWordPrompt')} bind:value={checkWord} onkeydown={(e) => e.key === 'Enter' && runCheck()} />
+      <input
-      <button onclick={runCheck}>{t('game.checkWord')}</button>
+        value={checkWord}
+        oninput={onCheckInput}
+        onkeydown={(e) => e.key === 'Enter' && runCheck()}
+        placeholder={t('game.checkWordPrompt')}
+      />
+      <button onclick={runCheck} disabled={!canCheck()}>{t('game.check')}</button>
     </div>
     {#if checkResult}
       <p class:ok={checkResult.legal} class:bad={!checkResult.legal}>
@@ -489,27 +558,12 @@
   </Modal>
 {/if}
 
-{#if panel === 'history' && view}
-  <Modal title={t('game.history')} onclose={() => (panel = 'none')}>
-    <ol class="history">
-      {#each moves as m, i (i)}
-        <li>
-          <span class="hp">{view.game.seats[m.player]?.displayName ?? m.player}</span>
-          <span class="ha">{m.action === 'play' ? m.words.join(', ') : m.action}</span>
-          <span class="hs">{m.score}</span>
-        </li>
-      {/each}
-    </ol>
-  </Modal>
-{/if}
-
 <style>
   .scoreboard {
     display: flex;
     gap: 2px;
     padding: 6px var(--pad);
     background: var(--bg-elev);
-    border-bottom: 1px solid var(--border);
   }
   .seat {
     flex: 1;
@@ -535,14 +589,61 @@
     font-weight: 700;
     font-variant-numeric: tabular-nums;
   }
+  .stage {
+    position: relative;
+    overflow: hidden;
+  }
+  .history {
+    position: absolute;
+    inset: 0 0 auto 0;
+    z-index: 2;
+    max-height: 60%;
+    overflow: auto;
+    background: var(--surface-2);
+    box-shadow: inset 0 -6px 10px -8px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.5);
+    border-bottom: 1px solid var(--border);
+  }
+  .history ol {
+    margin: 0;
+    padding: 8px 14px;
+    list-style: decimal;
+    display: flex;
+    flex-direction: column;
+    gap: 4px;
+  }
+  .history li {
+    display: flex;
+    justify-content: space-between;
+    gap: 10px;
+    font-size: 0.9rem;
+  }
+  .hp {
+    color: var(--text-muted);
+  }
+  .ha {
+    flex: 1;
+    text-align: center;
+  }
+  .hs {
+    font-variant-numeric: tabular-nums;
+    font-weight: 600;
+  }
+  .hempty {
+    justify-content: center;
+    color: var(--text-muted);
+  }
   .boardwrap {
-    padding: 8px;
+    padding: 6px;
+    transition: transform 0.3s ease;
+  }
+  .boardwrap.slid {
+    transform: translateY(62%);
   }
   .status {
     display: flex;
     align-items: center;
     justify-content: space-between;
-    padding: 0 var(--pad) 8px;
+    padding: 2px var(--pad) 6px;
     color: var(--text-muted);
     font-size: 0.85rem;
   }
@@ -553,60 +654,64 @@
   .over {
     color: var(--accent);
   }
+  .scores {
+    font-weight: 600;
+    color: var(--ok);
+    min-width: 64px;
+    text-align: right;
+  }
   .rack-row {
     display: flex;
     gap: 8px;
     align-items: stretch;
-    padding: 0 var(--pad);
+    padding: 0 var(--pad) 6px;
   }
   .rack-wrap {
     flex: 1;
     min-width: 0;
   }
-  :global(.rack-row .wrap) {
+  .flag {
-    display: flex;
+    font-size: 1.6rem;
+  }
+  :global(.make) {
+    min-width: 56px;
+    background: var(--accent);
+    color: var(--accent-text);
+    border-radius: var(--radius-sm);
+    display: grid;
+    place-items: center;
+  }
+  .pop {
+    padding: 9px 14px;
+    border: none;
+    background: none;
+    color: var(--text);
+    border-radius: var(--radius-sm);
+    font-weight: 500;
+    text-align: left;
+  }
+  .pop:hover {
+    background: var(--surface-2);
+  }
+  .badge {
+    position: absolute;
+    top: -3px;
+    right: -3px;
+    font-size: 0.68rem;
+    font-weight: 700;
+    background: var(--accent);
+    color: var(--accent-text);
+    border-radius: 999px;
+    min-width: 15px;
+    padding: 0 3px;
+    line-height: 1.4;
+    text-align: center;
   }
   .loading {
     text-align: center;
     color: var(--text-muted);
     padding: 40px;
   }
-  .icon {
-    background: none;
-    border: none;
-    color: var(--text);
-    font-size: 1.3rem;
-    line-height: 1;
-  }
-  .backdrop {
-    position: fixed;
-    inset: 0;
-    z-index: 8;
-  }
-  .dropdown {
-    position: absolute;
-    right: 8px;
-    top: 44px;
-    z-index: 9;
-    background: var(--surface);
-    border: 1px solid var(--border);
-    border-radius: var(--radius-sm);
-    box-shadow: var(--shadow);
-    display: flex;
-    flex-direction: column;
-    min-width: 160px;
-    overflow: hidden;
-  }
-  .dropdown button {
-    padding: 11px 14px;
-    text-align: left;
-    background: none;
-    border: none;
-    color: var(--text);
-  }
-  .dropdown button:hover {
-    background: var(--surface-2);
-  }
   .ghost {
     position: fixed;
     width: 40px;
@@ -677,6 +782,7 @@
     border-radius: var(--radius-sm);
     background: var(--bg);
     color: var(--text);
+    text-transform: uppercase;
   }
   .check button {
     padding: 10px 12px;
@@ -715,27 +821,4 @@
     color: #fff !important;
     border-color: var(--danger) !important;
   }
-  .history {
-    margin: 0;
-    padding-left: 20px;
-    display: flex;
-    flex-direction: column;
-    gap: 4px;
-  }
-  .history li {
-    display: flex;
-    justify-content: space-between;
-    gap: 10px;
-  }
-  .hp {
-    color: var(--text-muted);
-  }
-  .ha {
-    flex: 1;
-    text-align: center;
-  }
-  .hs {
-    font-variant-numeric: tabular-nums;
-    font-weight: 600;
-  }
 </style>

ui/src/game/Rack.svelte

@@ -15,15 +15,16 @@
     selected: number | null;
     ondown: (e: PointerEvent, index: number) => void;
   } = $props();
+
+  // Used slots are hidden (the rack shifts left, freeing room on the right for the
+  // MakeMove control); the slot still exists in the model for per-tile recall.
+  const visible = $derived(slots.filter((s) => !s.used));
 </script>
 
 <div class="rack">
-  {#each slots as slot (slot.index)}
+  {#each visible as slot (slot.index)}
-    {#if slot.used}
-      <span class="slot empty"></span>
-    {:else}
     <button
-        class="slot tile"
+      class="tile"
       class:selected={selected === slot.index}
       data-rack-index={slot.index}
       onpointerdown={(e) => ondown(e, slot.index)}
@@ -31,29 +32,24 @@
       <span class="letter">{slot.letter === BLANK ? '' : slot.letter}</span>
       {#if slot.letter !== BLANK}<span class="val">{tileValue(variant, slot.letter)}</span>{/if}
     </button>
-    {/if}
   {/each}
 </div>
 
 <style>
   .rack {
-    display: grid;
+    display: flex;
-    grid-template-columns: repeat(7, 1fr);
     gap: 5px;
-  }
+    align-items: center;
-  .slot {
-    aspect-ratio: 1;
-    border-radius: 5px;
-  }
-  .empty {
-    background: var(--surface-2);
-    border: 1px dashed var(--border);
   }
   .tile {
     position: relative;
+    flex: 0 0 auto;
+    width: min(12.5vw, 46px);
+    aspect-ratio: 1;
     background: var(--tile-bg);
     color: var(--tile-text);
     border: none;
+    border-radius: 5px;
     box-shadow: inset 0 -3px 0 var(--tile-edge);
     font-weight: 700;
     font-size: 1.4rem;
@@ -64,9 +60,14 @@
     outline: 3px solid var(--accent);
     outline-offset: -3px;
   }
+  .letter {
+    position: absolute;
+    top: 8%;
+    left: 14%;
+  }
   .val {
     position: absolute;
-    right: 3px;
+    right: 4px;
     bottom: 1px;
     font-size: 0.7rem;
     font-weight: 600;

ui/src/lib/app.svelte.ts

@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ import { navigate, router } from './router.svelte';
 import { errorKey, localeFrom, setLocale, t, type Locale } from './i18n/index.svelte';
 import { applyReduceMotion, applyTheme, type ThemePref } from './theme';
 import { clearSession, loadPrefs, loadSession, saveSession, savePrefs } from './session';
+import type { BoardLabelMode } from './boardlabels';
 
 export interface Toast {
   kind: 'error' | 'info';
@@ -25,6 +26,7 @@ export const app = $state<{
   theme: ThemePref;
   locale: Locale;
   reduceMotion: boolean;
+  boardLabels: BoardLabelMode;
   localeLocked: boolean;
 }>({
   ready: false,
@@ -35,6 +37,7 @@ export const app = $state<{
   theme: 'auto',
   locale: 'en',
   reduceMotion: false,
+  boardLabels: 'beginner',
   localeLocked: false,
 });
 
@@ -101,6 +104,7 @@ export async function bootstrap(): Promise<void> {
   const prefs = await loadPrefs();
   app.theme = prefs.theme ?? 'auto';
   app.reduceMotion = prefs.reduceMotion ?? false;
+  app.boardLabels = prefs.boardLabels ?? 'beginner';
   applyTheme(app.theme);
   applyReduceMotion(app.reduceMotion);
   if (prefs.locale) {
@@ -163,7 +167,12 @@ export async function logout(): Promise<void> {
 }
 
 function persistPrefs(): void {
-  void savePrefs({ theme: app.theme, locale: app.locale, reduceMotion: app.reduceMotion });
+  void savePrefs({
+    theme: app.theme,
+    locale: app.locale,
+    reduceMotion: app.reduceMotion,
+    boardLabels: app.boardLabels,
+  });
 }
 
 export function setTheme(theme: ThemePref): void {
@@ -184,3 +193,8 @@ export function setReduceMotion(on: boolean): void {
   applyReduceMotion(on);
   persistPrefs();
 }
+
+export function setBoardLabels(mode: BoardLabelMode): void {
+  app.boardLabels = mode;
+  persistPrefs();
+}

ui/src/lib/banner.test.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,90 @@
+import { afterEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest';
+import { createBannerRotator, defaultBannerConfig, linkify } from './banner';
+
+describe('linkify', () => {
+  it('escapes html and renders markdown links', () => {
+    expect(linkify('a < b & c')).toBe('a &lt; b &amp; c');
+    expect(linkify('see [docs](https://x.com) now')).toBe(
+      'see <a href="https://x.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">docs</a> now',
+    );
+  });
+  it('drops a non-http(s) link target (keeps the label)', () => {
+    expect(linkify('[x](ftp://evil)')).toBe('x');
+    expect(linkify('[y](javascript:boom)')).toBe('y');
+  });
+  it('keeps root-relative links and renders several in one string', () => {
+    expect(linkify('go [home](/lobby) or [docs](https://x.com)')).toBe(
+      'go <a href="/lobby" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">home</a> or ' +
+        '<a href="https://x.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">docs</a>',
+    );
+  });
+});
+
+describe('banner rotator', () => {
+  afterEach(() => vi.useRealTimers());
+
+  it('holds a fitting message then advances, and scrolls an overflowing one', () => {
+    vi.useFakeTimers();
+    const cfg = { ...defaultBannerConfig, holdMs: 1000, edgePauseMs: 100, fadeMs: 10, scrollPxPerSec: 50 };
+    const shown: number[] = [];
+    let scrolled = 0;
+    const overflow = [0, 200]; // item 0 fits, item 1 overflows
+    const r = createBannerRotator(
+      [{ md: 'a' }, { md: 'b' }],
+      {
+        overflowPx: (i) => overflow[i],
+        show: (i) => shown.push(i),
+        scrollTo: () => scrolled++,
+      },
+      cfg,
+    );
+
+    r.start();
+    expect(shown).toEqual([0]);
+    vi.advanceTimersByTime(cfg.fadeMs); // settle + measure item 0
+    vi.advanceTimersByTime(cfg.holdMs); // advance to item 1
+    expect(shown).toEqual([0, 1]);
+    vi.advanceTimersByTime(cfg.fadeMs); // settle + measure item 1 (overflows)
+    vi.advanceTimersByTime(cfg.edgePauseMs); // edge pause -> scrollTo
+    expect(scrolled).toBe(1);
+    r.stop();
+  });
+
+  it('repeats the scroll cycle while under holdMs, then advances', () => {
+    vi.useFakeTimers();
+    const cfg = { holdMs: 2500, edgePauseMs: 100, fadeMs: 10, scrollPxPerSec: 100 };
+    const shown: number[] = [];
+    let scrolls = 0;
+    const r = createBannerRotator(
+      [{ md: 'long' }, { md: 'short' }],
+      { overflowPx: (i) => (i === 0 ? 100 : 0), show: (i) => shown.push(i), scrollTo: () => scrolls++ },
+      cfg,
+    );
+    r.start();
+    vi.advanceTimersByTime(110); // fade(10) + edgePause(100) -> first scroll
+    expect(scrolls).toBe(1);
+    expect(shown).toEqual([0]);
+    vi.advanceTimersByTime(1200); // scrollDur(1000) + edgePause + edgePause -> re-show + second scroll
+    expect(scrolls).toBe(2);
+    expect(shown).toEqual([0, 0]); // re-shown to reset scroll, still item 0 (under holdMs)
+    vi.advanceTimersByTime(10_000);
+    expect(shown).toContain(1); // eventually exceeds holdMs and advances to the fitting message
+    r.stop();
+  });
+
+  it('stop() halts further advancement', () => {
+    vi.useFakeTimers();
+    const cfg = { ...defaultBannerConfig, holdMs: 100, fadeMs: 5, edgePauseMs: 5 };
+    const shown: number[] = [];
+    const r = createBannerRotator(
+      [{ md: 'a' }, { md: 'b' }],
+      { overflowPx: () => 0, show: (i) => shown.push(i), scrollTo: () => {} },
+      cfg,
+    );
+    r.start();
+    vi.advanceTimersByTime(cfg.fadeMs);
+    r.stop();
+    vi.advanceTimersByTime(10_000);
+    expect(shown).toEqual([0]);
+  });
+});

ui/src/lib/banner.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,157 @@
+// Announcement / "ad" banner — a parameterised rotator plus a tiny markdown linkifier.
+// The rotator is DOM-agnostic (the host measures overflow and applies the visual
+// effects through callbacks), so its timing is unit-testable with fake timers. Today
+// the content is a mock long↔short rotation; later it becomes a server-driven
+// announcements channel (see ARCHITECTURE).
+
+export interface BannerConfig {
+  /** How long one message is shown before advancing (short text), ms. */
+  holdMs: number;
+  /** Pause at each end before/after scrolling a long message, ms. */
+  edgePauseMs: number;
+  /** Scroll speed for a long (overflowing) message, px/sec. */
+  scrollPxPerSec: number;
+  /** Cross-fade duration between messages, ms. */
+  fadeMs: number;
+}
+
+export const defaultBannerConfig: BannerConfig = {
+  holdMs: 60_000,
+  edgePauseMs: 5_000,
+  scrollPxPerSec: 40,
+  fadeMs: 400,
+};
+
+export interface BannerItem {
+  /** Minimal markdown: plain text + `[label](url)` links. */
+  md: string;
+}
+
+/** The host the rotator drives; the Svelte component supplies the DOM measurements. */
+export interface BannerHost {
+  /** Overflow width of item `index` in px (0 when it fits). */
+  overflowPx(index: number): number;
+  /** Render item `index` (the host fades it in and resets scroll to the start). */
+  show(index: number): void;
+  /** Animate the horizontal scroll to `toPx` over `durationMs`. */
+  scrollTo(toPx: number, durationMs: number): void;
+}
+
+export interface Rotator {
+  start(): void;
+  stop(): void;
+}
+
+/**
+ * createBannerRotator drives a list of messages: a fitting message holds `holdMs`
+ * then advances; an overflowing one pauses, scrolls to its right edge, pauses, then
+ * repeats while the elapsed cycle is under `holdMs`, else advances.
+ */
+export function createBannerRotator(
+  items: BannerItem[],
+  host: BannerHost,
+  config: BannerConfig = defaultBannerConfig,
+): Rotator {
+  let index = 0;
+  let running = false;
+  let cycleStart = 0;
+  const timers: ReturnType<typeof setTimeout>[] = [];
+
+  const at = (ms: number, fn: () => void) => {
+    timers.push(setTimeout(fn, ms));
+  };
+  const clear = () => {
+    for (const t of timers) clearTimeout(t);
+    timers.length = 0;
+  };
+
+  function advance() {
+    if (!running) return;
+    index = (index + 1) % items.length;
+    present();
+  }
+
+  function present() {
+    if (!running) return;
+    clear();
+    host.show(index);
+    // Let the swapped-in message render before measuring its overflow.
+    at(config.fadeMs, () => {
+      const over = host.overflowPx(index);
+      if (over <= 0) {
+        at(config.holdMs, advance);
+        return;
+      }
+      cycleStart = Date.now();
+      scrollCycle(over);
+    });
+  }
+
+  function scrollCycle(over: number) {
+    const dur = (over / config.scrollPxPerSec) * 1000;
+    at(config.edgePauseMs, () => {
+      host.scrollTo(over, dur);
+      at(dur + config.edgePauseMs, () => {
+        if (Date.now() - cycleStart >= config.holdMs) {
+          advance();
+        } else {
+          host.show(index); // resets scroll to the start
+          scrollCycle(over);
+        }
+      });
+    });
+  }
+
+  return {
+    start() {
+      if (running || items.length === 0) return;
+      running = true;
+      index = 0;
+      present();
+    },
+    stop() {
+      running = false;
+      clear();
+    },
+  };
+}
+
+const URL_RE = /^(https?:\/\/|\/)/i;
+
+function escapeHtml(s: string): string {
+  return s.replace(/[&<>"]/g, (c) => ({ '&': '&amp;', '<': '&lt;', '>': '&gt;', '"': '&quot;' })[c]!);
+}
+
+/**
+ * linkify renders minimal markdown to a safe HTML string: everything is escaped, then
+ * `[label](url)` becomes a link (only http(s):// or root-relative URLs are allowed).
+ */
+export function linkify(md: string): string {
+  const parts: string[] = [];
+  const re = /\[([^\]]+)\]\(([^)]+)\)/g;
+  let last = 0;
+  let m: RegExpExecArray | null;
+  while ((m = re.exec(md)) !== null) {
+    parts.push(escapeHtml(md.slice(last, m.index)));
+    const label = escapeHtml(m[1]);
+    const url = m[2].trim();
+    if (URL_RE.test(url)) {
+      parts.push(`<a href="${escapeHtml(url)}" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">${label}</a>`);
+    } else {
+      parts.push(label);
+    }
+    last = re.lastIndex;
+  }
+  parts.push(escapeHtml(md.slice(last)));
+  return parts.join('');
+}
+
+/** mockBanners is the placeholder rotation (long ↔ short) to demo the mechanics. */
+export function mockBanners(): BannerItem[] {
+  return [
+    { md: 'New season starts soon — [learn more](https://example.com/season).' },
+    {
+      md: 'Tip: a 7-tile play earns a +50 bonus. Try the daily tournament, climb the leaderboard, and challenge friends — more modes are coming, [stay tuned](https://example.com/news)!',
+    },
+  ];
+}

ui/src/lib/boardlabels.test.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+import { describe, expect, it } from 'vitest';
+import { bonusLabel } from './boardlabels';
+
+describe('bonusLabel', () => {
+  it('none mode and plain squares have no label', () => {
+    expect(bonusLabel('none', 'TW', 'en')).toBeNull();
+    expect(bonusLabel('beginner', '', 'en')).toBeNull();
+  });
+
+  it('classic is a localized single tag', () => {
+    expect(bonusLabel('classic', 'TW', 'en')).toEqual({ kind: 'single', text: '3W' });
+    expect(bonusLabel('classic', 'DL', 'en')).toEqual({ kind: 'single', text: '2L' });
+    expect(bonusLabel('classic', 'TW', 'ru')).toEqual({ kind: 'single', text: '3С' });
+    expect(bonusLabel('classic', 'DL', 'ru')).toEqual({ kind: 'single', text: '2Б' });
+  });
+
+  it('beginner is a localized split label', () => {
+    expect(bonusLabel('beginner', 'TW', 'en')).toEqual({ kind: 'split', top: '3×', bottom: 'word' });
+    expect(bonusLabel('beginner', 'DL', 'en')).toEqual({ kind: 'split', top: '2×', bottom: 'letter' });
+    expect(bonusLabel('beginner', 'TL', 'ru')).toEqual({ kind: 'split', top: '3×', bottom: 'буква' });
+  });
+});

ui/src/lib/boardlabels.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+// Bonus-square label modes (a client setting, separate from the theme). The board
+// renders these locally — premiums are not on the wire. Default is "beginner".
+
+import type { Premium } from './premiums';
+import type { Locale } from './i18n/catalog';
+
+export type BoardLabelMode = 'beginner' | 'classic' | 'none';
+
+export type BonusLabel =
+  | { kind: 'single'; text: string }
+  | { kind: 'split'; top: string; bottom: string }
+  | null;
+
+function multiplier(p: Premium): number {
+  return p === 'TW' || p === 'TL' ? 3 : 2;
+}
+
+function isWord(p: Premium): boolean {
+  return p === 'TW' || p === 'DW';
+}
+
+/**
+ * bonusLabel returns how a premium square is labelled: `classic` "3W"/"3С", `beginner`
+ * a split "3×" / "word" (localized), or nothing.
+ */
+export function bonusLabel(mode: BoardLabelMode, p: Premium, locale: Locale): BonusLabel {
+  if (mode === 'none' || p === '') return null;
+  const n = multiplier(p);
+  const word = isWord(p);
+  if (mode === 'classic') {
+    const tag = locale === 'ru' ? (word ? 'С' : 'Б') : word ? 'W' : 'L';
+    return { kind: 'single', text: `${n}${tag}` };
+  }
+  const bottom = locale === 'ru' ? (word ? 'слово' : 'буква') : word ? 'word' : 'letter';
+  return { kind: 'split', top: `${n}×`, bottom };
+}

ui/src/lib/checkword.test.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+import { describe, expect, it } from 'vitest';
+import { canCheckWord, MAX_WORD_LEN, sanitizeCheckWord } from './checkword';
+
+const EN = 'ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ'.split('');
+
+describe('sanitizeCheckWord', () => {
+  it('upper-cases and keeps only letters of the alphabet', () => {
+    expect(sanitizeCheckWord('ca7t!', EN)).toBe('CAT');
+    expect(sanitizeCheckWord('  Hi 9 ', EN)).toBe('HI');
+  });
+
+  it('drops characters outside the active alphabet', () => {
+    expect(sanitizeCheckWord('cat', ['C', 'A'])).toBe('CA'); // T not in this alphabet
+    const RU = 'КОТ'.split('');
+    expect(sanitizeCheckWord('коt', RU)).toBe('КО'); // cyrillic kept, latin "t" dropped
+  });
+
+  it('caps the length at MAX_WORD_LEN', () => {
+    expect(sanitizeCheckWord('A'.repeat(30), EN)).toHaveLength(MAX_WORD_LEN);
+  });
+});
+
+describe('canCheckWord', () => {
+  it('allows a fresh, in-range word', () => {
+    expect(canCheckWord('CAT', false, false)).toBe(true);
+  });
+
+  it('rejects an out-of-range length', () => {
+    expect(canCheckWord('A', false, false)).toBe(false); // too short
+    expect(canCheckWord('A'.repeat(MAX_WORD_LEN + 1), false, false)).toBe(false); // too long
+  });
+
+  it('rejects an already-checked word or a cooling-down state', () => {
+    expect(canCheckWord('CAT', true, false)).toBe(false);
+    expect(canCheckWord('CAT', false, true)).toBe(false);
+  });
+
+  it('trims surrounding whitespace before measuring length', () => {
+    expect(canCheckWord('  ok  ', false, false)).toBe(true);
+    expect(canCheckWord('  a  ', false, false)).toBe(false);
+  });
+});

ui/src/lib/checkword.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+// Pure helpers for the in-game "check a word" panel: input sanitising and the gate on
+// when a check may be sent. Kept separate from Game.svelte so the constraints (the
+// variant alphabet, the length bounds, the answered-word cache and the cool-down
+// throttle) are unit-testable and stay in lockstep with the UI.
+
+/** The longest word that fits on a standard 15-cell board line. */
+export const MAX_WORD_LEN = 15;
+/** The shortest word worth checking. */
+export const MIN_WORD_LEN = 2;
+
+/**
+ * sanitizeCheckWord upper-cases the raw input and keeps only characters of the active
+ * variant's alphabet, capped at MAX_WORD_LEN — so the field can never hold something the
+ * dictionary could not contain.
+ */
+export function sanitizeCheckWord(raw: string, alphabet: string[]): string {
+  const allowed = new Set(alphabet);
+  return Array.from(raw.toUpperCase())
+    .filter((ch) => allowed.has(ch))
+    .slice(0, MAX_WORD_LEN)
+    .join('');
+}
+
+/**
+ * canCheckWord gates the Check action: the trimmed word must be of valid length, must not
+ * have been answered already (cached), and must not fall inside the cool-down window.
+ */
+export function canCheckWord(word: string, alreadyChecked: boolean, cooling: boolean): boolean {
+  const w = word.trim();
+  return w.length >= MIN_WORD_LEN && w.length <= MAX_WORD_LEN && !alreadyChecked && !cooling;
+}

ui/src/lib/client.test.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+import { describe, expect, it } from 'vitest';
+import { GatewayError } from './client';
+
+describe('GatewayError', () => {
+  it('carries a stable code and is a real Error', () => {
+    const e = new GatewayError('no_hint_available');
+    expect(e).toBeInstanceOf(Error);
+    expect(e.name).toBe('GatewayError');
+    expect(e.code).toBe('no_hint_available');
+    expect(e.message).toBe('no_hint_available'); // message defaults to the code
+  });
+
+  it('keeps a custom message while the code stays the i18n lookup key', () => {
+    const e = new GatewayError('not_your_turn', 'It is not your turn');
+    expect(e.code).toBe('not_your_turn');
+    expect(e.message).toBe('It is not your turn');
+  });
+});

ui/src/lib/i18n/en.ts

@@ -76,6 +76,20 @@ export const en = {
   'game.wordIllegal': '“{word}” is not valid',
   'game.complain': 'Disagree',
   'game.complaintSent': 'Thanks, sent for review.',
+  'game.confirm': 'Ok',
+  'game.check': 'Check',
+  'game.checkWait': 'Please wait a moment.',
+  'game.noHintOptions': 'No options with your letters.',
+  'game.scores': 'Scores: {n}',
+
+  'result.victory': 'Victory',
+  'result.defeat': 'Defeat',
+  'result.draw': 'Draw',
+  'result.place2': 'II place',
+  'result.place3': 'III place',
+  'result.place4': 'IV place',
+  'result.yourMove': 'Your move',
+  'result.oppMove': "Opponent's move",
 
   'chat.placeholder': 'Quick message…',
   'chat.send': 'Send',
@@ -96,6 +110,11 @@ export const en = {
   'settings.themeLight': 'Light',
   'settings.themeDark': 'Dark',
   'settings.language': 'Interface language',
+  'settings.boardStyle': 'Board style',
+  'settings.boardLabels': 'Bonus labels',
+  'settings.labelsBeginner': 'Beginner',
+  'settings.labelsClassic': 'Classic',
+  'settings.labelsNone': 'None',
   'settings.reduceMotion': 'Reduce motion',
 
   'about.title': 'About',
@@ -108,6 +127,7 @@ export const en = {
   'error.not_your_turn': "It is not your turn.",
   'error.illegal_play': 'That is not a legal play.',
   'error.hint_unavailable': 'No hints available.',
+  'error.no_hint_available': 'No options with your letters.',
   'error.chat_rejected': 'Message rejected (too long or contains contact info).',
   'error.game_finished': 'This game is finished.',
   'error.not_a_player': 'You are not a player in this game.',

ui/src/lib/i18n/ru.ts

@@ -77,6 +77,20 @@ export const ru: Record<MessageKey, string> = {
   'game.wordIllegal': '«{word}» недопустимо',
   'game.complain': 'Не согласен',
   'game.complaintSent': 'Спасибо, отправлено на проверку.',
+  'game.confirm': 'Да',
+  'game.check': 'Проверить',
+  'game.checkWait': 'Секунду, пожалуйста.',
+  'game.noHintOptions': 'Нет вариантов с вашим набором.',
+  'game.scores': 'Очков: {n}',
+
+  'result.victory': 'Победа',
+  'result.defeat': 'Поражение',
+  'result.draw': 'Ничья',
+  'result.place2': 'II место',
+  'result.place3': 'III место',
+  'result.place4': 'IV место',
+  'result.yourMove': 'Ваш ход',
+  'result.oppMove': 'Ход соперника',
 
   'chat.placeholder': 'Короткое сообщение…',
   'chat.send': 'Отправить',
@@ -97,6 +111,11 @@ export const ru: Record<MessageKey, string> = {
   'settings.themeLight': 'Светлая',
   'settings.themeDark': 'Тёмная',
   'settings.language': 'Язык интерфейса',
+  'settings.boardStyle': 'Стиль доски',
+  'settings.boardLabels': 'Подписи бонусов',
+  'settings.labelsBeginner': 'Новичок',
+  'settings.labelsClassic': 'Классика',
+  'settings.labelsNone': 'Без текста',
   'settings.reduceMotion': 'Меньше анимаций',
 
   'about.title': 'О программе',
@@ -109,6 +128,7 @@ export const ru: Record<MessageKey, string> = {
   'error.not_your_turn': 'Сейчас не ваш ход.',
   'error.illegal_play': 'Это недопустимый ход.',
   'error.hint_unavailable': 'Подсказки недоступны.',
+  'error.no_hint_available': 'Нет вариантов с вашим набором.',
   'error.chat_rejected': 'Сообщение отклонено (слишком длинное или содержит контакты).',
   'error.game_finished': 'Эта игра уже завершена.',
   'error.not_a_player': 'Вы не участник этой игры.',

ui/src/lib/placement.test.ts

@@ -1,11 +1,15 @@
 import { describe, expect, it } from 'vitest';
 import {
   BLANK,
+  cellOccupied,
   direction,
+  isBlankSlot,
   newPlacement,
   place,
+  placementFromHint,
   rackView,
   recallAt,
+  recallIndex,
   reset,
   toSubmit,
 } from './placement';
@@ -61,4 +65,60 @@ describe('placement state machine', () => {
     expect(toSubmit(place(newPlacement(rack), 0, 7, 7), 'V')?.dir).toBe('V');
     expect(toSubmit(newPlacement(rack))).toBeNull();
   });
+
+  it('recalls a tile by rack index and reports occupied cells / blank slots', () => {
+    let p = place(newPlacement(rack), 0, 7, 7);
+    p = place(p, 1, 7, 8);
+    expect(cellOccupied(p, 7, 7)).toBe(true);
+    expect(cellOccupied(p, 6, 6)).toBe(false);
+    p = recallIndex(p, 0);
+    expect(p.pending.map((t) => t.rackIndex)).toEqual([1]);
+    expect(isBlankSlot(newPlacement(rack), 2)).toBe(true); // '?' slot
+    expect(isBlankSlot(newPlacement(rack), 0)).toBe(false);
+  });
+
+  it('treats a non-linear placement as no inferred direction', () => {
+    let p = place(newPlacement(rack), 0, 7, 7);
+    p = place(p, 1, 8, 8); // diagonal
+    expect(direction(p)).toBeNull();
+  });
+
+  it('defaults a single-tile submit to H without an override', () => {
+    const sub = toSubmit(place(newPlacement(rack), 0, 7, 7));
+    expect(sub?.dir).toBe('H');
+    expect(sub?.tiles).toHaveLength(1);
+  });
+});
+
+describe('placementFromHint', () => {
+  it('maps hint letters and blanks onto rack slots', () => {
+    const p = placementFromHint(
+      [
+        { row: 7, col: 7, letter: 'C', blank: false },
+        { row: 7, col: 8, letter: 'A', blank: false },
+        { row: 7, col: 9, letter: 'B', blank: true },
+      ],
+      ['C', 'A', BLANK, 'T'],
+    );
+    expect(p.pending).toHaveLength(3);
+    expect(p.pending[0]).toMatchObject({ rackIndex: 0, letter: 'C', blank: false });
+    expect(p.pending[2]).toMatchObject({ rackIndex: 2, letter: 'B', blank: true });
+  });
+
+  it('falls back to a blank slot when the hint letter is not in the rack', () => {
+    const p = placementFromHint([{ row: 7, col: 7, letter: 'Z', blank: false }], ['A', BLANK]);
+    expect(p.pending).toHaveLength(1);
+    expect(p.pending[0]).toMatchObject({ rackIndex: 1, letter: 'Z', blank: true });
+  });
+
+  it('skips hint tiles once the rack is exhausted', () => {
+    const p = placementFromHint(
+      [
+        { row: 7, col: 7, letter: 'A', blank: false },
+        { row: 7, col: 8, letter: 'B', blank: false },
+      ],
+      ['A'],
+    );
+    expect(p.pending.map((t) => t.letter)).toEqual(['A']);
+  });
 });

ui/src/lib/placement.ts

@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 // payload. It is board-agnostic (the gateway/engine does full legality validation at
 // submit), which keeps it trivially unit-testable.
 
-import type { Direction } from './model';
+import type { Direction, Tile } from './model';
 import type { PlacedTile } from './client';
 
 export interface PendingTile {
@@ -36,6 +36,25 @@ export function newPlacement(rack: string[]): Placement {
   return { rack: [...rack], pending: [] };
 }
 
+/**
+ * placementFromHint turns a hint move's tiles into a pending placement by matching each
+ * tile to a rack slot (a blank "?" for blank tiles, else the matching letter), so the
+ * player sees the suggested move laid out and decides whether to commit it.
+ */
+export function placementFromHint(tiles: Tile[], rack: string[]): Placement {
+  const used = new Set<number>();
+  const pending: PendingTile[] = [];
+  const take = (pred: (letter: string, i: number) => boolean) => rack.findIndex((l, i) => !used.has(i) && pred(l, i));
+  for (const t of tiles) {
+    let idx = t.blank ? take((l) => l === BLANK) : take((l) => l === t.letter.toUpperCase());
+    if (idx < 0) idx = take((l) => l === BLANK); // fall back to a blank
+    if (idx < 0) continue;
+    used.add(idx);
+    pending.push({ rackIndex: idx, row: t.row, col: t.col, letter: t.letter.toUpperCase(), blank: rack[idx] === BLANK });
+  }
+  return { rack: [...rack], pending };
+}
+
 function usedIndexes(p: Placement): Set<number> {
   return new Set(p.pending.map((t) => t.rackIndex));
 }

ui/src/lib/result.test.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,57 @@
+import { describe, expect, it } from 'vitest';
+import { resultBadge } from './result';
+import type { GameView, Seat } from './model';
+
+const seat = (s: number, accountId: string, score: number, isWinner = false): Seat => ({
+  seat: s,
+  accountId,
+  displayName: accountId,
+  score,
+  hintsUsed: 0,
+  isWinner,
+});
+
+function game(seats: Seat[], status = 'finished', toMove = 0): GameView {
+  return {
+    id: 'g',
+    variant: 'english',
+    dictVersion: 'v1',
+    status,
+    players: seats.length,
+    toMove,
+    turnTimeoutSecs: 0,
+    moveCount: 0,
+    endReason: '',
+    seats,
+  };
+}
+
+describe('resultBadge', () => {
+  it('active: your move vs opponent', () => {
+    const g = game([seat(0, 'me', 5), seat(1, 'a', 3)], 'active', 0);
+    expect(resultBadge(g, 'me')).toEqual({ key: 'result.yourMove', emoji: '🟢' });
+    expect(resultBadge({ ...g, toMove: 1 }, 'me').key).toBe('result.oppMove');
+  });
+
+  it('finished two-player: victory / defeat / draw', () => {
+    expect(resultBadge(game([seat(0, 'me', 300, true), seat(1, 'a', 200)]), 'me')).toEqual({
+      key: 'result.victory',
+      emoji: '🏆',
+    });
+    expect(resultBadge(game([seat(0, 'me', 200), seat(1, 'a', 300, true)]), 'me')).toEqual({
+      key: 'result.defeat',
+      emoji: '🥈',
+    });
+    expect(resultBadge(game([seat(0, 'me', 200), seat(1, 'a', 200)]), 'me')).toEqual({
+      key: 'result.draw',
+      emoji: '🏅',
+    });
+  });
+
+  it('finished four-player: places by score', () => {
+    const last = game([seat(0, 'me', 100), seat(1, 'a', 400, true), seat(2, 'b', 300), seat(3, 'c', 200)]);
+    expect(resultBadge(last, 'me')).toEqual({ key: 'result.place4', emoji: '🏅' });
+    const second = game([seat(0, 'me', 300), seat(1, 'a', 400, true), seat(2, 'b', 200), seat(3, 'c', 100)]);
+    expect(resultBadge(second, 'me')).toEqual({ key: 'result.place2', emoji: '🥈' });
+  });
+});

ui/src/lib/result.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+// Pure mapping from a game view (for the viewer) to a status/result badge: a label key
+// and a place-based emoji. Used by the lobby lists.
+
+import type { GameView } from './model';
+import type { MessageKey } from './i18n/catalog';
+
+export interface ResultBadge {
+  key: MessageKey;
+  emoji: string;
+}
+
+export function resultBadge(game: GameView, myId: string): ResultBadge {
+  const me = game.seats.find((s) => s.accountId === myId);
+
+  if (game.status === 'active') {
+    return game.toMove === me?.seat
+      ? { key: 'result.yourMove', emoji: '🟢' }
+      : { key: 'result.oppMove', emoji: '⏳' };
+  }
+
+  if (me?.isWinner) return { key: 'result.victory', emoji: '🏆' };
+  if (!game.seats.some((s) => s.isWinner)) return { key: 'result.draw', emoji: '🏅' };
+
+  // Someone else won — place the viewer by score (1 + number of higher scores).
+  const rank = 1 + game.seats.filter((s) => s.score > (me?.score ?? 0)).length;
+  if (rank <= 1) return { key: 'result.victory', emoji: '🏆' };
+  if (rank === 2) return game.players === 2 ? { key: 'result.defeat', emoji: '🥈' } : { key: 'result.place2', emoji: '🥈' };
+  if (rank === 3) return { key: 'result.place3', emoji: '🥉' };
+  return { key: 'result.place4', emoji: '🏅' };
+}

ui/src/lib/session.ts

@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 import type { Session } from './model';
 import type { ThemePref } from './theme';
 import type { Locale } from './i18n/catalog';
+import type { BoardLabelMode } from './boardlabels';
 
 const DB_NAME = 'scrabble';
 const STORE = 'kv';
@@ -122,6 +123,7 @@ export interface Prefs {
   theme: ThemePref;
   locale: Locale;
   reduceMotion: boolean;
+  boardLabels: BoardLabelMode;
 }
 
 export async function loadPrefs(): Promise<Partial<Prefs>> {

ui/src/screens/About.svelte

@@ -1,16 +1,17 @@
 <script lang="ts">
-  import Header from '../components/Header.svelte';
+  import Screen from '../components/Screen.svelte';
   import { t } from '../lib/i18n/index.svelte';
 
   const version = '0.7.0';
 </script>
 
-<Header title={t('about.title')} back="/" />
+<Screen title={t('about.title')} back="/">
-<main class="page">
+  <div class="page">
     <h2>{t('app.title')}</h2>
     <p>{t('about.description')}</p>
     <p class="muted">{t('about.version', { v: version })}</p>
-</main>
+  </div>
+</Screen>
 
 <style>
   .page {

ui/src/screens/Lobby.svelte

@@ -1,14 +1,16 @@
 <script lang="ts">
   import { onMount } from 'svelte';
-  import Header from '../components/Header.svelte';
+  import Screen from '../components/Screen.svelte';
+  import Menu from '../components/Menu.svelte';
+  import TabBar from '../components/TabBar.svelte';
   import { app, handleError, showToast } from '../lib/app.svelte';
   import { gateway } from '../lib/gateway';
   import { navigate } from '../lib/router.svelte';
   import { t } from '../lib/i18n/index.svelte';
+  import { resultBadge } from '../lib/result';
   import type { GameView } from '../lib/model';
 
   let games = $state<GameView[]>([]);
-  let menuOpen = $state(false);
 
   async function load() {
     try {
@@ -19,8 +21,6 @@
   }
 
   onMount(load);
-
-  // Refresh the lists when a live event lands (move / your-turn / match-found).
   $effect(() => {
     if (app.lastEvent) void load();
   });
@@ -29,95 +29,72 @@
   const active = $derived(games.filter((g) => g.status === 'active'));
   const finished = $derived(games.filter((g) => g.status !== 'active'));
 
-  function mySeat(g: GameView) {
-    return g.seats.find((s) => s.accountId === myId);
-  }
   function opponents(g: GameView): string {
     return g.seats
       .filter((s) => s.accountId !== myId)
       .map((s) => s.displayName)
       .join(', ');
   }
-  function subtitle(g: GameView): string {
-    const me = mySeat(g);
-    if (g.status === 'active') {
-      return g.toMove === me?.seat ? t('lobby.yourTurn') : t('lobby.theirTurn');
-    }
-    if (me?.isWinner) return t('game.won');
-    return g.seats.some((s) => s.isWinner) ? t('game.lost') : t('game.tied');
-  }
   function scoreline(g: GameView): string {
-    const me = mySeat(g);
+    const me = g.seats.find((s) => s.accountId === myId);
     const opp = g.seats.filter((s) => s.accountId !== myId).map((s) => s.score);
     return `${me?.score ?? 0} : ${opp.join(', ')}`;
   }
 
-  function go(path: string) {
+  const menuItems = $derived([
-    menuOpen = false;
+    { label: t('lobby.profile'), onclick: () => navigate('/profile') },
-    navigate(path);
+    { label: t('lobby.settings'), onclick: () => navigate('/settings') },
-  }
+    { label: t('lobby.about'), onclick: () => navigate('/about') },
+  ]);
 </script>
 
-<Header title={app.profile?.displayName ?? t('app.title')}>
+<Screen title={app.profile?.displayName ?? t('app.title')}>
   {#snippet menu()}
-    <button class="icon" onclick={() => (menuOpen = !menuOpen)} aria-label="Menu">≡</button>
+    <Menu items={menuItems} />
-    {#if menuOpen}
-      <!-- svelte-ignore a11y_click_events_have_key_events -->
-      <!-- svelte-ignore a11y_no_static_element_interactions -->
-      <div class="backdrop" onclick={() => (menuOpen = false)}></div>
-      <div class="dropdown">
-        <button onclick={() => go('/profile')}>{t('lobby.profile')}</button>
-        <button onclick={() => go('/settings')}>{t('lobby.settings')}</button>
-        <button onclick={() => go('/about')}>{t('lobby.about')}</button>
-      </div>
-    {/if}
   {/snippet}
-</Header>
 
-<main class="lobby">
+  <div class="lobby">
+    {#each [{ h: 'lobby.activeGames', list: active }, { h: 'lobby.finishedGames', list: finished }] as group (group.h)}
+      {#if group.list.length}
         <section>
-    <h2>{t('lobby.activeGames')}</h2>
+          <h2>{t(group.h as 'lobby.activeGames')}</h2>
-    {#if active.length === 0}
+          {#each group.list as g (g.id)}
+            {@const b = resultBadge(g, myId)}
+            <button class="row" onclick={() => navigate(`/game/${g.id}`)}>
+              <span class="info">
+                <span class="who">{opponents(g) || '—'}</span>
+                <span class="sub">{t(b.key)} · {scoreline(g)}</span>
+              </span>
+              <span class="emoji">{b.emoji}</span>
+            </button>
+          {/each}
+        </section>
+      {/if}
+    {/each}
+
+    {#if !active.length && !finished.length}
       <p class="empty">{t('lobby.noActive')}</p>
     {/if}
-    {#each active as g (g.id)}
+  </div>
-      <button class="row" onclick={() => navigate(`/game/${g.id}`)}>
-        <span class="who">{opponents(g) || '—'}</span>
-        <span class="meta">
-          <span class="sub" class:turn={g.toMove === mySeat(g)?.seat}>{subtitle(g)}</span>
-          <span class="score">{scoreline(g)}</span>
-        </span>
-      </button>
-    {/each}
-  </section>
 
-  <section>
+  {#snippet tabbar()}
-    <h2>{t('lobby.finishedGames')}</h2>
+    <TabBar>
-    {#if finished.length === 0}
+      <button class="tab" onclick={() => navigate('/new')}>
-      <p class="empty">{t('lobby.noFinished')}</p>
+        <span class="sq">🎲</span><span class="lbl">{t('lobby.new')}</span>
-    {/if}
-    {#each finished as g (g.id)}
-      <button class="row" onclick={() => navigate(`/game/${g.id}`)}>
-        <span class="who">{opponents(g) || '—'}</span>
-        <span class="meta">
-          <span class="sub">{subtitle(g)}</span>
-          <span class="score">{scoreline(g)}</span>
-        </span>
       </button>
-    {/each}
+      <button class="tab" onclick={() => showToast(t('lobby.soon'))}>
-  </section>
+        <span class="sq">⚔️</span><span class="lbl">{t('lobby.tournaments')}</span>
-</main>
+      </button>
-
+      <button class="tab" onclick={() => showToast(t('lobby.soon'))}>
-<nav class="tabs">
+        <span class="sq">🧮</span><span class="lbl">{t('lobby.stats')}</span>
-  <button class="tab primary" onclick={() => navigate('/new')}>{t('lobby.new')}</button>
+      </button>
-  <button class="tab" onclick={() => showToast(t('lobby.soon'))}>{t('lobby.stats')}</button>
+    </TabBar>
-  <button class="tab" onclick={() => showToast(t('lobby.soon'))}>{t('lobby.tournaments')}</button>
+  {/snippet}
-</nav>
+</Screen>
 
 <style>
   .lobby {
     padding: var(--pad);
-    padding-bottom: 84px;
     display: flex;
     flex-direction: column;
     gap: 18px;
@@ -147,88 +124,27 @@
     background: var(--surface);
     color: var(--text);
     border-radius: var(--radius);
+    user-select: none;
+  }
+  .info {
+    display: flex;
+    flex-direction: column;
+    gap: 2px;
+    min-width: 0;
   }
   .who {
     font-weight: 600;
-  }
+    white-space: nowrap;
-  .meta {
+    overflow: hidden;
-    display: flex;
+    text-overflow: ellipsis;
-    flex-direction: column;
-    align-items: flex-end;
-    gap: 2px;
   }
   .sub {
     font-size: 0.85rem;
     color: var(--text-muted);
   }
-  .sub.turn {
+  .emoji {
-    color: var(--accent);
+    font-size: 1.8rem;
-    font-weight: 600;
-  }
-  .score {
-    font-variant-numeric: tabular-nums;
-    color: var(--text-muted);
-    font-size: 0.85rem;
-  }
-  .tabs {
-    position: fixed;
-    left: 0;
-    right: 0;
-    bottom: 0;
-    display: flex;
-    gap: 8px;
-    padding: 10px var(--pad);
-    background: var(--bg-elev);
-    border-top: 1px solid var(--border);
-  }
-  .tab {
-    flex: 1;
-    padding: 12px;
-    border: 1px solid var(--border);
-    background: var(--surface);
-    color: var(--text);
-    border-radius: var(--radius-sm);
-    font-weight: 600;
-  }
-  .tab.primary {
-    background: var(--accent);
-    color: var(--accent-text);
-    border-color: var(--accent);
-  }
-  .icon {
-    background: none;
-    border: none;
-    color: var(--text);
-    font-size: 1.3rem;
     line-height: 1;
-  }
+    flex: 0 0 auto;
-  .backdrop {
-    position: fixed;
-    inset: 0;
-    z-index: 8;
-  }
-  .dropdown {
-    position: absolute;
-    right: 8px;
-    top: 44px;
-    z-index: 9;
-    background: var(--surface);
-    border: 1px solid var(--border);
-    border-radius: var(--radius-sm);
-    box-shadow: var(--shadow);
-    display: flex;
-    flex-direction: column;
-    min-width: 160px;
-    overflow: hidden;
-  }
-  .dropdown button {
-    padding: 11px 14px;
-    text-align: left;
-    background: none;
-    border: none;
-    color: var(--text);
-  }
-  .dropdown button:hover {
-    background: var(--surface-2);
   }
 </style>

ui/src/screens/NewGame.svelte

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 <script lang="ts">
   import { onDestroy } from 'svelte';
-  import Header from '../components/Header.svelte';
+  import Screen from '../components/Screen.svelte';
   import { gateway } from '../lib/gateway';
   import { handleError } from '../lib/app.svelte';
   import { navigate } from '../lib/router.svelte';
@@ -31,8 +31,6 @@
         navigate(`/game/${r.game.id}`);
         return;
       }
-      // The match also arrives via the live stream (handled in app), but poll as a
-      // fallback for a client that is not currently streaming.
       poll = setInterval(async () => {
         try {
           const p = await gateway.lobbyPoll();
@@ -53,8 +51,8 @@
   onDestroy(stop);
 </script>
 
-<Header title={t('new.title')} back="/" />
+<Screen title={t('new.title')} back="/">
-<main class="page">
+  <div class="page">
     {#if searching}
       <div class="searching">
         <div class="spinner"></div>
@@ -69,7 +67,8 @@
         {/each}
       </div>
     {/if}
-</main>
+  </div>
+</Screen>
 
 <style>
   .page {
@@ -92,6 +91,7 @@
     border-radius: var(--radius);
     font-size: 1.05rem;
     font-weight: 600;
+    user-select: none;
   }
   .searching {
     display: grid;

ui/src/screens/Profile.svelte

@@ -1,11 +1,11 @@
 <script lang="ts">
-  import Header from '../components/Header.svelte';
+  import Screen from '../components/Screen.svelte';
   import { app, logout } from '../lib/app.svelte';
   import { t } from '../lib/i18n/index.svelte';
 </script>
 
-<Header title={t('profile.title')} back="/" />
+<Screen title={t('profile.title')} back="/">
-<main class="page">
+  <div class="page">
     {#if app.profile}
       <div class="name">{app.profile.displayName}</div>
       {#if app.profile.isGuest}<span class="badge">{t('profile.guest')}</span>{/if}
@@ -20,7 +20,8 @@
       <p class="muted">{t('profile.readonly')}</p>
       <button class="logout" onclick={() => logout()}>{t('login.title')} / logout</button>
     {/if}
-</main>
+  </div>
+</Screen>
 
 <style>
   .page {

ui/src/screens/Settings.svelte

@@ -1,8 +1,15 @@
 <script lang="ts">
-  import Header from '../components/Header.svelte';
+  import Screen from '../components/Screen.svelte';
-  import { app, setLocalePref, setReduceMotion, setTheme } from '../lib/app.svelte';
+  import {
+    app,
+    setBoardLabels,
+    setLocalePref,
+    setReduceMotion,
+    setTheme,
+  } from '../lib/app.svelte';
   import { t, type Locale, type MessageKey } from '../lib/i18n/index.svelte';
   import type { ThemePref } from '../lib/theme';
+  import type { BoardLabelMode } from '../lib/boardlabels';
 
   const themes: ThemePref[] = ['auto', 'light', 'dark'];
   const themeLabel: Record<ThemePref, MessageKey> = {
@@ -11,10 +18,16 @@
     dark: 'settings.themeDark',
   };
   const locales: Locale[] = ['en', 'ru'];
+  const labelModes: BoardLabelMode[] = ['beginner', 'classic', 'none'];
+  const labelModeKey: Record<BoardLabelMode, MessageKey> = {
+    beginner: 'settings.labelsBeginner',
+    classic: 'settings.labelsClassic',
+    none: 'settings.labelsNone',
+  };
 </script>
 
-<Header title={t('settings.title')} back="/" />
+<Screen title={t('settings.title')} back="/">
-<main class="page">
+  <div class="page">
     <section>
       <h3>{t('settings.theme')}</h3>
       <div class="seg">
@@ -37,6 +50,18 @@
       </div>
     </section>
 
+    <section>
+      <h3>{t('settings.boardStyle')}</h3>
+      <div class="sub">{t('settings.boardLabels')}</div>
+      <div class="seg">
+        {#each labelModes as lm (lm)}
+          <button class="opt" class:active={app.boardLabels === lm} onclick={() => setBoardLabels(lm)}>
+            {t(labelModeKey[lm])}
+          </button>
+        {/each}
+      </div>
+    </section>
+
     <section>
       <label class="row">
         <span>{t('settings.reduceMotion')}</span>
@@ -47,7 +72,8 @@
         />
       </label>
     </section>
-</main>
+  </div>
+</Screen>
 
 <style>
   .page {
@@ -61,6 +87,11 @@
     font-size: 0.95rem;
     color: var(--text-muted);
   }
+  .sub {
+    font-size: 0.85rem;
+    color: var(--text-muted);
+    margin-bottom: 6px;
+  }
   .seg {
     display: flex;
     gap: 8px;
@@ -72,6 +103,7 @@
     background: var(--surface);
     color: var(--text);
     border-radius: var(--radius-sm);
+    user-select: none;
   }
   .opt.active {
     background: var(--accent);