feat(ui): move in-game status to the board — highlight, score badge, full-width rack

Remove the under-board status strip and relocate its signals:
- bag count -> a badge on the exchange/pass control + the foot of the move table
- whose-turn / win-lose -> a thin strip above the score plaques
- the tentative-move caption -> the board itself: staged tiles tint green (legal) or
  pink (illegal), the board tiles a formed word runs through go a shade darker, and an
  orange score badge sits on the main word (digit sized like a tile value, clamped on-board)

The word geometry (covered cells + badge anchor) is a new pure client-side helper
(ui/src/lib/formed.ts), independent of the move evaluator, so it works on the local or
network preview path alike; the badge's number still comes from the preview score.

Rack: a seven-column grid filling the tray width in both layouts — square, full-width
tiles — with the confirm control in the fixed 7th slot.

Settings: a touch-only "Zoom the board" toggle (default on, device-local) gates the
tile-placement auto-zoom; taking a hint while zoomed in now zooms out so the highlighted
hint word is never left off-screen.

Docs (FUNCTIONAL +_ru, UI_DESIGN, ARCHITECTURE) and e2e/unit tests updated.

docs/ARCHITECTURE.md

@@ -435,7 +435,11 @@ Key points:
   through a **session-gated `GET /dict/{variant}/{version}`** edge route
   (immutable; cached in IndexedDB best-effort) and reused across sessions; any
   miss, storage eviction or a bad-connection breaker falls back to the network
-  `evaluate`. The warm-up overlay is `docs/UI_DESIGN.md`.
+  `evaluate`. The warm-up overlay is `docs/UI_DESIGN.md`. The **on-board rendering** of a staged
+  play — the legality tint, the cells a formed word covers, and where the score badge anchors — is a
+  separate **pure geometry helper** (`ui/src/lib/formed.ts`) derived from the board and the staged
+  tiles, so it works regardless of which eval path produced the preview (the badge's number still
+  comes from the preview's score): legality and score stay with the eval, geometry with the board.
 
 ## 6. Game rules
 

docs/FUNCTIONAL.md

@@ -204,13 +204,16 @@ client, and refuses a guest's friend request, friend code or invitation outright
 
 ### Playing a game
 Place tiles, pass, exchange, or resign. Pass and exchange share one control —
-choosing no tiles passes the turn, choosing tiles exchanges them. Tiles are laid
+choosing no tiles passes the turn, choosing tiles exchanges them. The tiles left in the
+bag are shown as a count on that control and at the foot of the move table. Tiles are laid
 without choosing a direction — the game infers the play's orientation, so a single
 tile that extends
 an existing word (down a column or across a row) is accepted. A play is validated
-against the game's dictionary at submit time and scored; an unlimited preview
-reports the word(s) a tentative move would form and its score, or that it is not
-legal, and the move is offered for submission only once it is confirmed legal. The preview is
+against the game's dictionary at submit time and scored; an unlimited preview shows
+**on the board itself** whether the tentative move is legal — the staged tiles turn a light
+green once they form a word, a shade darker on the board tiles the word runs through, or a
+calm pink when they form none — and an **orange badge** on the main word carries the move's
+score. The confirm control is offered only once the move is legal. The preview is
 computed **on-device** for an instant response once the game's dictionary has loaded — a
 brief warm-up shows on the first open otherwise — and falls back to the server whenever the
 local dictionary is unavailable. The dictionary check tool is
@@ -372,7 +375,9 @@ an email or Telegram and merging accounts are covered under "Accounts, linking &
 merge". Inside the Telegram Mini App, Telegram's own ⋮ menu also offers a **Settings**
 entry that opens this screen, and your display preferences (theme, board-label style and
 reduce-motion — not the interface language, which follows your account) sync across your
-Telegram devices.
+Telegram devices. On a touch device the settings also offer a **Zoom the board** toggle (on by
+default): with it off, dropping a tile no longer auto-magnifies the board toward it. It is a
+per-device preference and is hidden on desktop, where the board already fits and never auto-zooms.
 
 **Preferences (which variants you can be matched into).** A profile setting picks the game
 variants — Erudite, Russian Scrabble and English Scrabble, shown **Erudite-first** — you allow

docs/FUNCTIONAL_ru.md

@@ -212,13 +212,16 @@ e-mail) либо ввод фразы. Активные игры форфейтя
 
 ### Игровой процесс
 Выкладывание фишек, пас, обмен или сдача. Пас и обмен — один элемент управления:
-без выбранных фишек — пас, с выбранными — обмен. Фишки кладутся без выбора
+без выбранных фишек — пас, с выбранными — обмен. Число оставшихся в мешке фишек
+показано счётчиком на этом элементе и внизу таблицы ходов. Фишки кладутся без выбора
 направления — игра сама определяет ориентацию хода, поэтому одна фишка, продолжающая
 уже лежащее
 слово (по столбцу или по строке), принимается. Ход проверяется по словарю партии при
-сдаче и считается; безлимитный предпросмотр показывает слово (или слова), которое
-образует предполагаемый ход, и его очки — либо что ход недопустим, — и ход можно
-отправить только после подтверждения, что он допустим. Предпросмотр считается **на устройстве**
+сдаче и считается; безлимитный предпросмотр показывает **прямо на доске**, допустим ли
+предполагаемый ход: выложенные фишки становятся светло-зелёными, когда образуют слово
+(и чуть темнее — фишки доски, через которые проходит слово), или спокойно-розовыми,
+когда слова нет, — а **оранжевый бейдж** на основном слове несёт очки хода. Кнопка
+подтверждения появляется только когда ход допустим. Предпросмотр считается **на устройстве**
 и отвечает мгновенно, как только словарь партии загружен — иначе при первом открытии показывается
 короткий прогрев, — и уходит на сервер, если локальный словарь недоступен. Инструмент проверки слова безлимитный и
 предлагает пожаловаться на любой результат; для найденного слова он также даёт ссылку на
@@ -381,7 +384,10 @@ UTC; при создании аккаунта она подставляется
 Mini App пункт **Settings** в системном меню «⋮» Telegram также открывает этот экран, а
 ваши настройки отображения (тема, стиль подписей клеток и reduce-motion — кроме языка
 интерфейса, который следует за аккаунтом) синхронизируются между вашими устройствами в
-Telegram.
+Telegram. На сенсорном устройстве в настройках также есть переключатель **«Приближать
+доску»** (по умолчанию включён): если выключить, при кидании фишки доска больше не
+приближается к ней автоматически. Это настройка на устройство, и она скрыта на десктопе,
+где доска и так помещается целиком и авто-зума нет.
 
 **Предпочтения (в какие варианты тебя можно подбирать).** Настройка профиля задаёт варианты
 игры — Эрудит, русский Scrabble и английский Scrabble, показанные **сначала Эрудит**, — в

docs/UI_DESIGN.md

@@ -179,16 +179,16 @@ e2e and the screenshots.
   back near the edges. It **recentres only on a zoom-in** — placing a 2nd+ tile or
   hovering a dragged tile never jumps the board. On touch the first tile placement auto-zooms
   in centred on the target, and **holding a dragged tile over a cell ~1 s** auto-zooms there
-  the first time. A **swipe down on the zoom-out board** opens the history, but only when the
+  the first time — both gated by the **Zoom the board** setting (on by default; the toggle is
+  shown only on a touch device). A **swipe down on the zoom-out board** opens the history, but only when the
   board is scrolled to its top so it never fights the stage's own vertical scroll (the conflict
   that once retired this gesture) — and it is suppressed on the zoomed board, where the
   one-finger drag pans (and on desktop / the landscape iframe, where a mouse cannot drag-scroll the
   viewport natively, a **drag-to-pan** handler moves the zoomed board instead — active only while
   zoomed, off pending tiles, past a small threshold, swallowing the trailing click). History also
   opens on a **tap of the score bar** and closes on a tap or
-  an **upward swipe** of the then-inert board (below). A **hint** auto-zooms centred on the
-  hint's placement, not
-  the top-left.
+  an **upward swipe** of the then-inert board (below). Taking a **hint** while zoomed in **zooms
+  out** to the whole board, so the hint's word — highlighted (below) — is never left off-screen.
 - **Placing & recall** (`Game.svelte`): a rack tile is placed by tap-then-tap or by
   dragging it onto a cell; while a dragged tile is carried over the board, the aimed-at empty
   cell is **highlighted as a drop target** (an accent ring). A pending tile is taken back by a
@@ -224,7 +224,7 @@ e2e and the screenshots.
   are pinned to the card's edges.
   Unread chat is also badged on the score bar itself, so it shows with the history closed.
 - **Vertical fit & keyboard**: when the game does not fit the viewport, only the
-  board area scrolls vertically (`Screen` `column` mode; the score bar, status, rack and tab
+  board area scrolls vertically (`Screen` `column` mode; the turn strip, score bar, rack and tab
   bar stay fixed), while zoom keeps its own scroll. The check-word dialog opens in
   `Modal` keyboard-overlay mode — the small sheet is top-anchored and the soft keyboard
   overlays the empty area below, so the layout doesn't resize/jank; other modals stay
@@ -235,23 +235,31 @@ e2e and the screenshots.
   (`min(100cqw, 100cqh)`, height-driven in `Board.svelte`'s `.scaler.land`) inside a
   `container-type: size` pane, shrinking by width when the column is narrow — the board has the
   **lowest priority**, so the left panel is never squeezed. The **left panel** stacks, top to
-  bottom: the score plaques, the **always-open** history (docked and scrolling with its header
-  sticky — no slide-down drawer, no score-bar toggle), the status line (bag · turn · score
-  preview), the rack (+ the ✅ make control) and, pinned at the bottom, the controls tab bar. Board
+  bottom: the **turn/result strip**, the score plaques, the **always-open** history (docked and
+  scrolling with its header sticky and the **bag count** pinned at its foot — no slide-down drawer,
+  no score-bar toggle), the rack (with the ✅ confirm control in its fixed 7th slot) and, pinned at
+  the bottom, the controls tab bar. Board
   **zoom works as in portrait** (double-tap / pinch / placement auto-zoom), but the viewport is the
   full pane: zoom-out shows the height-fitted square centred, and zoom-in magnifies the board past
   the pane and pans within it, occupying the full width up to the left panel (the focus-centred
   scroll is set directly, without the portrait width-progress tween). Only the history open/close
   swipes are dropped (it is always open) and the nav bar does not grow (`growNav` off). The
   portrait layout is byte-for-byte unchanged; both layouts render from the same snippets, so the
-  behaviour and markup stay single-sourced. The rack tiles size to the (fixed-width) panel rather
-  than the viewport width so seven tiles never overflow the column.
-- **Highlights**: pending tiles use a slightly darker tile background (no outline). The
+  behaviour and markup stay single-sourced. The rack is a **seven-column grid** filling the tray
+  width in both layouts, so the tiles are square and as large as the row allows (the confirm ✅ takes
+  the fixed 7th slot while a play is staged).
+- **Highlights**: while composing a play the staged tiles are **tinted by legality** — a light
+  green once they form a word (a shade darker on the committed board tiles the word runs through),
+  a calm pink when they form none — and an **orange score badge** sits on a corner of the main
+  word's tile, its digit sized like a tile's point value (so it scales with the zoom) and clamped
+  to stay on the board. Off-turn or with no preview the staged tiles keep the plain pending fill.
+  The colours are theme tokens in `app.css` (`--tile-pending-legal` / `-illegal`, `--tile-formed`,
+  `--score-badge`); the geometry — which cells a word covers and where the badge anchors — is a
+  pure client-side helper (`lib/formed.ts`), independent of the move evaluator. The
   last completed word keeps the normal tile background; instead its letters — not the point
   values — are drawn in the recent-move colour, in both themes. It is static while it is the
   opponent's turn (our word), and a 1 s flash (the letter pulses between its normal colour
-  and the recent-move colour) when it is our turn (their word). While placing, only the
-  pending tiles are highlighted.
+  and the recent-move colour) when it is our turn (their word).
 - **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**.
@@ -267,18 +275,21 @@ e2e and the screenshots.
   otherwise it reverts. Used by the **Hint** tab (the icon morphs to ✅, no label — replacing
   the old press-and-hold popover) and the in-game **add-friend 🤝** and **block ✖️** card
   controls. The **Drop game** action keeps its `Modal` confirmation (a destructive, less-frequent action).
-- **MakeMove / Reset**: when ≥1 tile is pending the rack collapses its used slots
-  and shifts left, a **borderless ✅ icon button** (styled like a tab, not a filled accent
-  button) beside the rack commits the move — no popover, and disabled while the pending word
-  is known illegal; the 🔀 Shuffle tab is replaced by a **↩️ Reset** tab.
-- **Game tab bar**: 🔄 Exchange/Pass (opens a dialog — pick tiles to **Exchange N**, or pick
+- **Confirm / Reset**: while ≥1 tile is pending a **borderless ✅ icon button** (styled like a
+  tab, not a filled accent button) takes the rack's **fixed 7th slot** and commits the move — no
+  popover, and disabled while the pending word is known illegal; the 🔀 Shuffle tab is replaced by
+  a **↩️ Reset** tab.
+- **Game tab bar**: 🔄 Exchange/Pass (a **bag-count badge** on its icon while the bag is non-empty;
+  opens a dialog — pick tiles to **Exchange N**, or pick
   none to **Pass without exchanging**; pass is always available on your turn, exchange only
   while the bag still holds a full rack, below which the tiles disable and only the pass
   remains), 🛟 Hint (with a remaining-count badge, disabled at zero); 🔀 Shuffle (no label,
   no confirm), which
   **animates** — tiles hop along a low parabola to their new slots (duration scaled by the
-  distance, the longest ≤ 0.3 s; off under reduce-motion) with a short haptic shake. The
-  under-board slot shows the **Scores: N** preview. The screen **title** is the variant's
+  distance, the longest ≤ 0.3 s; off under reduce-motion) with a short haptic shake. Whose turn it
+  is — or the viewer's result once the game ends — shows in a **thin strip above the score
+  plaques**; the tentative move's score rides the board badge (above), not an under-board caption.
+  The screen **title** is the variant's
   display name (Scrabble / Скрэббл / Erudite / Эрудит), not a constant "Scrabble".
 
 ## Advertising banner (`components/AdBanner.svelte` in `components/Header.svelte`, `lib/banner.ts` + `lib/bannerEngine.ts`)

ui/e2e/game.spec.ts

@@ -261,7 +261,7 @@ test('dropping the game ends it and shows the result', async ({ page }) => {
   await page.locator('.scoreboard').click(); // open the history
   await page.getByRole('button', { name: 'Drop game' }).click(); // 🏁 in the history header
   await page.locator('button.danger').click(); // confirm in the modal
-  await expect(page.locator('.status .over')).toBeVisible();
+  await expect(page.locator('.turnstrip.result')).toBeVisible();
 });
 
 test('resigning reveals the full board: closes the history and zooms out', async ({ page }) => {
@@ -283,7 +283,7 @@ test('resigning reveals the full board: closes the history and zooms out', async
   await page.getByRole('button', { name: 'Drop game' }).click(); // 🏁
   await page.locator('button.danger').click(); // confirm
 
-  await expect(page.locator('.status .over')).toBeVisible(); // the game ended
+  await expect(page.locator('.turnstrip.result')).toBeVisible(); // the game ended
   await expect(page.locator('.history')).toHaveCount(0); // history auto-closed (portrait)
   await expect(page.locator('.viewport.zoomed')).toHaveCount(0); // board zoomed out
 });

ui/e2e/ingame-ux.spec.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+import { expect, test } from './fixtures';
+
+// The in-game composition UX after the under-board status strip was removed:
+//  - whose turn (or the final result) shows in a thin strip above the score plaques;
+//  - the tiles left in the bag ride the exchange control as a badge and repeat at the foot of the
+//    move table;
+//  - staging a play tints its tiles on the board and shows the orange move-score badge, and the
+//    confirm control sits in the rack's fixed 7th slot.
+// Mock transport only: the mock has no dictionary (Game.svelte skips the local evaluator under the
+// mock mode) and its network evaluator accepts any placement, so a staged tile always reads as legal.
+
+test('in-game UX: turn strip, bag badge + table footer, staged-play highlight and score badge', async ({ page }) => {
+  await page.goto('/');
+  await page.getByRole('button', { name: /guest/i }).click();
+  await page.getByRole('button', { name: /🎲/ }).click();
+  await page.getByRole('button', { name: 'Random player' }).click();
+  await page.locator('.variant').first().click();
+  await page.getByRole('button', { name: /Start game/i }).click();
+  // Attach the opponent deterministically, then it is the player's turn.
+  await page.evaluate(() => (window as unknown as { __mock: { joinOpponent(): void } }).__mock.joinOpponent());
+  await expect(page.getByText('Robo')).toBeVisible();
+
+  // The old under-board status line is gone; a thin turn strip sits above the plaques instead.
+  await expect(page.locator('.turnstrip')).toBeVisible();
+  await expect(page.locator('.status')).toHaveCount(0);
+
+  // The bag count rides the exchange control (the first tab) as a badge, and repeats at the foot of
+  // the move table, out of the scrolling grid.
+  await expect(page.locator('.tab').first().locator('.badge')).toBeVisible();
+  await page.locator('.scoreboard').click(); // open the history drawer
+  await expect(page.locator('.hbagfoot')).toContainText(/bag/i);
+  await page.locator('.scoreboard').click(); // close it again
+
+  // Stage a play: the pending tile reads as legal (green), the orange move-score badge shows on the
+  // board, and the confirm control takes the rack's 7th slot.
+  await page.locator('.rack .tile').first().click();
+  await page.locator('[data-cell]:not(.filled)').nth(112).click(); // centre (row 7, col 7)
+  await expect(page.locator('[data-cell].pending.legal')).toHaveCount(1);
+  await expect(page.locator('.scorebadge')).toBeVisible();
+  await expect(page.locator('.make')).toBeVisible();
+});

ui/e2e/quickmatch.spec.ts

@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ test('AI game: after it ends, no GCG export and no comms entry', async ({ page }
   await page.locator('.scoreboard').click();
   await page.getByRole('button', { name: 'Drop game' }).click();
   await page.locator('button.danger').click();
-  await expect(page.locator('.status .over')).toBeVisible();
+  await expect(page.locator('.turnstrip.result')).toBeVisible();
 
   // Reopen the history (resigning auto-closed it): the finished AI game offers no GCG export and
   // no comms entry at all.

ui/e2e/smoke.spec.ts

@@ -22,8 +22,8 @@ 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);
-  // The score preview appears where the hints count used to be.
-  await expect(page.locator('.scores')).toContainText(/\d/);
+  // The move-score badge appears on the board for the staged play.
+  await expect(page.locator('.scorebadge')).toContainText(/\d/);
 
   // The contextual MakeMove control (✅) appears once a tile is pending.
   await expect(page.locator('.make')).toBeVisible();

ui/e2e/zoom.spec.ts

@@ -74,11 +74,11 @@ test.describe('touch placement', () => {
   });
 });
 
-// A hint taken while the board is ALREADY zoomed in must still scroll to the played word — the
-// zoom state does not change, so without an explicit recenter the board stays parked where the
-// player was looking (the reported rough edge). The mock hint plays at the centre star (7,7), so
-// zooming into the top-left corner first and then hinting must pan the board toward the centre.
-test('a hint recentres an already-zoomed board on the played word', async ({ page }) => {
+// A hint taken while the board is ALREADY zoomed in now zooms OUT to the whole board, so the played
+// word — highlighted while composing — is guaranteed visible rather than parked off-screen under the
+// old zoom (the owner changed this from the former recentre-on-the-word behaviour, so the word can
+// never be lost off-screen). The mock hint plays at the centre star (7,7).
+test('a hint zooms out an already-zoomed board so the played word is visible', async ({ page }) => {
   await page.goto('/');
   await page.getByRole('button', { name: /guest/i }).click();
   await page.getByRole('button', { name: /Ann/ }).click();
@@ -91,19 +91,17 @@ test('a hint recentres an already-zoomed board on the played word', async ({ pag
       el.click();
       el.click();
     });
-  const viewport = page.locator('.viewport.zoomed');
-  await expect(viewport).toBeVisible();
-  await page.waitForTimeout(400); // let the zoom-in settle near the top-left corner
-  const before = await viewport.evaluate((el) => ({ left: el.scrollLeft, top: el.scrollTop }));
+  await expect(page.locator('.viewport.zoomed')).toBeVisible();
 
   // Take a hint (the control confirms on a second tap), which plays at the centre.
   const hint = page.getByRole('button', { name: 'Hint' });
   await hint.click();
   await hint.click();
-  await page.waitForTimeout(300); // the board pans to the hint word
 
-  const after = await viewport.evaluate((el) => ({ left: el.scrollLeft, top: el.scrollTop }));
-  // The board panned from the top-left toward the centre word: both offsets grew.
-  expect(after.left).toBeGreaterThan(before.left + 20);
-  expect(after.top).toBeGreaterThan(before.top + 20);
+  // The board zoomed out — no zoomed viewport — with the hint's play staged (the confirm control
+  // shows). The mock hint plays on the centre star, which the seeded game already occupies, so the
+  // staged tile hides under the committed one; the confirm control is the reliable "a play is
+  // staged" signal.
+  await expect(page.locator('.viewport.zoomed')).toHaveCount(0);
+  await expect(page.locator('.make')).toBeVisible();
 });

ui/src/Landing.svelte

@@ -55,6 +55,7 @@
       locale: lc,
       reduceMotion: prefs.reduceMotion ?? false,
       boardLabels: prefs.boardLabels ?? 'beginner',
+      zoomBoard: prefs.zoomBoard ?? true,
     });
     prefs = { ...prefs, locale: lc };
   }

ui/src/app.css

@@ -29,6 +29,14 @@
   --tile-edge: #d8c190;
   --tile-text: #2a2113;
   --tile-pending: #f2cf73;
+  /* In-composition highlight of the staged play (see game/Board.svelte): a calm reddish-pink
+     when the tiles form no word, a light green for the player's own tiles once they do, a
+     deeper green for the board tiles a formed word runs through, and the orange move-score
+     badge. Tuned per theme; refined on the contour. */
+  --tile-pending-illegal: #f2c7bf;
+  --tile-pending-legal: #c9e7bd;
+  --tile-formed: #a5cf93;
+  --score-badge: #e5811d;
   /* Last-word highlight letter — a lighter burgundy than the dark theme on purpose: against
      the lighter tile the perceived contrast needs it, so the two are tuned per theme. */
   --tile-recent: #9c5849;
@@ -84,6 +92,10 @@
     --tile-edge: #b6a473;
     --tile-text: #20190d;
     --tile-pending: #d8b75e;
+    --tile-pending-illegal: #d8a99f;
+    --tile-pending-legal: #a9cf94;
+    --tile-formed: #83b571;
+    --score-badge: #e88f31;
     --tile-recent: #8c4a3c;
     --prem-tw: #9c3f34; /* 3x word: a touch darker red */
     --prem-dw: #a8636b; /* 2x word: softer, pinker */
@@ -115,6 +127,10 @@
   --tile-edge: #b6a473;
   --tile-text: #20190d;
   --tile-pending: #f0d98f;
+  --tile-pending-illegal: #d8a99f;
+  --tile-pending-legal: #a9cf94;
+  --tile-formed: #83b571;
+  --score-badge: #e88f31;
   /* Last-word highlight letter — a warm burgundy whose red hue stays distinct from both the
      near-black glyph and the warm tile. The light theme uses a lighter burgundy (tuned per
      theme; perceived contrast depends on the surrounding board). */

ui/src/game/Board.svelte

@@ -23,6 +23,9 @@
     focus,
     recenter,
     dropTarget,
+    previewLegal,
+    formed,
+    scoreBadge,
     oncell,
     ontogglezoom,
     onrecall,
@@ -48,6 +51,15 @@
     recenter: number;
     /** The cell a dragged tile is currently aimed at, highlighted as a drop target. */
     dropTarget: { row: number; col: number } | null;
+    /** While composing: true when the staged tiles form a legal play, false when not, null when
+     *  there is no preview (off-turn, nothing staged, or a recall drag) — tints the pending tiles
+     *  green vs a calm pink. */
+    previewLegal: boolean | null;
+    /** "row,col" keys of every committed board cell a formed word runs through, greened a shade
+     *  darker than the player's own staged tiles. */
+    formed: Set<string>;
+    /** The orange move-score badge for the legal play being composed, or null. */
+    scoreBadge: { row: number; col: number; corner: 'tr' | 'bl'; score: number } | null;
     oncell: (row: number, col: number) => void;
     ontogglezoom: (row: number, col: number) => void;
     /** Recall the pending tile at (row, col) — fired on a double-tap of a pending cell. */
@@ -60,6 +72,20 @@
   const z = $derived(zoomed ? Z : 1);
   const premClass: Record<Premium, string> = { '': '', TW: 'tw', DW: 'dw', TL: 'tl', DL: 'dl' };
 
+  // The score badge sits on a corner of its anchor cell, clamped so the whole pill stays on the
+  // board. Its position is a percentage of the (15-cell) board; CSS centres the pill on the point.
+  const BADGE_MARGIN = 2.4;
+  const badgePos = $derived.by(() => {
+    const b = scoreBadge;
+    if (!b) return null;
+    const cell = 100 / 15;
+    let x = b.corner === 'tr' ? (b.col + 1) * cell : b.col * cell;
+    let y = b.corner === 'tr' ? b.row * cell : (b.row + 1) * cell;
+    x = Math.max(BADGE_MARGIN, Math.min(100 - BADGE_MARGIN, x));
+    y = Math.max(BADGE_MARGIN, Math.min(100 - BADGE_MARGIN, y));
+    return { x, y };
+  });
+
   let viewport = $state<HTMLElement>();
 
   // Genuine layout zoom (the board grows; cqw labels stay constant), so native scroll
@@ -315,6 +341,9 @@
             class="cell {premClass[premium[r][c]]}"
             class:filled={!!cell}
             class:pending={!!p && !cell}
+            class:legal={!!p && !cell && previewLegal === true}
+            class:illegal={!!p && !cell && previewLegal === false}
+            class:formed={!!cell && formed.has(key(r, c))}
             class:hl={!!cell && highlight.has(key(r, c)) && !flash}
             class:flash={!!cell && flash && highlight.has(key(r, c))}
             class:dark={premium[r][c] === '' && !cell && !p && (r + c) % 2 === 1}
@@ -342,6 +371,9 @@
           </button>
         {/each}
       {/each}
+      {#if scoreBadge && badgePos}
+        <span class="scorebadge" style="left:{badgePos.x}%; top:{badgePos.y}%">{scoreBadge.score}</span>
+      {/if}
     </div>
   </div>
 </div>
@@ -397,6 +429,8 @@
     gap: 0;
     background: var(--board-bg);
     padding: 0;
+    /* Anchor for the absolutely-positioned score badge (its percentages resolve against the board). */
+    position: relative;
   }
   .cell {
     position: relative;
@@ -445,6 +479,19 @@
        board) instead of the touch starting a board pan. */
     touch-action: none;
   }
+  /* While composing, the staged play recolours its tiles: a calm reddish-pink when they form no
+     word, a light green for the player's own tiles once they do; committed board tiles a formed
+     word runs through go a shade darker (see lib/formed + Game.svelte). .formed sits after .filled
+     so it wins on committed cells (equal specificity). */
+  .cell.pending.illegal {
+    background: var(--tile-pending-illegal);
+  }
+  .cell.pending.legal {
+    background: var(--tile-pending-legal);
+  }
+  .cell.formed {
+    background: var(--tile-formed);
+  }
   .cell.droptarget {
     /* The cell a carried tile is aimed at: an accent ring plus a light accent wash, so the
        target reads clearly while dragging without obscuring the bonus label underneath. */
@@ -545,4 +592,25 @@
     font-weight: 700;
     white-space: nowrap;
   }
+  /* The move-score badge for the legal play being composed: an orange pill centred on a corner of
+     the main word's tile (see lib/formed.badgePlacement + Game.svelte), its digit sized like a
+     tile's point value so it scales with the zoom. Decorative — no pointer events — and drawn above
+     the tiles. */
+  .scorebadge {
+    position: absolute;
+    transform: translate(-50%, -50%);
+    z-index: 5;
+    pointer-events: none;
+    border-radius: 999px;
+    background: var(--score-badge);
+    color: #fff;
+    font-weight: 700;
+    line-height: 1;
+    white-space: nowrap;
+    padding: 2px 5px; /* px fallback for Chrome < 105 (no cqw) */
+    padding: 0.4cqw 0.9cqw;
+    font-size: calc(2.4vmin * var(--z, 1)); /* cqw fallback for Chrome < 105 — see .letter */
+    font-size: 2.4cqw;
+    box-shadow: 0 0 0 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.25);
+  }
 </style>

ui/src/game/Game.svelte

@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@
     type Placement,
   } from '../lib/placement';
   import { liveDraftTiles, parseDraft, serializeDraft, validRackOrder } from '../lib/draft';
+  import { badgePlacement, formedGeometry } from '../lib/formed';
 
   let { id }: { id: string } = $props();
 
@@ -483,6 +484,21 @@
   // move's ✅ confirm and its preview caption are hidden so they don't sit over the opening gap;
   // they return the moment the tile is dragged back out over the board.
   const recallOverRack = $derived(draggingPend != null && reorderTo != null);
+  // The composed play's word geometry (client-side, independent of the move evaluator): the cells a
+  // formed word runs through — greened on the board — and the main word that anchors the score
+  // badge. Derived only for a legal preview, and never while dragging a staged tile back over the
+  // rack (recallOverRack), so the highlight and badge clear the instant a recall begins.
+  const EMPTY_FORMED = new Set<string>();
+  const formedGeom = $derived(
+    preview?.legal && !recallOverRack ? formedGeometry(board, placement.pending) : null,
+  );
+  const formedCells = $derived(formedGeom?.cells ?? EMPTY_FORMED);
+  const boardBadge = $derived(
+    formedGeom && preview?.legal ? { ...badgePlacement(formedGeom.main), score: preview.score } : null,
+  );
+  // The pending-tile tint: null (default colour) with no preview or during a recall drag, otherwise
+  // the play's legality — green when legal, a calm pink when not.
+  const previewLegal: boolean | null = $derived(recallOverRack ? null : preview ? preview.legal : null);
 
   let dragPointerId = -1;
   function beginDrag(src: DragSrc, e: PointerEvent) {
@@ -610,7 +626,7 @@
           ? setTimeout(() => {
               // Still holding the tile over this cell: magnify into it. Only the first
               // (zoom-in) hold centres; once zoomed we never move the board on hover.
-              if (drag && isCoarse() && !landscape && !zoomed) {
+              if (drag && isCoarse() && !landscape && !zoomed && app.zoomBoard) {
                 focus = c;
                 zoomed = true;
                 haptic('light');
@@ -729,8 +745,8 @@
     if (pendingMap.has(`${row},${col}`)) return;
     focus = { row, col };
     // Auto-zoom is portrait-only: landscape fits the whole board, magnifying it there
-    // only hides the rest of the position.
-    if (isCoarse() && !landscape && !zoomed) zoomed = true;
+    // only hides the rest of the position. The "Zoom the board" setting can turn it off.
+    if (isCoarse() && !landscape && !zoomed && app.zoomBoard) zoomed = true;
     if (placement.rack[index] === BLANK) {
       blankPrompt = { rackIndex: index, row, col };
       return;
@@ -1030,23 +1046,11 @@
         // Mark the turn as hinted: the interstitial fires when the player CONFIRMS the move (commit),
         // not now — showing it here would interrupt placing the preview and revert the board on close.
         hintUsedThisTurn = true;
-        // Scroll the (zoomed) board to the hint's placement rather than the top-left:
-        // focus the centre of the laid tiles' bounding box.
-        const p = placement.pending;
-        if (p.length) {
-          const rows = p.map((tt) => tt.row);
-          const cols = p.map((tt) => tt.col);
-          focus = {
-            row: Math.round((Math.min(...rows) + Math.max(...rows)) / 2),
-            col: Math.round((Math.min(...cols) + Math.max(...cols)) / 2),
-          };
-          // Ask the board to scroll to the hint word. A zoomed-out board zooms in (and centres)
-          // on the next line (portrait only); this nonce also recentres a board that is already
-          // zoomed in, where the unchanged zoom state would otherwise leave it parked where the
-          // player was looking.
-          recenter++;
-        }
-        if (isCoarse() && !landscape) zoomed = true;
+        // A hint just landed: if the board was zoomed in, zoom OUT to the whole board so the hint's
+        // word — highlighted green while composing — is guaranteed visible rather than possibly
+        // parked off-screen under the old zoom. A full board needs no scroll-to-word, so the former
+        // focus/recenter step is gone with the zoom-in.
+        if (zoomed) zoomed = false;
         view = { ...view, hintsRemaining: h.hintsRemaining };
         syncWallet(h.walletBalance);
         // The hint is the engine's own top-ranked, fully scored legal move: reuse it as the
@@ -1486,15 +1490,16 @@
     {#if landscape}
       <div class="game-land">
         <div class="leftpane">
+          {@render turnStrip()}
           {@render scoreboardBlock()}
           <div class="history land">{@render historyBody()}</div>
-          {@render statusBlock()}
           {@render rackRow()}
           <TabBar>{@render controlButtons()}</TabBar>
         </div>
         <div class="rightpane">{@render boardBlock()}</div>
       </div>
     {:else}
+      {@render turnStrip()}
       {@render scoreboardBlock()}
       <div class="stage" class:histopen={historyOpen} bind:this={stageEl}>
         {#if historyOpen}
@@ -1502,7 +1507,6 @@
         {/if}
         {@render boardBlock()}
       </div>
-      {@render statusBlock()}
       {@render rackRow()}
     {/if}
   {:else}
@@ -1517,6 +1521,21 @@
 
 <!-- Reusable game-screen pieces, arranged differently by the portrait and landscape branches
      above so the markup and logic stay single-sourced (see the {#if landscape} split). -->
+{#snippet turnStrip()}
+  <!-- A thin line above the score plaques: whose turn it is during play, or the viewer's
+       result once the game ends. A hotseat game shows its result as per-seat medals on the
+       plaques (2-4 local players have no single "you"), so the strip is hidden when it is over. -->
+  {#if view && !(gameOver && view.game.hotseat)}
+    <div class="turnstrip" class:result={gameOver}>
+      {#if gameOver}
+        {resultText()}
+      {:else}
+        {view.game.hotseat ? t('hotseat.turnOf', { name: hotseatName(view.game.toMove) }) : isMyTurn ? t('game.yourTurn') : turnLabel()}
+      {/if}
+    </div>
+  {/if}
+{/snippet}
+
 {#snippet scoreboardBlock()}
   {#if view}
     {@const badge = badgeKind(app.chatUnread[id] ?? false, app.messageUnread[id] ?? false)}
@@ -1603,10 +1622,11 @@
           {/each}
         {/each}
       </div>
-    </div>
       {#if view.game.endReason === 'aborted'}
         <p class="horganizer">{t('game.abortedNote')}</p>
       {/if}
+    </div>
+    <div class="hbagfoot">{view.bagLen === 0 ? t('game.bagEmpty') : t('game.bag', { n: view.bagLen })}</div>
   {/if}
 {/snippet}
 
@@ -1639,6 +1659,9 @@
       {focus}
       {recenter}
       {dropTarget}
+      {previewLegal}
+      formed={formedCells}
+      scoreBadge={boardBadge}
       oncell={onCell}
       ontogglezoom={(r, c) => { focus = { row: r, col: c }; if (!gameOver) zoomed = !zoomed; }}
       onrecall={onRecall}
@@ -1647,25 +1670,6 @@
   </div>
 {/snippet}
 
-{#snippet statusBlock()}
-  {#if view}
-    <div class="status">
-      <span>{view.bagLen === 0 ? t('game.bagEmpty') : t('game.bag', { n: view.bagLen })}</span>
-      {#if gameOver}
-        <!-- A hotseat game shows its result as per-seat medals on the plaques (below), not a
-             viewer-centric "you won/lost" — with 2-4 local players there is no single "you". A vs_ai
-             game keeps the "you won/lost" text (one human). -->
-        {#if !view.game.hotseat}<strong class="over">{resultText()}</strong>{/if}
-      {:else if placement.pending.length === 0}
-        <span class="turn-ind">{view.game.hotseat ? t('hotseat.turnOf', { name: hotseatName(view.game.toMove) }) : isMyTurn ? t('game.yourTurn') : turnLabel()}</span>
-      {/if}
-      <span class="scores">
-        {#if recallOverRack}{:else if preview}{preview.legal ? t('game.previewWords', { words: preview.words.join(', '), n: preview.score }) : t('game.previewIllegal')}{/if}
-      </span>
-    </div>
-  {/if}
-{/snippet}
-
 {#snippet rackRow()}
   <!-- The footer is drawn even when the game is over (rack + controls), but inert:
        a finished game shows the final rack greyed out and the controls disabled. -->
@@ -1680,23 +1684,26 @@
           slots={rackSlots}
           {variant}
           {selected}
-          {landscape}
           shuffling={shuffling && !app.reduceMotion}
           draggingId={reorderDragId}
           dropIndex={reorderTo}
+          confirm={!gameOver && placement.pending.length > 0 && !recallOverRack ? confirmBtn : undefined}
           ondown={onRackDown}
         />
       {/if}
     </div>
-    {#if !gameOver && placement.pending.length > 0 && !recallOverRack}
-      <button class="make" onclick={commit} disabled={busy || !canMove || !netReady || !preview?.legal} aria-label={t('game.makeMove')}>✅</button>
-    {/if}
   </div>
 {/snippet}
 
+{#snippet confirmBtn()}
+  <!-- The confirm-move control lives in the rack's fixed 7th slot (see Rack). Shown only while a
+       play is staged; disabled until the preview says it is legal. -->
+  <button class="make" onclick={commit} disabled={busy || !canMove || !netReady || !preview?.legal} aria-label={t('game.makeMove')}>✅</button>
+{/snippet}
+
 {#snippet controlButtons()}
   <button class="tab" disabled={busy || !canMove || !netReady} onclick={openExchange}>
-    <span class="sq" data-coach="game-turn">🔄</span><span class="lbl">{t('game.draw')}</span>
+    <span class="sq" data-coach="game-turn">🔄{#if view && view.bagLen > 0}<span class="badge">{view.bagLen}</span>{/if}</span><span class="lbl">{t('game.draw')}</span>
   </button>
   {#if view?.game.hotseat}
     <!-- Hotseat: no hints. The freed slot becomes the host (referee) button — always available
@@ -1906,6 +1913,23 @@
     font-weight: 700;
     font-variant-numeric: tabular-nums;
   }
+  /* The thin turn/result line above the score plaques (see turnStrip): whose turn it is during
+     play, accented for the viewer's win/lose result once the game ends. */
+  .turnstrip {
+    flex: none;
+    padding: 4px var(--pad);
+    text-align: center;
+    font-size: 0.85rem;
+    font-weight: 600;
+    color: var(--text);
+    background: var(--bg-elev);
+    white-space: nowrap;
+    overflow: hidden;
+    text-overflow: ellipsis;
+  }
+  .turnstrip.result {
+    color: var(--accent);
+  }
   .stage {
     position: relative;
     /* The board is the only part that scrolls vertically when the game does not fit;
@@ -1924,16 +1948,12 @@
     position: absolute;
     inset: 0 0 auto 0;
     z-index: 2;
-    /* A fixed-height drawer matching the board's slid offset, so the bottom border
-       and its shadow pin to the board immediately instead of tracking the table as
-       moves accumulate. scrollbar-gutter reserves the scrollbar so the centred word
-       column does not jump left/right when the list overflows. */
+    /* A fixed-height drawer matching the board's slid offset, so the bottom border and its shadow
+       pin to the board immediately instead of tracking the table as moves accumulate. It is a flex
+       column: the header and the pinned bag footer stay put while the grid (.hgridwrap) scrolls. */
     height: 62%;
-    overflow: auto;
-    /* No iOS rubber-band inside the drawer: the moves list does not elastically bounce past its
-       ends (the document is already pinned; this stops the inner scroller's own bounce). */
-    overscroll-behavior: none;
-    scrollbar-gutter: stable;
+    display: flex;
+    flex-direction: column;
     background: var(--surface-2);
     box-shadow: inset 0 -6px 10px -8px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.5);
     border-bottom: 1px solid var(--border);
@@ -1945,8 +1965,26 @@
      The wrapper's horizontal padding matches the scoreboard so the columns line up under the
      plaques. */
   .hgridwrap {
+    flex: 1 1 auto;
+    min-height: 0;
+    overflow: auto;
+    /* No iOS rubber-band inside the scroller: the moves list does not elastically bounce past its
+       ends (the document is already pinned; this stops the inner scroller's own bounce). */
+    overscroll-behavior: none;
+    /* Reserve the scrollbar so the centred word column does not jump left/right on overflow. */
+    scrollbar-gutter: stable;
     padding: 8px var(--pad);
   }
+  /* The bag count pinned bottom-left of the move table, out of the scrolling grid, so it stays put
+     as moves accumulate. The same count also rides the exchange control as a badge (see
+     controlButtons), which is the always-visible indicator when the table is closed. */
+  .hbagfoot {
+    flex: none;
+    padding: 6px var(--pad);
+    color: var(--text-muted);
+    font-size: 0.85rem;
+    border-top: 1px solid var(--border);
+  }
   .hgrid {
     display: grid;
     gap: 1px;
@@ -1991,28 +2029,6 @@
   .boardwrap.slid :global(.viewport) {
     pointer-events: none;
   }
-  .status {
-    display: flex;
-    flex: none;
-    align-items: center;
-    justify-content: space-between;
-    padding: 2px var(--pad) 6px;
-    color: var(--text-muted);
-    font-size: 0.85rem;
-  }
-  .turn-ind {
-    font-weight: 600;
-    color: var(--text);
-  }
-  .over {
-    color: var(--accent);
-  }
-  .scores {
-    font-weight: 600;
-    color: var(--ok);
-    min-width: 64px;
-    text-align: right;
-  }
   /* The single-word-rule label centred in the history header between its two icons. */
   .oneword-label {
     flex: 1;
@@ -2037,36 +2053,22 @@
     flex: 1;
     min-width: 0;
   }
-  /* A borderless icon button (like the tab bar), not a filled accent button — and disabled
-     while the pending word is known to be illegal. It is an overlay, NOT a flex sibling of the
-     rack: the rack keeps the full row width with a fixed tile size (no reflow or tile resize
-     when a tile is staged), and the button is absolutely pinned over the slots a staged tile
-     frees on the right. Its right edge sits at var(--pad) — directly under the right edge of the
-     preview caption above (.status shares that padding). */
+  /* The confirm-move control occupies the rack's fixed 7th column while a play is staged (a
+     borderless icon button, like the tab bar). It is rendered inside the rack grid (see Rack), so it
+     lines up with the tiles and stays the rightmost slot no matter how many tiles remain. */
   .make {
-    position: absolute;
-    right: var(--pad);
-    top: 0;
-    bottom: 6px;
-    width: 56px;
+    grid-column: 7;
+    align-self: stretch;
+    display: grid;
+    place-items: center;
     background: none;
     color: var(--text);
     border: none;
-    display: grid;
-    place-items: center end;
     font-size: 1.8rem;
   }
   .make:disabled {
     opacity: 0.4;
   }
-  /* Landscape: the rack fills a narrow fixed-width panel with exactly seven tile slots, so the 56px
-     button (sized for the roomy portrait rack) is wider than the single slot a staged tile frees and
-     overlaps the now-rightmost tile. Match the button to one landscape tile slot (its width formula),
-     so it sits inside the freed slot with its right edge level with the rack's right edge — the
-     mirror of the first tile's left edge. */
-  .game-land .make {
-    width: calc((100% - 2 * var(--pad) - 6 * 5px) / 7);
-  }
   /* The move-history header: leave (active) / export (finished) on the left, comms on the
      right, icon-only. Sticky so it stays atop the scrolling move list. */
   .hhead {

ui/src/game/Rack.svelte

@@ -4,15 +4,16 @@
   import { valueForLetter } from '../lib/alphabet';
   import type { Variant } from '../lib/model';
   import { usesStarBlank, BLANK_STAR } from '../lib/variants';
+  import type { Snippet } from 'svelte';
 
   let {
     slots,
     variant,
     selected,
-    landscape = false,
     shuffling = false,
     draggingId = null,
     dropIndex = null,
+    confirm,
     ondown,
   }: {
     // Each slot carries a stable id that travels with its tile through a shuffle, so the
@@ -20,14 +21,14 @@
     slots: (RackSlot & { id: number })[];
     variant: Variant;
     selected: number | null;
-    /** Landscape layout: size the tiles to share the (narrow) left-panel width instead of the
-     *  viewport-width measure, so seven tiles never overflow the panel. */
-    landscape?: boolean;
     shuffling?: boolean;
     // While a rack tile is being dragged to reorder it, draggingId is its id (hidden here —
     // the drag ghost stands in) and dropIndex is the slot where a gap opens.
     draggingId?: number | null;
     dropIndex?: number | null;
+    /** The confirm-move control, rendered as the fixed 7th slot of the rack while a play is staged
+     *  (the parent owns the button and its enablement; the rack only positions it). */
+    confirm?: Snippet;
     ondown: (e: PointerEvent, index: number) => void;
   } = $props();
 
@@ -57,7 +58,7 @@
   }
 </script>
 
-<div class="rack" class:reordering={draggingId != null || dropIndex != null} class:landscape data-rack>
+<div class="rack" class:reordering={draggingId != null || dropIndex != null} data-rack>
   {#each shown as slot, i (slot.id)}
     <button
       class="tile"
@@ -75,21 +76,26 @@
       {/if}
     </button>
   {/each}
+  {@render confirm?.()}
 </div>
 
 <style>
+  /* Seven equal columns filling the whole tray width, so the tiles are square and as large as the
+     row allows — the same in portrait and landscape. The tile glyphs use cqw against the rack width
+     (the query container) so they track the tile size, the way the board sizes its labels on its
+     .scaler. */
   .rack {
-    display: flex;
+    display: grid;
+    grid-template-columns: repeat(7, 1fr);
     gap: 5px;
-    align-items: center;
-    /* Reserve one tile's height so an empty rack (e.g. a finished game) keeps the
-       footer the same size as during play — no layout jump between states. */
+    align-items: start;
+    container-type: inline-size;
+    /* Reserve about one tile's height so an empty rack (e.g. a finished game) keeps the footer the
+       same size as during play — no layout jump between states. */
     min-height: min(12.5vw, 46px);
   }
   .tile {
     position: relative;
-    flex: 0 0 auto;
-    width: min(12.5vw, 46px);
     aspect-ratio: 1;
     background: var(--tile-bg);
     color: var(--tile-text);
@@ -97,7 +103,6 @@
     border-radius: 5px;
     box-shadow: inset 0 -3px 0 var(--tile-edge);
     font-weight: 700;
-    font-size: 1.4rem;
     touch-action: none;
     user-select: none;
     -webkit-user-select: none;
@@ -109,35 +114,6 @@
     outline: 3px solid var(--accent);
     outline-offset: -3px;
   }
-  /* Landscape: the rack sits in a fixed-width left panel, so the tiles share the panel width
-     (capped at the portrait size) and shrink below it when the panel is narrow, instead of the
-     viewport-width measure that would overflow seven tiles in a column. */
-  .rack.landscape {
-    /* Size the tile glyphs relative to the rack (the board sizes its labels the same way, on its
-       .scaler container). The tile is a flex + aspect-ratio item whose OWN container-query size
-       resolves unreliably, so the rack — which has a definite width — is the query container. A
-       fixed-rem letter overflowed the tile once it shrank below 46px in a narrow left panel and
-       dropped into the bottom-left corner. The cqw values track the rack≈7×tile relation. */
-    container-type: inline-size;
-  }
-  .rack.landscape .tile {
-    /* Fixed tile size (1/7 of the fixed-width rack, accounting for the six 5px gaps), NOT flex-grow:
-       so placing a tile leaves the remaining ones put instead of growing them to refill the row —
-       matching the portrait rack. The constant rack width also keeps the cqw glyphs above steady as
-       tiles leave. */
-    flex: 0 0 auto;
-    width: calc((100% - 6 * 5px) / 7);
-    max-width: 46px;
-  }
-  .rack.landscape .letter {
-    font-size: 6cqw;
-  }
-  .rack.landscape .val {
-    font-size: 3.1cqw;
-  }
-  .rack.landscape .star {
-    font-size: 7.6cqw;
-  }
   /* While reordering, tiles at/after the drop slot slide right to open a gap there (one
      tile width plus the rack gap), so the drop position is visible. */
   .rack.reordering .tile {
@@ -150,12 +126,15 @@
     position: absolute;
     top: 8%;
     left: 14%;
+    font-size: 6vmin; /* cqw fallback for Chrome < 105 — approximates the portrait rack ≈ viewport width */
+    font-size: 6cqw;
   }
   .val {
     position: absolute;
     right: 4px;
     bottom: 1px;
-    font-size: 0.7rem;
+    font-size: 3.1vmin; /* cqw fallback for Chrome < 105 */
+    font-size: 3.1cqw;
     font-weight: 600;
   }
   /* Erudit's blank ("звёздочка") shows its star horizontally centred on the otherwise empty
@@ -167,6 +146,7 @@
     left: 0;
     right: 0;
     text-align: center;
-    font-size: 1.7rem;
+    font-size: 7.6vmin; /* cqw fallback for Chrome < 105 */
+    font-size: 7.6cqw;
   }
 </style>

ui/src/lib/app.svelte.ts

@@ -118,6 +118,9 @@ export const app = $state<{
   locale: Locale;
   reduceMotion: boolean;
   boardLabels: BoardLabelMode;
+  /** Auto-zoom the board toward a tile when it is placed (touch/mobile only; the wide desktop and
+   *  landscape layouts already fit the whole board and never auto-zoom). On by default. */
+  zoomBoard: boolean;
   /** Completion flags for the two first-run coachmark series (components/Coachmark.svelte). */
   onboarding: OnboardingState;
   /** Whether a first-run coachmark overlay is currently on screen. While set, the scrolling promo
@@ -172,6 +175,7 @@ export const app = $state<{
   locale: 'en',
   reduceMotion: false,
   boardLabels: 'beginner',
+  zoomBoard: true,
   onboarding: { lobbyDone: false, gameDone: false },
   coachActive: false,
   notifications: 0,
@@ -813,6 +817,7 @@ export async function bootstrap(): Promise<void> {
   app.theme = prefs.theme ?? 'auto';
   app.reduceMotion = prefs.reduceMotion ?? false;
   app.boardLabels = prefs.boardLabels ?? 'beginner';
+  app.zoomBoard = prefs.zoomBoard ?? true;
   app.onboarding = await loadOnboarding();
   applyTheme(app.theme);
   applyReduceMotion(app.reduceMotion);
@@ -1232,6 +1237,7 @@ function persistPrefs(): void {
     locale: app.locale,
     reduceMotion: app.reduceMotion,
     boardLabels: app.boardLabels,
+    zoomBoard: app.zoomBoard,
   });
   // Mirror the device-independent display prefs to Telegram CloudStorage so they follow the user
   // across devices (no-op outside Telegram / on a client predating it). Locale is excluded — it
@@ -1321,6 +1327,11 @@ export function setBoardLabels(mode: BoardLabelMode): void {
   persistPrefs();
 }
 
+export function setZoomBoard(on: boolean): void {
+  app.zoomBoard = on;
+  persistPrefs();
+}
+
 // Background/foreground lifecycle: silence the reconnect banner during a suspend and
 // reconnect quietly on return (and refresh the lobby badge for any push missed while
 // hidden, §10). Several signals cover the platforms: the page Visibility API, the

ui/src/lib/formed.test.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,116 @@
+import { describe, expect, it } from 'vitest';
+import { formedGeometry, badgePlacement } from './formed';
+import type { Board } from './board';
+
+const SIZE = 15;
+
+// board builds a 15×15 empty board with the given committed tiles placed.
+function board(tiles: Array<[number, number, string]> = []): Board {
+  const b: Board = [];
+  for (let r = 0; r < SIZE; r++) {
+    const row: (Board[number][number])[] = [];
+    for (let c = 0; c < SIZE; c++) row.push(null);
+    b.push(row);
+  }
+  for (const [r, c, letter] of tiles) b[r][c] = { letter, blank: false };
+  return b;
+}
+
+const cells = (g: ReturnType<typeof formedGeometry>) => [...(g?.cells ?? new Set())].sort();
+
+describe('formedGeometry', () => {
+  it('returns null with nothing staged', () => {
+    expect(formedGeometry(board(), [])).toBeNull();
+  });
+
+  it('finds a fresh horizontal word with no cross words', () => {
+    const g = formedGeometry(board(), [
+      { row: 7, col: 7 },
+      { row: 7, col: 8 },
+    ]);
+    expect(g?.main).toEqual({ row: 7, col: 7, dir: 'H', len: 2 });
+    expect(cells(g)).toEqual(['7,7', '7,8']);
+  });
+
+  it('finds a fresh vertical word', () => {
+    const g = formedGeometry(board(), [
+      { row: 7, col: 7 },
+      { row: 8, col: 7 },
+    ]);
+    expect(g?.main).toEqual({ row: 7, col: 7, dir: 'V', len: 2 });
+    expect(cells(g)).toEqual(['7,7', '8,7']);
+  });
+
+  it('extends a committed tile into the main word (committed cell in the set)', () => {
+    // A committed A at (7,7); a lone tile to its right forms the two-letter main word.
+    const g = formedGeometry(board([[7, 7, 'A']]), [{ row: 7, col: 8 }]);
+    expect(g?.main).toEqual({ row: 7, col: 7, dir: 'H', len: 2 });
+    expect(cells(g)).toEqual(['7,7', '7,8']);
+  });
+
+  it('collects a cross word through a staged tile, committed cells included', () => {
+    // Committed X above and Y below (7,8) leave a one-cell gap; a horizontal play through it also
+    // completes the vertical X-_-Y cross word.
+    const g = formedGeometry(board([[6, 8, 'X'], [8, 8, 'Y']]), [
+      { row: 7, col: 7 },
+      { row: 7, col: 8 },
+    ]);
+    expect(g?.main).toEqual({ row: 7, col: 7, dir: 'H', len: 2 });
+    expect(cells(g)).toEqual(['6,8', '7,7', '7,8', '8,8']);
+  });
+
+  it('takes the longer axis as the main word for a lone connecting tile', () => {
+    // (7,8) joins a length-3 horizontal (cols 6-8) and a length-4 vertical (rows 5-8): the vertical
+    // is longer, so it is the main word and the horizontal becomes a cross word.
+    const g = formedGeometry(
+      board([
+        [7, 6, 'A'],
+        [7, 7, 'B'],
+        [5, 8, 'C'],
+        [6, 8, 'D'],
+        [8, 8, 'E'],
+      ]),
+      [{ row: 7, col: 8 }],
+    );
+    expect(g?.main).toEqual({ row: 5, col: 8, dir: 'V', len: 4 });
+    expect(cells(g)).toEqual(['5,8', '6,8', '7,6', '7,7', '7,8', '8,8']);
+  });
+});
+
+describe('badgePlacement', () => {
+  it('anchors a mid-board horizontal word at the last letter, top-right', () => {
+    expect(badgePlacement({ row: 7, col: 5, dir: 'H', len: 3 })).toEqual({ row: 7, col: 7, corner: 'tr' });
+  });
+
+  it('anchors a right-edge horizontal word at the first letter, bottom-left', () => {
+    expect(badgePlacement({ row: 7, col: 12, dir: 'H', len: 3 })).toEqual({ row: 7, col: 12, corner: 'bl' });
+  });
+
+  it('anchors a top-edge horizontal word at the first letter, bottom-left', () => {
+    expect(badgePlacement({ row: 0, col: 5, dir: 'H', len: 3 })).toEqual({ row: 0, col: 5, corner: 'bl' });
+  });
+
+  it('anchors a left-edge horizontal word at the last letter, top-right', () => {
+    expect(badgePlacement({ row: 7, col: 0, dir: 'H', len: 3 })).toEqual({ row: 7, col: 2, corner: 'tr' });
+  });
+
+  it('anchors a bottom-edge horizontal word at the last letter, top-right', () => {
+    expect(badgePlacement({ row: 14, col: 5, dir: 'H', len: 3 })).toEqual({ row: 14, col: 7, corner: 'tr' });
+  });
+
+  it('anchors a mid-board vertical word at the first letter, top-right', () => {
+    expect(badgePlacement({ row: 5, col: 7, dir: 'V', len: 3 })).toEqual({ row: 5, col: 7, corner: 'tr' });
+  });
+
+  it('anchors a top-edge vertical word at the last letter, bottom-left', () => {
+    expect(badgePlacement({ row: 0, col: 7, dir: 'V', len: 3 })).toEqual({ row: 2, col: 7, corner: 'bl' });
+  });
+
+  it('anchors a right-edge vertical word at the last letter, bottom-left', () => {
+    expect(badgePlacement({ row: 5, col: 14, dir: 'V', len: 3 })).toEqual({ row: 7, col: 14, corner: 'bl' });
+  });
+
+  it('anchors a full-width horizontal word at the last letter, top-right (clamped by the board)', () => {
+    expect(badgePlacement({ row: 7, col: 0, dir: 'H', len: 15 })).toEqual({ row: 7, col: 14, corner: 'tr' });
+  });
+});

ui/src/lib/formed.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,164 @@
+// Client-side geometry of the play being composed: which cells the formed word(s) cover, and
+// where to anchor the move-score badge. This is deliberately independent of the move evaluator
+// (lib/dict/eval.ts) — the network `evaluate` returns legality/score/word strings but no cell
+// coordinates, and the board highlight plus the score badge must work even while the local
+// dictionary is still warming up. Legality and the score come from the preview; the geometry is
+// derived here purely from the board and the staged tiles. Both functions are pure (testable in
+// lib/formed.test.ts); the board stays the source of truth for legality.
+
+import type { Board } from './board';
+import { BOARD_SIZE } from './premiums';
+
+/** Play axis: horizontal or vertical. */
+export type Dir = 'H' | 'V';
+
+/** MainWord locates the play's main word: its start cell, axis and length in cells. */
+export interface MainWord {
+  row: number;
+  col: number;
+  dir: Dir;
+  len: number;
+}
+
+/** FormedGeometry is the composed play's shape: the main word plus the set of every cell (as a
+ *  "row,col" key) that the main word and any cross words cover — committed tiles included. */
+export interface FormedGeometry {
+  main: MainWord;
+  cells: Set<string>;
+}
+
+/** A minimal cell reference; PendingTile satisfies it structurally. */
+interface Cell {
+  row: number;
+  col: number;
+}
+
+const key = (r: number, c: number): string => `${r},${c}`;
+
+/**
+ * filledPredicate returns a test for whether a cell holds a tile once the staged play is on the
+ * board: either a committed tile sits there or a pending tile is being placed there.
+ */
+function filledPredicate(board: Board, pending: readonly Cell[]): (r: number, c: number) => boolean {
+  const pend = new Set(pending.map((p) => key(p.row, p.col)));
+  return (r, c) =>
+    r >= 0 &&
+    r < BOARD_SIZE &&
+    c >= 0 &&
+    c < BOARD_SIZE &&
+    (board[r]?.[c] != null || pend.has(key(r, c)));
+}
+
+/**
+ * span walks the maximal contiguous filled run through cell (row, col) along dir and returns the
+ * run's start index and length on the moving axis (columns for H, rows for V).
+ */
+function span(
+  filled: (r: number, c: number) => boolean,
+  dir: Dir,
+  row: number,
+  col: number,
+): { start: number; len: number } {
+  if (dir === 'H') {
+    let s = col;
+    while (filled(row, s - 1)) s--;
+    let e = col;
+    while (filled(row, e + 1)) e++;
+    return { start: s, len: e - s + 1 };
+  }
+  let s = row;
+  while (filled(s - 1, col)) s--;
+  let e = row;
+  while (filled(e + 1, col)) e++;
+  return { start: s, len: e - s + 1 };
+}
+
+/**
+ * formedGeometry derives the composed play's word geometry from the board and the staged tiles.
+ * It returns the main word (the maximal run along the play axis through the staged tiles) and the
+ * set of every cell the main word and each cross word (a perpendicular run of two or more cells
+ * through a staged tile) cover. It returns null when nothing is staged, or when the staged tiles
+ * are not on a single line — a shape only an illegal play produces, which the caller never asks
+ * about (it is invoked only for a legal preview). The play axis is fixed by the staged tiles when
+ * two or more are colinear; a lone tile takes whichever axis forms the longer word.
+ */
+export function formedGeometry(board: Board, pending: readonly Cell[]): FormedGeometry | null {
+  if (pending.length === 0) return null;
+  const filled = filledPredicate(board, pending);
+  const first = pending[0];
+
+  let dir: Dir;
+  if (pending.length === 1) {
+    const h = span(filled, 'H', first.row, first.col);
+    const v = span(filled, 'V', first.row, first.col);
+    dir = h.len >= v.len ? 'H' : 'V';
+  } else if (pending.every((p) => p.row === first.row)) {
+    dir = 'H';
+  } else if (pending.every((p) => p.col === first.col)) {
+    dir = 'V';
+  } else {
+    return null;
+  }
+
+  const cells = new Set<string>();
+
+  // Main word: the maximal run along the play axis through the staged tiles (contiguous via any
+  // committed tiles between them), collected from any one staged tile.
+  const ms = span(filled, dir, first.row, first.col);
+  let main: MainWord;
+  if (dir === 'H') {
+    main = { row: first.row, col: ms.start, dir, len: ms.len };
+    for (let c = ms.start; c < ms.start + ms.len; c++) cells.add(key(first.row, c));
+  } else {
+    main = { row: ms.start, col: first.col, dir, len: ms.len };
+    for (let r = ms.start; r < ms.start + ms.len; r++) cells.add(key(r, first.col));
+  }
+
+  // Cross words: the perpendicular run through each staged tile, kept only when it is a real word
+  // (two or more cells).
+  const cross: Dir = dir === 'H' ? 'V' : 'H';
+  for (const p of pending) {
+    const cs = span(filled, cross, p.row, p.col);
+    if (cs.len < 2) continue;
+    if (cross === 'H') {
+      for (let c = cs.start; c < cs.start + cs.len; c++) cells.add(key(p.row, c));
+    } else {
+      for (let r = cs.start; r < cs.start + cs.len; r++) cells.add(key(r, p.col));
+    }
+  }
+
+  return { main, cells };
+}
+
+/** Where the move-score badge is anchored: a main-word cell and the tile corner it sits on. */
+export interface BadgeAnchor {
+  row: number;
+  col: number;
+  corner: 'tr' | 'bl';
+}
+
+/**
+ * badgePlacement chooses the main-word tile and corner for the move-score badge, so the badge
+ * points into the board and away from the nearest edge (the board clamps the final pill fully
+ * on-board). The rules: a word touching the right or top edge anchors at a tile's bottom-left
+ * corner (horizontal → its first letter, vertical → its last letter); a word touching the left or
+ * bottom edge — and any mid-board word — anchors at the top-right corner (horizontal → its last
+ * letter, vertical → its first letter). A full-width horizontal word (it touches both side edges)
+ * anchors at the last letter's top-right, which the board then clamps leftward.
+ */
+export function badgePlacement(main: MainWord): BadgeAnchor {
+  const last = BOARD_SIZE - 1;
+  const h = main.dir === 'H';
+  const minRow = main.row;
+  const maxRow = h ? main.row : main.row + main.len - 1;
+  const minCol = main.col;
+  const maxCol = h ? main.col + main.len - 1 : main.col;
+
+  if (h && main.len === BOARD_SIZE) {
+    return { row: main.row, col: maxCol, corner: 'tr' };
+  }
+  if (maxCol === last || minRow === 0) {
+    return h ? { row: main.row, col: minCol, corner: 'bl' } : { row: maxRow, col: main.col, corner: 'bl' };
+  }
+  return h ? { row: main.row, col: maxCol, corner: 'tr' } : { row: minRow, col: main.col, corner: 'tr' };
+}

ui/src/lib/i18n/en.ts

@@ -104,8 +104,6 @@ export const en = {
   'game.checkWord': 'Check word',
   'game.dictionary': 'Dictionary',
   'game.dropGame': 'Drop game',
-  'game.previewWords': '{words}: {n}',
-  'game.previewIllegal': 'Not a legal move',
   'game.oneWordRule': 'One word per turn',
   'game.chooseBlank': 'Choose a letter for the blank',
   'game.exchangeTitle': 'Exchange or pass',
@@ -215,6 +213,7 @@ export const en = {
   'settings.labelsClassic': 'Classic',
   'settings.labelsNone': 'None',
   'settings.reduceMotion': 'Reduce motion',
+  'settings.zoomBoard': 'Zoom the board',
   'settings.offlineMode': 'Play mode',
   'settings.online': 'Online',
   'settings.offline': 'Offline',

ui/src/lib/i18n/ru.ts

@@ -104,8 +104,6 @@ export const ru: Record<MessageKey, string> = {
   'game.checkWord': 'Проверить слово',
   'game.dictionary': 'Словарь',
   'game.dropGame': 'Покинуть игру',
-  'game.previewWords': '{words}: {n}',
-  'game.previewIllegal': 'Недопустимый ход',
   'game.oneWordRule': 'Одно слово за ход',
   'game.chooseBlank': 'Выберите букву для бланка',
   'game.exchangeTitle': 'Обмен или пас',
@@ -215,6 +213,7 @@ export const ru: Record<MessageKey, string> = {
   'settings.labelsClassic': 'Классика',
   'settings.labelsNone': 'Без текста',
   'settings.reduceMotion': 'Меньше анимаций',
+  'settings.zoomBoard': 'Приближать доску',
   'settings.offlineMode': 'Режим игры',
   'settings.online': 'Онлайн',
   'settings.offline': 'Оффлайн',

ui/src/lib/session.ts

@@ -143,6 +143,7 @@ export interface Prefs {
   locale: Locale;
   reduceMotion: boolean;
   boardLabels: BoardLabelMode;
+  zoomBoard: boolean;
 }
 
 export async function loadPrefs(): Promise<Partial<Prefs>> {

ui/src/screens/Settings.svelte

@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
     setLocalePref,
     setReduceMotion,
     setTheme,
+    setZoomBoard,
   } from '../lib/app.svelte';
   import { t, type Locale, type MessageKey } from '../lib/i18n/index.svelte';
   import type { ThemePref } from '../lib/theme';
@@ -15,6 +16,10 @@
   import { isStandalone } from '../lib/pwa';
   import InstallApp from '../components/InstallApp.svelte';
 
+  // The board-zoom toggle only makes sense on a touch device (the desktop / landscape layouts fit
+  // the whole board and never auto-zoom), so it is shown only for a coarse pointer.
+  const coarsePointer = typeof matchMedia !== 'undefined' && matchMedia('(pointer: coarse)').matches;
+
   // The offline toggle is for the installed web PWA with a confirmed email only: the service worker
   // that lets the app launch with no network runs only in a standalone web install (not a mini-app),
   // and a durable account (email) anchors the device-local games. Elsewhere the control is hidden.
@@ -102,6 +107,16 @@
         onchange={(e) => setReduceMotion(e.currentTarget.checked)}
       />
     </label>
+    {#if coarsePointer}
+      <label class="row">
+        <span>{t('settings.zoomBoard')}</span>
+        <input
+          type="checkbox"
+          checked={app.zoomBoard}
+          onchange={(e) => setZoomBoard(e.currentTarget.checked)}
+        />
+      </label>
+    {/if}
   </section>
 
   {#if offlineEligible}