diff --git a/PLAN.md b/PLAN.md
index a4d5855..92030a0 100644
--- a/PLAN.md
+++ b/PLAN.md
@@ -776,7 +776,7 @@ cannot submit; three-way admin filter.
     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
+    tiles, 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**
diff --git a/backend/internal/server/handlers_admin_console.go b/backend/internal/server/handlers_admin_console.go
index 3dc929b..f8f63df 100644
--- a/backend/internal/server/handlers_admin_console.go
+++ b/backend/internal/server/handlers_admin_console.go
@@ -110,7 +110,9 @@ func (s *Server) registerConsole(router *gin.Engine) {
 func (s *Server) consoleDashboard(c *gin.Context) {
 	ctx := c.Request.Context()
 	view := adminconsole.DashboardView{Variants: s.variantVersions(), ActiveVersion: s.games.ActiveVersion()}
-	view.Accounts, _ = s.accounts.CountAccounts(ctx)
+	// The Users card counts people only: robots are pool infrastructure, not registered
+	// users, so an empty filter (Robots: false) excludes them.
+	view.Accounts, _ = s.accounts.CountUsers(ctx, account.UserFilter{})
 	view.Games, _ = s.games.CountGames(ctx, "")
 	view.ActiveGames, _ = s.games.CountGames(ctx, game.StatusActive)
 	view.OpenComplaints, _ = s.games.CountComplaints(ctx, game.StatusComplaintOpen)
diff --git a/docs/UI_DESIGN.md b/docs/UI_DESIGN.md
index e8369d7..1443cc6 100644
--- a/docs/UI_DESIGN.md
+++ b/docs/UI_DESIGN.md
@@ -172,11 +172,9 @@ except Login uses `Screen`.
 - **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** — a Settings toggle, **default off**. Off: a **gapless
-  checkerboard** — plain cells alternate two shades, and tiles get rounded corners with a
-  soft right-side shadow so adjacent gapless tiles still read apart, reclaiming ~14px of
-  board width. On: the classic lined grid, where the inter-cell gap shows a contrasting
-  `--cell-line` (darker in light, lighter in dark) to avoid a wavy-line optical illusion.
+- **Board surface** — always a **gapless checkerboard** (there is no grid-lines setting):
+  plain cells alternate two shades, and tiles get rounded corners with a soft right-side
+  shadow so adjacent gapless tiles still read apart, reclaiming ~14px of board width.
 
 ## Controls
 
@@ -242,7 +240,9 @@ game **becomes your turn or finishes** while the lobby is open, that status emoj
 twice** (a two-cycle opacity fade, ~2 s; suppressed under reduce-motion) to draw the eye — the
 opponent's-turn change is silent. Each card's blink is keyed by game id, so overlapping
 events animate in isolation, and the newest bottom toast cancels the previous one and replays
-its entrance (`components/Toast.svelte`, re-keyed on a per-message sequence).
+its entrance (`components/Toast.svelte`, re-keyed on a per-message sequence). An **info** toast
+lives ~2 s, drifting up by about the tab-bar height as it fades (a plain fade, no travel, under
+reduce-motion); an **error** toast dwells longer (~4 s). Either dismisses instantly on tap.
 
 **Simultaneous-game cap.** When the player is at the active-quick-game cap (`games.list`
 `at_game_limit`), the lobby's **New Game** tab is **disabled** (greyed via the shared
@@ -255,8 +255,11 @@ enabled on the first, uncached load) and flip in place when an event refreshes t
 
 - **Settings hub** (`screens/SettingsHub.svelte`, the lobby ⚙️ tab): one nav bar + a bottom
   tab bar over four bodies — ⚙️ Settings, 👤 Profile, 🤝 Friends, ℹ️ About — switched in
-  place; back always returns to the lobby. Guests see all but Friends. The lobby ⚙️ badge and
-  the 🤝 tab badge both show the pending incoming-friend-request count.
+  place; back always returns to the lobby. The **selected** tab is marked by a filled pill
+  hugging its icon **and** label (with an accent underline) — a persistent selection cue that
+  the plain, unhighlighted action tabs (lobby nav, in-game controls) never carry. Guests see
+  all but Friends. The lobby ⚙️ badge and the 🤝 tab badge both show the pending
+  incoming-friend-request count.
 - **Friends** (`screens/Friends.svelte`, the Settings hub's 🤝 tab): an "add a friend" block
   pairing a code **input** with a **Show my code** action that reveals a large 6-digit
   code + its expiry; then the incoming **requests** (Accept / Decline), the **friends**
diff --git a/ui/e2e/game.spec.ts b/ui/e2e/game.spec.ts
index 3f3a4de..310be23 100644
--- a/ui/e2e/game.spec.ts
+++ b/ui/e2e/game.spec.ts
@@ -123,16 +123,15 @@ test('a pending tile recalls on double-tap, not on a single tap', async ({ page
   await expect(page.locator('[data-cell].pending')).toHaveCount(0);
 });
 
-test('the board is a gapless checkerboard by default; grid lines toggle in Settings', async ({ page }) => {
+test('the board is always a gapless checkerboard; no grid-lines setting', async ({ page }) => {
   await openGame(page);
-  await expect(page.locator('.grid.gridless')).toBeVisible(); // lines off by default
-
-  await page.evaluate(() => (location.hash = '/settings'));
-  await page.locator('.gridlines input').check(); // turn grid lines on
-  await page.evaluate(() => (location.hash = '/game/g1'));
-
   await expect(page.locator('.grid')).toBeVisible();
-  await expect(page.locator('.grid.gridless')).toHaveCount(0);
+  // The board has no lined variant any more: its cells sit flush, with no inter-cell gap.
+  await expect(page.locator('.grid')).toHaveCSS('column-gap', '0px');
+
+  // Settings no longer offers a grid-lines toggle.
+  await page.evaluate(() => (location.hash = '/settings'));
+  await expect(page.locator('.gridlines')).toHaveCount(0);
 });
 
 test('shuffle reorders the rack but keeps the same tiles', async ({ page }) => {
diff --git a/ui/src/App.svelte b/ui/src/App.svelte
index 8f3bba3..2de9e13 100644
--- a/ui/src/App.svelte
+++ b/ui/src/App.svelte
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
   import { insideTelegram, telegramBackButton } from './lib/telegram';
   import Toast from './components/Toast.svelte';
   import StaleInviteModal from './components/StaleInviteModal.svelte';
+  import WelcomeRedeemModal from './components/WelcomeRedeemModal.svelte';
   import Login from './screens/Login.svelte';
   import Lobby from './screens/Lobby.svelte';
   import NewGame from './screens/NewGame.svelte';
@@ -110,6 +111,7 @@
 
 <Toast />
 <StaleInviteModal />
+<WelcomeRedeemModal />
 
 <style>
   .splash {
diff --git a/ui/src/Landing.svelte b/ui/src/Landing.svelte
index 142874e..bea284e 100644
--- a/ui/src/Landing.svelte
+++ b/ui/src/Landing.svelte
@@ -47,7 +47,6 @@
       locale: lc,
       reduceMotion: prefs.reduceMotion ?? false,
       boardLabels: prefs.boardLabels ?? 'beginner',
-      boardLines: prefs.boardLines ?? false,
     });
     prefs = { ...prefs, locale: lc };
   }
diff --git a/ui/src/components/TabBar.svelte b/ui/src/components/TabBar.svelte
index d29a1ad..8f6d512 100644
--- a/ui/src/components/TabBar.svelte
+++ b/ui/src/components/TabBar.svelte
@@ -51,10 +51,25 @@
     line-height: 1;
     transition: background-color 0.12s;
   }
-  /* A tab that navigates between peer views (Settings / Comms hubs) stays highlighted
-     while selected: a filled square with an accent underline. A tap itself leaves no
-     highlight — there is no press tint, and the WebKit tap flash is disabled on .tab. */
-  :global(.tab.active .sq) {
+  /* A tab that navigates between peer views (Settings / Comms hubs) wraps its icon and label
+     in a .face so the selected highlight hugs both — a filled pill with an accent underline,
+     sized to the content with a small padding. A tap itself leaves no highlight (no press
+     tint, and the WebKit tap flash is disabled on .tab). Plain action tabs (the lobby nav,
+     the in-game controls) carry no .face and are never .active, so they are unaffected. */
+  :global(.tab .face) {
+    display: inline-flex;
+    flex-direction: column;
+    align-items: center;
+    padding: 3px 10px;
+    border-radius: 12px;
+    transition: background-color 0.12s;
+  }
+  /* Inside a face the icon square needs no padding of its own — the face provides the
+     surround (the bare .sq padding still applies to the unwrapped action tabs). */
+  :global(.tab .face .sq) {
+    padding: 0;
+  }
+  :global(.tab.active .face) {
     background: var(--surface-2);
     box-shadow: inset 0 -2px 0 var(--accent);
   }
diff --git a/ui/src/components/Toast.svelte b/ui/src/components/Toast.svelte
index 43859b4..e1b7e69 100644
--- a/ui/src/components/Toast.svelte
+++ b/ui/src/components/Toast.svelte
@@ -1,20 +1,28 @@
 <script lang="ts">
   import { fade, fly } from 'svelte/transition';
-  import { app } from '../lib/app.svelte';
+  import { app, dismissToast } from '../lib/app.svelte';
 
   const dur = $derived(app.reduceMotion ? 0 : 260);
+  // An info bubble owns its whole 2s life through a CSS rise-and-fade animation, so it takes
+  // no Svelte enter/leave transition; an error keeps the fly-in / fade-out dwell behaviour.
+  const isInfo = $derived(app.toast?.kind !== 'error');
 </script>
 
 {#if app.toast}
-  <!-- Re-key on the toast's seq so a fresh message tears the old node down (out:fade) and replays
-       the entrance (in:fly): the newest toast cancels the previous one and starts its own cycle. -->
+  <!-- Re-key on the toast's seq so a fresh message tears the old node down and replays the
+       appear cycle: the newest toast cancels the previous one and starts its own. -->
   {#key app.toast.seq}
+    <!-- svelte-ignore a11y_no_noninteractive_element_interactions -->
+    <!-- svelte-ignore a11y_click_events_have_key_events -->
     <div
       class="toast {app.toast.kind}"
+      class:rise={isInfo && !app.reduceMotion}
+      class:rise-reduced={isInfo && app.reduceMotion}
       role="status"
       aria-live="polite"
-      in:fly={{ y: 32, duration: dur }}
-      out:fade={{ duration: dur }}
+      onclick={dismissToast}
+      in:fly={{ y: isInfo ? 0 : 32, duration: isInfo ? 0 : dur }}
+      out:fade={{ duration: isInfo ? 0 : dur }}
     >
       {app.toast.text}
     </div>
@@ -36,9 +44,45 @@
     box-shadow: var(--shadow);
     z-index: 50;
     text-align: center;
+    cursor: pointer;
   }
   .error {
     border-color: var(--danger);
     color: var(--danger);
   }
+  /* An info bubble fades in, then drifts up by roughly the tab-bar height while fading out,
+     all within 2s; the X centring is preserved across the rise. */
+  .toast.rise {
+    animation: toast-rise 2s ease-out forwards;
+  }
+  @keyframes toast-rise {
+    0% {
+      opacity: 0;
+      transform: translateX(-50%) translateY(8px);
+    }
+    12% {
+      opacity: 1;
+      transform: translateX(-50%) translateY(0);
+    }
+    100% {
+      opacity: 0;
+      transform: translateX(-50%) translateY(-56px);
+    }
+  }
+  /* Reduced motion: the same 2s life, fade only — no upward travel. */
+  .toast.rise-reduced {
+    animation: toast-rise-reduced 2s ease-out forwards;
+  }
+  @keyframes toast-rise-reduced {
+    0% {
+      opacity: 0;
+    }
+    12%,
+    70% {
+      opacity: 1;
+    }
+    100% {
+      opacity: 0;
+    }
+  }
 </style>
diff --git a/ui/src/components/WelcomeRedeemModal.svelte b/ui/src/components/WelcomeRedeemModal.svelte
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..acdf4a5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ui/src/components/WelcomeRedeemModal.svelte
@@ -0,0 +1,58 @@
+<script lang="ts">
+  import { app, dismissWelcomeRedeem } from '../lib/app.svelte';
+  import { t } from '../lib/i18n/index.svelte';
+  import { botUsername } from '../lib/deeplink';
+  import { telegramOpenLink } from '../lib/telegram';
+  import Modal from './Modal.svelte';
+
+  // Point at the bot the player signed in through (its service language), falling back to the
+  // interface locale, so an ru player is sent to the ru bot and an en player to the en one.
+  const username = $derived(botUsername(app.session?.serviceLanguage || app.locale));
+  // Greet the arriving player by their own display name.
+  const name = $derived(app.profile?.displayName || app.session?.displayName || '');
+  // Interpolate the name, then split the rest around the {bot} token so the bot handle renders
+  // as an inline link (the {name} value is substituted first; {bot} is left for the split).
+  const parts = $derived(t('friends.welcomeRedeem', { name }).split('{bot}'));
+
+  function openBot() {
+    if (username) {
+      const url = `https://t.me/${username}`;
+      // Inside Telegram, openTelegramLink navigates to the bot chat natively; elsewhere fall
+      // back to a new tab.
+      if (!telegramOpenLink(url) && typeof window !== 'undefined') window.open(url, '_blank');
+    }
+    dismissWelcomeRedeem();
+  }
+</script>
+
+{#if app.welcomeRedeem}
+  <Modal title={t('friends.welcomeRedeemTitle')} onclose={dismissWelcomeRedeem}>
+    <p class="msg">{parts[0]}{#if username}<button type="button" class="bot" onclick={openBot}>@{username}</button>{/if}{parts[1] ?? ''}</p>
+    <button class="ok" onclick={dismissWelcomeRedeem}>{t('common.ok')}</button>
+  </Modal>
+{/if}
+
+<style>
+  .msg {
+    margin: 0 0 16px;
+    line-height: 1.5;
+    /* The greeting and the bot sentence are separated by a blank line in the message. */
+    white-space: pre-line;
+  }
+  .bot {
+    background: none;
+    border: none;
+    padding: 0;
+    font: inherit;
+    color: var(--accent);
+    cursor: pointer;
+  }
+  .ok {
+    width: 100%;
+    padding: 10px 12px;
+    border: 1px solid var(--accent);
+    background: var(--accent);
+    color: var(--accent-text);
+    border-radius: var(--radius-sm);
+  }
+</style>
diff --git a/ui/src/game/Board.svelte b/ui/src/game/Board.svelte
index febab72..11256b9 100644
--- a/ui/src/game/Board.svelte
+++ b/ui/src/game/Board.svelte
@@ -18,7 +18,6 @@
     landscape,
     variant,
     labelMode,
-    lines,
     locale,
     focus,
     recenter,
@@ -41,8 +40,6 @@
     landscape: boolean;
     variant: Variant;
     labelMode: BoardLabelMode;
-    /** Draw 1px grid lines between cells; when false the board is a gapless checkerboard. */
-    lines: boolean;
     locale: Locale;
     focus: { row: number; col: number } | null;
     /** A monotonic nonce the parent bumps to request a scroll to `focus` even when the zoom state
@@ -234,7 +231,7 @@
 
 <div class="viewport" class:zoomed class:land={landscape} bind:this={viewport}>
   <div class="scaler" class:land={landscape} style="--z: {z};">
-    <div class="grid" class:gridless={!lines}>
+    <div class="grid">
       {#each board as rowCells, r (r)}
         {#each rowCells as cell, c (c)}
           {@const p = pending.get(key(r, c))}
@@ -311,18 +308,21 @@
       width 0.25s ease,
       height 0.25s ease;
   }
+  /* A gapless checkerboard with no grid lines (the board has no lined variant): plain cells
+     alternate shades and tiles get rounded corners plus a soft right-side shadow so adjacent
+     gapless tiles still read as separate pieces. */
   .grid {
     display: grid;
     grid-template-columns: repeat(15, 1fr);
-    gap: 1px;
-    background: var(--cell-line);
-    padding: 1px;
+    gap: 0;
+    background: var(--board-bg);
+    padding: 0;
   }
   .cell {
     position: relative;
     aspect-ratio: 1;
     border: none;
-    border-radius: 1px;
+    border-radius: 0;
     background: var(--cell-bg);
     color: var(--prem-text);
     /* No mobile tap flash on a cell tap (parity with the web click; the only intentional
@@ -344,11 +344,20 @@
   .cell.dl {
     background: var(--prem-dl);
   }
+  .cell.dark {
+    /* A gentle checkerboard tint: enough to read the alternation without competing with the
+       bonus cells, standing in for the grid lines that once separated the cells. Lightened
+       from a stronger mix that looked too contrasty in light theme. */
+    background: color-mix(in srgb, var(--cell-bg) 94%, #000);
+  }
   .cell.filled,
   .cell.pending {
     background: var(--tile-bg);
     color: var(--tile-text);
-    box-shadow: inset 0 -2px 0 var(--tile-edge);
+    border-radius: 4px;
+    box-shadow:
+      inset 0 -2px 0 var(--tile-edge),
+      2px 0 3px -1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.4);
   }
   .cell.pending {
     background: var(--tile-pending);
@@ -356,30 +365,6 @@
        board) instead of the touch starting a board pan. */
     touch-action: none;
   }
-  /* Lines-off variant: a gapless checkerboard. The 1px grid gaps (and the cell-line they
-     reveal) collapse, saving ~14px of board width; plain cells alternate shades, and tiles
-     get rounded corners and a soft right-side shadow so adjacent gapless tiles still read
-     as separate pieces. */
-  .grid.gridless {
-    gap: 0;
-    padding: 0;
-    background: var(--board-bg);
-  }
-  .grid.gridless .cell {
-    border-radius: 0;
-  }
-  .grid.gridless .cell.dark {
-    /* A gentle checkerboard tint: enough to read the alternation without competing with the
-       bonus cells. Lightened from a stronger mix that looked too contrasty in light theme. */
-    background: color-mix(in srgb, var(--cell-bg) 94%, #000);
-  }
-  .grid.gridless .cell.filled,
-  .grid.gridless .cell.pending {
-    border-radius: 4px;
-    box-shadow:
-      inset 0 -2px 0 var(--tile-edge),
-      2px 0 3px -1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.4);
-  }
   .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. */
diff --git a/ui/src/game/CommsHub.svelte b/ui/src/game/CommsHub.svelte
index 0c0fecc..6ee7f9e 100644
--- a/ui/src/game/CommsHub.svelte
+++ b/ui/src/game/CommsHub.svelte
@@ -39,11 +39,11 @@
   {#snippet tabbar()}
     <TabBar>
       <button class="tab" class:active={tab === 'chat'} onclick={() => (tab = 'chat')}>
-        <span class="sq" aria-hidden="true">💬</span><span class="lbl">{t('game.chat')}</span>
+        <span class="face"><span class="sq" aria-hidden="true">💬</span><span class="lbl">{t('game.chat')}</span></span>
       </button>
       {#if active}
         <button class="tab" class:active={tab === 'dictionary'} onclick={() => (tab = 'dictionary')}>
-          <span class="sq" aria-hidden="true">🔎</span><span class="lbl">{t('game.dictionary')}</span>
+          <span class="face"><span class="sq" aria-hidden="true">🔎</span><span class="lbl">{t('game.dictionary')}</span></span>
         </button>
       {/if}
     </TabBar>
diff --git a/ui/src/game/Game.svelte b/ui/src/game/Game.svelte
index 5358a99..f22d153 100644
--- a/ui/src/game/Game.svelte
+++ b/ui/src/game/Game.svelte
@@ -813,6 +813,8 @@
   //  - closed: a downward "pull" opens the history, but only on the zoom-out board scrolled
   //    to its top — zoomed, the one-finger drag pans the board, and mid-scroll a downward drag
   //    is the stage's own vertical scroll (the conflict that once retired this open gesture).
+  //    On that same closed, zoom-out board an upward swipe with no staged tiles shuffles the
+  //    rack (a convenience mirror of the shuffle control).
   // Both genuinely set `historyOpen` (closing no longer merely scrolls the slid board out of
   // view, which left a stale-open state that made a follow-up score-bar tap "jump" the board).
   let stageEl = $state<HTMLDivElement>();
@@ -869,6 +871,14 @@
       if (-dy > 32) closeHistoryByGesture(); // enough upward travel
     } else if (dy > 40 && dy > Math.abs(dx) * 1.4) {
       openHistoryByGesture(); // a clear, vertical-dominant downward pull
+    } else if (-dy > 40 && -dy > Math.abs(dx) * 1.4 && placement.pending.length === 0) {
+      // The same closed-board arm, opposite direction: a clear upward swipe on the zoom-out
+      // board with no staged tiles shuffles the rack (a convenience mirror of the shuffle
+      // control). Disarm and swallow the synthesised click so it cannot also place a tile.
+      shuffle();
+      boardSwipe = null;
+      swallowClick = true;
+      setTimeout(() => (swallowClick = false), 120);
     }
   }
   function onBoardWrapUp(e: PointerEvent) {
@@ -1156,7 +1166,6 @@
       {landscape}
       {variant}
       labelMode={app.boardLabels}
-      lines={app.boardLines}
       locale={app.locale}
       {focus}
       {recenter}
diff --git a/ui/src/game/Rack.svelte b/ui/src/game/Rack.svelte
index 9f2154c..e820771 100644
--- a/ui/src/game/Rack.svelte
+++ b/ui/src/game/Rack.svelte
@@ -83,7 +83,12 @@
   }
   .tile {
     position: relative;
-    flex: 0 0 auto;
+    /* Sit at the natural tile width, but shrink to fit when the row is crowded so a full
+       rack never overflows its wrapper onto the MakeMove control to its right (the confirm
+       button stays pinned at the right screen edge). flex-grow stays 0 so a sparse rack does
+       not stretch its tiles. */
+    flex: 0 1 auto;
+    min-width: 0;
     width: min(12.5vw, 46px);
     aspect-ratio: 1;
     background: var(--tile-bg);
diff --git a/ui/src/lib/app.svelte.ts b/ui/src/lib/app.svelte.ts
index c1e529f..20e8418 100644
--- a/ui/src/lib/app.svelte.ts
+++ b/ui/src/lib/app.svelte.ts
@@ -56,8 +56,6 @@ export const app = $state<{
   locale: Locale;
   reduceMotion: boolean;
   boardLabels: BoardLabelMode;
-  /** Draw grid lines between board cells; off (default) is a gapless checkerboard. */
-  boardLines: boolean;
   localeLocked: boolean;
   /** Pending incoming friend requests, for the lobby ⚙️ badge and the Settings Friends tab. */
   notifications: number;
@@ -72,6 +70,10 @@ export const app = $state<{
    *  code is already used/expired, so the visitor lands in the lobby with a gentle pointer to
    *  the bot instead of a scary error on the Friends screen. */
   staleInvite: boolean;
+  /** Whether to show the Telegram "welcome" window: set when a deep-link friend code is
+   *  redeemed successfully inside Telegram, greeting the arriving player and pointing them at
+   *  the bot for the most convenient way to play. */
+  welcomeRedeem: boolean;
   /** Monotonic counter bumped when the app returns to the foreground without the live stream
    *  having dropped. An open game watches it to refetch once, recovering an in-game event shed
    *  from a full hub buffer while suspended (the stream-drop case is covered by streamAlive). */
@@ -88,12 +90,12 @@ export const app = $state<{
   locale: 'en',
   reduceMotion: false,
   boardLabels: 'beginner',
-  boardLines: false,
   localeLocked: false,
   notifications: 0,
   chatUnread: {},
   feedbackReplyUnread: false,
   staleInvite: false,
+  welcomeRedeem: false,
   resync: 0,
 });
 
@@ -143,7 +145,18 @@ function goForeground(): void {
 export function showToast(text: string, kind: Toast['kind'] = 'info'): void {
   app.toast = { kind, text, seq: ++toastSeq };
   if (toastTimer) clearTimeout(toastTimer);
-  toastTimer = setTimeout(() => (app.toast = null), 4000);
+  // An info bubble lives exactly as long as its rise-and-fade animation (2s); an error
+  // dwells longer (4s) so it is not missed.
+  toastTimer = setTimeout(() => (app.toast = null), kind === 'error' ? 4000 : 2000);
+}
+
+/** dismissToast hides the current toast at once — a tap on the bubble dismisses it. */
+export function dismissToast(): void {
+  if (toastTimer) {
+    clearTimeout(toastTimer);
+    toastTimer = null;
+  }
+  app.toast = null;
 }
 
 /** dismissStaleInvite hides the outdated-invite-link notice (the user acknowledged it). */
@@ -151,6 +164,11 @@ export function dismissStaleInvite(): void {
   app.staleInvite = false;
 }
 
+/** dismissWelcomeRedeem hides the Telegram welcome window (the user acknowledged it). */
+export function dismissWelcomeRedeem(): void {
+  app.welcomeRedeem = false;
+}
+
 /**
  * seedChatUnread sets a game's unread flag from an authoritative per-viewer REST view (the lobby
  * list, a game's state, or a move result). The live-event GameView omits the flag, so the live
@@ -476,7 +494,6 @@ export async function bootstrap(): Promise<void> {
   app.theme = prefs.theme ?? 'auto';
   app.reduceMotion = prefs.reduceMotion ?? false;
   app.boardLabels = prefs.boardLabels ?? 'beginner';
-  app.boardLines = prefs.boardLines ?? false;
   applyTheme(app.theme);
   applyReduceMotion(app.reduceMotion);
   if (prefs.locale) {
@@ -560,7 +577,13 @@ async function routeStartParam(param: string): Promise<void> {
       try {
         const friend = await gateway.friendCodeRedeem(link.code);
         navigate('/friends');
-        showToast(t('friends.added', { name: friend.displayName }));
+        // Inside Telegram a successful invite-link redeem welcomes the arriving player and
+        // points them at the bot (its native convenience); elsewhere a quiet toast suffices.
+        if (insideTelegram()) {
+          app.welcomeRedeem = true;
+        } else {
+          showToast(t('friends.added', { name: friend.displayName }));
+        }
         void refreshNotifications();
       } catch (err) {
         const code = err instanceof GatewayError ? err.code : '';
@@ -633,7 +656,6 @@ function persistPrefs(): void {
     locale: app.locale,
     reduceMotion: app.reduceMotion,
     boardLabels: app.boardLabels,
-    boardLines: app.boardLines,
   });
 }
 
@@ -686,11 +708,6 @@ export function setBoardLabels(mode: BoardLabelMode): void {
   persistPrefs();
 }
 
-export function setBoardLines(on: boolean): void {
-  app.boardLines = 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
diff --git a/ui/src/lib/i18n/en.ts b/ui/src/lib/i18n/en.ts
index 27da867..0b45a14 100644
--- a/ui/src/lib/i18n/en.ts
+++ b/ui/src/lib/i18n/en.ts
@@ -163,7 +163,6 @@ export const en = {
   'settings.labelsBeginner': 'Beginner',
   'settings.labelsClassic': 'Classic',
   'settings.labelsNone': 'None',
-  'settings.boardLines': 'Grid lines',
   'settings.reduceMotion': 'Reduce motion',
 
   'about.title': 'About',
@@ -241,6 +240,8 @@ export const en = {
   'friends.selfInvite': "Hopefully you've been friends with yourself for a while ☺️",
   'friends.staleInviteTitle': 'Link expired',
   'friends.staleInvite': 'You opened the game from an outdated link. Open the bot {bot} to play and get notifications.',
+  'friends.welcomeRedeemTitle': 'Welcome!',
+  'friends.welcomeRedeem': 'Welcome, {name}!\n\nUse {bot} to join games the most convenient way.',
   'friends.added': 'Added {name}.',
   'friends.blockedList': 'Blocked players',
   'friends.unblock': 'Unblock',
diff --git a/ui/src/lib/i18n/ru.ts b/ui/src/lib/i18n/ru.ts
index 2482f88..661bf7b 100644
--- a/ui/src/lib/i18n/ru.ts
+++ b/ui/src/lib/i18n/ru.ts
@@ -164,7 +164,6 @@ export const ru: Record<MessageKey, string> = {
   'settings.labelsBeginner': 'Новичок',
   'settings.labelsClassic': 'Классика',
   'settings.labelsNone': 'Без текста',
-  'settings.boardLines': 'Линии сетки',
   'settings.reduceMotion': 'Меньше анимаций',
 
   'about.title': 'О программе',
@@ -242,6 +241,8 @@ export const ru: Record<MessageKey, string> = {
   'friends.selfInvite': 'Надеюсь, что с собой Вы уже давно дружите ☺️',
   'friends.staleInviteTitle': 'Ссылка устарела',
   'friends.staleInvite': 'Вы открыли игру по устаревшей ссылке. Откройте бота {bot}, чтобы играть и получать уведомления.',
+  'friends.welcomeRedeemTitle': 'Добро пожаловать!',
+  'friends.welcomeRedeem': 'Добро пожаловать, {name}!\n\nВоспользуйтесь {bot}, чтобы заходить в игру наиболее удобным способом.',
   'friends.added': 'Добавлен(а) {name}.',
   'friends.blockedList': 'Заблокированные',
   'friends.unblock': 'Разблокировать',
diff --git a/ui/src/lib/session.ts b/ui/src/lib/session.ts
index 5c5a8dd..f4f703d 100644
--- a/ui/src/lib/session.ts
+++ b/ui/src/lib/session.ts
@@ -124,8 +124,6 @@ export interface Prefs {
   locale: Locale;
   reduceMotion: boolean;
   boardLabels: BoardLabelMode;
-  /** Draw the 1px grid lines between cells; off (default) shows a gapless checkerboard. */
-  boardLines: boolean;
 }
 
 export async function loadPrefs(): Promise<Partial<Prefs>> {
diff --git a/ui/src/screens/Lobby.svelte b/ui/src/screens/Lobby.svelte
index 9b5f985..7ee2060 100644
--- a/ui/src/screens/Lobby.svelte
+++ b/ui/src/screens/Lobby.svelte
@@ -380,8 +380,8 @@
     align-items: center;
     justify-content: center;
     border: none;
-    background: var(--danger);
-    color: #fff;
+    background: var(--bg-elev);
+    color: var(--text);
     font-size: 1.1rem;
   }
   .row {
@@ -404,7 +404,7 @@
     gap: 12px;
     min-width: 0;
     text-align: left;
-    padding: 10px 6px;
+    padding: 5px 6px;
     border: none;
     background: none;
     color: var(--text);
@@ -471,7 +471,7 @@
     color: var(--text-muted);
   }
   .emoji {
-    font-size: 1.8rem;
+    font-size: 1.35rem;
     line-height: 1;
     flex: 0 0 auto;
   }
diff --git a/ui/src/screens/Settings.svelte b/ui/src/screens/Settings.svelte
index 520739c..6fd33e3 100644
--- a/ui/src/screens/Settings.svelte
+++ b/ui/src/screens/Settings.svelte
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@
   import {
     app,
     setBoardLabels,
-    setBoardLines,
     setLocalePref,
     setReduceMotion,
     setTheme,
@@ -62,14 +61,6 @@
         </button>
       {/each}
     </div>
-    <label class="row gridlines">
-      <span>{t('settings.boardLines')}</span>
-      <input
-        type="checkbox"
-        checked={app.boardLines}
-        onchange={(e) => setBoardLines(e.currentTarget.checked)}
-      />
-    </label>
   </section>
 
   <section>
@@ -124,7 +115,4 @@
     align-items: center;
     justify-content: space-between;
   }
-  .gridlines {
-    margin-top: 12px;
-  }
 </style>
diff --git a/ui/src/screens/SettingsHub.svelte b/ui/src/screens/SettingsHub.svelte
index bdc1d9c..b570fb2 100644
--- a/ui/src/screens/SettingsHub.svelte
+++ b/ui/src/screens/SettingsHub.svelte
@@ -46,18 +46,18 @@
   {#snippet tabbar()}
     <TabBar>
       <button class="tab" class:active={tab === 'settings'} onclick={() => (tab = 'settings')}>
-        <span class="sq" aria-hidden="true">⚙️</span><span class="lbl">{t('settings.title')}</span>
+        <span class="face"><span class="sq" aria-hidden="true">⚙️</span><span class="lbl">{t('settings.title')}</span></span>
       </button>
       <button class="tab" class:active={tab === 'profile'} onclick={() => (tab = 'profile')}>
-        <span class="sq" aria-hidden="true">👤</span><span class="lbl">{t('profile.title')}</span>
+        <span class="face"><span class="sq" aria-hidden="true">👤</span><span class="lbl">{t('profile.title')}</span></span>
       </button>
       {#if !guest}
         <button class="tab" class:active={tab === 'friends'} onclick={() => (tab = 'friends')}>
-          <span class="sq" aria-hidden="true">🤝{#if app.notifications > 0}<span class="badge">{app.notifications}</span>{/if}</span><span class="lbl">{t('friends.title')}</span>
+          <span class="face"><span class="sq" aria-hidden="true">🤝{#if app.notifications > 0}<span class="badge">{app.notifications}</span>{/if}</span><span class="lbl">{t('friends.title')}</span></span>
         </button>
       {/if}
       <button class="tab" class:active={tab === 'about'} onclick={() => (tab = 'about')}>
-        <span class="sq" aria-hidden="true">ℹ️{#if app.feedbackReplyUnread}<span class="badge">1</span>{/if}</span><span class="lbl">{t('about.tab')}</span>
+        <span class="face"><span class="sq" aria-hidden="true">ℹ️{#if app.feedbackReplyUnread}<span class="badge">1</span>{/if}</span><span class="lbl">{t('about.tab')}</span></span>
       </button>
     </TabBar>
   {/snippet}