Merge pull request 'docs(apple): native iOS/iPadOS app plan' (#277) from feature/apple-ios-plan into development

Decisions stay recorded; the tag implied false permanence. Open items
keep their [OPEN / TRACKED] / [GATE] markers.

apple/PLAN.md

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+# apple/ — native iOS/iPadOS app plan
+
+Native **SwiftUI** application for iPhone and iPad, written **from scratch** (not a Capacitor
+wrapper, unlike the Android app under `ui/android`). This document is the **source of truth and
+continuity** for the effort: it lives in the repo so it travels to whatever machine does the work —
+in particular the **Mac Claude session** that does the actual building. Read it first; append to it
+as decisions land. Nothing here is final until built and verified; any decision can be reopened.
+Items still open carry an **[OPEN / TRACKED]** or **[GATE]** marker.
+
+Chat with the owner is in Russian per the user-level guide; this doc, like all repo docs, is in
+**English**.
+
+---
+
+## 0. Working model — two contexts
+
+- **Mac (primary).** All real development happens in a **Claude session on the Mac**: SwiftUI code,
+  `xcodebuild`, Simulator, tests, screenshots, signing, TestFlight/App Store. The Apple toolchain is
+  native there.
+- **Linux dev-host (this repo's usual environment).** Used only to **lay groundwork for CI** (a macOS
+  runner, later) and to edit platform-agnostic Swift packages / docs. It **cannot** build or run an
+  iOS app — SwiftUI/UIKit and the iOS SDK exist only inside Xcode on macOS. (Swift the language runs
+  on Linux, but that is server-side Swift, irrelevant to iOS UI.)
+
+Consequence: the heavy loop (build/sim/screenshot) is Mac-only; keep the SwiftUI shell thin and push
+logic into plain Swift packages — good for testability regardless of host.
+
+---
+
+## 1. Tooling to install / verify on the Mac host
+
+Do this first on the Mac before any code. The owner already has Xcode + Command Line Tools + a
+simulator installed generally; the steps below are mostly **verify**, a few are **install**.
+
+### Verify (already present, confirm versions)
+- **Xcode 26** (latest) — we always build against the **newest SDK** (this is what grants the iOS 26
+  Liquid Glass appearance to standard controls; see §3). Confirm `xcodebuild -version`.
+- **Command Line Tools** — `xcode-select -p` points at the Xcode 26 toolchain.
+- **Swift 6** toolchain (bundled with Xcode 26) — `swift --version`.
+- **Simulator runtimes** — need **both**:
+  - **iOS 18** runtime (our minimum deployment target — verify the app runs/looks correct there),
+  - **iOS 26** runtime (latest — verify Liquid Glass appearance).
+  Check under Xcode ▸ Settings ▸ Platforms; install any missing runtime there.
+
+### Install (Homebrew, sudo-free where possible)
+- **XcodeGen** — `brew install xcodegen`. Generates the `.xcodeproj` from a declarative `project.yml`
+  (see §4). This is the project-management tool of record.
+- **swiftlint** and/or **swift-format** — `brew install swiftlint swift-format`. Lint/format gate.
+- *(optional, CI ergonomics)* **xcbeautify** — `brew install xcbeautify`, prettifies `xcodebuild`
+  logs. Not required for local work.
+
+### No install needed (SPM dependencies, pulled by the build)
+- **swift-snapshot-testing** (Point-Free, open-source) — snapshot tests, added as an SPM package.
+- **MetricKit** — first-party Apple framework for crash/hang/diagnostic capture; nothing to install.
+
+### Deferred / not now
+- **Apple Developer account** — in process; see the gate in §11. Not required to start (Simulator work
+  is unblocked without it).
+- **fastlane / signing automation** — only when we reach device builds / CI / release. Revisit then.
+- **macOS CI runner** (Gitea Actions on a Mac, or a cloud Mac) — the Linux-side groundwork; designed
+  later.
+
+---
+
+## 2. Fixed decisions
+| Topic | Decision |
+|---|---|
+| Language / UI | Native **SwiftUI**, from scratch; **not** Capacitor. |
+| Targets | **iPhone first**, then **iPad** (iPadOS) as a first-class target: reuse controls, adapt via layout. Possibly macOS/Catalyst far later — do not design for it now, but the `apple/` name leaves the door open. |
+| Minimum OS | **iOS 18** (reaches ~A12 devices, iPhone XS/XR and newer; wide parity). Always **build with the latest SDK** (Xcode 26). |
+| Directory | **`apple/`** in this monorepo (covers iPhone/iPad/future Mac; `ios/` too narrow, `swiftui/` names a framework not a platform). CI + docs stay co-located with the engine/wire. |
+| Project tooling | **XcodeGen** (`project.yml`) + **SPM** modules. Not a hand-managed `.xcodeproj` (merge-hostile `project.pbxproj`, opaque, non-reproducible). Tuist only if modularization outgrows XcodeGen. |
+| State management | **`@Observable`** (Observation framework), the idiomatic first-party default. **Not TCA** (heavy boilerplate, steep curve, large dependency; its benefits do not pay off at our size). Introduce a light unidirectional pattern by hand only where genuinely needed. |
+| Concurrency | **Swift 6 strict concurrency** from the start (actors / `Sendable`) — cheaper to write new than to retrofit. |
+| Localization / a11y | **First-class from the first screen**: RU/EN via String Catalogs, Dynamic Type, Dark Mode, Reduce Motion. Cheap now, expensive to retrofit. |
+| Design relationship to web | **Not a mirror of the web app.** Board + game mechanics are preserved; the rest is designed fresh with iOS-native idioms. |
+| UI philosophy | **System controls by default, custom only when necessary.** (Also "modern for free": Liquid Glass auto-applies to standard chrome on iOS 26.) |
+| Auth | **Sign in with Apple** (required by Apple when any third-party social login is offered) **plus** email / VK / Telegram / … in the usual stacked-button login. Backend already has VK/TG/email; Apple is the only new provider. Details deferred to the descriptive phase. |
+| Payments | Target **both** external rails (Robokassa / analogs, primary for RU) **and** Apple IAP, behind a **region-aware payment seam**. See §9 for the out-of-region reject risk (tracked separately). |
+| Bundle id | Reuse **`ru.eruditgame.app`** (Apple/Google namespaces are independent; one bundle id for the universal iPhone+iPad app). |
+| Design scope vs delivery | **Design/inventory scope = the full (online) app** — describe every moving part up front (online has more by design). **Implementation/delivery may stage** (stub online surfaces + stub engine first, wire real behind the same seams later). These are different axes; do not shrink the *design* to offline-first. |
+| Crash reporting | **MetricKit only** (first-party, self-hosted upload; see §8). No PLCrashReporter, no Sentry for now. |
+| Analytics | **None.** Nothing is tracked. No speculative "entry points" either (YAGNI; cheap to add later since actions centralize in `@Observable` models). Monitoring stays backend-only, as today. |
+| Onboarding | **TipKit** (first-party, iOS 17+) for the coachmark tours, not a custom dimmed-overlay reimplementation of the web coachmarks. |
+| Login (v1 surface) | **Sign in with Apple + email + guest.** VK / Telegram sign-in **deferred** to a later delivery (the login screen extends trivially with more stacked buttons). Note: with no third-party *social* provider in v1, SIWA is technically optional (email is not a social login), but we ship it deliberately; once VK/TG land it becomes mandatory. |
+| Wallet / store / ad banner | **Designed in v1** (full inventory), **delivery staged.** Keeps the region-aware payment seam + the out-of-region reject risk (§10) in scope from the start. |
+
+---
+
+## 3. Why "min iOS 18" does not freeze the design (reference)
+
+Appearance is governed by the **SDK you build against** + whether you use **standard components**,
+**not** by the deployment target. Building with the iOS 26 SDK means standard controls
+(NavigationStack, toolbars, TabView, Button, List, sheets, alerts, Form) **automatically** adopt
+Liquid Glass on iOS 26, and render the iOS 18 style on iOS 18 — with no per-version code. iOS 26-only
+APIs (e.g. `.glassEffect` on custom views) are used behind `if #available(iOS 26, *)` with a fallback.
+**Custom-drawn UI** (board, tiles, score) looks identical on every version because we own it — so the
+minimum has almost no visual cost for the game's core surface.
+
+---
+
+## 4. Proposed layout under `apple/` (to refine at setup)
+
+```
+apple/
+  project.yml            # XcodeGen spec (committed; the .xcodeproj is generated, gitignored)
+  App/                   # thin app target: @main entry, Info.plist, entitlements, asset catalog, app icon, capabilities, signing
+  Packages/              # SPM modules — the real code (merge-friendly, testable; non-UI ones buildable on Linux)
+    Domain/              #   game state, rules glue, scoring, turn model (platform-agnostic)
+    Engine/              #   Swift port of the move generator/validator/scorer + DAWG reader (parity-pinned) — later
+    Wire/                #   Connect-Swift + FlatBuffers client to the gateway (same wire as web/Android)
+    DesignSystem/        #   tokens, typography (SF), board/tile visual spec, reusable components
+    Features/            #   per-screen feature modules (views + @Observable models)
+    DataMocks/           #   mock implementations of the data protocols (the "seam"); powers Previews + e2e stubs
+  Tests/                 # or per-package tests: Swift Testing, snapshot, XCUITest
+  README.md
+```
+
+Workflow discipline (XcodeGen): the generated `.xcodeproj` is a **disposable artifact** — never edit
+project structure in the Xcode UI expecting it to persist; change `project.yml` and regenerate. Files
+are picked up by globs, not hand-listed. XcodeGen passes through arbitrary raw build settings and
+custom build phases, so custom needs are expressible; worst case escape hatches are committing the
+`.xcodeproj` or migrating to Tuist — no dead end.
+
+---
+
+## 5. Determining optimization principles
+These five shape the architecture from the start (not "add later"):
+
+1. **Push (APNs) instead of a live socket while backgrounded.** For a turn-based game we do **not** hold
+   a socket in the background; the opponent's move arrives via **push**. This is an energy-architecture
+   decision, not just notifications — it puts APNs on the critical path.
+2. **Board rendered with `Canvas`**, not a tree of ~225 `View` nodes (far cheaper in perf and memory).
+3. **Engine off the main thread** — move generation, DAWG traversal, scoring, hints run on a background
+   actor/Task; the UI stays responsive. Swift 6 concurrency enforces this.
+4. **`mmap` the dictionary (DAWG)** — memory-map, do not load the whole thing into RAM; low footprint.
+5. **Fast silent boot + spinner-less resume via cache.** Show UI instantly; move heavy init (dictionary
+   prep) off the launch path (lazy until first needed). On foreground, render the persisted state
+   immediately and **silently** re-establish the stream, reconciling deltas — no blocking overlay. (Same
+   spirit as the Android native "silent+fast boot" and the web "offline return-online poll".)
+
+### Lifecycle / background (the mechanism behind #1 and #5)
+`ScenePhase`: on `.background`/`.inactive` tear down the live stream, stop timers, release resources; on
+`.active` resume from cache + silent reconnect. Respect **Low Data Mode / cellular**
+(`NWPathMonitor.isConstrained/isExpensive`). Batch network to avoid keeping the radio awake (radio tail).
+
+---
+
+## 6. Hygiene practices (apply as we go)
+
+- **Memory warnings** — purge caches; watch for retain cycles (`[weak self]` around streams/observation).
+- **Kill any animation while backgrounded** (do not tick the turn clock in the background).
+- **Low Power Mode** (`ProcessInfo.isLowPowerModeEnabled`) — trim animations/background activity.
+- **Reduce Motion** (`accessibilityReduceMotion`) — drop lavish animations (accessibility **and** battery).
+- **Thermal state** — reduce load under throttling.
+- Let the screen sleep; no needless wake locks. No sensors (geo/motion) — none are needed.
+
+---
+
+## 7. Storage — persist eagerly, do not trust `willTerminate`
+There is **no reliable destructive callback** on iOS: `willTerminate` is often **not** called (swipe
+force-kill, memory kill happen silently). Relying on catching a "destroy" event is a trap.
+
+Pattern: **persist on the way to background** (`scenePhase → .inactive/.background`); snapshot the state
+that matters (in-progress tile placement on the board, an uncommitted move). For the uncommitted
+placement, also persist **incrementally** on meaningful changes (a tile placed / removed), **coalesced**
+(not on every drag pixel). Data volume is tiny, writes are cheap. Store: SwiftData or plain file/SQLite —
+decide at implementation. Net effect: even a silent kill loses nothing; the last valid state is on disk.
+
+---
+
+## 8. Testing — take all three layers
+
+The mock **seam** (protocol-backed data access with `DataMocks`) is both the Preview data source **and**
+the e2e stub mechanism.
+
+1. **Unit — Swift Testing** (`import Testing`, `@Test`, `#expect`): domain/logic, engine **parity golden
+   tests**, wire **codec** tests, view-models. Pure (non-UI) SPM packages are **Linux/CI-buildable** — a
+   slice of tests can run in the ordinary CI without a Mac.
+2. **Snapshot — swift-snapshot-testing**: visual regression of SwiftUI views against reference images
+   (fixed simulator device for determinism). Valuable for a from-scratch design.
+3. **e2e — XCUITest against the mock seam**: the native analogue of the web Playwright mock e2e. The app
+   launches with a launch argument that switches to `DataMocks`; the whole UI is driven deterministically
+   with no server. Runs on the Mac runner in CI.
+
+Lesson carried from web: the mock e2e **bypasses the real network**, so wire/codec bugs are **not** caught
+there — they need the **codec unit tests**.
+
+---
+
+## 9. Crash reporting & analytics
+- **Crashes: MetricKit.** `MXMetricManager` delivers crash/hang/CPU/disk diagnostics to the app; we
+  **upload the payload to our own backend** and view it in the existing **Grafana/logs** contour — fully
+  self-hosted, zero third-party, no paid service. Apple's Xcode Organizer / App Store Connect also provides
+  aggregated crashes for TestFlight/release builds for free.
+  - **Operational requirement:** crashes are unreadable without **symbolication** → CI **must archive the
+    `dSYM`** for every build/release (artifact), else reports are raw addresses.
+- **Analytics: none** (see §2). No tracking, no ATT prompt, no IDFA — cleaner privacy labels as a bonus.
+
+---
+
+## 10. Payments — region-aware seam, out-of-region reject risk (tracked)
+
+- Target **both** external rails (Robokassa/analogs, primary for RU) and Apple IAP, behind a **region-aware
+  payment seam** (distribution region is set per-country in App Store Connect).
+- **The RU situation is a genuine grey/in-flux area:** Apple has effectively disabled IAP for RU accounts
+  while external merchants are not yet blocked — hence real apps running both paths. We follow that.
+- **[OPEN / TRACKED] Out-of-region payments:** external payment for digital goods is a **rejection risk
+  outside the RU region** (App Store guideline 3.1.1). We need a mechanism to route/avoid so we do not get
+  rejected. Re-verify current policy at the payments implementation phase. Do not die on this hill; the
+  owner's real-world observation stands, but the risk is on record.
+- **[OPEN / TRACKED] Cross-platform spend compliance:** must not let web-funded (same-email) chips be
+  spent inside the iOS app (see §14 → I). A dedicated payments session will settle the iOS spend-
+  visibility. iOS v1 shows the packs but blocks Buy with a soft redirect to the web/Android build.
+
+---
+
+## 11. Gates
+
+- **[GATE] Apple Developer account** (in process). Development in the **Simulator is unblocked without it**.
+  It blocks, downstream: running on a **physical device**, enabling **Sign in with Apple** (needs an App ID
+  + capability), **push (APNs)**, **TestFlight / App Store release**. Sequence work so these land after the
+  account is active.
+
+---
+
+## 12. Audio — future (only if sounds are added)
+
+Two common anti-patterns we must **not** ship, both fixed via `AVAudioSession`:
+
+1. **Never silence the user's other audio.** Category **`.ambient`** (+ `.mixWithOthers`): mixes with the
+   user's music/podcast, does **not** interrupt it, and respects the **silent switch**. The typical mistake
+   is `.playback`, which stops others — we do not use it.
+2. **Never "capture" audio at launch.** Activate the audio session **lazily — only while actually playing a
+   sound** — and do not hold it active otherwise; never activate on boot. Avoids the "launched and muted my
+   music while playing nothing" annoyance.
+
+---
+
+## 13. Development sequence (the process, agreed)
+
+**Design the full online app up front; build in a vertical slice, then breadth.** Order:
+
+1. **Screen & moving-parts inventory** — enumerate every screen and, per screen, its states, data, and
+   reactions to actions (re-imagined for iOS, informed by the web functional domains but not mirroring
+   them). *(Next up — to be filled in below as we do step 1.)*
+2. **Navigation / state skeleton** — an app-level router; transitions expressed as state (`NavigationStack`
+   path, state-bound sheets), not bolted on afterward.
+3. **One vertical slice first — the game screen** (with stubs), fully interactive. This is where the
+   **design system** (tokens, SF typography, board/tile visual spec) and the **reusable component kit** are
+   born — on the highest-value screen, not on a login form.
+4. **Then breadth** — the remaining screens along the established patterns; each screen built with its
+   controls **and** mock data together (not screens-then-transitions-then-controls in horizontal passes —
+   SwiftUI is data-driven, so a screen and its controls co-evolve and transitions fall out of the state
+   model).
+
+Throughout: mock is an **architectural seam** (protocol + `DataMocks`), not throwaway — the real
+networking later slots in behind the same protocols. The **Swift engine port** is its own workstream
+(stub the game during the presentation phase; wire the real parity-pinned engine later).
+
+---
+
+## 14. Inventory — screens & moving parts (step 1)
+
+Seeded from `docs/FUNCTIONAL.md`, re-imagined for iOS-native idioms. Tags: **[keep]** as-is in
+spirit, **[re-imagine]** with a native idiom, **[deferred]** designed but delivered later. The
+per-screen **moving parts** (states / data / actions) are filled in section by section next, starting
+with the game screen (the vertical slice).
+
+### A. Boot / launch
+- **Loading splash** [keep] — crossword tiles (ЭРУДИТ / ЗАГРУЗКА / ОЖИДАНИЕ), minimal, aligned with the
+  fast-silent-boot principle (no empty flash).
+- **Offline first-launch → straight into the lobby as guest** [keep] (as Android).
+- **"Couldn't load" + Retry** [re-imagine] native, no web-sign-in fallback.
+- **"Client too old" update screen** [keep] native: Update (Store) / Play offline.
+
+### B. Onboarding
+- **Coachmark tours** (lobby series + game series) [re-imagine] via **TipKit**.
+
+### C. Auth / identity (v1: SIWA + email + guest)
+- **Login screen** [re-imagine] stacked buttons: **Sign in with Apple** (native sheet) + **Email** + **guest**.
+  VK / Telegram rows **[deferred]**.
+- **Email code entry** [keep].
+
+### D. Lobby
+- **"My games" list** [keep] — three sections (your turn / opponent / finished; empty hidden), ordering
+  rules, unread dots (red/amber), status-blink, swipe-to-remove finished, server games greyed-out offline.
+  Swipe/kebab → native **swipe actions**.
+- **Bottom tab bar** [re-imagine] → `TabView`: New Game / Statistics / Settings hub.
+
+### E. New Game
+- **New Game screen** [keep] — Quick game (AI / random), With friends (invite / pass-and-play), variant
+  pick (gated by preferences), RU "multiple words per turn" toggle, per-kind caps 🔒 prompts.
+- **Friend invite** [keep] — pick from friend list.
+- **Pass-and-play setup** [keep] — host PIN keypad, player rows (2–4), optional per-seat PIN.
+
+### F. Game — VERTICAL SLICE (step 3)
+- **Game board screen** [keep] — board on **`Canvas`**, rack, action bar (combined pass/exchange, hint,
+  shuffle, confirm), on-board legality preview + score badge, bag count.
+- **Scoreboard header / seats** [keep] — opponent cards with add-friend 🤝 / block ✖️.
+- **Move history** [keep].
+- **Comms screen** [keep] — 💬 chat / 🔎 dictionary tabs.
+- **Dictionary word-check** [keep] — complaint, external reference link (network-gated).
+- **Hint** [keep] — lays suggested tiles; vs_ai 🔒 idle-gate + countdown (steady in-app timer).
+- **Pass / exchange** [re-imagine] native sheet.
+- **Pass-and-play in game** [keep] — seat PIN unlock, leader controls (skip / remove / end early).
+- **Connection-lost banner + frozen play area** [keep].
+- **End-of-game + export** [keep] — GCG + PNG via the native **share sheet**.
+
+### G. Social / friends
+- **Friends screen** (Settings → Friends) [keep] — list, one-time code (issue / redeem), requests,
+  block / unblock / unfriend; kebab → native **context menu**.
+- **Incoming invitations** [keep] — accept / decline.
+
+### H. Profile & settings
+- **Settings hub** [re-imagine] grouped `List`: settings, profile, friends, wallet, about.
+- **Settings** [keep] — language, theme, board bonus-label style, reduce-motion, zoom-the-board,
+  notifications-in-app-only, block toggles.
+- **Profile** [keep] — display name, timezone, away window, variant preferences, sign-in methods
+  (link / unlink / merge), delete account; inline editing.
+- **Merge confirmation** (irreversible) [keep].
+- **Delete account** [keep] — mailed code / typed phrase.
+
+### I. Wallet & store (designed in v1, delivery staged)
+- **Wallet** [keep, deferred delivery] — balance (per-platform chips), Active line, Buy / Spend toggle,
+  watch-ad option, Exchange confirm, store-compliance warnings. Region/store-aware; ties to the §10
+  payment seam.
+
+### J. Feedback
+- **Feedback screen** [keep] — message + single attachment, reply display, feedback-banned state.
+
+### K. Info / legal
+- **About** [keep] — version, links.
+- **Legal docs** (EULA / privacy / offer) [re-imagine] — in-app viewer or Safari, not web pages.
+
+### L. Cross-cutting (not screens)
+- **Advertising banner** under the nav (free players) [keep] — component, campaign rotation / colours / urgent.
+- **Push (APNs)** + real-time in-app updates — data flows, not a screen (APNs is also the background
+  energy model, §5).
+
+### Excluded (web / platform-specific — not in the native iOS app)
+- **Admin console `/_gm`** — server-rendered web, not part of any client.
+- **Landing page** — web-only.
+- **Telegram / VK Mini App** hosting + their diagnostic screens — the iOS app is not a Mini App.
+- **PWA install CTA** — web-only.
+- **Promo bot**, **Telegram support chat** — Telegram-side (in-app Feedback in §J is kept).
+
+### Native idioms replacing web mechanics
+`TabView` (tab bar) · native swipe actions / context menus (swipe-remove, kebab) · sheets (popups/modals)
+· `ShareLink` / share sheet (export) · **TipKit** (coachmarks) · grouped `List` (settings/legal) · SIWA
+native sheet (auth).
+
+### Assets, tiles & icons- **Tiles are drawn as runtime vectors** (a rounded rect + a font glyph + the point value, on the board
+  `Canvas`) — **no image assets, no pre-generation, no local-store cache.** Resolution-independent (crisp
+  under zoom-on-drop), theme/variant/locale-adaptive for free. Cache rendered tile images
+  (`ImageRenderer`) **only if** profiling later shows a need. The crossword loading splash **reuses the
+  same tile component** (zero assets).
+- **LaunchScreen** is static, OS-level, a simple brand mark (background + logo/wordmark; system font or a
+  single logo image — **no tile assets**). Its duration **equals the real launch time** — it **cannot** be
+  extended or held programmatically (and fake delays are discouraged); the "longer" splash is the **in-app
+  crossword splash** (its timing is ours, shown until the lobby is ready). Match the LaunchScreen
+  background to the in-app splash so the OS→app handoff is seamless (no flash).
+- **Icons = SF Symbols** (the system icon set) everywhere — all the emoji in this plan are placeholders
+  for meaning; the real UI uses SF Symbols (gear, chart.bar, dice, bubble.left, shuffle, lightbulb,
+  person.badge.plus, xmark/hand.raised, square.and.arrow.up, lock, …). **Custom vectors only where no
+  system symbol fits:** the three variant emblems and the tiles.
+
+### Per-screen moving parts
+
+#### F. Game screen — detail
+
+**Layout**
+- **iPhone: full board always visible + zoom-on-drop** (hybrid, web-parity, setting-gated by the
+  existing "Zoom the board" toggle). Board scaled to width; on tile drop it magnifies toward the drop
+  point for precision.
+- **Bottom-anchored stack**, top→bottom: *(top strip — the ad banner (L) + connection chrome, else
+  empty)* → **seats header** → **board** → **rack** → **bottom toolbar**. Everything is packed to the
+  bottom; the top strip hosts the L banner / Connecting…/Offline/connection-lost chrome, else empty.
+- **Orientation: iPhone portrait-only; iPad portrait + landscape.**
+
+**Four regions**
+1. **Scoreboard / header** — seats (name, score, whose-turn), unread dot (red msg / amber nudge),
+   connectivity state ("Connecting…" / Offline chip / connection-lost banner), 💬 entry to history/comms.
+2. **Board (`Canvas`)** — 15×15 grid, placed tiles, staged tiles with on-board legality preview
+   (light green when a word forms, darker on run-through board tiles, pink when none; orange badge =
+   score), zoom-on-drop.
+3. **Rack** — player tiles, drag/tap to place, shuffle, in-rack reorder.
+4. **Action bar** — combined pass/exchange, hint (vs_ai 🔒 idle-gate + countdown), shuffle, confirm
+   (only when the move is legal), bag count.
+
+**State axes (repaint the screen)**
+- **Whose turn:** mine (preview + submit) vs opponent's (draft placement only, position-only).
+- **Phase:** waiting for opponent (auto-match "searching for opponent"; resign/chat/nudge off) →
+  active → finished.
+- **Connectivity:** online / connecting / offline / connection-lost-in-online-game (frozen).
+- **Kind:** vs_ai (honest 🤖: unlimited wallet-free hints idle-gated, no chat/nudge/add-friend, no
+  clock — 7-day only, no export) · auto-match 2p (possibly a disguised robot) · friend 2–4 ·
+  pass-and-play (seats, PINs, leader).
+- **Variant:** Erudite / RU Scrabble / EN Scrabble; RU "multiple words per turn" toggle changes the
+  preview (main word only vs all perpendiculars).
+
+**Interactions**
+- Place tile (drag or tap; the game infers direction) · **blank ('?') letter picker** · recall a
+  staged tile to the rack · legality preview on-device (first-time warm-up; server fallback) · confirm
+  (only when legal) · resign · shuffle · **hint** (per-game allowance → wallet; vs_ai unlimited but
+  idle-gated 30 min, 🔒 + steady in-app countdown) · zoom-on-drop (setting) · **per-game composition
+  persistence** (rack arrangement + uncommitted move restored, cross-device).
+
+**Sub-surfaces (from the header)**
+- **Seat cards** (with history open): add-friend 🤝 / block ✖️, confirm on a fading ✅; disabled/
+  disappear rules.
+- **Move history** (words, coordinates, scores; pass/exchange/resign/timeout notes; closing ± endgame
+  settlement).
+- **Comms** — chat (1 msg/turn, ≤60 chars, no links) + dictionary word-check (complaint, external
+  reference link); **nudge**.
+- **Pass-and-play** — seat PIN unlock (keypad replaces the locked seat's rack); leader button →
+  skip / remove / end-early (leader password); hints and chat off.
+- **End-of-game** — result, final scores (yours first), export 📤 (GCG + PNG, never for honest-AI);
+  "could not be continued → draw" organizer note.
+- **Connection-lost (online game)** — slim banner, play area freezes (rack + move controls disable;
+  resign/add-friend/block/chat hidden; a started move stays as a draft); if already in chat/dictionary
+  you stay (chat read-only, dictionary keeps checking on-device).
+
+**UX decisions**
+- **Comms sheet:** a **single detented sheet** with a segmented control **[History | Chat |
+  Dictionary]**; the board + seats header stay visible above; native swipe-to-dismiss + grabber.
+  **Opened by tapping the seats header** (where the unread dot / 💬 live). iPad landscape later adapts
+  it to a side column. (Simplifies the web's nested history → comms navigation.) The **export 📤**
+  lives inside this sheet (History segment, finished game) — **not** in the header.
+- **Bottom toolbar (not a TabBar).** The in-game controls are actions, so they sit in a native bottom
+  toolbar (`ToolbarItem(.bottomBar)`, the Safari/Mail pattern), **not** the app `TabView` — which is
+  navigation and is **hidden inside the game**. Layout: **`[pass/exchange] — [hint ⇄ confirm] —
+  [shuffle]`** (3 slots). The centre control **morphs hint → confirm** only once a legal move is
+  staged (doubles as "you can commit" feedback). **Exchange** is inside the `pass/exchange` control
+  (select tiles = exchange, none = pass). **Recall** a staged tile by tapping it — no dedicated button.
+- **Tile placement:** **both drag and tap-to-place**; recall by tap; the **blank ('?') letter picker**
+  is a popover over the variant's alphabet.
+- **Seat cards:** composed from primitives (`HStack`/`VStack` + design tokens, optional `GroupBox`),
+  no prebuilt control. Base header shows name / score / whose-turn / unread dot only.
+- **Opponent social actions:** **tap a seat card → a mini player panel** (popover on iPad, sheet on
+  iPhone) showing the relationship status (pending / friends / blocked) with **Add friend** / **Block**
+  (`Button(role: .destructive)` + native `confirmationDialog`). Replaces the web's in-place score-card
+  swap.
+- **Rack:** shuffle button; reorder tiles by in-rack drag; tap selects a tile for tap-place; freed
+  slots render empty.
+- **Waiting for opponent (auto-match):** the opponent card reads "searching for opponent" with a calm
+  activity indicator (not a blocking spinner); resign/chat/nudge hidden; you may arrange tiles if it is
+  your turn; a "you can close the app and come back" note.
+- **vs_ai hint-lock:** the hint control carries a 🔒 badge while idle-gated; a tap shows a transient
+  "unlocks in N min" popover; the lock lifts live at the mark.
+- **End-of-game:** a result plate on the board (win/lose/draw, final scores yours-first); export via the
+  sheet (above); never for honest-AI.
+- **Connection-lost / offline chrome** (per FUNCTIONAL, native styling): offline = blue header + Offline
+  chip; brief blip = quiet "Connecting…" in the header; connection-lost in an online game = slim banner
+  + frozen play area (rack/controls disabled, resign/social/chat hidden, started move kept as a draft).
+
+*(F inventory + UX skeleton complete. Design-system specifics — colours, typography, tile visuals —
+emerge while implementing the vertical slice, step 3.)*
+
+#### D. Lobby — detail
+
+**UX decisions**
+- **List style:** native **inset-grouped `List`** (the Settings-app look — floating rounded section
+  cards over a grouped background). Sections: **your turn / opponent's turn / finished** (empty hidden).
+- **Grouping (option A — unified lobby):** one lobby, all games in the three state sections. **Local
+  games** (offline vs_ai + pass-and-play, which never sync) are **badged inline** with an "on-device"
+  marker. When offline, **server rows grey out in place** (un-openable; a tap explains why) — not moved
+  or hidden.
+- **Fold/unfold:** **opponent + finished** sections are collapsible (`DisclosureGroup`); **"your turn"
+  is always expanded** (it is the action section). Fold state is remembered per-device.
+- **Bottom `TabView` (app navigation):** New Game / Statistics / Settings hub. (Confirmed: the TabBar
+  switches screens; in-game controls are a bottom toolbar, not this.)
+- **Row anatomy:** opponent name (or "searching for opponent" for an unfilled auto-match) · a **variant
+  emblem** (three distinct icons — Erudit / RU Scrabble / EN Scrabble; **not** a national flag, which
+  can't separate the two Russian variants) · unread dot (red msg / amber nudge) · an **on-device badge**
+  for local games · a **result** for finished games. **No status icon** (the sections already group by
+  status). No avatars (name only). Compact, line-separated. *(Exact visual TBD on the slice.)*
+
+**Behaviour (per FUNCTIONAL, kept)**
+- **Ordering:** your-turn first (longest-waiting on top); opponent + finished most-recent first; a game
+  with any unread floats to the top within your-turn/opponent (finished keeps its order).
+- **Live updates:** a listed game that becomes your-turn or finishes while the lobby is open
+  **flashes its row briefly** (the status-icon blink is retargeted to a row-level flash, since there is
+  no status icon); the game also moving into the *your turn* section is itself a signal. An opponent's-
+  turn change is silent, applied in place.
+- **Unread dot:** next to the game — **red** when an unread message waits, **amber** when only nudges.
+- **Remove finished:** native **swipe action** → ❌ (per-account, permanent, no undo). An AI game you
+  left (resign or 7-day lapse) auto-drops from *finished*; a normally-finished AI game stays until
+  removed; no other type auto-removes.
+- **Cold open:** loading splash (crossword tiles ЭРУДИТ/ЗАГРУЗКА/ОЖИДАНИЕ) until the list is ready — no
+  empty flash.
+- **Offline chrome:** blue header + Offline chip; Stats tab disabled; invitations hidden; server rows
+  greyed.
+
+#### E. New Game — detail
+
+**UX decisions**
+- **Structure:** a top **segmented `[Quick game | With friends]`** + a contextual **inset-grouped form**
+  below (consistent with the lobby aesthetic).
+  - *Quick game:* opponent segmented **`[AI | Random]`** → variant (emblem chips) → RU "multiple words"
+    toggle → **Start**.
+  - *With friends:* rows **Invite a friend** / **Pass-and-play** → pushed sub-flows.
+- **Variant picker:** **emblem chips / segmented** (≤3 variants); **hidden entirely when a single variant
+  is enabled** (the common default — Erudite only).
+
+**Behaviour (per FUNCTIONAL, kept)**
+- **Quick game:** AI default (instant 🤖, no wait) / Random (auto-match 2p — drops you into the game to
+  wait inside; "you can close the app and come back" note).
+- **With friends offline → only pass-and-play** (invite needs the network).
+- **RU "multiple words per turn":** default **off**; RU games only; English is always standard, no toggle.
+- **Per-kind caps** (AI / random / friend): a start at its cap shows **🔒**; a tap opens a prompt — a
+  **guest** is invited to sign in / create an account, a **signed-in** player is told to finish a current
+  game. **Accepting an incoming invitation is never capped.**
+- **Friend invite:** pick **2–4** from the friend list; the inviter sets the game settings; starts once
+  **all accept**; any decline cancels; an unanswered invite expires in **7 days**; shareable as a Telegram
+  deep link (on VK the link only opens the app, the code is entered by hand).
+- **Pass-and-play setup:** host PIN keypad → "are you playing too?" (yes → first seat takes your name) →
+  name players 2–4 (add/remove; a removal asks the leader password) → optional per-seat PIN.
+- **Per-game settings set** (inviter chooses for friend games; quick games use defaults): variant · RU
+  multiple-words · **move timeout** (5 min–24 h, default 24 h) · **hints** (allowed? how many each) ·
+  **leaver's-tile disposition** (returned to bag / removed — 3–4-player games only).
+
+**UX decisions (sub-details)**
+- **Cap 🔒 prompt:** a 🔒 badge on the **Start** control (looks unavailable); a tap opens a native
+  alert — guest: a "Sign in / Create account" action; signed-in: an informational "finish a current
+  game first."
+- **Pass-and-play setup** (pushed, stepped): (a) 4-digit host PIN on a custom lock-screen-style keypad
+  (no built-in iOS control — composed); (b) "are you playing too?"; (c) player rows as an editable
+  `List` (EditMode add/remove; a removal is gated by the leader password); (d) per-seat PIN via a small
+  lock toggle in the row.
+- **Friend-invite** (pushed): multi-select from the friends `List` (checkmarks, 2–4) → a **settings
+  step** reusing the per-game settings set → **Send** (+ shareable link). Setting controls: move
+  timeout = native picker (5 min–24 h); hints = toggle + stepper; leaver disposition = segmented
+  `[to bag | out of play]`.
+
+#### C. Login / identity — detail (v1: SIWA + email + guest)
+
+**UX decisions**
+- **No hard login wall — guest by default** (offline-first, as Android native). First launch drops
+  straight into the lobby as a guest.
+- **Reusable sign-in sheet:** a bottom **detented sheet** (same idiom as the comms sheet) with the
+  sign-in buttons in a **vertical stack** — **Sign in with Apple** (`SignInWithAppleButton`) + **Email**
+  (future VK/TG rows append here). **Shown once on first launch, dismissible** — dismiss = stays guest.
+  **Reused on demand** from the Profile "Sign in" action.
+- **Email flow:** address → **6-digit code** entry → signed in / linked; rate-limit feedback (cooldown +
+  hourly cap). **Code-only on native** — the magic link is unused (it opens an external browser that
+  can't return to the app; mirrors the installed-PWA case in FUNCTIONAL).
+- **SIWA:** native system sheet → gateway validates → create / link the account.
+- **Merge on collision** (the identity already belongs to another account): guest initiator = seamless;
+  durable initiator = irreversible confirmation. Triggered by sign-in; the merge screen itself lives in
+  **H** (Accounts, linking & merge).
+
+#### B. Onboarding — detail (TipKit, native)
+
+**UX decisions**
+- **TipKit, native flavour** (confirmed): contextual tips anchored to controls, ordered via **`TipGroup`**
+  — **no full-screen dimming, no tap-anywhere-advance**; each tip dismisses itself (its ✕ or performing
+  the action). Shown once; per-device eligibility.
+- **Two tours:** **lobby series** (⚙️ settings, ✏️ statistics, 🎲 new-game tabs) + **game series**
+  (scoreboard header, pass/exchange, hint, shuffle, rack). Localized (en/ru).
+- **First-launch sequence:** lobby (guest) → sign-in sheet (C) → on dismiss → the TipKit lobby tour
+  (so the sheet and the tips don't overlap).
+
+#### G. Friends — detail (Settings → Friends)
+
+**UX decisions**
+- **Structure:** a single **inset-grouped `List`** with sections **Requests** (incoming: accept /
+  decline; outgoing: cancel) · **Friends** · **Blocked** (unblock). A toolbar **"+"** opens the add
+  sheet.
+- **Add sheet ("+"):** **Enter a code** (6-digit redeem, valid 12 h) / **Share my code** (generate +
+  `ShareLink`).
+- **Friend-row actions:** **swipe actions** — **Remove** (destructive) + **Block** — each gated by a
+  naming **`confirmationDialog`** ("Remove from friends?" / "Block this player?").
+- Chat / nudge are **not** here — they live in the in-game comms sheet (F). Global block toggles
+  (incoming chat / friend requests) live in **Profile (H)**.
+
+**Behaviour (per FUNCTIONAL, kept)**
+- Two ways to friend: redeem a one-time code, or a request to someone you've played with
+  (accept / ignore→30-day lapse / decline→blocks until they hand you a code). Cancel your outgoing;
+  unfriend removes it.
+- A per-user block is one-directional and silent; **unblock and unfriend live only here**.
+
+#### H. Profile & settings — detail
+
+**UX decisions**
+- **Settings hub** = an icon **`List` of drill-down `NavigationLink` rows** (the Podcasts → Library
+  pattern), SF-symbol icons, with room left at the bottom for optional general info later. Rows:
+  - **Interface** (⚙️) → display-settings screen.
+  - **Friends** (person.2) → G.
+  - **Wallet** (creditcard) → I. **Hidden for guests.**
+  - **Info** (info.circle) → About + version + legal (K).
+  - **Feedback** → J. **Hidden for guests.** Unread-reply **badge** on the Settings tab **and** on this
+    row.
+- **Profile = a top-right nav-bar icon** (`ToolbarItem(.topBarTrailing)`, `person.circle`; filled /
+  initial when signed in) on the settings hub: **guest → the sign-in sheet (C); signed-in → the profile
+  screen.** (Duplicated onto the lobby only if asked later.)
+- **Interface screen** (display prefs): language · theme · board bonus-label style · reduce-motion ·
+  zoom-the-board.
+
+**Guest has no editable settings** — the random nick is not changeable, the variant is always
+`erudite_ru`, the timezone is auto-detected (never set by hand). So there is **no guest profile
+screen**: the profile icon for a guest opens the **sign-in sheet** (confirms C). It also confirms E's
+"variant picker hidden when a single variant is enabled" for guests.
+
+**Profile screen (signed-in / durable)** — an inset-grouped `Form`:
+- **Name** — inline `TextField` + validation (letters + `·`/`.`/`_` separator, optional trailing `.`
+  or ≤5 digits, ≤32 chars, ≤5 specials).
+- **Play** — timezone (UTC-offset picker, pre-filled from the device) · away window (10-min grid, ≤12 h,
+  wraps midnight; a two-time range) · variant preferences (multi-select emblems, ≥1 kept) ·
+  notifications-in-app-only (`Switch`, default on).
+- **Privacy** — global block toggles (incoming chat / friend requests).
+- **Sign-in methods** — rows link / unlink; **email is "changed", not unlinked**; the **last** method
+  can't be unlinked; a provider that belongs to another account offers the irreversible **merge** (guest
+  initiator seamless, durable initiator confirmed).
+- **Delete account** — destructive footer; confirm via a mailed code (email account) or a typed phrase.
+  Legal-retention removal (not erasure), per FUNCTIONAL.
+
+#### I. Wallet & store — detail (durable only; delivery staged)
+
+**UX decisions**
+- **Structure:** inset-grouped — a **balance card** (running-context «Фишка» first, then linked
+  other-platform chips behind their logos: VK / Telegram / web / **Apple** as a new context) → **Active**
+  line (hints remaining + ad-free end date / "forever"; hidden when empty) → segmented **`[Buy | Spend]`**
+  → rows. **No purchase history.**
+- **Buy (v1):** the chip packs are **shown** (the user sees purchases exist in the game), but tapping
+  **Buy** shows a light message — *"Purchases are unavailable on the Apple platform. You might like
+  another version of [our app](landing)."* — a soft redirect to the Android/PWA build while payments are
+  not wired. Chosen over hiding so the offering stays visible; unlocking real Buy later (IAP / external
+  rails) is then just enabling the path.
+- **Spend:** values (extra hints, days without ads) at a fixed chip price; **Exchange** action + a
+  confirm `confirmationDialog`.
+
+**[OPEN / TRACKED — a dedicated payments session, not resolved here]**
+- **Cross-platform spend compliance (Apple landmine):** we must **not** let a user buy chips on the web
+  (email login) and then **spend** them inside the iOS app where the same email is signed in — spending
+  externally-funded digital currency in-app violates App Store rules. This reshapes the iOS
+  **store-compliance spend-visibility** (what of the balance is spendable on iOS, given there is no
+  Apple-funded chip yet). The owner will settle it in a dedicated payments session. Ties to §10.
+
+#### J. Feedback — detail (durable only; guests hidden)
+
+**UX decisions**
+- inset-grouped `Form`: **`TextEditor`** (≤1024, live counter) → attachment row → **Send**.
+- **Attachment:** one file ≤1 MB (images / PDF / text-log / office / RTF / archives). **"Attach"** →
+  menu **`PhotosPicker` (Photos)** / **`fileImporter` (Files)**; **no camera**. An unsupported file is
+  refused **without naming** the allowed types; the chosen file shows as a removable chip.
+- **After send:** the form clears, "Ваше сообщение отправлено"; while the operator has not dealt with it,
+  a locked state "Ожидаем рассмотрения вашего последнего обращения" (Send disabled).
+- **Reply** below: "Ответ на ваше последнее сообщение"; links open in `SFSafariViewController`; marked
+  read on view; gone after a week.
+- **Unread-reply badge:** Settings tab + Feedback row (H).
+- **Feedback-barred** player: Send disabled.
+
+#### K. Info / legal — detail
+
+**UX decisions**
+- **About screen** (Info hub row): app name · **version** (native build + the client-version) · links to
+  the three legal docs · copyright; optional "Rate on the App Store".
+- **Legal docs** (EULA `/eula/`, privacy `/privacy/`, offer `/offer/` + live price list): open via
+  **`SFSafariViewController` to the hosted URLs** — always current, the offer's price list stays live,
+  bilingual handled by the page; no render pipeline duplicated in the app. **Offline:** unavailable
+  ("недоступно офлайн").
+
+#### A. Boot / launch & update — detail
+
+**UX decisions**
+- **LaunchScreen:** static, OS-level, instant (**iOS cannot animate the launch screen**) — brand/logo.
+- **In-app loading:** the crossword-tiles splash (ЭРУДИТ/ЗАГРУЗКА/ОЖИДАНИЕ) shows **only while the lobby
+  list isn't ready**; fast silent boot → usually straight to the lobby. Offline cold launch → straight to
+  the offline lobby.
+- **"Couldn't load" + Retry:** a native screen when an online launch can't reach the backend (a quiet
+  retry first).
+- **Client too old** (only on an online action, never while playing offline): full-screen, non-dismissable
+  — **Update** (App Store listing) + **Play offline** (keep on-device games).
+- **"Update available" (soft, not required):** a **transient top banner styled like a native
+  notification** — "Пора обновить приложение", **tap → App Store**, **auto-dismiss after 5 s**, shown on
+  **every launch when online**. (iOS has no first-party toast → a custom notification-style banner;
+  deviates by choice from the web's persistent dismissible bar.)
+
+#### L. Advertising banner — detail (cross-cutting component)
+
+**UX decisions**
+- **Placement:** a one-line strip **on the main tabs (Lobby / New Game / Statistics) AND in-game (F)** —
+  players spend most time in-game. Hidden in settings drill-downs and modal flows. **In-game it occupies
+  the top strip** (the empty space above the seats header), coexisting with the connection chrome
+  (Connecting… / Offline / connection-lost banner sit with it).
+- **Audience:** free players only (not lifetime-paid, no purchased hints, no `no_banner` role); guests
+  see it; appears/disappears **in place** on a property change.
+- **Language (native, no bot channel):** the **interface language** (RU default) — there is no "bot you
+  play through" here.
+- **Not hidden under TipKit** (no dimming overlay, unlike the web coachmarks).
+
+**Behaviour (per FUNCTIONAL, kept)**
+- Operator campaigns (weight %, optional window); compete in proportion to weight; a **house/default**
+  campaign fills the unsold share; an **urgent** campaign shows to everyone and is the only thing shown.
+- Fair weighted rotation; a multi-message campaign cycles in turn; transitions (fade-out → gap →
+  fade-in); long-message scroll; timings from the server (`/_gm/banners`).
+- Per-non-default-campaign colours (theme-aware set + optional dark override; derived border); urgent flag.

backend/Dockerfile

@@ -49,9 +49,14 @@ COPY --from=build /out/backend /usr/local/bin/backend
 # Own the seed dictionary as the nonroot runtime user (UID 65532): a named volume
 # mounted at /opt/dawg inherits this ownership on first use, so the admin console
 # can write new version subdirectories at runtime. The volume preserves uploaded
-# versions across deploys and, once seeded, is not re-seeded — so after bootstrap
+# versions across deploys and, once seeded, is not re-seeded (ARCHITECTURE.md §5).
-# every dictionary change goes through the console, not a rebuild (ARCHITECTURE.md §5).
 COPY --from=dawg --chown=65532:65532 /dawg /opt/dawg
+# A second, UNSHADOWED copy of the build's DAWGs: the /opt/dawg volume mount hides the
+# image's copy there, so this is where engine.DeliverVersion reads the build version from
+# to add it (add-only) to the volume on boot — the deploy-delivers path that lets a bumped
+# BACKEND_DICT_VERSION go live for new games without an admin upload (ARCHITECTURE.md §5).
+COPY --from=dawg --chown=65532:65532 /dawg /opt/dawg-seed
 ENV BACKEND_DICT_DIR=/opt/dawg
+ENV BACKEND_DICT_SEED_DIR=/opt/dawg-seed
 ENV BACKEND_DICT_VERSION=${DICT_VERSION}
 ENTRYPOINT ["/usr/local/bin/backend"]

backend/cmd/backend/main.go

@@ -111,6 +111,12 @@ func run(ctx context.Context, cfg config.Config, logger *zap.Logger) error {
 	}
 	logger.Info("database migrations applied")
 
+	// Deliver the build's dictionary version onto the persistent volume if a redeploy
+	// bumped it (add-only; old versions in-flight games pin are untouched), so the new
+	// dictionary is resident and can be activated below without an admin upload.
+	if err := engine.DeliverVersion(cfg.Game.DictDir, cfg.Game.DictSeedDir, cfg.Game.DictVersion); err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("deliver dictionary version: %w", err)
+	}
 	registry, err := engine.OpenWithVersions(cfg.Game.DictDir, cfg.Game.DictVersion)
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("load dictionaries: %w", err)
@@ -118,6 +124,7 @@ func run(ctx context.Context, cfg config.Config, logger *zap.Logger) error {
 	defer func() { _ = registry.Close() }()
 	logger.Info("dictionaries loaded",
 		zap.String("dir", cfg.Game.DictDir),
+		zap.String("seed_dir", cfg.Game.DictSeedDir),
 		zap.String("version", cfg.Game.DictVersion))
 
 	// Admin console: an optional backend client to the Telegram connector
@@ -147,10 +154,10 @@ func run(ctx context.Context, cfg config.Config, logger *zap.Logger) error {
 	accounts := account.NewStore(db)
 	accounts.SetMetrics(tel.MeterProvider().Meter("scrabble/backend/account"))
 	games := game.NewService(game.NewStore(db), accounts, registry, cfg.Game, logger)
-	// Reconcile the persisted active dictionary version with the registry: a
+	// Reconcile the active dictionary version with the registry: the build version
-	// version activated through the admin console (and written to the dictionary
+	// (delivered above) becomes active so a redeploy that bumped it goes live for new
-	// volume) is adopted again after a restart; otherwise the configured seed
+	// games, except a newer version installed out-of-band through the admin console,
-	// version is kept and persisted (docs/ARCHITECTURE.md §5).
+	// which is not downgraded by a restart (docs/ARCHITECTURE.md §5).
 	if err := games.InitActiveVersion(ctx); err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("init active dictionary version: %w", err)
 	}

backend/internal/account/account.go

@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ import (
 	"database/sql"
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
+	"math/rand/v2"
 	"strings"
 	"time"
 
@@ -525,8 +526,13 @@ func (s *Store) create(ctx context.Context, kind, externalID string, seed provis
 	return created, nil
 }
 
-// guestDisplayName is the display name stamped on a freshly provisioned guest.
+// guestDisplayName mints the display name stamped on a freshly provisioned guest: "Guest" plus a
-const guestDisplayName = "Guest"
+// random six-digit suffix (e.g. "Guest042317"), so a guest is distinguishable to opponents — in a
+// random match the other player sees a distinct name rather than every guest reading a bare
+// "Guest". Not an identifier and not unique (collisions are harmless — it is a label only).
+func guestDisplayName() string {
+	return fmt.Sprintf("Guest%06d", rand.IntN(1_000_000))
+}
 
 // ProvisionGuest creates a fresh ephemeral guest account: a durable row carrying
 // no identity, flagged is_guest, so it can hold a session and a game seat (both
@@ -534,7 +540,7 @@ const guestDisplayName = "Guest"
 // and history. Guests are not reused — each bootstrap mints a new account. browserTZ
 // (the client's detected "±HH:MM" UTC offset) seeds the guest's time zone, falling
 // back to the 'UTC' default when empty or malformed.
-func (s *Store) ProvisionGuest(ctx context.Context, browserTZ string) (Account, error) {
+func (s *Store) ProvisionGuest(ctx context.Context, browserTZ, language string) (Account, error) {
 	accountID, err := uuid.NewV7()
 	if err != nil {
 		return Account{}, fmt.Errorf("account: new guest id: %w", err)
@@ -543,9 +549,17 @@ func (s *Store) ProvisionGuest(ctx context.Context, browserTZ string) (Account,
 	if tz == "" {
 		tz = "UTC"
 	}
+	// Seed the interface language from the client's detected locale (validated to a supported
+	// one), so a fresh guest's language-dependent server content — the ad banner, bot messages —
+	// is right from first contact rather than the 'en' column default until the client's later
+	// language reconcile catches up. An unsupported or absent code keeps the 'en' default.
+	lang := supportedLanguage(language)
+	if lang == "" {
+		lang = "en"
+	}
 	stmt := table.Accounts.
-		INSERT(table.Accounts.AccountID, table.Accounts.DisplayName, table.Accounts.IsGuest, table.Accounts.TimeZone).
+		INSERT(table.Accounts.AccountID, table.Accounts.DisplayName, table.Accounts.IsGuest, table.Accounts.TimeZone, table.Accounts.PreferredLanguage).
-		VALUES(accountID, guestDisplayName, true, tz).
+		VALUES(accountID, guestDisplayName(), true, tz, lang).
 		RETURNING(table.Accounts.AllColumns)
 
 	var row model.Accounts

backend/internal/config/config.go

@@ -106,6 +106,7 @@ func Load() (Config, error) {
 	gm := game.DefaultConfig()
 	gm.DictDir = envOr("BACKEND_DICT_DIR", gm.DictDir)
 	gm.DictVersion = envOr("BACKEND_DICT_VERSION", gm.DictVersion)
+	gm.DictSeedDir = envOr("BACKEND_DICT_SEED_DIR", gm.DictSeedDir)
 	if gm.TimeoutSweepInterval, err = envDuration("BACKEND_GAME_TIMEOUT_SWEEP_INTERVAL", gm.TimeoutSweepInterval); err != nil {
 		return Config{}, err
 	}

backend/internal/engine/deliver.go

@@ -0,0 +1,92 @@
+package engine
+
+import (
+	"errors"
+	"fmt"
+	"io"
+	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
+)
+
+// DeliverVersion makes the build's dictionary version resident on the persistent
+// dictionary volume without disturbing the versions in-flight games already pin.
+//
+// The volume is seeded from the image once and never re-seeded, and the image's
+// /opt/dawg is shadowed by that volume mount, so a redeploy that bumped
+// BACKEND_DICT_VERSION cannot otherwise make the new DAWGs reachable at runtime.
+// The image therefore keeps an unshadowed read-only copy at seedDir, and this
+// copies it into dictDir/<version>/ when the version is not already present —
+// neither the flat seed's own recorded label nor an existing version
+// subdirectory. It is add-only and idempotent: the flat seed and any prior admin
+// uploads are never touched, so old games keep the version they pin while the new
+// one becomes resident and activatable (see game.Service.InitActiveVersion). A
+// blank seedDir disables delivery (the pre-existing seed-only behaviour).
+func DeliverVersion(dictDir, seedDir, version string) error {
+	if seedDir == "" || version == "" {
+		return nil
+	}
+	target := filepath.Join(dictDir, version)
+	if _, err := os.Stat(target); err == nil {
+		return nil // already delivered on a prior boot
+	} else if !errors.Is(err, os.ErrNotExist) {
+		return fmt.Errorf("engine: stat delivered dictionary %s: %w", target, err)
+	}
+	// A fresh volume is populated from the image and recorded as this version by the
+	// marker: it is the flat dir, so there is nothing to deliver. resolveSeedVersion
+	// records the label on first use, matching OpenWithVersions.
+	seed, err := resolveSeedVersion(dictDir, version)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	if seed == version {
+		return nil
+	}
+	// Stage into a dot-prefixed directory (skipped by OpenWithVersions' version scan)
+	// then rename, so a crash mid-copy never leaves a half-populated version subdir.
+	staging := filepath.Join(dictDir, ".staging-deliver-"+version)
+	if err := os.RemoveAll(staging); err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("engine: clear deliver staging %s: %w", staging, err)
+	}
+	if err := os.MkdirAll(staging, 0o755); err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("engine: create deliver staging %s: %w", staging, err)
+	}
+	for _, file := range dictFiles {
+		src := filepath.Join(seedDir, file)
+		if _, err := os.Stat(src); errors.Is(err, os.ErrNotExist) {
+			continue // a variant absent from the seed is simply absent under this version
+		} else if err != nil {
+			_ = os.RemoveAll(staging)
+			return fmt.Errorf("engine: stat seed dawg %s: %w", src, err)
+		}
+		if err := copyFile(src, filepath.Join(staging, file)); err != nil {
+			_ = os.RemoveAll(staging)
+			return err
+		}
+	}
+	if err := os.Rename(staging, target); err != nil {
+		_ = os.RemoveAll(staging)
+		return fmt.Errorf("engine: publish delivered dictionary %s: %w", target, err)
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
+// copyFile copies a single file, truncating the destination.
+func copyFile(src, dst string) error {
+	in, err := os.Open(src)
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("engine: open %s: %w", src, err)
+	}
+	defer func() { _ = in.Close() }()
+	out, err := os.OpenFile(dst, os.O_WRONLY|os.O_CREATE|os.O_TRUNC, 0o644)
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("engine: create %s: %w", dst, err)
+	}
+	if _, err := io.Copy(out, in); err != nil {
+		_ = out.Close()
+		return fmt.Errorf("engine: copy %s -> %s: %w", src, dst, err)
+	}
+	if err := out.Close(); err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("engine: finalise %s: %w", dst, err)
+	}
+	return nil
+}

backend/internal/engine/deliver_test.go

@@ -0,0 +1,68 @@
+package engine
+
+import (
+	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"testing"
+)
+
+func TestDeliverVersion(t *testing.T) {
+	// A blank seed directory disables delivery (the pre-existing seed-only behaviour).
+	if err := DeliverVersion(t.TempDir(), "", "v1.3.1"); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("blank seedDir: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	// An existing volume flat-seeded as v1.3.0 gets v1.3.1 delivered as a subdirectory,
+	// add-only: the flat seed's marker is left intact and the new version's DAWGs land.
+	dict := t.TempDir()
+	seed := t.TempDir()
+	if err := os.WriteFile(filepath.Join(dict, seedMarkerFile), []byte("v1.3.0\n"), 0o644); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	for _, f := range dictFiles {
+		if err := os.WriteFile(filepath.Join(seed, f), []byte("dawg:"+f), 0o644); err != nil {
+			t.Fatal(err)
+		}
+	}
+	if err := DeliverVersion(dict, seed, "v1.3.1"); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("deliver v1.3.1: %v", err)
+	}
+	for _, f := range dictFiles {
+		got, err := os.ReadFile(filepath.Join(dict, "v1.3.1", f))
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("delivered %s: %v", f, err)
+		}
+		if string(got) != "dawg:"+f {
+			t.Errorf("delivered %s = %q, want the seed bytes", f, got)
+		}
+	}
+	if m, _ := os.ReadFile(filepath.Join(dict, seedMarkerFile)); string(m) != "v1.3.0\n" {
+		t.Errorf("flat seed marker relabelled to %q (delivery must be add-only)", m)
+	}
+	// Idempotent: a second call is a no-op and leaves no staging directory behind.
+	if err := DeliverVersion(dict, seed, "v1.3.1"); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("re-deliver v1.3.1: %v", err)
+	}
+	if entries, _ := os.ReadDir(dict); hasStaging(entries) {
+		t.Errorf("a staging directory survived delivery")
+	}
+
+	// On a fresh directory the build version becomes the flat seed, so nothing is delivered
+	// as a redundant subdirectory.
+	fresh := t.TempDir()
+	if err := DeliverVersion(fresh, seed, "v1.3.1"); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("fresh deliver: %v", err)
+	}
+	if _, err := os.Stat(filepath.Join(fresh, "v1.3.1")); !os.IsNotExist(err) {
+		t.Errorf("fresh volume got a redundant v1.3.1 subdir; it should be the flat seed")
+	}
+}
+
+func hasStaging(entries []os.DirEntry) bool {
+	for _, e := range entries {
+		if len(e.Name()) >= len(".staging") && e.Name()[:len(".staging")] == ".staging" {
+			return true
+		}
+	}
+	return false
+}

backend/internal/engine/seedmarker.go

@@ -25,11 +25,11 @@ const seedMarkerFile = ".seed_version"
 //     BACKEND_DICT_VERSION) and return it — the seed of a fresh volume;
 //   - already-seeded directory: return the recorded marker and ignore bootVersion.
 //
-// So bumping the build seed on a live volume is a harmless no-op (it only takes
+// So a later build seed never relabels the already-seeded flat bytes — which would void
-// effect on a future fresh volume) instead of relabelling the already-seeded bytes —
+// games pinned to the prior label and mis-serve new ones. The new build version is instead
-// which would void games pinned to the prior label and mis-serve new ones. New games
+// delivered as a NEW subdirectory (DeliverVersion) and made active (Service.InitActiveVersion),
-// still pin the active version (DB-persisted, set by the admin console), which is the
+// so a redeploy still moves new games to it while old games keep the flat label. New games
-// real way a running contour moves to a new release.
+// pin the active version (DB-persisted); a console upload can also set it out-of-band.
 //
 // A directory that cannot be written makes the first record fail; that also breaks
 // the admin console (which writes version subdirectories here), so the error is

backend/internal/game/config.go

@@ -18,6 +18,13 @@ type Config struct {
 	// DictVersion labels the dictionary version new games pin. Sourced from
 	// BACKEND_DICT_VERSION.
 	DictVersion string
+	// DictSeedDir holds the image's read-only copy of the build's DictVersion DAWGs,
+	// on a path the persistent DictDir volume does NOT shadow. On boot the backend
+	// delivers this version into DictDir/<DictVersion>/ if absent (add-only), so a
+	// redeploy that bumped DICT_VERSION makes the new dictionary resident and activatable
+	// without disturbing the versions in-flight games already pin. Sourced from
+	// BACKEND_DICT_SEED_DIR; empty disables delivery (the pre-existing seed-only behaviour).
+	DictSeedDir string
 	// TimeoutSweepInterval is how often the sweeper scans for overdue turns.
 	// Sourced from BACKEND_GAME_TIMEOUT_SWEEP_INTERVAL.
 	TimeoutSweepInterval time.Duration

backend/internal/game/service.go

@@ -232,21 +232,31 @@ func (svc *Service) ActiveVersion() string {
 }
 
 // InitActiveVersion reconciles the persisted active dictionary version with the
-// registry at startup. If a version was persisted and is resident, it becomes the
+// registry at startup and makes the build's version (BACKEND_DICT_VERSION, delivered
-// active version; otherwise the configured seed version is kept and persisted as
+// resident by engine.DeliverVersion) authoritative: a redeploy that bumped the build
-// the initial active version. Call once during wiring, before serving traffic.
+// version thus activates it for new games without any admin step, while old games keep
+// the version they pin. The one exception is a version installed out-of-band through
+// the admin console that is NEWER than the build version and still resident — it is
+// kept, so a restart on an older image never downgrades a hotfix. A build version that
+// is not resident (delivery disabled or a partial state) falls back to a resident
+// persisted version. The chosen version is persisted so the admin console reflects it.
+// Call once during wiring, before serving traffic.
 func (svc *Service) InitActiveVersion(ctx context.Context) error {
 	persisted, ok, err := svc.store.GetActiveDictVersion(ctx)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	if ok && svc.versionResident(persisted) {
+	target := svc.activeVersion() // the build seed version (config.DictVersion)
-		svc.verMu.Lock()
+	if ok && svc.versionResident(persisted) && compareDictVersions(persisted, target) > 0 {
-		svc.version = persisted
+		target = persisted // a newer out-of-band install wins over the build version
-		svc.verMu.Unlock()
-		return nil
 	}
-	return svc.store.SetActiveDictVersion(ctx, svc.activeVersion())
+	if !svc.versionResident(target) && ok && svc.versionResident(persisted) {
+		target = persisted // the build version is unloadable — keep a resident one
+	}
+	svc.verMu.Lock()
+	svc.version = target
+	svc.verMu.Unlock()
+	return svc.store.SetActiveDictVersion(ctx, target)
 }
 
 // SetActiveVersion records version as the active dictionary version, persisting it

backend/internal/game/version.go

@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+package game
+
+import (
+	"strconv"
+	"strings"
+)
+
+// compareDictVersions orders two dictionary version labels of the shape "vMAJOR.MINOR.PATCH"
+// numerically, returning -1, 0 or +1 as a is less than, equal to or greater than b. Labels
+// that do not parse fall back to a byte comparison, so the ordering is always total (a mixed
+// or malformed pair never crashes the boot-time active-version reconcile).
+func compareDictVersions(a, b string) int {
+	pa, oka := parseDictVersion(a)
+	pb, okb := parseDictVersion(b)
+	if !oka || !okb {
+		return strings.Compare(a, b)
+	}
+	for i := range pa {
+		if pa[i] != pb[i] {
+			if pa[i] < pb[i] {
+				return -1
+			}
+			return 1
+		}
+	}
+	return 0
+}
+
+// parseDictVersion parses a "vMAJOR.MINOR.PATCH" label into its three numeric parts, reporting
+// whether it matched that shape.
+func parseDictVersion(v string) ([3]int, bool) {
+	parts := strings.Split(strings.TrimPrefix(v, "v"), ".")
+	if len(parts) != 3 {
+		return [3]int{}, false
+	}
+	var out [3]int
+	for i, p := range parts {
+		n, err := strconv.Atoi(p)
+		if err != nil {
+			return [3]int{}, false
+		}
+		out[i] = n
+	}
+	return out, true
+}

backend/internal/game/version_test.go

@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+package game
+
+import "testing"
+
+func TestCompareDictVersions(t *testing.T) {
+	cases := []struct {
+		a, b string
+		want int
+	}{
+		{"v1.3.0", "v1.3.1", -1},
+		{"v1.3.1", "v1.3.0", 1},
+		{"v1.3.1", "v1.3.1", 0},
+		{"v1.3.9", "v1.3.10", -1}, // numeric, not lexical
+		{"v1.10.0", "v1.9.0", 1},
+		{"v2.0.0", "v1.9.9", 1},
+		{"1.3.1", "v1.3.1", 0}, // the leading v is optional
+		// Non-semver falls back to a byte comparison, keeping the ordering total.
+		{"weird", "weird", 0},
+		{"a", "b", -1},
+	}
+	for _, c := range cases {
+		if got := compareDictVersions(c.a, c.b); sign(got) != c.want {
+			t.Errorf("compareDictVersions(%q, %q) = %d, want sign %d", c.a, c.b, got, c.want)
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+func sign(n int) int {
+	switch {
+	case n < 0:
+		return -1
+	case n > 0:
+		return 1
+	default:
+		return 0
+	}
+}

backend/internal/inttest/account_test.go

@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ package inttest
 import (
 	"context"
 	"errors"
+	"regexp"
 	"testing"
 	"time"
 
@@ -229,21 +230,40 @@ func TestProvisionSeedsTimeZone(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Errorf("TimeZone = %q, want UTC fallback for a malformed offset", bad.TimeZone)
 	}
 
-	// A guest is seeded its detected offset; an empty one keeps the UTC default.
+	// A guest is seeded its detected offset and interface language; an empty offset keeps the
-	guest, err := store.ProvisionGuest(ctx, "-05:30")
+	// UTC default and an empty/unsupported language keeps the 'en' default.
+	guest, err := store.ProvisionGuest(ctx, "-05:30", "ru")
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("provision guest: %v", err)
 	}
 	if guest.TimeZone != "-05:30" {
 		t.Errorf("guest TimeZone = %q, want the seeded -05:30", guest.TimeZone)
 	}
-	plainGuest, err := store.ProvisionGuest(ctx, "")
+	if guest.PreferredLanguage != "ru" {
+		t.Errorf("guest PreferredLanguage = %q, want the seeded ru", guest.PreferredLanguage)
+	}
+	// A guest's display name is "Guest" + a random six-digit suffix (distinct to opponents).
+	if m, _ := regexp.MatchString(`^Guest\d{6}$`, guest.DisplayName); !m {
+		t.Errorf("guest DisplayName = %q, want Guest + 6 digits", guest.DisplayName)
+	}
+	plainGuest, err := store.ProvisionGuest(ctx, "", "")
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("provision plain guest: %v", err)
 	}
 	if plainGuest.TimeZone != "UTC" {
 		t.Errorf("plain guest TimeZone = %q, want UTC default", plainGuest.TimeZone)
 	}
+	if plainGuest.PreferredLanguage != "en" {
+		t.Errorf("plain guest PreferredLanguage = %q, want en default", plainGuest.PreferredLanguage)
+	}
+	// An unsupported locale falls back to the 'en' default rather than persisting a junk value.
+	frGuest, err := store.ProvisionGuest(ctx, "", "fr-FR")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("provision fr guest: %v", err)
+	}
+	if frGuest.PreferredLanguage != "en" {
+		t.Errorf("unsupported-locale guest PreferredLanguage = %q, want en default", frGuest.PreferredLanguage)
+	}
 }
 
 // TestProvisionTelegramUnknownLanguageDefaults checks an unsupported Telegram

backend/internal/inttest/delete_test.go

@@ -216,7 +216,7 @@ func TestConfirmCodeClearsGuest(t *testing.T) {
 	mailer := &capturingMailer{}
 	svc := account.NewEmailService(store, mailer, "https://erudit-game.ru")
 
-	guest, err := store.ProvisionGuest(ctx, "")
+	guest, err := store.ProvisionGuest(ctx, "", "")
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("provision guest: %v", err)
 	}

backend/internal/inttest/dictionary_update_test.go

@@ -103,14 +103,31 @@ func TestDictionaryUpdateFlow(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Errorf("installed dawg missing on disk: %v", err)
 	}
 
-	// The choice survives a restart: a fresh service over the same DB and registry
+	// The choice survives a restart on the SAME build: an out-of-band admin install newer
-	// re-adopts the persisted active version.
+	// than the build version is not downgraded (a restart on an older image keeps the hotfix).
 	restarted := newGameServiceOn(dir, "v1.0.0", reg)
 	if err := restarted.InitActiveVersion(ctx); err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("restart init: %v", err)
 	}
 	if got := restarted.ActiveVersion(); got != "v9.9.9" {
-		t.Errorf("restarted active version = %q, want v9.9.9 (persisted)", got)
+		t.Errorf("restarted active version = %q, want v9.9.9 (a newer out-of-band install is kept)", got)
+	}
+
+	// A redeploy that delivered a build version NEWER than the out-of-band one activates it
+	// for new games without any admin step (the deploy-delivers path — docs/ARCHITECTURE.md §5).
+	if _, err := reg.LoadAvailable(dir, "v10.0.0"); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("make v10.0.0 resident: %v", err)
+	}
+	deployed := newGameServiceOn(dir, "v10.0.0", reg)
+	if err := deployed.InitActiveVersion(ctx); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("deploy init: %v", err)
+	}
+	if got := deployed.ActiveVersion(); got != "v10.0.0" {
+		t.Errorf("deployed active version = %q, want v10.0.0 (a newer build version wins)", got)
+	}
+	// Restore the out-of-band active version so the assertions below still read v9.9.9.
+	if err := restarted.SetActiveVersion(ctx, "v9.9.9"); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("restore active: %v", err)
 	}
 
 	// New games pin the new version; the in-progress game keeps its own, still resident.

backend/internal/inttest/email_test.go

@@ -431,7 +431,7 @@ func TestConfirmByTokenLinkClearsGuest(t *testing.T) {
 	store := account.NewStore(testDB)
 	mailer := &capturingMailer{}
 	svc := account.NewEmailService(store, mailer, "https://erudit-game.ru")
-	guest, err := store.ProvisionGuest(ctx, "")
+	guest, err := store.ProvisionGuest(ctx, "", "")
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("provision guest: %v", err)
 	}

backend/internal/inttest/helpers.go

@@ -154,7 +154,7 @@ func provisionAccount(t *testing.T) uuid.UUID {
 // provisionGuest creates a fresh ephemeral guest account and returns its id.
 func provisionGuest(t *testing.T) uuid.UUID {
 	t.Helper()
-	acc, err := account.NewStore(testDB).ProvisionGuest(context.Background(), "")
+	acc, err := account.NewStore(testDB).ProvisionGuest(context.Background(), "", "")
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("provision guest: %v", err)
 	}

backend/internal/inttest/merge_test.go

@@ -347,8 +347,10 @@ func TestAccountLinkEmailMergeIntoCaller(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
-// TestAccountLinkGuestInversion merges a guest initiator into the durable account
+// TestAccountLinkGuestInversion auto-merges a guest initiator into the durable account that
-// that owns the email: the durable account wins and a fresh session is minted.
+// owns the email AT THE CONFIRM STEP (no merge confirmation): the guest is retired, the durable
+// account wins and a fresh session is minted for it (the client adopts the switch and lands on
+// the durable account as if it simply logged in).
 func TestAccountLinkGuestInversion(t *testing.T) {
 	ctx := context.Background()
 	store := account.NewStore(testDB)
@@ -364,17 +366,18 @@ func TestAccountLinkGuestInversion(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("request: %v", err)
 	}
 	code := sixDigit.FindString(mailer.lastBody)
-	if _, err := links.ConfirmEmail(ctx, guest, email, code); err != nil {
+	confirm, err := links.ConfirmEmail(ctx, guest, email, code)
+	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("confirm: %v", err)
 	}
-	merge, err := links.MergeEmail(ctx, guest, email, code)
+	// A guest initiator does not get a MergeRequired confirmation — the merge runs inline.
-	if err != nil {
+	if !confirm.Merged || confirm.MergeRequired {
-		t.Fatalf("merge: %v", err)
+		t.Fatalf("confirm = %+v, want an inline (auto) merge", confirm)
 	}
-	if merge.PrimaryID != durable {
+	if confirm.Merge.PrimaryID != durable {
-		t.Fatalf("primary = %s, want durable %s", merge.PrimaryID, durable)
+		t.Fatalf("primary = %s, want durable %s", confirm.Merge.PrimaryID, durable)
 	}
-	if merge.SwitchedToken == "" {
+	if confirm.Merge.SwitchedToken == "" {
 		t.Error("a guest initiator whose durable counterpart wins must get a switched session token")
 	}
 	if mergedInto(t, guest) != durable {
@@ -385,6 +388,33 @@ func TestAccountLinkGuestInversion(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+// TestAccountLinkGuestAutoMergeActiveGameConflict guards that a guest's auto-merge is REFUSED
+// (not silently swallowed) at the confirm step when the guest and the durable account share an
+// active game: the caller surfaces ErrActiveGameConflict (mapped to a clear "finish that game
+// first" message) rather than seating one player against themselves.
+func TestAccountLinkGuestAutoMergeActiveGameConflict(t *testing.T) {
+	ctx := context.Background()
+	mailer := &capturingMailer{}
+	links := newLinkService(mailer)
+
+	durable := provisionAccount(t)
+	email := "conflict-" + uuid.NewString() + "@example.com"
+	bindEmailIdentity(t, durable, email)
+	guest := provisionGuest(t)
+	seatGame(t, []uuid.UUID{durable, guest}, 24*time.Hour) // an active game the two share
+
+	if err := links.RequestEmail(ctx, guest, email); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("request: %v", err)
+	}
+	code := sixDigit.FindString(mailer.lastBody)
+	if _, err := links.ConfirmEmail(ctx, guest, email, code); err != accountmerge.ErrActiveGameConflict {
+		t.Fatalf("confirm = %v, want ErrActiveGameConflict surfaced by the auto-merge", err)
+	}
+	if mergedInto(t, guest) != uuid.Nil {
+		t.Error("a refused auto-merge must not tombstone the guest")
+	}
+}
+
 // TestAccountLinkFreeVK binds a free VK identity (gateway-validated, no code) and
 // promotes a guest to durable — the ConfirmVK counterpart of the free-email case.
 func TestAccountLinkFreeVK(t *testing.T) {

backend/internal/inttest/userlist_test.go

@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ func TestUserListFilter(t *testing.T) {
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("provision robot: %v", err)
 	}
-	guest, err := st.ProvisionGuest(ctx, "")
+	guest, err := st.ProvisionGuest(ctx, "", "")
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("provision guest: %v", err)
 	}

backend/internal/link/service.go

@@ -31,13 +31,39 @@ func NewService(emails *account.EmailService, accounts *account.Store, merger *a
 	return &Service{emails: emails, accounts: accounts, merger: merger, sessions: sessions}
 }
 
-// ConfirmResult reports the outcome of a confirm step. Exactly one of Linked or
+// ConfirmResult reports the outcome of a confirm step. Exactly one of Linked,
-// MergeRequired is set; SecondaryID is the account to be retired when a merge is
+// MergeRequired or Merged is set. SecondaryID is the account to be retired when a merge
-// required (the caller renders an irreversible-merge confirmation from it).
+// is required (the caller renders an irreversible-merge confirmation from it). Merged is
+// set when the caller was a guest, so the merge ran inline (see confirmOrAutoMerge) and
+// Merge carries its result (the switched-session token for the surviving durable account).
 type ConfirmResult struct {
 	Linked        bool
 	MergeRequired bool
 	SecondaryID   uuid.UUID
+	Merged        bool
+	Merge         MergeResult
+}
+
+// confirmOrAutoMerge decides a required merge at the confirm step. A durable caller gets
+// the explicit MergeRequired confirmation (consolidating two real accounts is irreversible
+// and consequential — the user must see it). A GUEST caller does not: by the guest-primary
+// rule the durable other account survives and the ephemeral guest is retired, folding its
+// games/wallet/stats in — from the user's side it is simply "logged into my account", so the
+// merge runs inline and the client just adopts the switched session. The active-game guard can
+// still refuse (accountmerge.ErrActiveGameConflict), surfaced to the caller unchanged.
+func (s *Service) confirmOrAutoMerge(ctx context.Context, callerID, owner uuid.UUID) (ConfirmResult, error) {
+	caller, err := s.accounts.GetByID(ctx, callerID)
+	if err != nil {
+		return ConfirmResult{}, err
+	}
+	if !caller.IsGuest {
+		return ConfirmResult{MergeRequired: true, SecondaryID: owner}, nil
+	}
+	res, err := s.merge(ctx, callerID, owner)
+	if err != nil {
+		return ConfirmResult{}, err
+	}
+	return ConfirmResult{Merged: true, Merge: res}, nil
 }
 
 // MergeResult reports a completed merge. PrimaryID is the surviving account.
@@ -67,7 +93,7 @@ func (s *Service) ConfirmEmail(ctx context.Context, accountID uuid.UUID, email,
 		}
 		return ConfirmResult{Linked: true}, nil
 	}
-	return ConfirmResult{MergeRequired: true, SecondaryID: owner}, nil
+	return s.confirmOrAutoMerge(ctx, accountID, owner)
 }
 
 // MergeEmail re-verifies the code and merges the address's account into the
@@ -103,7 +129,7 @@ func (s *Service) ConfirmTelegram(ctx context.Context, callerID uuid.UUID, exter
 	if owner == callerID {
 		return ConfirmResult{Linked: true}, nil
 	}
-	return ConfirmResult{MergeRequired: true, SecondaryID: owner}, nil
+	return s.confirmOrAutoMerge(ctx, callerID, owner)
 }
 
 // MergeTelegram merges the account owning a gateway-validated Telegram identity
@@ -150,7 +176,7 @@ func (s *Service) ConfirmVK(ctx context.Context, callerID uuid.UUID, externalID
 	if owner == callerID {
 		return ConfirmResult{Linked: true}, nil
 	}
-	return ConfirmResult{MergeRequired: true, SecondaryID: owner}, nil
+	return s.confirmOrAutoMerge(ctx, callerID, owner)
 }
 
 // MergeVK merges the account owning a gateway-validated VK identity into the caller's

backend/internal/server/handlers_auth.go

@@ -160,16 +160,20 @@ type guestAuthRequest struct {
 	// Subtype is the client-reported device family (ios/android/web) of this direct
 	// (web/native) session; there is no external signer, so it is recorded best-effort.
 	Subtype string `json:"subtype"`
+	// Language is the client's detected interface locale, seeding the fresh guest's
+	// interface language (best-effort; an unsupported/absent value keeps the 'en' default).
+	Language string `json:"language"`
 }
 
 // handleGuestAuth provisions a fresh ephemeral guest account and mints a session,
-// seeding its time zone from the optional detected browser offset.
+// seeding its time zone from the optional detected browser offset and its interface
+// language from the optional detected locale.
 func (s *Server) handleGuestAuth(c *gin.Context) {
-	// The body is optional: an absent or malformed one simply yields no time-zone seed
+	// The body is optional: an absent or malformed one simply yields no time-zone/language seed
-	// (the account keeps the UTC default), so a bind error must not fail the bootstrap.
+	// (the account keeps the UTC / 'en' defaults), so a bind error must not fail the bootstrap.
 	var req guestAuthRequest
 	_ = c.ShouldBindJSON(&req)
-	acc, err := s.accounts.ProvisionGuest(c.Request.Context(), req.BrowserTZ)
+	acc, err := s.accounts.ProvisionGuest(c.Request.Context(), req.BrowserTZ, req.Language)
 	if err != nil {
 		s.abortErr(c, err)
 		return

backend/internal/server/handlers_link.go

@@ -285,6 +285,12 @@ func (s *Server) handleLinkVKMerge(c *gin.Context) {
 // or a completed link (the active account's refreshed profile).
 func (s *Server) confirmResultResponse(c *gin.Context, activeID uuid.UUID, res link.ConfirmResult) linkResultResponse {
 	ctx := c.Request.Context()
+	if res.Merged {
+		// A guest initiator's merge ran inline (the guest-primary rule; no confirmation step),
+		// so render the completed merge — the client adopts the switched session and lands on
+		// the surviving durable account as if it simply logged in.
+		return s.mergeResultResponse(c, res.Merge)
+	}
 	if res.MergeRequired {
 		out := linkResultResponse{Status: "merge_required", SecondaryUserID: res.SecondaryID.String()}
 		if acc, err := s.accounts.GetByID(ctx, res.SecondaryID); err == nil {

deploy/README.md

@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ without it Docker's resolver handles `otelcol`, `gateway` and `api.telegram.org`
 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
 | `POSTGRES_DB` | variable | `scrabble` | Database name. |
 | `POSTGRES_USER` | variable | `scrabble` | Database user. |
-| `DICT_VERSION` | variable (shared) | `v1.3.1` | `scrabble-dictionary` release tag baked into the backend image as the **seed for a fresh volume** (build-arg). A live contour changes dictionary through the admin console, not this; on a seeded volume a changed value is ignored (the recorded `.seed_version` marker wins — the seed-drift guard, ARCHITECTURE.md §5). One shared unprefixed Gitea variable seeds both contours and pins the CI test suite. |
+| `DICT_VERSION` | variable (shared) | `v1.3.1` | `scrabble-dictionary` release tag baked into the backend image (build-arg). **Deploy-authoritative**: a redeploy that bumped it **delivers** the version onto the volume (add-only) and **activates** it for new games — old games keep the version they pin, and a newer out-of-band console upload is never downgraded (ARCHITECTURE.md §5). The `.seed_version` marker still guards the flat seed's label (a bump is delivered as a new subdirectory, never a relabel). One shared unprefixed Gitea variable seeds both contours and pins the CI test suite. |
 | `LOG_LEVEL` | variable | `info` | Shared log level for backend / gateway / validator / bot (`debug\|info\|warn\|error`). |
 | `CADDY_SITE_ADDRESS` | variable | `:80` | Caddy site address. Test: `:80` (host caddy terminates TLS). Prod: a domain, so caddy does its own ACME. |
 | `GM_BASICAUTH_USER` | variable | `gm` | Username for the `/_gm` Basic-Auth. |
@@ -176,10 +176,14 @@ For local builds set `DICT_VERSION` in `deploy/.env` (template: `.env.example`);
 `docker build` needs `--build-arg DICT_VERSION=vX.Y.Z`. The Dockerfiles and `compose` carry no
 default — a missing value fails loudly instead of baking a stale tag.
 
-Bumping the seed is a **no-op on a live volume** (the `.seed_version` marker wins — the
+Bumping `DICT_VERSION` and **redeploying** takes a live contour/prod to the new dictionary:
-seed-drift guard). A running contour/prod moves to a new release **through the admin console**
+on boot the backend **delivers** the build's version onto the volume (add-only, into
-`/_gm/dictionary` (upload the tarball, preview the per-variant diff, confirm); in-flight games
+`BACKEND_DICT_DIR/<version>/` from the unshadowed `BACKEND_DICT_SEED_DIR`) and **activates** it,
-keep their pinned version, new games use the new one (ARCHITECTURE.md §5).
+so new games pin it while in-flight games keep the version they started on. The `.seed_version`
+marker still guards the flat seed's label (the delivery is a new subdirectory, never a relabel).
+The admin console `/_gm/dictionary` (upload the tarball, preview the per-variant diff, confirm)
+remains for an **out-of-band** update without a redeploy; a console version newer than the build
+survives a later restart on an older image (ARCHITECTURE.md §5).
 
 ## Production rollout
 

docs/ARCHITECTURE.md

@@ -446,22 +446,27 @@ Key points:
   version while new games use the new one. A restart re-loads every resident
   version via `engine.OpenWithVersions` (the flat seed plus each subdirectory,
   skipping the `.staging/` upload area) and restores the active pointer from
-  `dictionary_state`. The volume preserves uploaded versions across redeploys;
+  `dictionary_state`. The volume preserves uploaded versions across redeploys, so
-  once seeded it is not re-seeded, so after bootstrap dictionary changes go through
+  in-flight games keep replaying on the version they pin. The build's
-  the console rather than a rebuild. Because the flat DAWGs carry no embedded
+  `BACKEND_DICT_VERSION` is **deploy-authoritative**: on boot `engine.DeliverVersion`
-  version, `OpenWithVersions` records the version the flat directory was first seeded
+  copies the image's DAWGs — kept unshadowed at `BACKEND_DICT_SEED_DIR`, since the
-  at in a `.seed_version` marker on the volume and treats that marker as
+  volume mount hides the image's `BACKEND_DICT_DIR` copy — into
-  **authoritative** (the **seed-drift guard**): on an already-seeded volume a later
+  `BACKEND_DICT_DIR/<version>/` when that version is not already resident (**add-only**:
-  `BACKEND_DICT_VERSION` is ignored, so a bumped build seed cannot relabel the
+  the flat seed and prior uploads are never touched), and `InitActiveVersion` makes it
-  already-seeded bytes — which would otherwise silently serve the wrong dictionary
+  the active version. So a redeploy that bumped `DICT_VERSION` moves new games to the
-  and void games pinned to the prior label. A running contour therefore moves to a
+  new dictionary automatically, while old games stay on theirs — no console step. The
-  new release **through the console** (the prior version stays resident, so its games
+  one exception: a version installed out-of-band through the console that is **newer**
-  keep replaying), and `DICT_VERSION` is the seed for a **fresh** volume only:
+  than the build version and still resident is kept, so a restart on an older image never
-  bumping it on a live contour is a harmless no-op that takes effect on the next
+  downgrades a hotfix (versions compare numerically). Because the flat DAWGs carry no
-  fresh volume. Set it per contour from the deploy's `TEST_`/`PROD_DICT_VERSION`.
+  embedded version, `OpenWithVersions` records the version the flat directory was first
-  (The dictionaries ship as a versioned **release artifact** from the
+  seeded at in a `.seed_version` marker and treats it as authoritative for **that flat
-  `scrabble-dictionary` repo; the build's `DICT_VERSION` selects
+  directory** (the **seed-drift guard**): a later `BACKEND_DICT_VERSION` never relabels
-  only the seed.)
+  the already-seeded flat bytes — it is delivered as a **new subdirectory** instead — so
+  the guard still prevents mis-serving a game pinned to the flat label. The console
+  remains the way to update a dictionary **without** a redeploy (an out-of-band upload).
+  Set `DICT_VERSION` per contour from the deploy's `TEST_`/`PROD_DICT_VERSION`. (The
+  dictionaries ship as a versioned **release artifact** from the `scrabble-dictionary`
+  repo.)
 - Move generation/validation/scoring use `Solver.GenerateMoves` (ranked),
   `Solver.ValidatePlay` and `Solver.ScorePlay`; board mutation uses
   `scrabble.Apply`. The engine adds its own deterministic, seeded tile **bag**

docs/FUNCTIONAL.md

@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ tail — at a real control, and a **tap anywhere** advances to the next; after t
 overlay is gone for good. Two independent series run. The **lobby** series points at the
 ⚙️ settings, ✏️ statistics and 🎲 new-game tabs. The **game** series, on the player's first game
 board, points at the scoreboard header (move history / chat / word-check), the 🔄 pass-and-exchange,
-🛟 hints and 🔀 shuffle controls, and the rack. A series counts as seen only **after its last hint**,
+✨ hints and 🔀 shuffle controls, and the rack. A series counts as seen only **after its last hint**,
 so leaving mid-way replays it from the start next time; it is remembered per device. Arriving at the
 lobby is the lobby trigger, so a player who deep-links straight into Settings → Friends still gets the
 lobby walk-through on their first trip back. Both series work the same in portrait and landscape (the
@@ -117,12 +117,15 @@ First platform contact auto-provisions a durable account. From the profile a pla
 links an email (via a confirm code) or their Telegram (via the web sign-in); a guest
 who links their first identity becomes a durable account. The "already taken" status
 of an identity is never revealed before the code/sign-in is verified. If the linked
-identity already belongs to another account, the player is shown an explicit,
+identity already belongs to another account, the two accounts are merged into one
-**irreversible** confirmation and the two accounts are merged into the one they are
+(statistics summed, games and friends transferred, wallet folded, duplicates removed).
-using (statistics summed, games and friends transferred, duplicates removed) — except
+A **durable** initiator is shown an explicit, **irreversible** confirmation first —
-when a guest links an identity that already has a durable account, where the durable
+consolidating two real accounts is consequential. A **guest** initiator is not: the
-account is kept and the guest's games move into it. A merge is blocked only while the
+durable account that owns the identity is kept, and the ephemeral guest — with its games,
-two accounts share a game still in progress.
+wallet and stats folded in — is retired **seamlessly**, so from the player's side it is
+simply signing into their account (the app switches to it with no prompt). A merge is
+blocked only while the two accounts share a game still in progress; a guest is then asked
+to finish that shared game before signing in.
 
 The profile lists the account's **sign-in methods**. On the web a player can add
 Telegram (a login-widget popup) or VK (VK ID web login — a redirect to VK's sign-in and

docs/FUNCTIONAL_ru.md

@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ Telegram-бот, который документы указывают как к
 следующей; после последней подсказки оверлей убирается навсегда. Серий две. Серия **лобби**
 указывает на вкладки ⚙️ настроек, ✏️ статистики и 🎲 новой игры. Серия **игры**, на первой партии
 игрока, указывает на шапку со счётом (история ходов / чат / проверка слова), кнопки 🔄 пас-и-обмен,
-🛟 подсказок и 🔀 перемешивания, и на стойку с фишками. Серия считается просмотренной только
+✨ подсказок и 🔀 перемешивания, и на стойку с фишками. Серия считается просмотренной только
 **после последней подсказки**, поэтому выход на середине в следующий раз покажет её с начала;
 запоминается она по устройству. Триггер серии лобби — попадание в лобби, так что игрок, пришедший
 по deeplink сразу в Настройки → Друзья, всё равно получит проводку по лобби при первом возврате.
@@ -121,12 +121,14 @@ Telegram держит **единого бота**: все игроки поль
 привязывает email (по confirm-коду) или свой Telegram (через веб-вход); гость,
 привязавший первую личность, становится постоянным аккаунтом. Факт «личность уже
 занята» не раскрывается до проверки кода/входа. Если привязываемая личность уже
-принадлежит другому аккаунту, игроку показывают явное **необратимое**
+принадлежит другому аккаунту, два аккаунта сливаются в один (статистика суммируется,
-подтверждение, и два аккаунта сливаются в тот, под которым он сейчас работает
+игры и друзья переносятся, кошелёк складывается, дубликаты убираются). **Постоянному**
-(статистика суммируется, игры и друзья переносятся, дубликаты убираются), — кроме
+инициатору сначала показывают явное **необратимое** подтверждение — объединение двух
-случая, когда гость привязывает личность с уже существующим постоянным аккаунтом:
+настоящих аккаунтов важно. **Гостю** — нет: сохраняется постоянный аккаунт-владелец
-тогда сохраняется постоянный аккаунт, а игры гостя переходят в него. Слияние
+личности, а эфемерный гость (с его играми, кошельком и статистикой) ретайрится
-запрещено, только пока у аккаунтов есть общая незавершённая игра.
+**бесшовно**, так что со стороны игрока это просто вход в свой аккаунт (приложение
+переключается на него без запроса). Слияние запрещено, только пока у аккаунтов есть
+общая незавершённая игра; гостя тогда просят сперва доиграть эту общую партию.
 
 В профиле перечислены **способы входа** аккаунта. В вебе игрок может добавить
 Telegram (попап логин-виджета) или VK (веб-вход VK ID — редирект на страницу входа VK и

docs/UI_DESIGN.md

@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ dismisses as soon as the lobby is ready. The pure layout and timing live in `lib
 
 A one-time **coachmark overlay** introduces the interface to a new player. Like the splash it is an
 **App-level overlay**; it runs two independent series chosen by the route — **lobby** (⚙️ settings →
-✏️ stats → 🎲 new game) and **game** (scoreboard header → 🔄 pass/exchange → 🛟 hints → 🔀 shuffle →
+✏️ stats → 🎲 new game) and **game** (scoreboard header → 🔄 pass/exchange → ✨ hints → 🔀 shuffle →
 rack). It draws **one bubble at a time** over a light scrim (`rgba(0,0,0,0.32)`); the whole layer
 captures pointer events, so a **tap anywhere advances** and the UI underneath stays inert. After the
 last hint the series is recorded done (`session.ts` `onboarding` key) and the overlay removes itself;
@@ -284,7 +284,7 @@ e2e and the screenshots.
   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,
+  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. A **thin strip

gateway/internal/backendclient/api.go

@@ -312,11 +312,12 @@ func (c *Client) ChatAccessByUser(ctx context.Context, userID string) (ChatAcces
 }
 
 // GuestAuth provisions a guest account and mints a session, seeding its time zone
-// from browserTz (the client's detected "±HH:MM" UTC offset).
+// from browserTz (the client's detected "±HH:MM" UTC offset) and its interface
-func (c *Client) GuestAuth(ctx context.Context, browserTz, subtype string) (SessionResp, error) {
+// language from language (the client's detected locale; best-effort).
+func (c *Client) GuestAuth(ctx context.Context, browserTz, subtype, language string) (SessionResp, error) {
 	var out SessionResp
 	err := c.do(ctx, http.MethodPost, "/api/v1/internal/sessions/guest", "", "",
-		map[string]string{"browser_tz": browserTz, "subtype": subtype}, &out)
+		map[string]string{"browser_tz": browserTz, "subtype": subtype, "language": language}, &out)
 	return out, err
 }
 

gateway/internal/transcode/transcode.go

@@ -270,13 +270,14 @@ func authGuestHandler(backend *backendclient.Client) Handler {
 		// The guest bootstrap historically carried no payload; the detected zone is
 		// optional, so an absent or empty one simply yields no time-zone seed (rather
 		// than panicking in GetRootAs* on a zero-length buffer).
-		var browserTz, subtype string
+		var browserTz, subtype, locale string
 		if len(req.Payload) > 0 {
 			g := fb.GetRootAsGuestLoginRequest(req.Payload, 0)
 			browserTz = string(g.BrowserTz())
 			subtype = string(g.Subtype())
+			locale = string(g.Locale())
 		}
-		sess, err := backend.GuestAuth(ctx, browserTz, subtype)
+		sess, err := backend.GuestAuth(ctx, browserTz, subtype, locale)
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, err
 		}

ui/android/variables.gradle

@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 ext {
-    minSdkVersion = 24
+    minSdkVersion = 29
     compileSdkVersion = 36
     targetSdkVersion = 36
     androidxActivityVersion = '1.11.0'

ui/e2e/native.spec.ts

@@ -43,20 +43,22 @@ test.describe('native offline-first', () => {
     await page.goto('/');
     await expectOfflineGuestLobby(page);
 
-    // Play a local English vs_ai game with a pinned bag seed (deals the rack NEWYMAO). The dictionary
+    // Play a local Erudit vs_ai game with a pinned bag seed (deals the rack ОЖЬЯНАО). Erudit is the
-    // comes from the APK's bundled tier (./dict/scrabble_en@dev.dawg served from dist-e2e), so no
+    // only variant the profileless offline guest is offered (the new-account default), so the single
-    // network is needed — this is the device-local guest playing with zero connectivity.
+    // `.variant` click both selects it and asserts nothing else is on offer. The dictionary comes from
+    // the APK's bundled tier (./dict/ru_erudit@dev.dawg served from dist-e2e), so no network is needed
+    // — this is the device-local guest playing with zero connectivity.
     await page.evaluate(() => (window as unknown as { __mock: { setLocalSeed(s: string): void } }).__mock.setLocalSeed('1'));
     await page.locator('button.tab').nth(0).click();
-    await page.locator('.variant', { hasText: 'Scrabble' }).click();
+    await page.locator('.variant').click();
     await page.locator('button.invite').click();
     await expect(page.locator('[data-cell]').first()).toBeVisible();
 
-    // The human plays WAY horizontally across the centre (7,5)-(7,7); the local robot replies with a
+    // The human plays НОЖ horizontally across the centre (7,5)-(7,7); the local robot replies with a
-    // real move (which needs the bundled dictionary), so the board gains tiles beyond WAY's three.
+    // real move (which needs the bundled dictionary), so the board gains tiles beyond НОЖ's three.
-    await placeTile(page, 'W', 7, 5);
+    await placeTile(page, 'Н', 7, 5);
-    await placeTile(page, 'A', 7, 6);
+    await placeTile(page, 'О', 7, 6);
-    await placeTile(page, 'Y', 7, 7);
+    await placeTile(page, 'Ж', 7, 7);
     await expect(page.locator('[data-cell].pending')).toHaveCount(3);
     await page.locator('.make').click();
     await expect(async () => {
@@ -95,14 +97,16 @@ test.describe('native offline-first', () => {
     await expectOfflineGuestLobby(page);
 
     // New game -> the offline mode selector offers "with friends" (pass-and-play) to the local guest.
-    // A minimal create: set the mandatory host (master) PIN, decline a seat, English, two open seats.
+    // A minimal create: set the mandatory host (master) PIN. A guest host skips the "do you take a
+    // seat?" prompt (no name to seat) and goes straight to the two open seats, so pick the sole
+    // offered variant (Erudit — the profileless guest's default) right after the PIN.
     await page.locator('button.tab').nth(0).click();
     await page.getByRole('button', { name: /With friends|друзьями/i }).click();
     await page.locator('.hostpin .plink').click();
     await typePin(page, '9999');
     await typePin(page, '9999');
-    await page.getByRole('button', { name: /^(No|Нет)$/ }).click();
+    await expect(page.getByRole('button', { name: /^(No|Нет)$/ })).toHaveCount(0); // no seat prompt for a guest
-    await page.locator('.variant', { hasText: 'Scrabble' }).click();
+    await page.locator('.variant').click();
     await page.locator('.pname').nth(0).fill('Ann');
     await page.locator('.pname').nth(1).fill('Bob');
     await page.locator('button.invite').click();

ui/src/game/Game.svelte

@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
   import Rack from './Rack.svelte';
   import { gateway } from '../lib/gateway';
   import { gameSource, localSource, isLocalGameId } from '../lib/gamesource';
+  import { localGuestId } from '../lib/localguest';
   import { notePreviewLocal, notePreviewNetwork } from '../lib/localeval-metrics';
   import { navigate } from '../lib/router.svelte';
   import { app, handleError, showToast, markChatRead, seedChatUnread } from '../lib/app.svelte';
@@ -1442,21 +1443,29 @@
   // seatName renders a seat's name: "you" for the viewer, the localized "searching for
   // opponent" placeholder for an open game's still-empty seat (no account), otherwise the
   // display name.
+  // isMe reports whether a seat belongs to the viewer — matched against the server account id OR
+  // the device-local guest id, the same rule the lobby uses for "my games". A device-local game
+  // (vs_ai / hotseat) is seated under the local guest id when created offline, and its human seat
+  // must still read "You" after a merge switches the active account to a durable id; without the
+  // local-guest arm the seat matched neither and a vs_ai game showed BOTH seats as robots.
+  function isMe(accountId: string | undefined): boolean {
+    return !!accountId && (accountId === app.session?.userId || accountId === localGuestId());
+  }
+
   function seatName(s: { accountId: string; displayName: string } | undefined): string {
     if (!s) return '';
-    if (s.accountId === app.session?.userId) return t('common.you');
+    if (isMe(s.accountId)) return t('common.you');
     // An honest-AI game shows the robot opponent as 🤖, never its (pooled human-like) name.
     if (view?.game.vsAi) return '🤖';
     if (!s.accountId) return t('game.searchingForOpponent');
     return s.displayName;
   }
 
-  // turnLabel is the under-board status when it is not the viewer's turn: the opponent's name
+  // turnLabel is the under-board status when it is not the viewer's turn, for online PvP and
-  // once they have joined, or a generic "opponent's turn" while the seat is still empty (waiting).
+  // vs_ai (the hotseat branch of the turn strip shows the seat's own name instead): a generic
+  // "opponent's turn" rather than the opponent's name or the robot mark, so whose turn it is
+  // reads the same everywhere. The seat row below still names each player.
   function turnLabel(): string {
-    if (view?.game.vsAi) return '🤖';
-    const s = view?.game.seats[view?.game.toMove ?? -1];
-    if (s && s.accountId && s.accountId !== app.session?.userId) return s.displayName;
     return t('game.opponentsTurn');
   }
 
@@ -1736,7 +1745,7 @@
          idle gate while it is closed; tapping then only explains when it opens (doHint), and the lock
          lifts live at the unlock moment. -->
     <button class="tab" disabled={busy || !isMyTurn || !netReady} onclick={doHint}>
-      <span class="sq" data-coach="game-hints">🛟{#if hintGated}<span class="lock" aria-hidden="true">🔒</span>{/if}</span>
+      <span class="sq" data-coach="game-hints">✨{#if hintGated}<span class="lock" aria-hidden="true">🔒</span>{/if}</span>
       <span class="lbl">{t('game.hint')}</span>
     </button>
   {:else}
@@ -1746,7 +1755,7 @@
       disabled={busy || !isMyTurn || !netReady || hintCount <= 0}
       onconfirm={doHint}
     >
-      <span class="sq" data-coach="game-hints">🛟{#if hintCount > 0}<span class="badge">{hintCount}</span>{/if}</span>
+      <span class="sq" data-coach="game-hints">✨{#if hintCount > 0}<span class="badge">{hintCount}</span>{/if}</span>
       <span class="lbl">{t('game.hint')}</span>
     </TapConfirm>
   {/if}

ui/src/lib/app.svelte.ts

@@ -662,7 +662,18 @@ async function reconcileServerGuest(): Promise<void> {
  */
 export async function applyLinkResult(r: LinkResult): Promise<void> {
   if (r.session && r.session.token) {
+    // A guest initiator's merge switches the session to the surviving durable account. Its
+    // device-local games (vs_ai / hotseat) were seated under the retired account's id, so
+    // re-point them to the survivor: the lobby and the game header identify "me" by the active
+    // account, and without this the merged-away game shows every seat as an opponent (the
+    // in-game turn logic is seat-index based, so it still plays — the summary just misreads).
+    const retiredId = app.session?.userId;
     await adoptSession(r.session);
+    const survivorId = app.session?.userId;
+    if (retiredId && survivorId && retiredId !== survivorId) {
+      const { repointLocalGameSeats } = await import('./localgame/store');
+      await repointLocalGameSeats(retiredId, survivorId);
+    }
     return;
   }
   app.profile = await gateway.profileGet();
@@ -971,7 +982,11 @@ export async function bootstrap(): Promise<void> {
     // to online when the network returns. Web-only reaches here (the Mini-App branches returned above),
     // so isStandalone gates it.
     const cachedProfile = await loadProfile();
-    const canOffline = !!cachedProfile && !vkcb && isStandalone() && !!cachedProfile.email;
+    // A native app is offline-first, so a native launch — even a guest with no email — must fall back
+    // to the cached session's offline lobby rather than hang ~25 s on adoptSession's retrying profile
+    // fetch when the device is offline (e.g. airplane mode). Web keeps the installed-PWA + email gate.
+    const nativeChannel = clientChannel() === 'android' || clientChannel() === 'ios';
+    const canOffline = !vkcb && (nativeChannel || (!!cachedProfile && isStandalone() && !!cachedProfile.email));
     if (canOffline) {
       const interfaceOffline = typeof navigator !== 'undefined' && navigator.onLine === false;
       gateway.setToken(saved.token);

ui/src/lib/i18n/en.ts

@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ export const en = {
   'onboarding.lobbyNew': 'Practise against the AI', // 🎲
   'onboarding.gameHeader': 'Move history, chat and word check', // scoreboard strip
   'onboarding.gameTurn': 'Pass a turn, swap tiles', // 🔄
-  'onboarding.gameHints': 'Available hints', // 🛟
+  'onboarding.gameHints': 'Available hints', // ✨
   'onboarding.gameShuffle': 'Shuffle your tiles', // 🔀
   'onboarding.gameRack': 'Pick a tile and place it on the board', // rack
 
@@ -312,6 +312,7 @@ export const en = {
   'error.chat_rejected': 'Message rejected (too long or contains contact info).',
   'error.nudge_too_soon': "Please don't rush your opponent so often.",
   'error.chat_not_your_turn': 'You can chat only on your turn.',
+  'error.merge_active_game_conflict': 'You have an unfinished game with that account. Finish it, then sign in again.',
   'error.chat_already_sent': 'You can send only one message per turn.',
   'error.game_finished': 'This game is finished.',
   'error.not_a_player': 'You are not a player in this game.',

ui/src/lib/i18n/ru.ts

@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ export const ru: Record<MessageKey, string> = {
   'onboarding.lobbyNew': 'Потренируйтесь с ИИ', // 🎲
   'onboarding.gameHeader': 'История ходов, чат и проверка слова', // шапка над доской
   'onboarding.gameTurn': 'Пропуск хода, обмен фишек', // 🔄
-  'onboarding.gameHints': 'Доступные подсказки', // 🛟
+  'onboarding.gameHints': 'Доступные подсказки', // ✨
   'onboarding.gameShuffle': 'Встряхните фишки', // 🔀
   'onboarding.gameRack': 'Выбирайте фишку и ставьте на доску', // rack
 
@@ -312,6 +312,7 @@ export const ru: Record<MessageKey, string> = {
   'error.chat_rejected': 'Сообщение отклонено (слишком длинное или содержит контакты).',
   'error.nudge_too_soon': 'Не стоит торопить соперника так часто.',
   'error.chat_not_your_turn': 'Писать в чат можно только в свой ход.',
+  'error.merge_active_game_conflict': 'У вас есть незавершённая партия с этим аккаунтом. Доиграйте её и войдите снова.',
   'error.chat_already_sent': 'За один ход можно отправить только одно сообщение.',
   'error.game_finished': 'Эта игра уже завершена.',
   'error.not_a_player': 'Вы не участник этой игры.',

ui/src/lib/localgame/store.ts

@@ -81,6 +81,26 @@ export async function listLocalGames(): Promise<LocalGameRecord[]> {
   }
 }
 
+/** repointLocalGameSeats rewrites the account id on every stored game's seats from oldId to
+ *  newId. It is run when an account merge retires the account a device-local game was seated
+ *  under (a guest that logged into a durable account): the surviving account then owns the
+ *  games, so the lobby and the game header identify "me" again — without it the human seat no
+ *  longer matches the active account and the game shows every seat as an opponent. Best-effort;
+ *  the records read from IndexedDB are plain objects, so mutating and re-saving them is safe. */
+export async function repointLocalGameSeats(oldId: string, newId: string): Promise<void> {
+  if (!oldId || !newId || oldId === newId) return;
+  for (const g of await listLocalGames()) {
+    let touched = false;
+    for (const s of g.seats) {
+      if (s.accountId === oldId) {
+        s.accountId = newId;
+        touched = true;
+      }
+    }
+    if (touched) await saveLocalGame(g);
+  }
+}
+
 /** deleteLocalGame removes a game record, swallowing any failure (best-effort). */
 export async function deleteLocalGame(id: string): Promise<void> {
   const db = openDb();

ui/src/lib/netstate.svelte.ts

@@ -175,7 +175,10 @@ function applyEffect(effect: Effect): void {
  * poll immediately (the native reconcile) rather than after the first interval.
  */
 export function bootOffline(kickNow = false): void {
-  snap = { state: 'offlineNoNetwork', fails: 0, connectingSince: 0 };
+  // provisional: this offline is an assumption, not an observation — the first probe result confirms
+  // it (silent heal if reachable, so a first launch that had connectivity does not flash a spurious
+  // "back online" toast) or turns it into a real offline (see the reducer).
+  snap = { state: 'offlineNoNetwork', fails: 0, connectingSince: 0, provisional: true };
   arm(kickNow ? 0 : OFFLINE_POLL_MS);
 }
 

ui/src/lib/netstate.test.ts

@@ -248,3 +248,31 @@ describe('reduce — purity', () => {
     expect(prev).toEqual({ state: 'connecting', fails: 1, connectingSince: 5 });
   });
 });
+
+// A boot-assumed (provisional) offline — bootOffline sets this — heals SILENTLY on its first
+// successful probe (a first launch that actually had connectivity must not flash "back online"),
+// while a failed probe confirms it as a real offline whose later recovery does toast.
+describe('provisional (boot-assumed) offline', () => {
+  const bootOffline: NetSnapshot = { state: 'offlineNoNetwork', fails: 0, connectingSince: 0, provisional: true };
+
+  it('heals to online with NO toast when the first probe succeeds', () => {
+    const r = reduce(bootOffline, e('probeOk'), cfg);
+    expect(r.next.state).toBe('online');
+    expect(r.effects).toEqual([]); // no "back online" toast — it was never really offline
+  });
+
+  it('clears provisional on a failed probe, then toasts on the eventual recovery', () => {
+    const failed = reduce(bootOffline, e('probeFailed'), cfg);
+    expect(failed.next.state).toBe('offlineNoNetwork');
+    expect(failed.next.provisional).toBe(false);
+    expect(failed.effects).toEqual([]);
+    const healed = reduce(failed.next, e('probeOk'), cfg);
+    expect(healed.next.state).toBe('online');
+    expect(healed.effects).toEqual([{ kind: 'toast', toast: 'online' }]); // now a real recovery
+  });
+
+  it('a non-provisional (observed) offline still toasts on recovery', () => {
+    const r = reduce(offline, e('probeOk'), cfg);
+    expect(r.effects).toEqual([{ kind: 'toast', toast: 'online' }]);
+  });
+});

ui/src/lib/netstate.ts

@@ -74,6 +74,14 @@ export interface NetSnapshot {
    * it (0 while not `connecting`).
    */
   connectingSince: number;
+  /**
+   * provisional marks an `offlineNoNetwork` that was ASSUMED at boot (bootOffline), not observed from
+   * a real online→offline transition. The first probe confirms it: a success means we were reachable
+   * all along, so the machine heals to online SILENTLY (no "back online" toast — there was nothing to
+   * come back from); a failure clears the flag, turning it into a confirmed offline whose later
+   * recovery does toast. Absent/false in every non-boot snapshot.
+   */
+  provisional?: boolean;
 }
 
 /** NetInput is an event stamped with the wall-clock time it occurred at; only the debounce branch
@@ -198,13 +206,20 @@ export function reduce(prev: NetSnapshot, ev: NetInput, cfg: NetConfig): NetResu
       switch (ev.type) {
         case 'callOk':
         case 'probeOk':
-          // The probe (or a reconcile call) won — self-heal to online with a "back online" toast.
+          // The probe (or a reconcile call) won — heal to online. A boot-assumed (provisional) offline
-          return { next: onlineSnapshot(), effects: [{ kind: 'toast', toast: 'online' }] };
+          // that is reachable on its very first probe was never really offline, so heal SILENTLY; a
+          // confirmed offline gets the "back online" toast.
+          return { next: onlineSnapshot(), effects: prev.provisional ? [] : [{ kind: 'toast', toast: 'online' }] };
+        case 'callFailed':
+        case 'probeFailed':
+          // A failed probe confirms a boot-assumed offline as real (its eventual recovery will then
+          // toast); a non-provisional offline is unchanged.
+          return prev.provisional ? { next: { ...prev, provisional: false }, effects: [] } : { next: prev, effects: [] };
         case 'osOnline':
           // Trigger a probe; stay offline until it actually wins (a captive portal can report online).
           return { next: prev, effects: [{ kind: 'startProbe' }] };
         default:
-          // callFailed / probeFailed / osOffline (still offline), versionRecommended (no nudge): no-op.
+          // osOffline (still offline), versionRecommended (no nudge): no-op.
           return { next: prev, effects: [] };
       }
   }

ui/src/screens/NewGame.svelte

@@ -265,7 +265,10 @@
       case 'host-set':
         if (r.kind === 'set') {
           hostPin = r.lock;
-          askHostPlays = true;
+          // A guest host has no meaningful display name to seat, so the "do you take a seat?"
+          // prompt would only produce a nameless seat — skip it and go straight to the (empty)
+          // player seats. A durable host is still asked.
+          if (!guest) askHostPlays = true;
         }
         break;
       case 'host-change':