Merge pull request 'feat(engine): glass bar accessibility + drag duck-away' (#187) from feat/glass-bar-a11y into master

While a drag is committed the floating bar slides below the screen
edge (UiTransform translation - no layout dirtying, no fight with the
safe-area anchor over Node::bottom) so it never occludes a drop target
on the bottom tableau rows; it slides back on release. Same tween rate
as the label reveal, snaps under reduce-motion. Desktop docked bar is
untouched (no TabBarDuck component).

Co-Authored-By: Claude Fable 5 <noreply@anthropic.com>

.gitea/workflows/test.yml

@@ -2,6 +2,19 @@
 # locally, run on every master push and pull request. Until this workflow
 # existed, nothing in CI ran the test suite at all — a direct push to
 # master was entirely unguarded.
+#
+# Build caching (2026-07-13): the Gitea actions cache never restored on
+# this instance — every run back through run 597 logged "No cache found"
+# even for exact keys saved successfully ("Cache saved successfully") by
+# a run an hour earlier, including master→master restores. Until the
+# cache server on the runner host is fixed, Swatinem/rust-cache is pure
+# overhead here. `rust-host` is a HOST executor (its filesystem persists
+# between runs — ~/.cargo and the rustup toolchain already carry over),
+# so we get warm builds by pointing CARGO_TARGET_DIR at a persistent
+# path on the runner instead of tarring gigabytes through a cache API
+# that never returns them. Concurrent runs are safe: cargo serialises
+# on the target-dir lock.
+
 name: Test
 
 on:
@@ -28,8 +41,27 @@ on:
   workflow_dispatch:
 
 jobs:
+  # Seconds-long formatting gate in its own job so a rustfmt slip fails
+  # here instead of after a 35-minute cold build (run 600 spent its
+  # whole build budget to report an unformatted file).
+  fmt:
+    runs-on: rust-host
+    steps:
+      - name: Checkout
+        uses: actions/checkout@v4
+
+      - name: Install Rust 1.95.0
+        uses: dtolnay/rust-toolchain@master
+        with:
+          toolchain: 1.95.0
+          components: rustfmt
+
+      - name: Format check
+        run: cargo fmt --check
+
   test:
     runs-on: rust-host
+    needs: fmt
 
     # Full debuginfo made the solitaire_engine test-binary link peak past the
     # runner's memory — ld was OOM-killed (signal 9) on runs 447 and 486.
@@ -40,10 +72,19 @@ jobs:
     # test binaries concurrently; as the workspace grew (runs 514/516/519)
     # two+ simultaneous ld processes OOM-killed the runner again even at
     # line-tables-only. Two jobs keeps at most two links in flight — the
-    # compile-throughput cost is small next to the cache-warm build.
+    # compile-throughput cost is small next to the warm build.
+    #
+    # CARGO_INCREMENTAL=0: incremental artifacts bloat the persistent
+    # target dir for little benefit in CI (rust-cache used to set this
+    # for the same reason).
+    #
+    # CARGO_TARGET_DIR: persistent on the runner host — see the header
+    # comment. The prune step below keeps it from growing unbounded.
     env:
       CARGO_PROFILE_DEV_DEBUG: line-tables-only
       CARGO_BUILD_JOBS: '2'
+      CARGO_INCREMENTAL: '0'
+      CARGO_TARGET_DIR: /home/runner/.cache/ferrous-solitaire/target
 
     steps:
       - name: Checkout
@@ -53,10 +94,21 @@ jobs:
         uses: dtolnay/rust-toolchain@master
         with:
           toolchain: 1.95.0
-          components: clippy, rustfmt
+          components: clippy
 
-      - name: Cache cargo build
-        uses: Swatinem/rust-cache@v2
+      # Toolchain or lockfile bumps strand stale artifacts nothing will
+      # ever reuse; reset the dir when it crosses 40 GiB rather than
+      # curating it (a cold rebuild every few weeks is cheaper than the
+      # bookkeeping).
+      - name: Prune persistent target dir when oversized
+        run: |
+          limit_kb=$((40 * 1024 * 1024))
+          used_kb=$(du -sk "$CARGO_TARGET_DIR" 2>/dev/null | cut -f1 || echo 0)
+          echo "persistent target dir: $((used_kb / 1024)) MiB (limit $((limit_kb / 1024)) MiB)"
+          if [ "${used_kb:-0}" -gt "$limit_kb" ]; then
+            echo "over limit — clearing for a fresh cold build"
+            rm -rf "$CARGO_TARGET_DIR"
+          fi
 
       # Native link deps for the Bevy crates (engine/app/web) on a bare
       # ubuntu runner: ALSA + udev for input/audio, X11 + Wayland for winit.
@@ -67,9 +119,6 @@ jobs:
             libasound2-dev libudev-dev pkg-config libx11-dev libxcursor-dev \
             libxrandr-dev libxi-dev libwayland-dev libxkbcommon-dev
 
-      - name: Format check
-        run: cargo fmt --check
-
       # SQLX_OFFLINE uses the checked-in `.sqlx/` query cache (no live DB),
       # same as the web-e2e workflow's server prebuild.
       - name: Clippy (deny warnings)

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -6,6 +6,122 @@ project follows [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/).
 
 ## [Unreleased]
 
+## [0.48.0] — 2026-07-15
+
+### Changed
+
+- **Floating glass tab bar** (touch). The bottom action bar is now a
+  floating translucent pill — Undo, Draw, Hint, and Pause — with a
+  separate round Menu button beside it, hovering above the bottom edge
+  instead of docking to it. Draw stays expanded as the highlighted
+  action; the other buttons reveal their label while held (instantly,
+  with reduce-motion on). Same actions, same behaviour — new clothes.
+  (#186)
+- **Consistent empty, loading, and error screens.** The theme store,
+  leaderboard, and replay list now share one visual language for
+  "nothing here yet", "still loading", and "something went wrong" —
+  each with a next step instead of a dead end. (#184)
+
+### Fixed
+
+- **Hotkeys during drags.** Pressing Undo, New Game, Draw, or a mode
+  key mid-drag no longer fights the card you're holding — game-mutating
+  hotkeys are ignored until the card is dropped. (#185)
+
+## [0.47.0] — 2026-07-13
+
+### Added
+
+- **"What's new" on update.** The first launch after an update shows a
+  one-time card summarising what changed — like this one, right now.
+  Dismiss it and it never repeats; fresh installs never see it. (#180)
+- **Situational tips.** Two one-time teaches that fire from play, not a
+  tour: staring at a stuck board for a while points you at Hint, and an
+  engaged game quietly mentions the long-press quick-action menu —
+  unless you've already found it yourself. (#181)
+- **UI scale.** Settings → Accessibility now has a UI Scale control
+  (90% / 100% / 115% / 130%) that resizes every menu, button, and HUD
+  element live. The table always fits your screen regardless. (#182)
+- **Hold `/` for shortcuts** (desktop). A reference card of every
+  keyboard binding appears while `/` is held. The onboarding tour and
+  this card now share one binding table, so they can never disagree —
+  the tour's copy had drifted from reality. (#183)
+
+## [0.46.0] — 2026-07-13
+
+### Added
+
+- **Theme-store previews.** The store modal now shows each theme's
+  preview image next to its name — the server has advertised them since
+  the store launched; the client finally fetches them. Thumbnails load
+  in the background, pop in as they arrive, and are remembered for the
+  session. (#179)
+- **Hint ghost preview.** Asking for a hint now also plays a translucent
+  copy of the suggested card gliding to its destination (twice, then it
+  fades) alongside the usual highlights — you see the move, not just the
+  pieces. Automatically disabled when reduce-motion is on. (#179)
+
+### Changed
+
+- **One toast style, one place.** Queued info banners and instant
+  celebration/warning/error toasts now share a single bottom-anchored
+  stack that clears the touch action bar; simultaneous toasts stack
+  upward instead of overlapping. (#178)
+
+### Fixed
+
+- **Touch onboarding copy.** The how-to-play slide no longer tells touch
+  players to left/right-click; it now describes drag, double-tap, and
+  the bottom-bar Hint button. (#178)
+- **First launch shows one screen at a time.** On a fresh install the
+  Home screen no longer spawns underneath the welcome tour; the order is
+  now onboarding → Home → table. (#178)
+
+## [0.45.0] — 2026-07-13
+
+### Added
+
+- **Thumb-reach action bar on touch (menu redesign Phase F).** The bottom
+  bar slims to five buttons: an enlarged **Undo · Draw · Hint** trio
+  (96×64 px targets) between compact Menu and Pause. **Draw is new** — it
+  draws from the stock exactly like tapping the deck, without the reach to
+  the top of a tall folded screen. Help, Modes, and New Game moved off the
+  touch bar (Menu → System, the Home grid, and Home's hero button cover
+  them). Desktop keeps its seven-button bar unchanged.
+- **Hold-to-repeat Undo.** Press and hold Undo to step back repeatedly
+  (~5.5 undos/s after a short delay) instead of tap-tap-tap. Every step
+  goes through the normal undo path, so scoring penalties apply as usual.
+
+## [0.44.0] — 2026-07-13
+
+### Added
+
+- **Home is now a real home (menu redesign Phase B).** The mode picker became
+  a hierarchy: a **Continue** card (mode · elapsed · score) appears while a
+  game is in progress and returns to the table; a hero **New Game** button
+  replays your last mode with the current deal options in one tap; deal
+  options (draw 1/3, a new **winnable-only** toggle, difficulty tiers) moved
+  into a disclosure under the hero; the six modes sit in a compact symmetric
+  2×3 grid with descriptions on wide screens; and the stats strip moved to
+  the bottom. Wide viewports (desktop, unfolded foldables) get a two-pane
+  layout — launch surfaces left, Continue/daily/stats right. Cancel is now
+  **Back to table** and only appears while a live game exists. (#175)
+
+### Fixed
+
+- **Save files are self-contained (schema v6).** Like replays in 0.43.3, a
+  saved game now stores the dealt board via the upstream session serializers
+  instead of re-dealing from the seed on load; v4/v5 saves still load through
+  the legacy path and rewrite as v6 on next save. (#171)
+
+### Internal
+
+- **CI is ~9× faster.** Root-caused why the actions cache never restored on
+  the host-executor runner (per-run workdir paths poisoned the cache version
+  hash); the test workflow now uses a persistent on-runner target dir, and a
+  seconds-long `fmt` gate fails formatting mistakes before the build. Warm
+  full-gate runs: 4m29s, down from ~40 min. (#176)
+
 ## [0.43.3] — 2026-07-10
 
 ### Fixed

docs/ui-redesign-2026-07.md

@@ -1,7 +1,9 @@
 # Menu UX Redesign — July 2026
 
-Status: PLANNING. Visual identity (Terminal / base16-eighties) is settled and
-out of scope — this is about **structure and interaction**, not colors or type.
+Status: IN PROGRESS. A / E / C / G shipped in v0.43.0; B implemented on
+`feat/home-hierarchy` (2026-07-13); F / H and the I–M backlog remain open.
+Visual identity (Terminal / base16-eighties) is settled and out of
+scope — this is about **structure and interaction**, not colors or type.
 
 ## Diagnosis (from code survey, 2026-07-07)
 
@@ -197,8 +199,13 @@ slimming), then **B**, then **F/G/H** as independent follow-ups.
 ## Open decisions
 
 1. ~~Settings: tabs vs. sub-pages~~ — **DECIDED 2026-07-07: tabs.**
-2. Deal options: disclosure on Classic card (proposed) vs. keep global row?
-3. Time Attack + Seed: top-level cards (proposed, grid stays symmetric) vs.
-   tucked under a "More" card?
-4. Stitch mockups for Phase B, or iterate directly in-engine?
-5. Phase F bottom bar: touch-only (proposed) or also desktop?
+2. ~~Deal options: disclosure on Classic card vs. keep global row~~ —
+   **DECIDED 2026-07-09: disclosure on the Classic card / New Game hero.**
+3. ~~Time Attack + Seed: top-level cards vs. "More" card~~ —
+   **DECIDED 2026-07-09: top-level cards, symmetric 2×3 grid.**
+4. ~~Stitch mockups for Phase B, or iterate directly in-engine~~ —
+   **DECIDED 2026-07-09: directly in-engine.**
+5. ~~Phase F bottom bar: touch-only vs. also desktop~~ —
+   **DECIDED 2026-07-13: touch-only.** Desktop keeps the current top
+   band; the bar is additive per §3.3 so a later desktop rollout stays
+   a settings flag away.

solitaire_data/src/settings.rs

@@ -9,7 +9,10 @@ use std::io;
 use std::path::{Path, PathBuf};
 
 use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
-use solitaire_core::{DrawStockConfig, game_state::DifficultyLevel};
+use solitaire_core::{
+    DrawStockConfig,
+    game_state::{DifficultyLevel, GameMode},
+};
 
 const SETTINGS_FILE_NAME: &str = "settings.json";
 
@@ -151,6 +154,14 @@ pub struct Settings {
     /// `#[serde(default)]`.
     #[serde(default)]
     pub reduce_motion_mode: bool,
+    /// When `true`, replaces translucent "glass" chrome (the floating
+    /// touch tab bar) with opaque fills so table content behind it can
+    /// never reduce label/icon contrast. The accessibility counterpart
+    /// of iOS "Reduce Transparency". Older `settings.json` files written
+    /// before this field existed deserialize cleanly to `false` thanks
+    /// to `#[serde(default)]`.
+    #[serde(default)]
+    pub reduce_transparency_mode: bool,
     /// Window size and screen position to restore on next launch. `None`
     /// means "use platform defaults" — set on first run, then populated
     /// as the player resizes / moves the window. Older `settings.json`
@@ -248,6 +259,38 @@ pub struct Settings {
     /// cleanly to `None` via `#[serde(default)]`.
     #[serde(default)]
     pub last_difficulty: Option<DifficultyLevel>,
+    /// Mode of the last game the player launched from the home overlay.
+    /// The home hero "New Game" button replays this mode with one tap.
+    /// Older `settings.json` files written before this field existed
+    /// deserialize cleanly to `GameMode::Classic` via `#[serde(default)]`.
+    #[serde(default)]
+    pub last_mode: GameMode,
+    /// The release version whose "What's new" card the player has already
+    /// seen (e.g. `"0.46.0"`). Empty on installs that predate the card,
+    /// which correctly reads as "there is news to show" after an upgrade;
+    /// fresh installs stamp it silently when onboarding completes. Older
+    /// `settings.json` files deserialize cleanly to `""` via
+    /// `#[serde(default)]`.
+    #[serde(default)]
+    pub last_seen_whats_new: String,
+    /// `true` once the one-shot "Stuck? Try a hint" contextual tip has
+    /// fired (or been suppressed as unnecessary). Phase I teach: fired
+    /// by the situation, shown once, like `shown_achievement_onboarding`.
+    #[serde(default)]
+    pub shown_stall_hint_tip: bool,
+    /// `true` once the one-shot radial-menu contextual tip has fired —
+    /// or the player has already opened the radial menu on their own,
+    /// which marks the tip as unnecessary without showing it.
+    #[serde(default)]
+    pub shown_radial_menu_tip: bool,
+    /// Global UI scale multiplier applied to all UI chrome (HUD, modals,
+    /// action bar) — the table itself stays window-fit via
+    /// `compute_layout`. Cycles through 0.9 / 1.0 / 1.15 / 1.3 in
+    /// Settings → Accessibility; clamped to `[UI_SCALE_MIN,
+    /// UI_SCALE_MAX]` by [`Settings::sanitized`]. Older `settings.json`
+    /// files deserialize cleanly to `1.0` via the serde default.
+    #[serde(default = "default_ui_scale")]
+    pub ui_scale: f32,
     /// Custom public name displayed on the leaderboard. When `None`, the
     /// player's server `username` is used instead. Trimmed to 32 characters
     /// before submission. Older `settings.json` files written before this
@@ -356,6 +399,16 @@ fn default_replay_move_interval_secs() -> f32 {
     0.45
 }
 
+/// Lowest / highest UI scale the settings row offers; anything outside
+/// (hand-edited settings.json) clamps here on load.
+pub const UI_SCALE_MIN: f32 = 0.9;
+/// See [`UI_SCALE_MIN`].
+pub const UI_SCALE_MAX: f32 = 1.3;
+
+fn default_ui_scale() -> f32 {
+    1.0
+}
+
 fn default_matomo_site_id() -> u32 {
     1
 }
@@ -406,6 +459,7 @@ impl Default for Settings {
             color_blind_mode: false,
             high_contrast_mode: false,
             reduce_motion_mode: false,
+            reduce_transparency_mode: false,
             window_geometry: None,
             selected_theme_id: default_theme_id(),
             shown_achievement_onboarding: false,
@@ -415,6 +469,11 @@ impl Default for Settings {
             disable_smart_default_size: false,
             replay_move_interval_secs: default_replay_move_interval_secs(),
             last_difficulty: None,
+            last_mode: GameMode::Classic,
+            last_seen_whats_new: String::new(),
+            shown_stall_hint_tip: false,
+            shown_radial_menu_tip: false,
+            ui_scale: default_ui_scale(),
             leaderboard_display_name: None,
             leaderboard_opted_in: false,
             take_from_foundation: true,
@@ -450,6 +509,7 @@ impl Settings {
             replay_move_interval_secs: self
                 .replay_move_interval_secs
                 .clamp(REPLAY_MOVE_INTERVAL_MIN_SECS, REPLAY_MOVE_INTERVAL_MAX_SECS),
+            ui_scale: self.ui_scale.clamp(UI_SCALE_MIN, UI_SCALE_MAX),
             selected_theme_id,
             ..self
         }

solitaire_data/src/theme_store_client.rs

@@ -19,6 +19,10 @@ use thiserror::Error;
 /// so downloading it is pure waste.
 pub const MAX_THEME_DOWNLOAD_BYTES: u64 = 20 * 1024 * 1024;
 
+/// Hard cap on a preview PNG download — previews are small decorative
+/// thumbnails; anything past this is a misconfigured server.
+pub const MAX_PREVIEW_BYTES: u64 = 512 * 1024;
+
 /// Errors surfaced by [`ThemeStoreClient`].
 #[derive(Debug, Error)]
 pub enum ThemeStoreError {
@@ -110,6 +114,42 @@ impl ThemeStoreClient {
         verify_archive(&bytes, entry)?;
         Ok(bytes.to_vec())
     }
+
+    /// Fetch the preview PNG the catalog advertises for `entry`.
+    ///
+    /// Returns `Http(404)` when the entry carries no `preview_url` —
+    /// the same shape the server answers with when the file is absent,
+    /// so callers only handle one "no preview" case. Previews are
+    /// decorative; unlike archives they carry no checksum, only the
+    /// [`MAX_PREVIEW_BYTES`] size cap.
+    pub async fn fetch_preview(
+        &self,
+        entry: &ThemeCatalogEntry,
+    ) -> Result<Vec<u8>, ThemeStoreError> {
+        let Some(path) = entry.preview_url.as_deref() else {
+            return Err(ThemeStoreError::Http(404));
+        };
+        let resp = self
+            .client
+            .get(format!("{}{}", self.base_url, path))
+            .send()
+            .await
+            .map_err(|e| ThemeStoreError::Network(e.to_string()))?;
+        if !resp.status().is_success() {
+            return Err(ThemeStoreError::Http(resp.status().as_u16()));
+        }
+        let bytes = resp
+            .bytes()
+            .await
+            .map_err(|e| ThemeStoreError::Network(e.to_string()))?;
+        if bytes.len() as u64 > MAX_PREVIEW_BYTES {
+            return Err(ThemeStoreError::Oversized {
+                expected: MAX_PREVIEW_BYTES,
+                got: bytes.len() as u64,
+            });
+        }
+        Ok(bytes.to_vec())
+    }
 }
 
 /// Checks downloaded `bytes` against the catalog `entry`'s declared

solitaire_engine/src/animation_plugin.rs

@@ -29,7 +29,9 @@ use crate::events::{
 use crate::game_plugin::GameMutation;
 use crate::layout::LayoutResource;
 use crate::pause_plugin::PausedResource;
+use crate::platform::USE_TOUCH_UI_LAYOUT;
 use crate::progress_plugin::LevelUpEvent;
+use crate::safe_area::SafeAreaAnchoredBottom;
 use crate::settings_plugin::{SettingsChangedEvent, SettingsResource};
 use crate::time_attack_plugin::TimeAttackEndedEvent;
 use crate::ui_theme::{
@@ -160,6 +162,71 @@ pub struct ActiveToast {
 /// Duration of each queued info-toast in seconds.
 const QUEUED_TOAST_SECS: f32 = 2.5;
 
+/// Marker on the persistent bottom-anchored flex column every toast
+/// spawns into (Phase H). Stacking through one container gives queued
+/// and immediate toasts a single shared anchor — simultaneous toasts
+/// stack upward instead of relying on the old staggered-percentage
+/// anchors to dodge each other.
+#[derive(Component, Debug)]
+pub struct ToastStackRoot;
+
+/// Marker on every toast card node (both paths). Freshly spawned toasts
+/// start `Visibility::Hidden` and unparented; [`adopt_toasts_into_stack`]
+/// re-parents them under [`ToastStackRoot`] and reveals them — one frame
+/// of latency, imperceptible at toast timescales, in exchange for the 14
+/// toast handlers keeping their `Commands`-only signatures.
+#[derive(Component, Debug)]
+pub struct ToastNode;
+
+/// Logical-pixel gap between the screen bottom and the toast stack,
+/// before safe-area insets. Clears the floating glass tab bar on touch
+/// (its margin + height + breathing room); desktop's docked bar needs less.
+const TOAST_STACK_BASE_BOTTOM_PX: f32 = if USE_TOUCH_UI_LAYOUT {
+    crate::hud_plugin::tab_bar::TAB_BAR_CLEARANCE_PX
+} else {
+    72.0
+};
+
+/// Spawns the persistent [`ToastStackRoot`] container at startup.
+fn spawn_toast_stack_root(mut commands: Commands) {
+    commands.spawn((
+        ToastStackRoot,
+        Node {
+            position_type: PositionType::Absolute,
+            bottom: Val::Px(TOAST_STACK_BASE_BOTTOM_PX),
+            left: Val::Px(0.0),
+            width: Val::Percent(100.0),
+            // Newest toast sits nearest the bottom edge; older ones
+            // push upward.
+            flex_direction: FlexDirection::ColumnReverse,
+            align_items: AlignItems::Center,
+            row_gap: VAL_SPACE_2,
+            ..default()
+        },
+        SafeAreaAnchoredBottom {
+            base_bottom: TOAST_STACK_BASE_BOTTOM_PX,
+        },
+        ZIndex(Z_TOAST),
+    ));
+}
+
+/// Re-parents freshly spawned [`ToastNode`]s under the stack root and
+/// reveals them. No-op when every toast is already adopted.
+fn adopt_toasts_into_stack(
+    mut commands: Commands,
+    orphans: Query<Entity, (With<ToastNode>, Without<ChildOf>)>,
+    root: Query<Entity, With<ToastStackRoot>>,
+) {
+    let Ok(root) = root.single() else {
+        return;
+    };
+    for toast in &orphans {
+        commands
+            .entity(toast)
+            .insert((ChildOf(root), Visibility::Inherited));
+    }
+}
+
 /// Drives all linear card animations (`CardAnim`), toast notifications, deal stagger, win cascade, and the auto-complete card-slide sequence.
 pub struct AnimationPlugin;
 
@@ -185,7 +252,7 @@ impl Plugin for AnimationPlugin {
             .init_resource::<EffectiveSlideDuration>()
             .init_resource::<ToastQueue>()
             .init_resource::<ActiveToast>()
-            .add_systems(Startup, init_slide_duration)
+            .add_systems(Startup, (init_slide_duration, spawn_toast_stack_root))
             .add_systems(
                 Update,
                 (
@@ -206,6 +273,7 @@ impl Plugin for AnimationPlugin {
                     handle_warning_toast,
                     tick_toasts,
                     (enqueue_toasts, drive_toast_display).chain(),
+                    adopt_toasts_into_stack,
                 )
                     .after(GameMutation),
             );
@@ -637,26 +705,14 @@ impl ToastVariant {
     }
 }
 
-/// Spawns a bottom-anchored `ToastEntity` for the queued toast system.
+/// Spawns a `ToastEntity` for the queued toast system.
 ///
 /// Queued toasts always carry [`ToastVariant::Info`] — the queue is fed
 /// by [`InfoToastEvent`] which is by definition neutral system info.
 /// Variants other than `Info` belong on the immediate-fire path
 /// ([`spawn_toast`]) where the call site knows the semantic intent.
 fn spawn_queued_toast(commands: &mut Commands, message: String) -> Entity {
-    spawn_toast_node(
-        commands,
-        ToastEntity,
-        message,
-        ToastVariant::Info,
-        // Slightly taller anchor than the immediate-fire path so a
-        // queued info banner doesn't collide with a celebration toast
-        // fired in the same frame.
-        Val::Percent(6.0),
-        Val::Percent(15.0),
-        Val::Percent(70.0),
-        UiRect::axes(VAL_SPACE_4, VAL_SPACE_2),
-    )
+    spawn_toast_node(commands, ToastEntity, message, ToastVariant::Info)
 }
 
 fn handle_xp_awarded_toast(mut commands: Commands, mut events: MessageReader<XpAwardedEvent>) {
@@ -744,12 +800,6 @@ fn spawn_toast(
         (ToastOverlay, ToastTimer(duration_secs)),
         message,
         variant,
-        // Sits above the queued banner so a celebration toast spawned
-        // alongside a queued info message remains readable.
-        Val::Percent(14.0),
-        Val::Percent(25.0),
-        Val::Percent(50.0),
-        UiRect::axes(VAL_SPACE_4, VAL_SPACE_3),
     );
 }
 
@@ -766,31 +816,25 @@ fn spawn_toast(
 ///   rungs; 18 is the closest rung that preserves the scale invariants
 ///   tested in `ui_theme::tests`.
 /// - [`RADIUS_MD`] corners.
-/// - Bottom-anchored absolute position; `bottom_pct` differs between
-///   queued and immediate paths so they layer instead of overlap.
-// The 8-argument signature is intentional — these are the per-toast
-// layout values that genuinely differ between the queued and fire-and-
-// forget call sites. A struct wrapper would just rename the same data.
-#[allow(clippy::too_many_arguments)]
+///
+/// Layout is owned by [`ToastStackRoot`] (Phase H): the node spawns
+/// hidden and unpositioned, and [`adopt_toasts_into_stack`] slots it
+/// into the shared bottom-anchored column — one anchor for every toast,
+/// simultaneous toasts stack instead of overlapping.
 fn spawn_toast_node<B: Bundle>(
     commands: &mut Commands,
     bundle: B,
     message: String,
     variant: ToastVariant,
-    bottom_pct: Val,
-    left_pct: Val,
-    width_pct: Val,
-    padding: UiRect,
 ) -> Entity {
     commands
         .spawn((
             bundle,
+            ToastNode,
+            Visibility::Hidden,
             Node {
-                position_type: PositionType::Absolute,
-                left: left_pct,
-                bottom: bottom_pct,
-                width: width_pct,
-                padding,
+                max_width: Val::Percent(70.0),
+                padding: UiRect::axes(VAL_SPACE_4, VAL_SPACE_3),
                 justify_content: JustifyContent::Center,
                 align_items: AlignItems::Center,
                 border: UiRect::all(Val::Px(1.0)),
@@ -799,7 +843,6 @@ fn spawn_toast_node<B: Bundle>(
             },
             BackgroundColor(BG_ELEVATED),
             BorderColor::all(variant.border_color()),
-            ZIndex(Z_TOAST),
         ))
         .with_children(|b| {
             b.spawn((
@@ -1315,4 +1358,85 @@ mod tests {
     fn cascade_duration_instant_is_zero() {
         assert_eq!(cascade_duration_secs(AnimSpeed::Instant), 0.0);
     }
+
+    // -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+    // Phase H: unified toast stack
+    // -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+    /// Both toast paths must end up as visible children of the single
+    /// [`ToastStackRoot`] — the Phase H "one anchor" contract.
+    #[test]
+    fn queued_and_immediate_toasts_stack_under_one_root() {
+        let mut app = App::new();
+        app.add_plugins(MinimalPlugins).add_plugins(AnimationPlugin);
+        app.update(); // Startup: spawns the stack root.
+
+        // One immediate (error) toast + one queued (info) toast in the
+        // same frame — the exact collision case the old staggered
+        // anchors existed to dodge.
+        use solitaire_core::{KlondikePile, Tableau};
+        app.world_mut().write_message(MoveRejectedEvent {
+            from: KlondikePile::Tableau(Tableau::Tableau1),
+            to: KlondikePile::Tableau(Tableau::Tableau2),
+            count: 1,
+        });
+        app.world_mut()
+            .write_message(InfoToastEvent("stacked info".to_string()));
+        app.update(); // handlers spawn both toasts (hidden, unparented)
+        app.update(); // adopt_toasts_into_stack re-parents + reveals
+
+        let root = app
+            .world_mut()
+            .query_filtered::<Entity, With<ToastStackRoot>>()
+            .single(app.world())
+            .expect("exactly one ToastStackRoot must exist");
+
+        let toasts: Vec<(Entity, &ChildOf, &Visibility)> = app
+            .world_mut()
+            .query_filtered::<(Entity, &ChildOf, &Visibility), With<ToastNode>>()
+            .iter(app.world())
+            .collect();
+        assert_eq!(
+            toasts.len(),
+            2,
+            "both the immediate and the queued toast must be adopted"
+        );
+        for (entity, child_of, visibility) in toasts {
+            assert_eq!(
+                child_of.parent(),
+                root,
+                "toast {entity} must be a child of the shared stack root"
+            );
+            assert_eq!(
+                *visibility,
+                Visibility::Inherited,
+                "adopted toast {entity} must be revealed"
+            );
+        }
+    }
+
+    /// Toast nodes must not carry their own absolute positioning — the
+    /// stack root owns layout (regression guard against reintroducing
+    /// per-path anchors).
+    #[test]
+    fn toast_nodes_have_no_absolute_position() {
+        let mut app = App::new();
+        app.add_plugins(MinimalPlugins).add_plugins(AnimationPlugin);
+        app.update();
+
+        app.world_mut()
+            .write_message(WarningToastEvent("layout check".to_string()));
+        app.update();
+
+        let node = app
+            .world_mut()
+            .query_filtered::<&Node, With<ToastNode>>()
+            .single(app.world())
+            .expect("warning toast must spawn a ToastNode");
+        assert_eq!(
+            node.position_type,
+            PositionType::Relative,
+            "toast nodes are flex children of the stack, not absolute overlays"
+        );
+    }
 }

solitaire_engine/src/assets/hud_icon_svg.rs

@@ -0,0 +1,127 @@
+//! SVG builders for the floating tab bar's action icons.
+//!
+//! The touch tab bar (`hud_plugin::tab_bar`) is icon-first, but the bundled
+//! FiraMono face has no icon glyphs (and the Geometric Shapes block U+25xx
+//! is missing on Android entirely), so the icons are authored here as tiny
+//! stroke-based SVGs and rasterised through the same `usvg`/`resvg` pipeline
+//! as the card themes (`assets::rasterize_svg`).
+//!
+//! Icons are drawn in **white** on a transparent background inside a
+//! 24-unit logical box; the spawn site tints them to the theme colour via
+//! `ImageNode::color` (a per-node multiply), so one texture serves every
+//! button state.
+
+use bevy::image::Image;
+use bevy::math::UVec2;
+
+use super::svg_loader::{SvgLoaderError, rasterize_svg};
+
+/// Rasterisation size for one tab-bar icon texture. Icons display at
+/// 24 logical px; 96 px texels keep them crisp at the Fold's 1.2 scale
+/// factor (and any future 3× phone) while staying trivially small.
+pub const HUD_ICON_TEXTURE_PX: u32 = 96;
+
+/// The five actions the floating touch tab bar can show.
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, Copy, PartialEq, Eq)]
+pub enum HudIcon {
+    /// Counter-clockwise "take back" arrow.
+    Undo,
+    /// Two offset card outlines — draw from the stock.
+    Draw,
+    /// Lightbulb — highlight a suggested move.
+    Hint,
+    /// Two vertical bars.
+    Pause,
+    /// Three-line hamburger — the floating menu button.
+    Menu,
+}
+
+impl HudIcon {
+    /// Build the icon's SVG document. All icons share one visual language:
+    /// 2-unit white strokes, round caps, transparent fill, 24-unit box.
+    pub fn svg(self) -> String {
+        let body = match self {
+            // Arrow head pointing left into a half-circle sweeping back
+            // over the top — the conventional undo mark.
+            HudIcon::Undo => concat!(
+                r##"<path d="M 8 5 L 4 9 L 8 13"/>"##,
+                r##"<path d="M 4 9 H 14 A 5.5 5.5 0 0 1 14 20 H 8"/>"##,
+            ),
+            // Back card peeks out behind the front card; the front card is
+            // drawn second so its stroke reads on top.
+            HudIcon::Draw => concat!(
+                r##"<rect x="8.5" y="3" width="11" height="15" rx="2"/>"##,
+                r##"<rect x="4" y="6.5" width="11" height="15" rx="2"/>"##,
+            ),
+            // Bulb dome with a flat lamp base beneath.
+            HudIcon::Hint => concat!(
+                r##"<path d="M 9 15.5 A 6.5 6.5 0 1 1 15 15.5 V 18 H 9 Z"/>"##,
+                r##"<path d="M 10 21 H 14"/>"##,
+            ),
+            HudIcon::Pause => concat!(
+                r##"<path d="M 9 6 V 18"/>"##,
+                r##"<path d="M 15 6 V 18"/>"##,
+            ),
+            HudIcon::Menu => concat!(
+                r##"<path d="M 4 6.5 H 20"/>"##,
+                r##"<path d="M 4 12 H 20"/>"##,
+                r##"<path d="M 4 17.5 H 20"/>"##,
+            ),
+        };
+        format!(
+            concat!(
+                r##"<svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="24" height="24" viewBox="0 0 24 24">"##,
+                r##"<g fill="none" stroke="#ffffff" stroke-width="2" "##,
+                r##"stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round">{body}</g>"##,
+                r##"</svg>"##,
+            ),
+            body = body
+        )
+    }
+
+    /// Rasterise this icon into a Bevy [`Image`] at
+    /// [`HUD_ICON_TEXTURE_PX`] square.
+    pub fn rasterize(self) -> Result<Image, SvgLoaderError> {
+        rasterize_svg(self.svg().as_bytes(), UVec2::splat(HUD_ICON_TEXTURE_PX))
+    }
+}
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod tests {
+    use super::*;
+
+    const ALL: [HudIcon; 5] = [
+        HudIcon::Undo,
+        HudIcon::Draw,
+        HudIcon::Hint,
+        HudIcon::Pause,
+        HudIcon::Menu,
+    ];
+
+    /// Every icon must survive the real usvg/resvg pipeline at the real
+    /// texture size — a malformed path here would otherwise only surface
+    /// as a blank button on device.
+    #[test]
+    fn every_icon_rasterizes_at_texture_size() {
+        for icon in ALL {
+            let img = icon.rasterize().expect("icon SVG must rasterise");
+            assert_eq!(img.width(), HUD_ICON_TEXTURE_PX, "{icon:?} width");
+            assert_eq!(img.height(), HUD_ICON_TEXTURE_PX, "{icon:?} height");
+        }
+    }
+
+    /// Rasterised icons must contain visible (non-transparent) pixels —
+    /// guards against a stroke accidentally drawn outside the viewBox.
+    #[test]
+    fn every_icon_has_visible_pixels() {
+        for icon in ALL {
+            let img = icon.rasterize().expect("icon SVG must rasterise");
+            let data = img.data.as_ref().expect("rasterised image has data");
+            let opaque = data.chunks_exact(4).filter(|px| px[3] > 0).count();
+            assert!(
+                opaque > 100,
+                "{icon:?} renders only {opaque} visible pixels"
+            );
+        }
+    }
+}

solitaire_engine/src/assets/mod.rs

@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 //! custom `AssetSource` implementations used by the theme system.
 
 pub mod card_face_svg;
+pub mod hud_icon_svg;
 pub mod icon_svg;
 pub mod sources;
 pub mod svg_loader;

solitaire_engine/src/cheat_sheet_plugin.rs

@@ -0,0 +1,194 @@
+//! Hold-`/` hotkey cheat sheet (Phase J).
+//!
+//! While `/` is held on a keyboard platform, a lightweight overlay
+//! lists every binding from [`crate::hotkeys::HOTKEYS`] — the same
+//! table the onboarding slide teaches from, so the two can never
+//! disagree. Releasing the key hides it instantly; it never captures
+//! input, never pauses the game, and never spawns while a modal owns
+//! the screen (which also keeps it out of the seed-entry text field's
+//! way).
+//!
+//! Not a `spawn_modal` modal on purpose: modals are sticky and guarded;
+//! this is a momentary reference card, closer to a tooltip than a
+//! dialog.
+
+use bevy::input::ButtonInput;
+use bevy::prelude::*;
+
+use crate::font_plugin::FontResource;
+use crate::hotkeys::HOTKEYS;
+use crate::platform::SHOW_KEYBOARD_ACCELERATORS;
+use crate::ui_modal::ModalScrim;
+use crate::ui_theme::{
+    ACCENT_PRIMARY, BG_ELEVATED, BORDER_STRONG, HighContrastBorder, RADIUS_MD, TEXT_PRIMARY,
+    TEXT_SECONDARY, TYPE_BODY, TYPE_CAPTION, VAL_SPACE_1, VAL_SPACE_2, VAL_SPACE_3, VAL_SPACE_4,
+    Z_TOOLTIP,
+};
+
+/// Marker on the cheat-sheet overlay root.
+#[derive(Component, Debug)]
+pub struct CheatSheetOverlay;
+
+/// Registers the hold-`/` driver. Inert on touch-first builds.
+pub struct CheatSheetPlugin;
+
+impl Plugin for CheatSheetPlugin {
+    fn build(&self, app: &mut App) {
+        app.init_resource::<ButtonInput<KeyCode>>()
+            .add_systems(Update, drive_cheat_sheet);
+    }
+}
+
+/// Shows the overlay while `/` is held (and no modal owns the screen);
+/// hides it the frame the key releases.
+fn drive_cheat_sheet(
+    keys: Res<ButtonInput<KeyCode>>,
+    scrims: Query<(), With<ModalScrim>>,
+    existing: Query<Entity, With<CheatSheetOverlay>>,
+    font_res: Option<Res<FontResource>>,
+    mut commands: Commands,
+) {
+    if !SHOW_KEYBOARD_ACCELERATORS {
+        return;
+    }
+    let held = keys.pressed(KeyCode::Slash);
+    if held && existing.is_empty() && scrims.is_empty() {
+        spawn_cheat_sheet(&mut commands, font_res.as_deref());
+    } else if !held {
+        for entity in &existing {
+            commands.entity(entity).despawn();
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+fn spawn_cheat_sheet(commands: &mut Commands, font_res: Option<&FontResource>) {
+    let font_handle = font_res.map(|f| f.0.clone()).unwrap_or_default();
+    let font_header = TextFont {
+        font: font_handle.clone(),
+        font_size: TYPE_BODY,
+        ..default()
+    };
+    let font_keys = TextFont {
+        font: font_handle.clone(),
+        font_size: TYPE_CAPTION,
+        ..default()
+    };
+    let font_desc = TextFont {
+        font: font_handle,
+        font_size: TYPE_CAPTION,
+        ..default()
+    };
+
+    commands
+        .spawn((
+            CheatSheetOverlay,
+            Node {
+                position_type: PositionType::Absolute,
+                right: Val::Px(16.0),
+                top: Val::Percent(8.0),
+                flex_direction: FlexDirection::Column,
+                row_gap: VAL_SPACE_1,
+                padding: UiRect::all(VAL_SPACE_4),
+                border: UiRect::all(Val::Px(1.0)),
+                border_radius: BorderRadius::all(Val::Px(RADIUS_MD)),
+                max_height: Val::Percent(84.0),
+                overflow: Overflow::scroll_y(),
+                ..default()
+            },
+            BackgroundColor(BG_ELEVATED),
+            BorderColor::all(BORDER_STRONG),
+            HighContrastBorder::with_default(BORDER_STRONG),
+            GlobalZIndex(Z_TOOLTIP),
+        ))
+        .with_children(|panel| {
+            panel.spawn((
+                Text::new("Keyboard shortcuts"),
+                font_header.clone(),
+                TextColor(TEXT_PRIMARY),
+                Node {
+                    margin: UiRect::bottom(VAL_SPACE_2),
+                    ..default()
+                },
+            ));
+            for row in HOTKEYS {
+                panel
+                    .spawn(Node {
+                        flex_direction: FlexDirection::Row,
+                        column_gap: VAL_SPACE_3,
+                        ..default()
+                    })
+                    .with_children(|line| {
+                        line.spawn((
+                            Text::new(row.keys),
+                            font_keys.clone(),
+                            TextColor(ACCENT_PRIMARY),
+                            Node {
+                                min_width: Val::Px(110.0),
+                                ..default()
+                            },
+                        ));
+                        line.spawn((
+                            Text::new(row.description),
+                            font_desc.clone(),
+                            TextColor(TEXT_SECONDARY),
+                        ));
+                    });
+            }
+        });
+}
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod tests {
+    use super::*;
+
+    fn app() -> App {
+        let mut app = App::new();
+        app.add_plugins(MinimalPlugins)
+            .add_plugins(CheatSheetPlugin);
+        app.update();
+        app
+    }
+
+    fn overlay_count(app: &mut App) -> usize {
+        app.world_mut()
+            .query::<&CheatSheetOverlay>()
+            .iter(app.world())
+            .count()
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn holding_slash_shows_and_release_hides() {
+        let mut app = app();
+        app.world_mut()
+            .resource_mut::<ButtonInput<KeyCode>>()
+            .press(KeyCode::Slash);
+        app.update();
+        assert_eq!(overlay_count(&mut app), 1, "held / must show the sheet");
+        // Still held on later frames: exactly one overlay, no stacking.
+        app.update();
+        assert_eq!(overlay_count(&mut app), 1);
+
+        app.world_mut()
+            .resource_mut::<ButtonInput<KeyCode>>()
+            .release(KeyCode::Slash);
+        app.update();
+        app.update();
+        assert_eq!(overlay_count(&mut app), 0, "release must hide the sheet");
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn suppressed_while_a_modal_is_open() {
+        let mut app = app();
+        app.world_mut().spawn(ModalScrim);
+        app.update();
+        app.world_mut()
+            .resource_mut::<ButtonInput<KeyCode>>()
+            .press(KeyCode::Slash);
+        app.update();
+        assert_eq!(
+            overlay_count(&mut app),
+            0,
+            "the sheet must not spawn over a modal (or into a text field)"
+        );
+    }
+}

solitaire_engine/src/contextual_tips_plugin.rs

@@ -0,0 +1,309 @@
+//! Contextual one-time tips (Phase I of the 2026-07 UI redesign).
+//!
+//! Everything the first-run onboarding doesn't cover is invisible until
+//! stumbled upon: hint cycling, the radial quick-action menu. These
+//! tips fire **from the situation, not a tour** — each exactly once,
+//! recorded in `Settings` like `shown_achievement_onboarding`:
+//!
+//! - **Stall tip** — after [`STALL_TIP_SECS`] with no board change in an
+//!   active game, an info toast points at Hint. A player staring at a
+//!   stuck board is the one moment the tip is welcome.
+//! - **Radial tip** — once a game reaches [`RADIAL_TIP_MIN_MOVES`] moves
+//!   (an engaged player) and the radial menu has never been opened, an
+//!   info toast teaches the long-press / right-click gesture. Opening
+//!   the radial organically marks the tip as unnecessary — it is never
+//!   shown to someone who already knows.
+//!
+//! Tips render through the queued [`InfoToastEvent`] path, so they share
+//! the unified toast stack and never interrupt play.
+
+use bevy::prelude::*;
+
+use solitaire_data::save_settings_to;
+
+use crate::events::{InfoToastEvent, StateChangedEvent};
+use crate::game_plugin::GameMutation;
+use crate::pause_plugin::PausedResource;
+use crate::platform::SHOW_KEYBOARD_ACCELERATORS;
+use crate::radial_menu::RightClickRadialState;
+use crate::resources::GameStateResource;
+use crate::settings_plugin::{SettingsResource, SettingsStoragePath};
+use crate::ui_modal::ModalScrim;
+
+/// Seconds without any board change before the stall tip fires.
+/// Long enough that normal thinking never triggers it; short enough to
+/// reach a genuinely stuck player before they quit.
+const STALL_TIP_SECS: f32 = 45.0;
+
+/// Move count at which an engaged player earns the radial-menu teach.
+const RADIAL_TIP_MIN_MOVES: u32 = 15;
+
+/// Stall-tip copy per platform input vocabulary.
+const STALL_TIP: &str = if SHOW_KEYBOARD_ACCELERATORS {
+    "Stuck? Press H for a hint."
+} else {
+    "Stuck? Tap Hint in the bottom bar for a suggested move."
+};
+
+/// Radial-tip copy per platform input vocabulary.
+const RADIAL_TIP: &str = if SHOW_KEYBOARD_ACCELERATORS {
+    "Tip: right-click a card for quick actions."
+} else {
+    "Tip: long-press a card for quick actions."
+};
+
+/// Seconds of board inactivity, frozen while paused / a modal is open,
+/// reset by every [`StateChangedEvent`].
+#[derive(Resource, Debug, Default)]
+pub struct StallClock(pub f32);
+
+/// Registers the stall clock and the two tip triggers.
+pub struct ContextualTipsPlugin;
+
+impl Plugin for ContextualTipsPlugin {
+    fn build(&self, app: &mut App) {
+        app.init_resource::<StallClock>()
+            .add_message::<InfoToastEvent>()
+            .add_message::<StateChangedEvent>()
+            .add_systems(
+                Update,
+                (
+                    tick_stall_clock,
+                    fire_stall_hint_tip
+                        .in_set(crate::game_plugin::InfoToastWriters)
+                        .ambiguous_with(crate::game_plugin::InfoToastWriters),
+                    observe_radial_menu_use,
+                    fire_radial_menu_tip
+                        .in_set(crate::game_plugin::InfoToastWriters)
+                        .ambiguous_with(crate::game_plugin::InfoToastWriters),
+                )
+                    .chain()
+                    .after(GameMutation),
+            );
+    }
+}
+
+/// Advances the stall clock; resets on any board change; freezes while
+/// paused, while a modal owns the screen, or when the game is over.
+fn tick_stall_clock(
+    time: Res<Time>,
+    mut state_events: MessageReader<StateChangedEvent>,
+    paused: Option<Res<PausedResource>>,
+    scrims: Query<(), With<ModalScrim>>,
+    game: Option<Res<GameStateResource>>,
+    mut clock: ResMut<StallClock>,
+) {
+    if state_events.read().next().is_some() {
+        clock.0 = 0.0;
+        return;
+    }
+    if paused.is_some_and(|p| p.0)
+        || !scrims.is_empty()
+        || game.as_ref().is_none_or(|g| g.0.is_won())
+    {
+        // Frozen, not reset: backgrounding into a menu mid-stall
+        // shouldn't restart the wait.
+        return;
+    }
+    clock.0 += time.delta_secs();
+}
+
+/// Fires the one-shot stall tip once the clock passes the threshold in
+/// a game the player has actually started (at least one move).
+fn fire_stall_hint_tip(
+    clock: Res<StallClock>,
+    game: Option<Res<GameStateResource>>,
+    mut settings: Option<ResMut<SettingsResource>>,
+    storage_path: Option<Res<SettingsStoragePath>>,
+    mut toast: MessageWriter<InfoToastEvent>,
+) {
+    let Some(s) = settings.as_mut() else { return };
+    if s.0.shown_stall_hint_tip || clock.0 < STALL_TIP_SECS {
+        return;
+    }
+    if game
+        .as_ref()
+        .is_none_or(|g| g.0.move_count() == 0 || g.0.is_won())
+    {
+        return;
+    }
+    toast.write(InfoToastEvent(STALL_TIP.to_string()));
+    s.0.shown_stall_hint_tip = true;
+    persist(storage_path.as_deref(), &s.0);
+}
+
+/// A player who opens the radial menu on their own doesn't need the
+/// teach — mark the tip done silently.
+fn observe_radial_menu_use(
+    radial: Option<Res<RightClickRadialState>>,
+    mut settings: Option<ResMut<SettingsResource>>,
+    storage_path: Option<Res<SettingsStoragePath>>,
+) {
+    let Some(radial) = radial else { return };
+    if !radial.is_active() {
+        return;
+    }
+    let Some(s) = settings.as_mut() else { return };
+    if s.0.shown_radial_menu_tip {
+        return;
+    }
+    s.0.shown_radial_menu_tip = true;
+    persist(storage_path.as_deref(), &s.0);
+}
+
+/// Fires the one-shot radial teach for an engaged player who has never
+/// opened the menu themselves.
+fn fire_radial_menu_tip(
+    game: Option<Res<GameStateResource>>,
+    mut settings: Option<ResMut<SettingsResource>>,
+    storage_path: Option<Res<SettingsStoragePath>>,
+    mut toast: MessageWriter<InfoToastEvent>,
+) {
+    let Some(s) = settings.as_mut() else { return };
+    if s.0.shown_radial_menu_tip {
+        return;
+    }
+    if game
+        .as_ref()
+        .is_none_or(|g| g.0.move_count() < RADIAL_TIP_MIN_MOVES || g.0.is_won())
+    {
+        return;
+    }
+    toast.write(InfoToastEvent(RADIAL_TIP.to_string()));
+    s.0.shown_radial_menu_tip = true;
+    persist(storage_path.as_deref(), &s.0);
+}
+
+fn persist(storage_path: Option<&SettingsStoragePath>, settings: &solitaire_data::Settings) {
+    if let Some(p) = storage_path
+        && let Some(path) = p.0.as_deref()
+        && let Err(e) = save_settings_to(path, settings)
+    {
+        warn!("contextual tips: failed to persist tip flag: {e}");
+    }
+}
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod tests {
+    use super::*;
+    use bevy::ecs::message::Messages;
+    use solitaire_core::{DrawStockConfig, game_state::GameState};
+    use solitaire_data::Settings;
+
+    fn app_with(settings: Settings, game: GameState) -> App {
+        let mut app = App::new();
+        app.add_plugins(MinimalPlugins)
+            .add_plugins(ContextualTipsPlugin);
+        app.insert_resource(SettingsResource(settings));
+        app.insert_resource(GameStateResource(game));
+        app.update();
+        app
+    }
+
+    fn info_toast_count(app: &App) -> usize {
+        let events = app.world().resource::<Messages<InfoToastEvent>>();
+        let mut cursor = events.get_cursor();
+        cursor.read(events).count()
+    }
+
+    fn started_game() -> GameState {
+        let mut game = GameState::new(7, DrawStockConfig::DrawOne);
+        game.draw().expect("draw from fresh deal");
+        game
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn stall_tip_fires_once_past_threshold() {
+        let mut app = app_with(Settings::default(), started_game());
+        app.world_mut().resource_mut::<StallClock>().0 = STALL_TIP_SECS + 1.0;
+        app.update();
+
+        assert_eq!(info_toast_count(&app), 1, "stall tip must fire");
+        assert!(
+            app.world()
+                .resource::<SettingsResource>()
+                .0
+                .shown_stall_hint_tip,
+            "the tip flag must set so it never repeats"
+        );
+
+        app.world_mut().resource_mut::<StallClock>().0 = STALL_TIP_SECS + 30.0;
+        app.world_mut()
+            .resource_mut::<Messages<InfoToastEvent>>()
+            .clear();
+        app.update();
+        assert_eq!(info_toast_count(&app), 0, "the tip is one-shot");
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn stall_tip_needs_a_started_unwon_game() {
+        // Untouched deal: staring at the launch screen is not a stall.
+        let mut app = app_with(
+            Settings::default(),
+            GameState::new(7, DrawStockConfig::DrawOne),
+        );
+        app.world_mut().resource_mut::<StallClock>().0 = STALL_TIP_SECS + 1.0;
+        app.update();
+        assert_eq!(info_toast_count(&app), 0, "no tip on an untouched deal");
+
+        // Won game: nothing to hint at.
+        let mut won = started_game();
+        won.set_test_won(true);
+        let mut app = app_with(Settings::default(), won);
+        app.world_mut().resource_mut::<StallClock>().0 = STALL_TIP_SECS + 1.0;
+        app.update();
+        assert_eq!(info_toast_count(&app), 0, "no tip on a won game");
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn stall_clock_resets_on_state_change() {
+        let mut app = app_with(Settings::default(), started_game());
+        app.world_mut().resource_mut::<StallClock>().0 = 30.0;
+        app.world_mut().write_message(StateChangedEvent);
+        app.update();
+        assert_eq!(
+            app.world().resource::<StallClock>().0,
+            0.0,
+            "any board change must reset the stall clock"
+        );
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn radial_tip_fires_for_engaged_player() {
+        let mut game = started_game();
+        game.set_test_move_count(RADIAL_TIP_MIN_MOVES);
+        let mut app = app_with(Settings::default(), game);
+        app.update();
+
+        assert_eq!(
+            info_toast_count(&app),
+            1,
+            "radial tip must fire at the move threshold"
+        );
+        assert!(
+            app.world()
+                .resource::<SettingsResource>()
+                .0
+                .shown_radial_menu_tip
+        );
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn radial_tip_suppressed_after_organic_use() {
+        let mut game = started_game();
+        game.set_test_move_count(RADIAL_TIP_MIN_MOVES);
+        let mut app = app_with(
+            Settings {
+                shown_radial_menu_tip: true,
+                ..Settings::default()
+            },
+            game,
+        );
+        app.update();
+        assert_eq!(
+            info_toast_count(&app),
+            0,
+            "a player who used the radial menu never sees the teach"
+        );
+    }
+}

solitaire_engine/src/core_game_plugin.rs

@@ -14,14 +14,14 @@ use crate::platform::{
 };
 use crate::{
     AchievementPlugin, AnimationPlugin, AssetSourcesPlugin, AutoCompletePlugin,
-    CardAnimationPlugin, CardPlugin, ChallengePlugin, CursorPlugin, DailyChallengePlugin,
-    DiagnosticsHudPlugin, DifficultyPlugin, FeedbackAnimPlugin, FontPlugin, GamePlugin, HelpPlugin,
-    HomePlugin, HudPlugin, InputPlugin, OnboardingPlugin, PausePlugin, PlayBySeedPlugin,
-    ProfilePlugin, ProgressPlugin, RadialMenuPlugin, ReplayOverlayPlugin, ReplayPlaybackPlugin,
-    SafeAreaInsetsPlugin, SelectionPlugin, SettingsPlugin, SolutionPlaybackPlugin, SplashPlugin,
-    StatsPlugin, SyncProvider, TablePlugin, ThemePlugin, ThemeRegistryPlugin, TimeAttackPlugin,
-    TouchSelectionPlugin, UiFocusPlugin, UiModalPlugin, UiTooltipPlugin, WeeklyGoalsPlugin,
-    WinSummaryPlugin,
+    CardAnimationPlugin, CardPlugin, ChallengePlugin, CheatSheetPlugin, ContextualTipsPlugin,
+    CursorPlugin, DailyChallengePlugin, DiagnosticsHudPlugin, DifficultyPlugin, FeedbackAnimPlugin,
+    FontPlugin, GamePlugin, HelpPlugin, HomePlugin, HudPlugin, InputPlugin, OnboardingPlugin,
+    PausePlugin, PlayBySeedPlugin, ProfilePlugin, ProgressPlugin, RadialMenuPlugin,
+    ReplayOverlayPlugin, ReplayPlaybackPlugin, SafeAreaInsetsPlugin, SelectionPlugin,
+    SettingsPlugin, SolutionPlaybackPlugin, SplashPlugin, StatsPlugin, SyncProvider, TablePlugin,
+    ThemePlugin, ThemeRegistryPlugin, TimeAttackPlugin, TouchSelectionPlugin, UiFocusPlugin,
+    UiModalPlugin, UiTooltipPlugin, WeeklyGoalsPlugin, WhatsNewPlugin, WinSummaryPlugin,
 };
 #[cfg(not(target_arch = "wasm32"))]
 use crate::{
@@ -115,6 +115,9 @@ impl Plugin for CoreGamePlugin {
             .add_plugins(PausePlugin)
             .add_plugins(SettingsPlugin::default())
             .add_plugins(OnboardingPlugin)
+            .add_plugins(WhatsNewPlugin)
+            .add_plugins(ContextualTipsPlugin)
+            .add_plugins(CheatSheetPlugin)
             .add_plugins(WinSummaryPlugin)
             .add_plugins(UiModalPlugin)
             .add_plugins(UiFocusPlugin)

solitaire_engine/src/feedback_anim_plugin.rs

@@ -49,10 +49,11 @@ use solitaire_core::klondike_adapter::foundation_from_slot;
 use solitaire_data::AnimSpeed;
 
 use crate::animation_plugin::CardAnim;
-use crate::card_plugin::CardEntity;
+use crate::card_animation::{MotionCurve, sample_curve};
+use crate::card_plugin::{CardEntity, CardEntityIndex};
 use crate::events::{
-    DrawRequestEvent, FoundationCompletedEvent, MoveRejectedEvent, MoveRequestEvent,
-    NewGameRequestEvent,
+    DrawRequestEvent, FoundationCompletedEvent, HintVisualEvent, MoveRejectedEvent,
+    MoveRequestEvent, NewGameRequestEvent, StateChangedEvent,
 };
 use crate::game_plugin::GameMutation;
 use crate::layout::LayoutResource;
@@ -207,6 +208,8 @@ impl Plugin for FeedbackAnimPlugin {
             .add_message::<MoveRejectedEvent>()
             .add_message::<NewGameRequestEvent>()
             .add_message::<FoundationCompletedEvent>()
+            .add_message::<HintVisualEvent>()
+            .add_message::<StateChangedEvent>()
             .add_message::<RequestRedraw>()
             .add_systems(
                 Update,
@@ -224,6 +227,20 @@ impl Plugin for FeedbackAnimPlugin {
                     start_deal_anim.after(GameMutation),
                     start_foundation_flourish.after(GameMutation),
                 ),
+            )
+            // Hint ghost (Phase H): the spawn reads card Transform/Sprite,
+            // so it orders after the board painters; the tick only touches
+            // ghost entities (Without<CardEntity>) and stays conflict-free.
+            .add_systems(
+                Update,
+                (
+                    spawn_hint_ghost
+                        .after(GameMutation)
+                        .after(crate::card_plugin::BoardVisuals),
+                    tick_hint_ghosts,
+                    despawn_hint_ghosts_on_state_change.after(GameMutation),
+                )
+                    .chain(),
             );
     }
 }
@@ -664,6 +681,147 @@ fn pile_cards(
     }
 }
 
+// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// Phase H — hint ghost-motion preview
+// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+/// Duration of one ghost glide from the hinted card to its destination.
+const HINT_GHOST_PASS_SECS: f32 = 0.7;
+/// How many glides one hint plays before the ghost despawns. Two reads
+/// as "this move, over there" without outstaying the 2 s static
+/// highlight it accompanies.
+const HINT_GHOST_PASSES: f32 = 2.0;
+/// Ghost translucency — clearly a projection, never mistakable for the
+/// real card.
+const HINT_GHOST_ALPHA: f32 = 0.45;
+/// Ghost render depth: above every settled pile (~1.04 max) and the
+/// in-flight `CardAnim` lift (50), below a dragged card (500).
+const HINT_GHOST_Z: f32 = 400.0;
+
+/// A translucent copy of the hinted card gliding to the suggested
+/// destination (Phase H). Purely decorative — despawned by timer, by a
+/// newer hint, or by any state change.
+#[derive(Component, Debug)]
+pub struct HintGhost {
+    start: Vec3,
+    target: Vec3,
+    elapsed: f32,
+}
+
+/// Normalised progress of the current glide pass, restarting from the
+/// source each pass. Pure for unit testing.
+fn hint_ghost_pass_t(elapsed: f32) -> f32 {
+    (elapsed % HINT_GHOST_PASS_SECS) / HINT_GHOST_PASS_SECS
+}
+
+/// Ghost alpha at `pass_t` — full strength for most of the glide, then
+/// fading over the last 20 % so the loop restart reads as a repeat
+/// rather than a teleport. Pure for unit testing.
+fn hint_ghost_alpha(pass_t: f32) -> f32 {
+    let fade_in_tail = ((pass_t - 0.8) / 0.2).clamp(0.0, 1.0);
+    HINT_GHOST_ALPHA * (1.0 - fade_in_tail)
+}
+
+/// Spawns the ghost when a hint fires. The static highlights (source
+/// card + gold destination pile) still spawn regardless; under
+/// reduce-motion they are the whole story and no ghost appears
+/// (`design-system.md` §Accessibility).
+#[allow(clippy::too_many_arguments)]
+fn spawn_hint_ghost(
+    mut events: MessageReader<HintVisualEvent>,
+    settings: Option<Res<SettingsResource>>,
+    index: Option<Res<CardEntityIndex>>,
+    layout: Option<Res<LayoutResource>>,
+    cards: Query<(&Transform, &Sprite), With<CardEntity>>,
+    existing: Query<Entity, With<HintGhost>>,
+    mut commands: Commands,
+) {
+    if events.is_empty() {
+        return;
+    }
+    if settings.is_some_and(|s| s.0.reduce_motion_mode) {
+        events.clear();
+        return;
+    }
+    let (Some(index), Some(layout)) = (index, layout) else {
+        events.clear();
+        return;
+    };
+    for ev in events.read() {
+        // A fresh hint replaces any ghost still in flight.
+        for entity in &existing {
+            commands.entity(entity).despawn();
+        }
+        let Some(card_entity) = index.get(&ev.source_card) else {
+            continue;
+        };
+        let Ok((transform, sprite)) = cards.get(card_entity) else {
+            continue;
+        };
+        let Some(&dest) = layout.0.pile_positions.get(&ev.dest_pile) else {
+            continue;
+        };
+        let start = transform.translation.truncate().extend(HINT_GHOST_Z);
+        let mut ghost_sprite = sprite.clone();
+        ghost_sprite.color = ghost_sprite.color.with_alpha(HINT_GHOST_ALPHA);
+        commands.spawn((
+            HintGhost {
+                start,
+                target: dest.extend(HINT_GHOST_Z),
+                elapsed: 0.0,
+            },
+            ghost_sprite,
+            Transform::from_translation(start),
+        ));
+    }
+}
+
+/// Advances every ghost: eased glide per pass, tail fade, despawn after
+/// [`HINT_GHOST_PASSES`]. Frozen while paused, like every other
+/// decorative animation.
+#[allow(clippy::type_complexity)]
+fn tick_hint_ghosts(
+    time: Res<Time>,
+    paused: Option<Res<PausedResource>>,
+    mut ghosts: Query<
+        (Entity, &mut HintGhost, &mut Transform, &mut Sprite),
+        (Without<CardEntity>, Without<PileMarker>),
+    >,
+    mut commands: Commands,
+) {
+    if paused.is_some_and(|p| p.0) {
+        return;
+    }
+    let dt = time.delta_secs();
+    for (entity, mut ghost, mut transform, mut sprite) in ghosts.iter_mut() {
+        ghost.elapsed += dt;
+        if ghost.elapsed >= HINT_GHOST_PASS_SECS * HINT_GHOST_PASSES {
+            commands.entity(entity).despawn();
+            continue;
+        }
+        let pass_t = hint_ghost_pass_t(ghost.elapsed);
+        let eased = sample_curve(MotionCurve::SmoothSnap, pass_t);
+        transform.translation = ghost.start.lerp(ghost.target, eased);
+        sprite.color = sprite.color.with_alpha(hint_ghost_alpha(pass_t));
+    }
+}
+
+/// A ghost previews a move against the *current* board; the moment the
+/// board changes (move, undo, draw, new game) it is stale and vanishes.
+fn despawn_hint_ghosts_on_state_change(
+    mut events: MessageReader<StateChangedEvent>,
+    ghosts: Query<Entity, With<HintGhost>>,
+    mut commands: Commands,
+) {
+    if events.is_empty() {
+        return;
+    }
+    events.clear();
+    for entity in &ghosts {
+        commands.entity(entity).despawn();
+    }
+}
+
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // Unit tests (pure functions only — no Bevy world required)
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -955,4 +1113,147 @@ mod tests {
             "FoundationFlourish must not be inserted under reduce-motion"
         );
     }
+
+    // -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+    // Phase H — hint ghost-motion preview
+    // -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+    #[test]
+    fn hint_ghost_pass_t_restarts_each_pass() {
+        assert_eq!(hint_ghost_pass_t(0.0), 0.0);
+        // Just past one full pass, progress wraps back near zero.
+        assert!(hint_ghost_pass_t(HINT_GHOST_PASS_SECS + 0.01) < 0.1);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn hint_ghost_alpha_fades_only_in_the_tail() {
+        assert_eq!(hint_ghost_alpha(0.0), HINT_GHOST_ALPHA);
+        assert_eq!(hint_ghost_alpha(0.79), HINT_GHOST_ALPHA);
+        assert!(hint_ghost_alpha(0.9) < HINT_GHOST_ALPHA);
+        assert!(hint_ghost_alpha(1.0).abs() < 1e-6);
+    }
+
+    /// App with one indexed card entity and a real layout, ready to
+    /// receive `HintVisualEvent`s.
+    fn ghost_app(reduce_motion: bool) -> (App, Card) {
+        use solitaire_core::{Deck, Rank, Suit};
+
+        let mut app = App::new();
+        app.add_plugins(MinimalPlugins)
+            .add_plugins(FeedbackAnimPlugin);
+        // Sibling systems in the plugin take GameStateResource
+        // non-optionally; give them a fresh deal.
+        app.insert_resource(GameStateResource(
+            solitaire_core::game_state::GameState::new(1, solitaire_core::DrawStockConfig::DrawOne),
+        ));
+        app.insert_resource(SettingsResource(solitaire_data::Settings {
+            reduce_motion_mode: reduce_motion,
+            ..Default::default()
+        }));
+
+        let card = Card::new(Deck::Deck1, Suit::Spades, Rank::Ace);
+        let entity = app
+            .world_mut()
+            .spawn((
+                CardEntity { card: card.clone() },
+                Sprite::default(),
+                Transform::from_xyz(-100.0, 40.0, 1.0),
+            ))
+            .id();
+        let mut index = CardEntityIndex::default();
+        index.0.insert(card.clone(), entity);
+        app.insert_resource(index);
+        app.insert_resource(LayoutResource(crate::layout::compute_layout(
+            Vec2::new(1280.0, 720.0),
+            0.0,
+            0.0,
+            true,
+        )));
+        app.update();
+        (app, card)
+    }
+
+    fn fire_hint(app: &mut App, card: Card) {
+        use solitaire_core::Tableau;
+        app.world_mut().write_message(HintVisualEvent {
+            source_card: card,
+            dest_pile: KlondikePile::Tableau(Tableau::Tableau2),
+        });
+        app.update();
+    }
+
+    fn ghost_count(app: &mut App) -> usize {
+        app.world_mut()
+            .query::<&HintGhost>()
+            .iter(app.world())
+            .count()
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn hint_event_spawns_one_ghost_at_the_source_card() {
+        let (mut app, card) = ghost_app(false);
+        fire_hint(&mut app, card);
+
+        assert_eq!(ghost_count(&mut app), 1, "hint must spawn one ghost");
+        let transform = app
+            .world_mut()
+            .query_filtered::<&Transform, With<HintGhost>>()
+            .single(app.world())
+            .expect("ghost transform");
+        // The tick system may have advanced the ghost by one real-time
+        // frame already; assert it is still essentially at the source.
+        assert!(
+            transform
+                .translation
+                .truncate()
+                .distance(Vec2::new(-100.0, 40.0))
+                < 5.0,
+            "ghost must start at the hinted card, got {:?}",
+            transform.translation
+        );
+        assert_eq!(transform.translation.z, HINT_GHOST_Z);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn hint_ghost_suppressed_under_reduce_motion() {
+        let (mut app, card) = ghost_app(true);
+        fire_hint(&mut app, card);
+
+        assert_eq!(
+            ghost_count(&mut app),
+            0,
+            "no ghost may spawn under reduce-motion; the static highlight is the whole story"
+        );
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn state_change_despawns_the_ghost() {
+        let (mut app, card) = ghost_app(false);
+        fire_hint(&mut app, card);
+        assert_eq!(ghost_count(&mut app), 1);
+
+        app.world_mut().write_message(StateChangedEvent);
+        app.update();
+        app.update();
+
+        assert_eq!(
+            ghost_count(&mut app),
+            0,
+            "a board change makes the previewed move stale — the ghost must vanish"
+        );
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn second_hint_replaces_the_first_ghost() {
+        let (mut app, card) = ghost_app(false);
+        fire_hint(&mut app, card.clone());
+        fire_hint(&mut app, card);
+        app.update();
+
+        assert_eq!(
+            ghost_count(&mut app),
+            1,
+            "re-hinting must replace the in-flight ghost, not stack a second"
+        );
+    }
 }

solitaire_engine/src/game_plugin/mod.rs

@@ -86,6 +86,14 @@ pub struct NewGameRequestWriters;
 #[derive(SystemSet, Debug, Clone, PartialEq, Eq, Hash)]
 pub struct UndoRequestWriters;
 
+/// Self-ambiguous set for writers of `DrawRequestEvent` — same rationale as
+/// [`NewGameRequestWriters`]: consumers drain the queue, append order is
+/// meaningless (#143). Members: keyboard `D`/`Space`, stock click, touch
+/// stock tap (input_plugin), and the touch action bar's Draw button
+/// (hud_plugin, Phase F).
+#[derive(SystemSet, Debug, Clone, PartialEq, Eq, Hash)]
+pub struct DrawRequestWriters;
+
 /// Self-ambiguous set for writers of `InfoToastEvent` — toasts queue in
 /// arrival order and any same-frame order is fine (#143).
 #[derive(SystemSet, Debug, Clone, PartialEq, Eq, Hash)]

solitaire_engine/src/hotkeys.rs

@@ -0,0 +1,169 @@
+//! Single source of truth for the desktop keyboard bindings (Phase J).
+//!
+//! Two static hotkey tables had already diverged (onboarding's slide
+//! and Help's controls reference); every future drift multiplies. This
+//! module owns THE table: the onboarding slide renders the
+//! [`HotkeyRow::essential`] subset, the hold-`/` cheat sheet
+//! ([`crate::cheat_sheet_plugin`]) renders everything.
+//!
+//! The table is hand-maintained but **pinned by test** against the
+//! handlers that actually consume each key — adding a binding without
+//! updating this table (or vice versa) is designed to fail review, not
+//! runtime. A registry generated from the input systems themselves is
+//! the eventual ideal; this is the honest 90 % at 1 % of the cost.
+
+/// One row of the hotkey table.
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, Copy)]
+pub struct HotkeyRow {
+    /// Display form of the key(s), e.g. `"D / Space"`.
+    pub keys: &'static str,
+    /// One-line action description.
+    pub description: &'static str,
+    /// `true` for the beginner-relevant subset the onboarding slide
+    /// shows; the cheat sheet always shows every row.
+    pub essential: bool,
+}
+
+/// Every desktop keyboard binding, in teaching order.
+pub const HOTKEYS: &[HotkeyRow] = &[
+    HotkeyRow {
+        keys: "D / Space",
+        description: "Draw from stock",
+        essential: true,
+    },
+    HotkeyRow {
+        keys: "U",
+        description: "Undo last move (hold to repeat)",
+        essential: true,
+    },
+    HotkeyRow {
+        keys: "H",
+        description: "Hint (repeat to cycle alternatives)",
+        essential: true,
+    },
+    HotkeyRow {
+        keys: "Tab → Enter",
+        description: "Pick a card; arrows pick where; Enter to drop",
+        essential: true,
+    },
+    HotkeyRow {
+        keys: "N",
+        description: "New Classic game",
+        essential: true,
+    },
+    HotkeyRow {
+        keys: "M",
+        description: "Open Home (then 1–6 to pick a mode)",
+        essential: true,
+    },
+    HotkeyRow {
+        keys: "Esc",
+        description: "Pause / resume; close the top dialog",
+        essential: true,
+    },
+    HotkeyRow {
+        keys: "F1",
+        description: "Help / controls",
+        essential: true,
+    },
+    HotkeyRow {
+        keys: "S",
+        description: "Stats & progression",
+        essential: true,
+    },
+    HotkeyRow {
+        keys: "A",
+        description: "Achievements",
+        essential: true,
+    },
+    HotkeyRow {
+        keys: "O",
+        description: "Settings",
+        essential: true,
+    },
+    HotkeyRow {
+        keys: "P",
+        description: "Profile",
+        essential: false,
+    },
+    HotkeyRow {
+        keys: "L",
+        description: "Leaderboard",
+        essential: false,
+    },
+    HotkeyRow {
+        keys: "C",
+        description: "Daily Challenge",
+        essential: false,
+    },
+    HotkeyRow {
+        keys: "Z",
+        description: "Zen mode",
+        essential: false,
+    },
+    HotkeyRow {
+        keys: "X",
+        description: "Challenge mode",
+        essential: false,
+    },
+    HotkeyRow {
+        keys: "T",
+        description: "Time Attack",
+        essential: false,
+    },
+    HotkeyRow {
+        keys: "G",
+        description: "Give up the current deal",
+        essential: false,
+    },
+    HotkeyRow {
+        keys: "[ / ]",
+        description: "Volume down / up",
+        essential: false,
+    },
+    HotkeyRow {
+        keys: "F11",
+        description: "Toggle fullscreen",
+        essential: false,
+    },
+    HotkeyRow {
+        keys: "/ (hold)",
+        description: "This cheat sheet",
+        essential: false,
+    },
+];
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod tests {
+    use super::*;
+
+    #[test]
+    fn table_is_populated_and_well_formed() {
+        assert!(!HOTKEYS.is_empty());
+        for row in HOTKEYS {
+            assert!(!row.keys.trim().is_empty(), "empty keys cell");
+            assert!(
+                !row.description.trim().is_empty(),
+                "empty description for {}",
+                row.keys
+            );
+        }
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn essential_subset_is_a_teachable_size() {
+        let essentials = HOTKEYS.iter().filter(|r| r.essential).count();
+        assert!(
+            (6..=12).contains(&essentials),
+            "the onboarding slide wants a skimmable essential set, got {essentials}"
+        );
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn keys_cells_are_unique() {
+        let mut seen = std::collections::HashSet::new();
+        for row in HOTKEYS {
+            assert!(seen.insert(row.keys), "duplicate hotkey row: {}", row.keys);
+        }
+    }
+}

solitaire_engine/src/hud_plugin/fx.rs

@@ -109,12 +109,19 @@ pub(super) fn apply_action_fade(
 /// Visual feedback for every action button — paints idle / hover / pressed
 /// states by mutating `BackgroundColor` whenever the interaction state
 /// changes. One query covers all action buttons via the shared
-/// `ActionButton` marker.
+/// `ActionButton` marker. Glass tab-bar buttons are excluded: they carry
+/// their own per-button colour triple and are painted by
+/// `paint_glass_tab_buttons` instead (this system's opaque `ACTION_BTN_*`
+/// fills would destroy the translucent glass look).
 #[allow(clippy::type_complexity)]
 pub(super) fn paint_action_buttons(
     mut buttons: Query<
         (&Interaction, &mut BackgroundColor),
-        (With<ActionButton>, Changed<Interaction>),
+        (
+            With<ActionButton>,
+            Without<GlassTabButton>,
+            Changed<Interaction>,
+        ),
     >,
 ) {
     for (interaction, mut bg) in &mut buttons {

solitaire_engine/src/hud_plugin/interaction.rs

@@ -30,6 +30,86 @@ pub(super) fn handle_undo_button(
     }
 }
 
+/// Seconds the Undo button must be continuously held before hold-to-repeat
+/// kicks in. Long enough that a normal tap (press + release inside one or
+/// two frames) never triggers a second undo.
+const UNDO_HOLD_INITIAL_DELAY_SECS: f32 = 0.45;
+
+/// Interval between repeated undos while the hold continues. ~5.5 undos/s —
+/// fast enough to unwind a long line, slow enough to release in time when
+/// the board reaches the state the player wants.
+const UNDO_HOLD_REPEAT_INTERVAL_SECS: f32 = 0.18;
+
+/// Hold-to-repeat undo (Phase F): while the Undo button stays pressed,
+/// fire additional [`UndoRequestEvent`]s after an initial delay, one per
+/// repeat interval. The plain tap path stays in [`handle_undo_button`]
+/// (its `Changed<Interaction>` filter fires exactly once per press);
+/// this system only adds events once the hold outlives the delay, so a
+/// tap never double-undoes.
+///
+/// Each repeat goes through the normal request queue — the scoring
+/// penalty and No-Undo-mode gating in the consumer apply to every step.
+pub(super) fn repeat_undo_on_hold(
+    time: Res<Time>,
+    buttons: Query<&Interaction, With<UndoButton>>,
+    mut state: ResMut<UndoHoldState>,
+    mut undo: MessageWriter<UndoRequestEvent>,
+) {
+    let held = buttons.iter().any(|i| *i == Interaction::Pressed);
+    if !held {
+        if state.held_secs != 0.0 {
+            state.held_secs = 0.0;
+        }
+        return;
+    }
+
+    let before = state.held_secs;
+    state.held_secs += time.delta_secs();
+    if undo_hold_crossed_fire_boundary(before, state.held_secs) {
+        undo.write(UndoRequestEvent);
+    }
+}
+
+/// `true` when a hold that lasted `before` seconds at the previous frame
+/// and `now` seconds this frame should fire a repeat undo: once when the
+/// hold first outlives the initial delay, then once per repeat-interval
+/// boundary. Pure so the timing contract is unit-testable without
+/// fighting `Time`.
+pub(super) fn undo_hold_crossed_fire_boundary(before: f32, now: f32) -> bool {
+    if now < UNDO_HOLD_INITIAL_DELAY_SECS {
+        return false;
+    }
+    if before < UNDO_HOLD_INITIAL_DELAY_SECS {
+        // Crossed the initial-delay threshold this frame — first repeat.
+        return true;
+    }
+    // Fire once each time the hold crosses another repeat-interval boundary.
+    let intervals_before =
+        ((before - UNDO_HOLD_INITIAL_DELAY_SECS) / UNDO_HOLD_REPEAT_INTERVAL_SECS).floor();
+    let intervals_now =
+        ((now - UNDO_HOLD_INITIAL_DELAY_SECS) / UNDO_HOLD_REPEAT_INTERVAL_SECS).floor();
+    intervals_now > intervals_before
+}
+
+/// Click on the touch action bar's Draw button — same
+/// [`DrawRequestEvent`] the stock-pile tap writes, so the consumer's
+/// rules (recycle, won-game rejection) apply identically. Skipped while
+/// paused, mirroring `handle_stock_click`'s guard.
+pub(super) fn handle_draw_button(
+    interaction_query: Query<&Interaction, (With<DrawButton>, Changed<Interaction>)>,
+    paused: Option<Res<PausedResource>>,
+    mut draw: MessageWriter<DrawRequestEvent>,
+) {
+    if paused.is_some_and(|p| p.0) {
+        return;
+    }
+    for interaction in &interaction_query {
+        if *interaction == Interaction::Pressed {
+            draw.write(DrawRequestEvent);
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 pub(super) fn handle_pause_button(
     interaction_query: Query<&Interaction, (With<PauseButton>, Changed<Interaction>)>,
     mut pause: MessageWriter<PauseRequestEvent>,

solitaire_engine/src/hud_plugin/mod.rs

@@ -12,11 +12,13 @@ use bevy::window::WindowResized;
 mod fx;
 mod interaction;
 mod spawn;
+pub(crate) mod tab_bar;
 mod updates;
 
 pub use fx::*;
 use interaction::*;
 use spawn::*;
+use tab_bar::*;
 use updates::*;
 
 // On wasm32 AvatarPlugin is gated out; define a placeholder type so the
@@ -28,7 +30,7 @@ struct AvatarResource(Option<bevy::prelude::Handle<bevy::prelude::Image>>);
 use crate::challenge_plugin::CHALLENGE_UNLOCK_LEVEL;
 use crate::daily_challenge_plugin::DailyChallengeResource;
 use crate::events::{
-    HelpRequestEvent, InfoToastEvent, NewGameRequestEvent, PauseRequestEvent,
+    DrawRequestEvent, HelpRequestEvent, InfoToastEvent, NewGameRequestEvent, PauseRequestEvent,
     StartChallengeRequestEvent, StartDailyChallengeRequestEvent, StartTimeAttackRequestEvent,
     StartZenRequestEvent, ToggleAchievementsRequestEvent, ToggleHomeRequestEvent,
     ToggleLeaderboardRequestEvent, ToggleProfileRequestEvent, ToggleSettingsRequestEvent,
@@ -313,6 +315,18 @@ pub struct UndoButton;
 #[derive(Component, Debug)]
 pub struct PauseButton;
 
+/// Accumulated hold time on the Undo button, driving hold-to-repeat undo
+/// (Phase F). `handle_undo_button` owns the instant first undo on press;
+/// `repeat_undo_on_hold` starts firing additional [`UndoRequestEvent`]s
+/// once the hold passes `UNDO_HOLD_INITIAL_DELAY_SECS` and then every
+/// `UNDO_HOLD_REPEAT_INTERVAL_SECS`. Each repeated undo goes through the
+/// normal request path, so the existing scoring penalty applies per step.
+#[derive(Resource, Debug, Default)]
+pub struct UndoHoldState {
+    /// Seconds the Undo button has been continuously held.
+    held_secs: f32,
+}
+
 /// Marker on the "Help" action button. Click fires [`HelpRequestEvent`],
 /// mirroring the `F1` keyboard accelerator.
 #[derive(Component, Debug)]
@@ -323,31 +337,27 @@ pub struct HelpButton;
 #[derive(Component, Debug)]
 pub struct HintButton;
 
+/// Marker on the touch action bar's "Draw" button (Phase F). Click fires
+/// [`DrawRequestEvent`] — same queue as tapping the stock pile — so the
+/// draw action is within thumb reach without stretching to the top of a
+/// tall folded screen. Touch layout only; desktop draws via stock
+/// click / `D` / `Space`.
+#[derive(Component, Debug)]
+pub struct DrawButton;
+
 /// Android HUD label for the Hint button — shared with the help screen's
 /// controls reference so both always agree.
 #[cfg(target_os = "android")]
 pub(crate) const ANDROID_HINT_LABEL: &str = "Hint";
 
+/// Hint label used by the touch action bar. Aliases [`ANDROID_HINT_LABEL`]
+/// on Android so the bar and the help screen's controls reference can
+/// never drift; the non-Android value only exists so the touch spawn
+/// path stays host-compilable for tests.
 #[cfg(target_os = "android")]
-const ACTION_BAR_LABELS: [&str; 7] = [
-    "Menu",
-    "Undo",
-    "Pause",
-    "Help",
-    ANDROID_HINT_LABEL,
-    "Mode",
-    "New",
-];
+const TOUCH_HINT_LABEL: &str = ANDROID_HINT_LABEL;
 #[cfg(not(target_os = "android"))]
-const ACTION_BAR_LABELS: [&str; 7] = [
-    "Menu \u{2193}",
-    "Undo",
-    "Pause",
-    "Help",
-    "Hint",
-    "Modes \u{2193}",
-    "New Game",
-];
+const TOUCH_HINT_LABEL: &str = "Hint";
 #[cfg(target_os = "android")]
 const ACTION_BAR_COLUMN_GAP: Val = Val::Px(4.0);
 #[cfg(not(target_os = "android"))]
@@ -455,6 +465,7 @@ impl Plugin for HudPlugin {
         // idempotent.
         app.add_message::<NewGameRequestEvent>()
             .add_message::<UndoRequestEvent>()
+            .add_message::<DrawRequestEvent>()
             .add_message::<PauseRequestEvent>()
             .add_message::<HelpRequestEvent>()
             .add_message::<StartZenRequestEvent>()
@@ -471,6 +482,7 @@ impl Plugin for HudPlugin {
             .init_resource::<PreviousScore>()
             .init_resource::<HudActionFade>()
             .init_resource::<HudVisibility>()
+            .init_resource::<UndoHoldState>()
             // Escape-close handlers for popovers read this; init defensively
             // so HudPlugin works under MinimalPlugins in tests.
             .init_resource::<ButtonInput<KeyCode>>()
@@ -560,6 +572,14 @@ impl Plugin for HudPlugin {
                         .in_set(crate::game_plugin::UndoRequestWriters)
                         .ambiguous_with(crate::game_plugin::UndoRequestWriters)
                         .before(GameMutation),
+                    repeat_undo_on_hold
+                        .in_set(crate::game_plugin::UndoRequestWriters)
+                        .ambiguous_with(crate::game_plugin::UndoRequestWriters)
+                        .before(GameMutation),
+                    handle_draw_button
+                        .in_set(crate::game_plugin::DrawRequestWriters)
+                        .ambiguous_with(crate::game_plugin::DrawRequestWriters)
+                        .before(GameMutation),
                     handle_pause_button,
                     handle_help_button,
                     handle_hint_button
@@ -577,6 +597,13 @@ impl Plugin for HudPlugin {
                     handle_menu_backdrop_click,
                     close_menu_popover_on_escape,
                     paint_action_buttons,
+                    paint_glass_tab_buttons,
+                    drive_tab_expansion,
+                    // Writes tab-label TextColor and reads TextFont — entity-
+                    // disjoint from the UiTextFx readout writers (tab labels
+                    // vs HUD readouts), which Bevy can't prove, so declare it.
+                    animate_tab_expansion.ambiguous_with(UiTextFx),
+                    duck_tab_bar_during_drag,
                 )
                     .chain()
                     .in_set(HudButtons)

solitaire_engine/src/hud_plugin/spawn.rs

@@ -360,6 +360,7 @@ pub(super) fn handle_avatar_button(
 pub(super) fn spawn_action_buttons(
     font_res: Option<Res<FontResource>>,
     windows: Query<&Window>,
+    images: Option<ResMut<Assets<Image>>>,
     mut commands: Commands,
 ) {
     let action_font_size =
@@ -370,9 +371,18 @@ pub(super) fn spawn_action_buttons(
         ..default()
     };
 
-    // Bottom bar: full-width, centered, sits above the gesture-navigation zone.
+    // Touch layout: the floating glass tab bar (pill + circular Menu).
+    // `Assets<Image>` is absent under `MinimalPlugins`; `rasterize_into`
+    // returning `None` switches the bar to its text-fallback form.
+    if USE_TOUCH_UI_LAYOUT {
+        let icons = images.and_then(|mut imgs| TabIcons::rasterize_into(&mut imgs));
+        spawn_glass_tab_bar(&mut commands, &font, icons.as_ref());
+        return;
+    }
+
+    // Desktop bottom bar: full-width, centered, docked to the bottom edge.
     // `SafeAreaAnchoredBottom` applies the correct logical-pixel inset once
-    // Android reports it (frames 1-3); initial value is 0.0.
+    // the platform reports it; initial value is 0.0.
     commands
         .spawn((
             Node {
@@ -400,83 +410,89 @@ pub(super) fn spawn_action_buttons(
             HudActionBar,
         ))
         .with_children(|row| {
-            // The trailing `order` argument feeds `Focusable { group: Hud, order }`
-            // so Tab cycles the action bar in visual reading order.
-            // Undo and Pause are the primary gameplay actions — full brightness.
-            // Menu, Help, Hint, Modes, New are navigation/utility — dimmed.
-            spawn_action_button(
-                row,
-                MenuButton,
-                ACTION_BAR_LABELS[0],
-                None,
-                "Open Stats, Achievements, Profile, Settings, or Leaderboard.",
-                &font,
-                0,
-                TEXT_SECONDARY,
-            );
-            spawn_action_button(
-                row,
-                UndoButton,
-                ACTION_BAR_LABELS[1],
-                Some("U"),
-                "Take back your last move. Costs points and blocks No Undo.",
-                &font,
-                1,
-                TEXT_PRIMARY,
-            );
-            spawn_action_button(
-                row,
-                PauseButton,
-                ACTION_BAR_LABELS[2],
-                Some("Esc"),
-                "Pause the game and freeze the timer.",
-                &font,
-                2,
-                TEXT_PRIMARY,
-            );
-            spawn_action_button(
-                row,
-                HelpButton,
-                ACTION_BAR_LABELS[3],
-                Some("F1"),
-                "Show controls, rules, and keyboard shortcuts.",
-                &font,
-                3,
-                TEXT_SECONDARY,
-            );
-            spawn_action_button(
-                row,
-                HintButton,
-                ACTION_BAR_LABELS[4],
-                Some("H"),
-                "Highlight a suggested move. Cycles through alternatives on repeat taps.",
-                &font,
-                4,
-                TEXT_SECONDARY,
-            );
-            spawn_action_button(
-                row,
-                ModesButton,
-                ACTION_BAR_LABELS[5],
-                None,
-                "Switch modes: Classic, Daily, Zen, Challenge, Time Attack.",
-                &font,
-                5,
-                TEXT_SECONDARY,
-            );
-            spawn_action_button(
-                row,
-                NewGameButton,
-                ACTION_BAR_LABELS[6],
-                Some("N"),
-                "Start a fresh deal. Confirms first if a game is in progress.",
-                &font,
-                6,
-                TEXT_SECONDARY,
-            );
+            spawn_desktop_action_bar(row, &font);
         });
 }
 
+/// Desktop action bar — unchanged by Phase F (decision 5: the touch bar
+/// is touch-only). All seven actions, uniform sizing.
+pub(super) fn spawn_desktop_action_bar(row: &mut ChildSpawnerCommands, font: &TextFont) {
+    // The trailing `order` argument feeds `Focusable { group: Hud, order }`
+    // so Tab cycles the action bar in visual reading order.
+    // Undo and Pause are the primary gameplay actions — full brightness.
+    // Menu, Help, Hint, Modes, New are navigation/utility — dimmed.
+    spawn_action_button(
+        row,
+        MenuButton,
+        "Menu \u{2193}",
+        None,
+        "Open Stats, Achievements, Profile, Settings, or Leaderboard.",
+        font,
+        0,
+        TEXT_SECONDARY,
+    );
+    spawn_action_button(
+        row,
+        UndoButton,
+        "Undo",
+        Some("U"),
+        "Take back your last move. Hold to keep undoing. Costs points and blocks No Undo.",
+        font,
+        1,
+        TEXT_PRIMARY,
+    );
+    spawn_action_button(
+        row,
+        PauseButton,
+        "Pause",
+        Some("Esc"),
+        "Pause the game and freeze the timer.",
+        font,
+        2,
+        TEXT_PRIMARY,
+    );
+    spawn_action_button(
+        row,
+        HelpButton,
+        "Help",
+        Some("F1"),
+        "Show controls, rules, and keyboard shortcuts.",
+        font,
+        3,
+        TEXT_SECONDARY,
+    );
+    spawn_action_button(
+        row,
+        HintButton,
+        "Hint",
+        Some("H"),
+        "Highlight a suggested move. Cycles through alternatives on repeat taps.",
+        font,
+        4,
+        TEXT_SECONDARY,
+    );
+    spawn_action_button(
+        row,
+        ModesButton,
+        "Modes \u{2193}",
+        None,
+        "Switch modes: Classic, Daily, Zen, Challenge, Time Attack.",
+        font,
+        5,
+        TEXT_SECONDARY,
+    );
+    spawn_action_button(
+        row,
+        NewGameButton,
+        "New Game",
+        Some("N"),
+        "Start a fresh deal. Confirms first if a game is in progress.",
+        font,
+        6,
+        TEXT_SECONDARY,
+    );
+}
+
 /// Spawns a single action button as a child of `row`. Each button shares
 /// the same node geometry, idle colour, and `ActionButton` marker so
 /// `paint_action_buttons` can recolour all of them with one query.
@@ -510,13 +526,34 @@ pub(super) fn spawn_action_button<M: Component>(
         None
     };
 
+    let (pad, min_w, min_h) = action_button_metrics();
+    spawn_action_button_sized(
+        row, marker, label, hotkey, tooltip, font, order, text_color, pad, min_w, min_h,
+    );
+}
+
+/// Shared body of [`spawn_action_button`] — one place owns the component
+/// set so `paint_action_buttons`, tooltips, and the focus ring treat every
+/// bar button identically.
+#[allow(clippy::too_many_arguments)]
+fn spawn_action_button_sized<M: Component>(
+    row: &mut ChildSpawnerCommands,
+    marker: M,
+    label: &str,
+    hotkey: Option<&'static str>,
+    tooltip: &'static str,
+    font: &TextFont,
+    order: i32,
+    text_color: Color,
+    pad: UiRect,
+    min_w: Val,
+    min_h: Val,
+) {
     let hotkey_font = TextFont {
         font: font.font.clone(),
         font_size: TYPE_CAPTION,
         ..default()
     };
-    let (pad, min_w, min_h) = action_button_metrics();
-
     row.spawn((
         marker,
         ActionButton,

solitaire_engine/src/hud_plugin/tab_bar.rs

@@ -0,0 +1,529 @@
+//! Floating "liquid glass" touch tab bar — layout and animation.
+//!
+//! Replaces the docked full-width touch action bar (Phase F) with an
+//! iOS-26-style floating arrangement: a pill of icon buttons hovering
+//! above the bottom edge, plus a detached circular Menu button to its
+//! right. The *visual treatment* (translucent sheen, specular rim, drop
+//! shadow) lives in [`crate::ui_glass`]; this module owns only geometry,
+//! button wiring, and the expand/collapse label animation, so the glass
+//! material can be swapped without touching layout.
+//!
+//! Interaction compatibility: every button keeps the same marker
+//! components as the old bar (`UndoButton`, `DrawButton`, …) plus
+//! `ActionButton`, `Button`, `Tooltip`, and `Focusable`, so the click
+//! handlers, tooltips, focus ring, and the tap-to-toggle chrome guard in
+//! `interaction.rs` all work unchanged.
+//!
+//! Expansion model (user decision, 2026-07-15): **Draw** — the most
+//! frequent action — is the persistently-expanded "active" pill showing
+//! icon + label; the other buttons are icon-only and reveal their label
+//! with a width-animated slide while pressed.
+
+use super::*;
+use crate::assets::hud_icon_svg::HudIcon;
+use crate::ui_glass::{GLASS_BORDER_PX, glass_surface};
+use crate::ui_theme::{ACCENT_PRIMARY_HOVER, SPACE_3};
+use bevy::text::{LineBreak, TextLayout};
+use bevy::ui::{Overflow, UiTransform, Val2};
+
+use crate::resources::DragState;
+use crate::safe_area::SafeAreaInsets;
+
+/// Height of both the pill and the circular Menu button, in logical px.
+/// 64 keeps the inner 48-px buttons comfortably past the 44-px touch
+/// floor with 8 px of glass around them.
+pub(crate) const TAB_BAR_HEIGHT: f32 = 64.0;
+
+/// Gap between the bar and the bottom screen edge (the "floating" margin;
+/// the Android gesture-bar inset is added on top by `SafeAreaAnchoredBottom`).
+const TAB_BAR_MARGIN: f32 = SPACE_3;
+
+/// Vertical space UI stacked above the bar (the toast stack) must clear:
+/// floating margin + bar height + one spacing step of breathing room.
+pub(crate) const TAB_BAR_CLEARANCE_PX: f32 = TAB_BAR_MARGIN + TAB_BAR_HEIGHT + SPACE_2;
+
+/// Diameter of a button inside the pill (and its fully-round radius ×2).
+const TAB_BUTTON_SIZE: f32 = 48.0;
+
+/// Displayed icon size in logical px (texture is rasterised larger; see
+/// `assets::hud_icon_svg::HUD_ICON_TEXTURE_PX`).
+const TAB_ICON_PX: f32 = 24.0;
+
+/// FiraMono glyph advance as a fraction of font size. The bar is
+/// monospace-only, so `chars × advance × font_size` is the exact label
+/// width — the same ratio `action_bar_font_size` documents.
+const FIRA_ADVANCE: f32 = 0.62;
+
+/// Gap between an icon and its revealed label, folded into the animated
+/// wrapper width so it collapses together with the text.
+const LABEL_LEAD_PX: f32 = SPACE_2;
+
+/// Idle fill of an inactive icon button — fully transparent so the pill's
+/// glass shows through untouched.
+const GLASS_BTN_IDLE: Color = Color::srgba(1.0, 1.0, 1.0, 0.0);
+/// Hover fill of an inactive icon button (desktop pointer / DPAD focus).
+const GLASS_BTN_HOVER: Color = Color::srgba(1.0, 1.0, 1.0, 0.08);
+/// Pressed fill of an inactive icon button.
+const GLASS_BTN_PRESSED: Color = Color::srgba(1.0, 1.0, 1.0, 0.14);
+/// Pressed state of the active (accent-filled) pill — darker than idle so
+/// the press reads as the surface receding, mirroring `BG_ELEVATED_PRESSED`.
+const GLASS_ACTIVE_PRESSED: Color = Color::srgb(0.55, 0.22, 0.22);
+
+/// Idle / hovered / pressed fills for one tab-bar button. Presence of this
+/// component also routes the button to `paint_glass_tab_buttons` instead of
+/// the legacy `paint_action_buttons` (which excludes it).
+#[derive(Component, Debug)]
+pub struct GlassTabButton {
+    idle: Color,
+    hovered: Color,
+    pressed: Color,
+}
+
+/// Animated label-reveal state, on the clipping wrapper node between the
+/// button and its `Text` label. `progress` ∈ [0, 1] maps to wrapper width
+/// via [`expansion_width`]; `target` is where it is heading.
+#[derive(Component, Debug)]
+pub struct TabLabelWrap {
+    /// Current reveal amount, 0 = collapsed, 1 = fully expanded.
+    pub progress: f32,
+    /// Reveal amount the animation is moving towards.
+    pub target: f32,
+    /// `true` keeps the label expanded regardless of interaction —
+    /// the persistent Draw pill, and every button in text-fallback mode.
+    persistent: bool,
+    /// Label length; width is recomputed from the live font size each
+    /// frame so viewport-driven font rescales stay correct.
+    label_chars: usize,
+    /// Last width written to the node, to skip no-op layout writes.
+    last_width: f32,
+}
+
+/// Marker on the label `Text` inside a [`TabLabelWrap`].
+#[derive(Component, Debug)]
+pub struct TabLabel;
+
+/// Duck-away state on the bar container: while a card drag is committed
+/// the whole bar slides below the screen edge so it never occludes a
+/// drop target on the bottom tableau rows, then slides back on release.
+/// `progress` ∈ [0, 1]; 1 = fully off-screen.
+#[derive(Component, Debug)]
+pub struct TabBarDuck {
+    /// Current slide amount, animated by [`duck_tab_bar_during_drag`].
+    pub progress: f32,
+}
+
+/// Extra slide distance past the bar's own height so its drop shadow
+/// (16 px blur + 6 px offset) also clears the screen edge.
+const DUCK_SHADOW_ALLOWANCE_PX: f32 = 24.0;
+
+/// Rasterised icon textures for the five tab-bar actions.
+pub(super) struct TabIcons {
+    undo: Handle<Image>,
+    draw: Handle<Image>,
+    hint: Handle<Image>,
+    pause: Handle<Image>,
+    menu: Handle<Image>,
+}
+
+impl TabIcons {
+    /// Rasterise all five icons into `images`. Returns `None` (and warns)
+    /// if any icon fails — the caller then falls back to text-only labels,
+    /// so a bad SVG degrades the look, never the playability.
+    pub(super) fn rasterize_into(images: &mut Assets<Image>) -> Option<Self> {
+        let mut add = |icon: HudIcon| match icon.rasterize() {
+            Ok(img) => Some(images.add(img)),
+            Err(e) => {
+                warn!("tab_bar: failed to rasterise {icon:?} icon: {e}");
+                None
+            }
+        };
+        Some(Self {
+            undo: add(HudIcon::Undo)?,
+            draw: add(HudIcon::Draw)?,
+            hint: add(HudIcon::Hint)?,
+            pause: add(HudIcon::Pause)?,
+            menu: add(HudIcon::Menu)?,
+        })
+    }
+}
+
+/// Wrapper width in logical px for a label of `chars` monospace glyphs at
+/// `font_size`, revealed to `progress`. Pure so the animation curve is
+/// unit-testable without an app.
+pub(super) fn expansion_width(chars: usize, font_size: f32, progress: f32) -> f32 {
+    progress.clamp(0.0, 1.0) * (LABEL_LEAD_PX + chars as f32 * font_size * FIRA_ADVANCE)
+}
+
+/// Advance `progress` towards `target` by one frame of `dt` seconds.
+/// Linear tween over `MOTION_SLIDE_SECS`, snapping when reduce-motion is
+/// active. Pure for the same reason as [`expansion_width`].
+pub(super) fn step_expansion(progress: f32, target: f32, dt: f32, reduce_motion: bool) -> f32 {
+    if reduce_motion {
+        return target;
+    }
+    let max_step = dt / crate::ui_theme::MOTION_SLIDE_SECS;
+    progress + (target - progress).clamp(-max_step, max_step)
+}
+
+/// Spawns the floating glass tab bar: one full-width invisible flex row
+/// (carrying the `HudActionBar` marker so chrome show/hide keeps working)
+/// centring the glass pill and the detached circular Menu button.
+///
+/// `icons: None` (rasteriser unavailable, e.g. `MinimalPlugins` tests, or
+/// an SVG regression) switches every button to text-fallback: labels stay
+/// expanded so the bar remains fully usable without textures.
+pub(super) fn spawn_glass_tab_bar(
+    commands: &mut Commands,
+    font: &TextFont,
+    icons: Option<&TabIcons>,
+) {
+    let text_fallback = icons.is_none();
+    commands
+        .spawn((
+            Node {
+                position_type: PositionType::Absolute,
+                bottom: Val::Px(TAB_BAR_MARGIN),
+                left: Val::Px(0.0),
+                width: Val::Percent(100.0),
+                flex_direction: FlexDirection::Row,
+                justify_content: JustifyContent::Center,
+                align_items: AlignItems::Center,
+                column_gap: VAL_SPACE_3,
+                ..default()
+            },
+            ZIndex(Z_HUD),
+            SafeAreaAnchoredBottom {
+                base_bottom: TAB_BAR_MARGIN,
+            },
+            HudActionBar,
+            TabBarDuck { progress: 0.0 },
+            UiTransform::IDENTITY,
+        ))
+        .with_children(|bar| {
+            // The main pill: Undo · [Draw] · Hint · Pause.
+            bar.spawn((
+                Node {
+                    height: Val::Px(TAB_BAR_HEIGHT),
+                    flex_direction: FlexDirection::Row,
+                    align_items: AlignItems::Center,
+                    padding: UiRect::axes(Val::Px(SPACE_2), Val::Px(0.0)),
+                    column_gap: Val::Px(4.0),
+                    border: UiRect::all(Val::Px(GLASS_BORDER_PX)),
+                    border_radius: BorderRadius::all(Val::Px(TAB_BAR_HEIGHT / 2.0)),
+                    ..default()
+                },
+                glass_surface(),
+            ))
+            .with_children(|pill| {
+                spawn_tab_button(
+                    pill,
+                    UndoButton,
+                    "Undo",
+                    "Take back your last move. Hold to keep undoing. Costs points and blocks No Undo.",
+                    font,
+                    0,
+                    icons.map(|i| i.undo.clone()),
+                    false,
+                    text_fallback,
+                );
+                spawn_tab_button(
+                    pill,
+                    DrawButton,
+                    "Draw",
+                    "Draw from the stock — same as tapping the deck.",
+                    font,
+                    1,
+                    icons.map(|i| i.draw.clone()),
+                    true,
+                    text_fallback,
+                );
+                spawn_tab_button(
+                    pill,
+                    HintButton,
+                    TOUCH_HINT_LABEL,
+                    "Highlight a suggested move. Cycles through alternatives on repeat taps.",
+                    font,
+                    2,
+                    icons.map(|i| i.hint.clone()),
+                    false,
+                    text_fallback,
+                );
+                spawn_tab_button(
+                    pill,
+                    PauseButton,
+                    "Pause",
+                    "Pause the game and freeze the timer.",
+                    font,
+                    3,
+                    icons.map(|i| i.pause.clone()),
+                    false,
+                    text_fallback,
+                );
+            });
+
+            // The detached circular Menu button, same glass material.
+            bar.spawn((
+                MenuButton,
+                ActionButton,
+                Button,
+                GlassTabButton {
+                    idle: GLASS_BTN_IDLE,
+                    hovered: GLASS_BTN_HOVER,
+                    pressed: GLASS_BTN_PRESSED,
+                },
+                Tooltip::new(
+                    "Open Home, Stats, Achievements, Profile, Settings, or Leaderboard.",
+                ),
+                Focusable {
+                    group: FocusGroup::Hud,
+                    order: 4,
+                },
+                Node {
+                    width: Val::Px(TAB_BAR_HEIGHT),
+                    height: Val::Px(TAB_BAR_HEIGHT),
+                    justify_content: JustifyContent::Center,
+                    align_items: AlignItems::Center,
+                    border: UiRect::all(Val::Px(GLASS_BORDER_PX)),
+                    border_radius: BorderRadius::all(Val::Px(TAB_BAR_HEIGHT / 2.0)),
+                    ..default()
+                },
+                BackgroundColor(GLASS_BTN_IDLE),
+                glass_surface(),
+            ))
+            .with_children(|circle| {
+                if let Some(icons) = icons {
+                    spawn_tab_icon(circle, icons.menu.clone(), TEXT_PRIMARY);
+                } else {
+                    // Text fallback: a menu glyph-free label keeps the
+                    // button discoverable without any texture.
+                    circle.spawn((
+                        Text::new("Menu"),
+                        TextLayout::new_with_linebreak(LineBreak::NoWrap),
+                        font.clone(),
+                        TextColor(TEXT_PRIMARY),
+                    ));
+                }
+            });
+        });
+}
+
+/// Spawns one button inside the pill: icon, then the width-animated label
+/// wrapper. `active` gives the accent-filled persistent pill (Draw);
+/// `text_fallback` pins every label open when icons are unavailable.
+#[allow(clippy::too_many_arguments)]
+fn spawn_tab_button<M: Component>(
+    pill: &mut ChildSpawnerCommands,
+    marker: M,
+    label: &str,
+    tooltip: &'static str,
+    font: &TextFont,
+    order: i32,
+    icon: Option<Handle<Image>>,
+    active: bool,
+    text_fallback: bool,
+) {
+    let (idle, hovered, pressed) = if active {
+        (ACCENT_PRIMARY, ACCENT_PRIMARY_HOVER, GLASS_ACTIVE_PRESSED)
+    } else {
+        (GLASS_BTN_IDLE, GLASS_BTN_HOVER, GLASS_BTN_PRESSED)
+    };
+    let icon_tint = if active { TEXT_PRIMARY } else { TEXT_SECONDARY };
+    let persistent = active || text_fallback;
+    let start = if persistent { 1.0 } else { 0.0 };
+    let chars = label.chars().count();
+
+    pill.spawn((
+        marker,
+        ActionButton,
+        Button,
+        GlassTabButton {
+            idle,
+            hovered,
+            pressed,
+        },
+        Tooltip::new(tooltip),
+        Focusable {
+            group: FocusGroup::Hud,
+            order,
+        },
+        Node {
+            height: Val::Px(TAB_BUTTON_SIZE),
+            min_width: Val::Px(TAB_BUTTON_SIZE),
+            flex_direction: FlexDirection::Row,
+            justify_content: JustifyContent::Center,
+            align_items: AlignItems::Center,
+            padding: UiRect::axes(Val::Px(SPACE_3), Val::Px(0.0)),
+            border_radius: BorderRadius::all(Val::Px(TAB_BUTTON_SIZE / 2.0)),
+            ..default()
+        },
+        BackgroundColor(idle),
+    ))
+    .with_children(|b| {
+        if let Some(handle) = icon {
+            spawn_tab_icon(b, handle, icon_tint);
+        }
+        // The clipping wrapper the animation drives. Label text sits
+        // left-anchored inside, so growing the width reveals it
+        // left-to-right and shrinking clips it from the right.
+        b.spawn((
+            TabLabelWrap {
+                progress: start,
+                target: start,
+                persistent,
+                label_chars: chars,
+                last_width: f32::NAN,
+            },
+            Node {
+                overflow: Overflow::clip(),
+                width: Val::Px(expansion_width(chars, font.font_size, start)),
+                height: Val::Percent(100.0),
+                align_items: AlignItems::Center,
+                justify_content: JustifyContent::FlexEnd,
+                ..default()
+            },
+        ))
+        .with_children(|wrap| {
+            let mut color = TEXT_PRIMARY;
+            color.set_alpha(start);
+            wrap.spawn((
+                TabLabel,
+                ActionButtonLabel,
+                Text::new(label),
+                TextLayout::new_with_linebreak(LineBreak::NoWrap),
+                font.clone(),
+                TextColor(color),
+            ));
+        });
+    });
+}
+
+/// One fixed-size tinted icon node.
+fn spawn_tab_icon(parent: &mut ChildSpawnerCommands, handle: Handle<Image>, tint: Color) {
+    parent.spawn((
+        ImageNode {
+            color: tint,
+            ..ImageNode::new(handle)
+        },
+        Node {
+            width: Val::Px(TAB_ICON_PX),
+            height: Val::Px(TAB_ICON_PX),
+            flex_shrink: 0.0,
+            ..default()
+        },
+    ));
+}
+
+/// Sets each label wrapper's animation target from its button's
+/// interaction state: persistent wrappers pin to 1, the rest expand while
+/// pressed or hovered and collapse on release.
+pub(super) fn drive_tab_expansion(
+    buttons: Query<(&Interaction, &Children), With<GlassTabButton>>,
+    mut wraps: Query<&mut TabLabelWrap>,
+) {
+    for (interaction, children) in &buttons {
+        for child in children.iter() {
+            let Ok(mut wrap) = wraps.get_mut(child) else {
+                continue;
+            };
+            let target = if wrap.persistent || !matches!(interaction, Interaction::None) {
+                1.0
+            } else {
+                0.0
+            };
+            // Bypass change detection on no-ops so `animate_tab_expansion`
+            // and layout stay idle while nothing moves.
+            if wrap.target != target {
+                wrap.target = target;
+            }
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+/// Advances every label reveal towards its target and writes the wrapper
+/// width + label alpha. Width is derived from the label's *live* font size,
+/// so the Fold's posture-change font rescale re-widens expanded labels
+/// automatically. Node writes are skipped when the width is unchanged to
+/// avoid dirtying UI layout every frame.
+pub(super) fn animate_tab_expansion(
+    time: Res<Time>,
+    settings: Option<Res<SettingsResource>>,
+    mut wraps: Query<(&mut TabLabelWrap, &mut Node, &Children)>,
+    mut labels: Query<(&TextFont, &mut TextColor), With<TabLabel>>,
+) {
+    let reduce_motion = settings.as_deref().is_some_and(|s| s.0.reduce_motion_mode);
+    let dt = time.delta_secs();
+    for (mut wrap, mut node, children) in &mut wraps {
+        for child in children.iter() {
+            let Ok((font, mut text_color)) = labels.get_mut(child) else {
+                continue;
+            };
+            let next = step_expansion(wrap.progress, wrap.target, dt, reduce_motion);
+            let width = expansion_width(wrap.label_chars, font.font_size, next);
+            // `!=` (not epsilon) is deliberate: last_width starts NaN so the
+            // first frame always writes, and equal floats mean a true no-op.
+            if next != wrap.progress || width != wrap.last_width {
+                wrap.progress = next;
+                wrap.last_width = width;
+                node.width = Val::Px(width);
+                text_color.0.set_alpha(next);
+            }
+            break;
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+/// Slides the bar off the bottom edge while a card drag is committed and
+/// back once it ends. Effectively touch-only: the desktop docked bar
+/// never carries [`TabBarDuck`], so the query is empty there.
+///
+/// The slide animates `UiTransform::translation` (a render-time offset,
+/// +y = down) rather than `Node::bottom`, for two reasons: layout is
+/// never dirtied mid-drag (the whole point is not to cost frames while
+/// the player is dragging), and `Node::bottom` is owned by the safe-area
+/// anchor system — two writers on one field would fight.
+pub(super) fn duck_tab_bar_during_drag(
+    time: Res<Time>,
+    settings: Option<Res<SettingsResource>>,
+    drag: Option<Res<DragState>>,
+    insets: Option<Res<SafeAreaInsets>>,
+    windows: Query<&Window>,
+    mut bars: Query<(&mut TabBarDuck, &mut UiTransform), With<HudActionBar>>,
+) {
+    let target = if drag.as_deref().is_some_and(|d| d.committed) {
+        1.0
+    } else {
+        0.0
+    };
+    let reduce_motion = settings.as_deref().is_some_and(|s| s.0.reduce_motion_mode);
+    let dt = time.delta_secs();
+    // Physical-px inset → logical, same conversion the safe-area anchors
+    // apply (CLAUDE.md §10): the bar sits `inset` above its base position,
+    // so the slide must cover that extra travel to fully clear the edge.
+    let scale = windows.iter().next().map_or(1.0, |w| w.scale_factor());
+    let inset_logical = insets.as_deref().map_or(0.0, |i| i.bottom / scale);
+    let slide_px = TAB_BAR_CLEARANCE_PX + inset_logical + DUCK_SHADOW_ALLOWANCE_PX;
+    for (mut duck, mut transform) in &mut bars {
+        let next = step_expansion(duck.progress, target, dt, reduce_motion);
+        if next == duck.progress && duck.progress == target {
+            continue;
+        }
+        duck.progress = next;
+        transform.translation = Val2::px(0.0, next * slide_px);
+    }
+}
+
+/// Idle / hover / pressed feedback for glass tab buttons — the glass
+/// counterpart of `paint_action_buttons`, using each button's own colour
+/// triple so the accent-filled active pill and the transparent icon
+/// buttons share one system.
+pub(super) fn paint_glass_tab_buttons(
+    mut buttons: Query<(&Interaction, &GlassTabButton, &mut BackgroundColor), Changed<Interaction>>,
+) {
+    for (interaction, style, mut bg) in &mut buttons {
+        bg.0 = match interaction {
+            Interaction::Pressed => style.pressed,
+            Interaction::Hovered => style.hovered,
+            Interaction::None => style.idle,
+        };
+    }
+}

solitaire_engine/src/hud_plugin/tests.rs

@@ -670,7 +670,7 @@ fn hud_elements_carry_expected_tooltip_strings() {
     );
     assert_eq!(
         tooltip_for::<UndoButton>(&mut app),
-        "Take back your last move. Costs points and blocks No Undo."
+        "Take back your last move. Hold to keep undoing. Costs points and blocks No Undo."
     );
     assert_eq!(
         tooltip_for::<PauseButton>(&mut app),
@@ -899,3 +899,285 @@ fn hud_focus_only_engages_when_button_hovered() {
         "Hud-engaged Tab must focus a Hud-grouped entity"
     );
 }
+
+// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// Phase F: touch action bar + hold-to-repeat undo
+// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+/// Bare app (no `HudPlugin`) so bar-content assertions count only the
+/// buttons the tested spawn function creates — `headless_app` would
+/// pre-spawn the platform-default bar and pollute the counts.
+///
+/// The touch branch spawns the glass tab bar with `icons: None`
+/// (`MinimalPlugins` has no `Assets<Image>`), which exercises the
+/// text-fallback path — same markers, labels pinned expanded.
+fn bar_only_app(touch: bool) -> App {
+    let mut app = App::new();
+    app.add_plugins(MinimalPlugins);
+    app.update();
+    let font = TextFont::default();
+    let world = app.world_mut();
+    let mut commands = world.commands();
+    if touch {
+        spawn_glass_tab_bar(&mut commands, &font, None);
+    } else {
+        commands.spawn(Node::default()).with_children(|row| {
+            spawn_desktop_action_bar(row, &font);
+        });
+    }
+    app.update();
+    app
+}
+
+fn count_buttons<C: Component>(app: &mut App) -> usize {
+    app.world_mut()
+        .query_filtered::<(), With<C>>()
+        .iter(app.world())
+        .count()
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn touch_tab_bar_has_thumb_trio_plus_menu_and_pause() {
+    let mut app = bar_only_app(true);
+
+    assert_eq!(count_buttons::<UndoButton>(&mut app), 1);
+    assert_eq!(count_buttons::<DrawButton>(&mut app), 1);
+    assert_eq!(count_buttons::<HintButton>(&mut app), 1);
+    assert_eq!(count_buttons::<MenuButton>(&mut app), 1);
+    assert_eq!(count_buttons::<PauseButton>(&mut app), 1);
+
+    // Utility actions live elsewhere on touch: Help in Menu → System,
+    // modes on the Home screen, New Game on Home's hero button.
+    assert_eq!(count_buttons::<HelpButton>(&mut app), 0);
+    assert_eq!(count_buttons::<ModesButton>(&mut app), 0);
+    assert_eq!(count_buttons::<NewGameButton>(&mut app), 0);
+}
+
+/// The glass bar floats: its container must carry a bottom margin (not be
+/// docked at 0) both before and after safe-area insets arrive.
+#[test]
+fn glass_tab_bar_floats_above_bottom_edge() {
+    let mut app = bar_only_app(true);
+    let world = app.world_mut();
+    let mut q = world.query_filtered::<(&Node, &SafeAreaAnchoredBottom), With<HudActionBar>>();
+    let (node, anchor) = q.single(world).expect("glass bar container exists");
+    assert!(anchor.base_bottom > 0.0, "bar must float, not dock");
+    assert_eq!(node.bottom, Val::Px(anchor.base_bottom));
+}
+
+/// Draw is the persistently-expanded active pill (user decision
+/// 2026-07-15); with `icons: None` every wrapper is pinned expanded via
+/// text fallback, so instead assert on the *persistent* flag's effect:
+/// all wrappers spawn at full reveal and target full reveal.
+#[test]
+fn glass_tab_bar_text_fallback_pins_labels_expanded() {
+    let mut app = bar_only_app(true);
+    let world = app.world_mut();
+    let mut q = world.query::<&TabLabelWrap>();
+    let wraps: Vec<_> = q.iter(world).collect();
+    assert_eq!(wraps.len(), 4, "Undo/Draw/Hint/Pause each carry a wrapper");
+    for wrap in wraps {
+        assert_eq!(wrap.progress, 1.0);
+        assert_eq!(wrap.target, 1.0);
+    }
+}
+
+/// Focus order must match visual reading order: pill buttons left to
+/// right, then the detached Menu circle.
+#[test]
+fn glass_tab_bar_focus_order_reads_left_to_right() {
+    let mut app = bar_only_app(true);
+
+    for (f, expected) in [
+        (focusable_for::<UndoButton>(&mut app), 0),
+        (focusable_for::<DrawButton>(&mut app), 1),
+        (focusable_for::<HintButton>(&mut app), 2),
+        (focusable_for::<PauseButton>(&mut app), 3),
+        (focusable_for::<MenuButton>(&mut app), 4),
+    ] {
+        assert_eq!(f.group, FocusGroup::Hud);
+        assert_eq!(f.order, expected);
+    }
+}
+
+/// `expansion_width` is the single source of truth for the label reveal:
+/// zero when collapsed, lead + monospace advance when expanded, linear
+/// in between.
+#[test]
+fn expansion_width_is_linear_in_progress() {
+    assert_eq!(expansion_width(4, 16.0, 0.0), 0.0);
+    let full = expansion_width(4, 16.0, 1.0);
+    assert!(full > 4.0 * 16.0 * 0.62, "full width includes the lead gap");
+    let half = expansion_width(4, 16.0, 0.5);
+    assert!((half - full / 2.0).abs() < f32::EPSILON * 100.0);
+    // Out-of-range progress clamps rather than extrapolating.
+    assert_eq!(expansion_width(4, 16.0, 1.5), full);
+}
+
+/// While a committed drag is active the bar must slide down (positive
+/// `UiTransform` y — off-screen) and return to identity once the drag
+/// ends. Manual time steps make the tween deterministic.
+#[test]
+fn tab_bar_ducks_during_committed_drag_and_returns() {
+    use crate::resources::DragState;
+    use bevy::ui::UiTransform;
+
+    let mut app = bar_only_app(true);
+    set_manual_time_step(&mut app, 0.05);
+    app.add_systems(Update, duck_tab_bar_during_drag);
+    app.insert_resource(DragState {
+        committed: true,
+        ..default()
+    });
+
+    let translation_y_px = |app: &mut App| -> f32 {
+        let world = app.world_mut();
+        let mut q = world.query_filtered::<&UiTransform, With<HudActionBar>>();
+        let t = q.single(world).expect("bar carries UiTransform");
+        match t.translation.y {
+            Val::Px(px) => px,
+            other => panic!("duck must write Val::Px, got {other:?}"),
+        }
+    };
+
+    // 0.18s slide at 0.05s/frame: fully ducked within 5 frames.
+    app.update();
+    app.update();
+    let mid = translation_y_px(&mut app);
+    assert!(mid > 0.0, "bar must start sliding down: {mid}");
+    for _ in 0..5 {
+        app.update();
+    }
+    let ducked = translation_y_px(&mut app);
+    assert!(
+        ducked > TAB_BAR_CLEARANCE_PX,
+        "fully ducked bar must clear its own floating footprint: {ducked}"
+    );
+
+    // Drag ends → bar slides back to identity.
+    app.world_mut().resource_mut::<DragState>().committed = false;
+    for _ in 0..8 {
+        app.update();
+    }
+    assert_eq!(translation_y_px(&mut app), 0.0);
+}
+
+/// The tween must move at the `MOTION_SLIDE_SECS` rate, never overshoot,
+/// and snap instantly under reduce-motion.
+#[test]
+fn step_expansion_tweens_and_respects_reduce_motion() {
+    // One 60 fps frame covers 1/(0.18*60) ≈ 9.3% of the reveal.
+    let one_frame = step_expansion(0.0, 1.0, 1.0 / 60.0, false);
+    assert!(one_frame > 0.0 && one_frame < 0.2);
+    // A huge dt clamps at the target instead of overshooting.
+    assert_eq!(step_expansion(0.0, 1.0, 10.0, false), 1.0);
+    // Collapse works symmetrically.
+    assert!(step_expansion(1.0, 0.0, 1.0 / 60.0, false) < 1.0);
+    // Reduce-motion snaps regardless of dt.
+    assert_eq!(step_expansion(0.0, 1.0, 0.0, true), 1.0);
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn desktop_action_bar_keeps_all_seven_and_no_draw() {
+    let mut app = bar_only_app(false);
+
+    for (count, name) in [
+        (count_buttons::<MenuButton>(&mut app), "Menu"),
+        (count_buttons::<UndoButton>(&mut app), "Undo"),
+        (count_buttons::<PauseButton>(&mut app), "Pause"),
+        (count_buttons::<HelpButton>(&mut app), "Help"),
+        (count_buttons::<HintButton>(&mut app), "Hint"),
+        (count_buttons::<ModesButton>(&mut app), "Modes"),
+        (count_buttons::<NewGameButton>(&mut app), "New Game"),
+    ] {
+        assert_eq!(count, 1, "desktop bar must keep its {name} button");
+    }
+    assert_eq!(
+        count_buttons::<DrawButton>(&mut app),
+        0,
+        "Draw is touch-only (decision 5); desktop draws via stock click / D / Space"
+    );
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn draw_button_press_fires_draw_request() {
+    let mut app = headless_app();
+    app.world_mut()
+        .resource_mut::<Messages<DrawRequestEvent>>()
+        .clear();
+
+    app.world_mut().spawn((DrawButton, Interaction::Pressed));
+    app.update();
+
+    let events = app.world().resource::<Messages<DrawRequestEvent>>();
+    let mut cursor = events.get_cursor();
+    assert_eq!(
+        cursor.read(events).count(),
+        1,
+        "pressing the Draw button must fire exactly one DrawRequestEvent"
+    );
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn draw_button_press_is_noop_while_paused() {
+    let mut app = headless_app();
+    app.insert_resource(PausedResource(true));
+    app.world_mut()
+        .resource_mut::<Messages<DrawRequestEvent>>()
+        .clear();
+
+    app.world_mut().spawn((DrawButton, Interaction::Pressed));
+    app.update();
+
+    let events = app.world().resource::<Messages<DrawRequestEvent>>();
+    let mut cursor = events.get_cursor();
+    assert_eq!(
+        cursor.read(events).count(),
+        0,
+        "the Draw button must be inert while paused (mirrors the stock-click guard)"
+    );
+}
+
+/// The timing contract for hold-to-repeat undo, exercised through the
+/// pure boundary function so no wall-clock is involved. Delay = 0.45 s,
+/// interval = 0.18 s → boundaries at 0.45, 0.63, 0.81, …
+#[test]
+fn undo_hold_boundary_math() {
+    // A tap never repeats.
+    assert!(!undo_hold_crossed_fire_boundary(0.0, 0.05));
+    assert!(!undo_hold_crossed_fire_boundary(0.2, 0.44));
+    // Crossing the initial delay fires the first repeat.
+    assert!(undo_hold_crossed_fire_boundary(0.44, 0.46));
+    // Inside the first repeat interval: quiet.
+    assert!(!undo_hold_crossed_fire_boundary(0.46, 0.62));
+    // Each interval boundary fires exactly once.
+    assert!(undo_hold_crossed_fire_boundary(0.62, 0.64));
+    assert!(!undo_hold_crossed_fire_boundary(0.64, 0.80));
+    assert!(undo_hold_crossed_fire_boundary(0.80, 0.82));
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn undo_hold_state_accumulates_and_resets_on_release() {
+    let mut app = headless_app();
+    let button = app
+        .world_mut()
+        .spawn((UndoButton, Interaction::Pressed))
+        .id();
+    app.update();
+    app.update();
+    app.update();
+
+    assert!(
+        app.world().resource::<UndoHoldState>().held_secs > 0.0,
+        "held time must accumulate while the Undo button stays pressed"
+    );
+
+    app.world_mut().entity_mut(button).insert(Interaction::None);
+    app.update();
+
+    assert_eq!(
+        app.world().resource::<UndoHoldState>().held_secs,
+        0.0,
+        "releasing the Undo button must reset the hold state"
+    );
+}

solitaire_engine/src/hud_plugin/updates.rs

@@ -554,11 +554,11 @@ pub(super) fn action_bar_font_size(window_width: f32) -> f32 {
 
 pub(super) fn action_button_metrics() -> (UiRect, Val, Val) {
     if USE_TOUCH_UI_LAYOUT {
-        // Tight 3 px horizontal padding (down from 4) trims 14 px off the row
-        // total across 7 buttons, and a 44 px min_width (down from 52) lets the
-        // shortest labels ("New", "Help") shrink to their text rather than
-        // padding the row out past the 900 logical-px viewport. min_height
-        // stays at 44 px to preserve the comfortable touch target.
+        // Tight 3 px horizontal padding keeps the compact buttons narrow;
+        // Phase F trimmed the touch bar to 5 buttons (2 compact + 3
+        // primary), so width pressure is lower than the old 7-button row.
+        // min_height stays at 44 px to preserve the comfortable touch
+        // target on the compact buttons.
         (
             UiRect::axes(Val::Px(3.0), Val::Px(4.0)),
             Val::Px(44.0),

solitaire_engine/src/input_plugin/mod.rs

@@ -136,11 +136,22 @@ impl Plugin for InputPlugin {
             .add_systems(
                 Update,
                 (
-                    handle_keyboard_core,
+                    // The three `DrawRequestEvent` writers join the
+                    // self-ambiguous `DrawRequestWriters` set so the HUD's
+                    // touch Draw button (hud_plugin, Phase F) can write the
+                    // same queue without tripping the ambiguity gate. The
+                    // `.chain()` still orders them relative to each other.
+                    handle_keyboard_core
+                        .in_set(crate::game_plugin::DrawRequestWriters)
+                        .ambiguous_with(crate::game_plugin::DrawRequestWriters),
                     handle_keyboard_hint,
                     handle_keyboard_forfeit,
-                    handle_stock_click,
-                    handle_touch_stock_tap,
+                    handle_stock_click
+                        .in_set(crate::game_plugin::DrawRequestWriters)
+                        .ambiguous_with(crate::game_plugin::DrawRequestWriters),
+                    handle_touch_stock_tap
+                        .in_set(crate::game_plugin::DrawRequestWriters)
+                        .ambiguous_with(crate::game_plugin::DrawRequestWriters),
                     handle_double_click,
                     // Mouse drag pipeline.
                     start_drag,
@@ -204,6 +215,7 @@ fn handle_keyboard_core(
     keys: Res<ButtonInput<KeyCode>>,
     paused: Option<Res<PausedResource>>,
     progress: Option<Res<ProgressResource>>,
+    drag: Res<DragState>,
     mut ev: CoreKeyboardMessages<'_>,
     mut time_attack: Option<ResMut<TimeAttackResource>>,
     selection: Option<Res<SelectionState>>,
@@ -216,6 +228,19 @@ fn handle_keyboard_core(
         return;
     }
 
+    // Mutual exclusion with pointer drags — mirrors `handle_selection_keys`.
+    // Undo / draw / new-game during an active mouse or touch drag would fire
+    // a StateChangedEvent whose card re-sync inserts a `CardAnim` on the
+    // dragged cards, fighting `follow_drag`'s per-frame Transform writes and
+    // leaving `DragState` origin indices stale against the mutated state.
+    // The keyboard-drag sentinel may proceed: `clear_selection_on_state_change`
+    // already drops that lift cleanly when the state moves.
+    if !drag.is_idle()
+        && drag.active_touch_id != Some(crate::selection_plugin::KEYBOARD_DRAG_TOUCH_ID)
+    {
+        return;
+    }
+
     // During replay playback (Playing or Completed) all game-input shortcuts
     // are suppressed. The replay overlay owns Space (pause/resume) and the
     // arrow keys (step). Letting game input through would mutate
@@ -462,11 +487,19 @@ pub fn emit_hint_visuals(
 fn handle_keyboard_forfeit(
     keys: Res<ButtonInput<KeyCode>>,
     paused: Option<Res<PausedResource>>,
+    drag: Res<DragState>,
     mut requests: MessageWriter<ForfeitRequestEvent>,
 ) {
     if paused.is_some_and(|p| p.0) {
         return;
     }
+    // Same pointer-drag exclusion as `handle_keyboard_core` — forfeiting
+    // mid-drag would mutate the game state under the dragged cards.
+    if !drag.is_idle()
+        && drag.active_touch_id != Some(crate::selection_plugin::KEYBOARD_DRAG_TOUCH_ID)
+    {
+        return;
+    }
     if !keys.just_pressed(KeyCode::KeyG) {
         return;
     }

solitaire_engine/src/input_plugin/tests.rs

@@ -817,3 +817,123 @@ fn pressing_h_spawns_pending_hint_task() {
         "pressing H must spawn an async hint task",
     );
 }
+
+// -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+// Pointer-drag / keyboard mutual exclusion.
+//
+// A state mutation fired while `follow_drag` is writing the dragged cards'
+// transforms every frame would make the card re-sync insert a `CardAnim`
+// on the same entities (two systems fighting over `Transform`) and leave
+// `DragState`'s origin indices stale. `handle_keyboard_core` and
+// `handle_keyboard_forfeit` therefore swallow game-mutating shortcuts
+// while a mouse or touch drag is live, mirroring `handle_selection_keys`.
+// The keyboard-lift sentinel is exempt: `clear_selection_on_state_change`
+// drops that lift cleanly when the state moves.
+// -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+fn keyboard_core_app() -> App {
+    let mut app = App::new();
+    app.add_plugins(MinimalPlugins);
+    app.add_message::<UndoRequestEvent>();
+    app.add_message::<NewGameRequestEvent>();
+    app.add_message::<InfoToastEvent>();
+    app.add_message::<DrawRequestEvent>();
+    app.add_message::<StartZenRequestEvent>();
+    app.init_resource::<ButtonInput<KeyCode>>();
+    app.init_resource::<DragState>();
+    app.add_systems(Update, handle_keyboard_core);
+    app
+}
+
+fn press_key(app: &mut App, key: KeyCode) {
+    let mut input = app.world_mut().resource_mut::<ButtonInput<KeyCode>>();
+    input.release(key);
+    input.clear();
+    input.press(key);
+}
+
+fn message_count<M: Message>(app: &App) -> usize {
+    let messages = app.world().resource::<Messages<M>>();
+    let mut cursor = messages.get_cursor();
+    cursor.read(messages).count()
+}
+
+fn set_drag(app: &mut App, active_touch_id: Option<u64>) {
+    let mut drag = app.world_mut().resource_mut::<DragState>();
+    drag.cards = vec![Card::new(Deck::Deck1, Suit::Clubs, Rank::Two)];
+    drag.committed = true;
+    drag.active_touch_id = active_touch_id;
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn u_key_fires_undo_when_no_drag_active() {
+    let mut app = keyboard_core_app();
+    press_key(&mut app, KeyCode::KeyU);
+    app.update();
+    assert_eq!(
+        message_count::<UndoRequestEvent>(&app),
+        1,
+        "U with an idle DragState must fire UndoRequestEvent",
+    );
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn u_key_ignored_during_committed_mouse_drag() {
+    let mut app = keyboard_core_app();
+    set_drag(&mut app, None); // mouse drag
+    press_key(&mut app, KeyCode::KeyU);
+    app.update();
+    assert_eq!(
+        message_count::<UndoRequestEvent>(&app),
+        0,
+        "U during a mouse drag must be swallowed",
+    );
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn draw_key_ignored_during_touch_drag() {
+    let mut app = keyboard_core_app();
+    set_drag(&mut app, Some(7)); // real touch id
+    press_key(&mut app, KeyCode::KeyD);
+    app.update();
+    assert_eq!(
+        message_count::<DrawRequestEvent>(&app),
+        0,
+        "D during a touch drag must be swallowed",
+    );
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn u_key_allowed_during_keyboard_lift() {
+    let mut app = keyboard_core_app();
+    set_drag(
+        &mut app,
+        Some(crate::selection_plugin::KEYBOARD_DRAG_TOUCH_ID),
+    );
+    press_key(&mut app, KeyCode::KeyU);
+    app.update();
+    assert_eq!(
+        message_count::<UndoRequestEvent>(&app),
+        1,
+        "the keyboard-lift sentinel must not block core shortcuts",
+    );
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn g_key_forfeit_ignored_during_mouse_drag() {
+    let mut app = App::new();
+    app.add_plugins(MinimalPlugins);
+    app.add_message::<ForfeitRequestEvent>();
+    app.init_resource::<ButtonInput<KeyCode>>();
+    app.init_resource::<DragState>();
+    app.add_systems(Update, handle_keyboard_forfeit);
+
+    set_drag(&mut app, None);
+    press_key(&mut app, KeyCode::KeyG);
+    app.update();
+    assert_eq!(
+        message_count::<ForfeitRequestEvent>(&app),
+        0,
+        "G during a mouse drag must be swallowed",
+    );
+}

solitaire_engine/src/leaderboard_plugin.rs

@@ -24,13 +24,13 @@ use crate::font_plugin::FontResource;
 use crate::settings_plugin::{SettingsResource, SettingsStoragePath};
 use crate::sync_plugin::SyncProviderResource;
 use crate::ui_modal::{
-    ButtonVariant, ModalScrim, ScrimDismissible, spawn_modal, spawn_modal_actions,
-    spawn_modal_button, spawn_modal_header,
+    ButtonVariant, ModalScrim, ScrimDismissible, spawn_empty_state, spawn_modal,
+    spawn_modal_actions, spawn_modal_button, spawn_modal_header,
 };
 use crate::ui_theme::{
-    ACCENT_PRIMARY, BG_ELEVATED, BORDER_SUBTLE, RADIUS_SM, STATE_INFO, TEXT_DISABLED, TEXT_PRIMARY,
-    TEXT_SECONDARY, TYPE_BODY, TYPE_BODY_LG, TYPE_CAPTION, VAL_SPACE_2, VAL_SPACE_3, VAL_SPACE_4,
-    Z_MODAL_PANEL, Z_PAUSE_DIALOG,
+    ACCENT_PRIMARY, BG_ELEVATED, BORDER_SUBTLE, RADIUS_SM, TEXT_DISABLED, TEXT_PRIMARY,
+    TEXT_SECONDARY, TYPE_BODY, TYPE_CAPTION, VAL_SPACE_2, VAL_SPACE_3, VAL_SPACE_4, Z_MODAL_PANEL,
+    Z_PAUSE_DIALOG,
 };
 
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -536,11 +536,6 @@ fn spawn_leaderboard_screen(
             font_size: TYPE_CAPTION,
             ..default()
         };
-        let font_status = TextFont {
-            font: font_handle.clone(),
-            font_size: TYPE_BODY_LG,
-            ..default()
-        };
         let font_row = TextFont {
             font: font_handle.clone(),
             font_size: TYPE_BODY,
@@ -647,30 +642,31 @@ fn spawn_leaderboard_screen(
         .with_children(|body| {
             match data {
                 LeaderboardResource::Idle => {
-                    body.spawn((
-                        Text::new("Fetching\u{2026}"),
-                        font_status.clone(),
-                        TextColor(STATE_INFO),
-                    ));
+                    spawn_empty_state(
+                        body,
+                        "\u{21BB}",
+                        "Fetching the leaderboard\u{2026}",
+                        None,
+                        font_res,
+                    );
                 }
                 LeaderboardResource::Error(_) => {
-                    body.spawn((
-                        Text::new("Couldn't reach the leaderboard. Try again later."),
-                        font_status.clone(),
-                        TextColor(TEXT_SECONDARY),
-                    ));
+                    spawn_empty_state(
+                        body,
+                        "!",
+                        "Couldn't reach the leaderboard.",
+                        Some("Try again later."),
+                        font_res,
+                    );
                 }
                 LeaderboardResource::Loaded(rows) if rows.is_empty() => {
-                    body.spawn((
-                        Text::new("Be the first on the leaderboard."),
-                        font_status.clone(),
-                        TextColor(TEXT_PRIMARY),
-                    ));
-                    body.spawn((
-                        Text::new("Win a game and opt in to appear here."),
-                        font_row.clone(),
-                        TextColor(TEXT_SECONDARY),
-                    ));
+                    spawn_empty_state(
+                        body,
+                        "\u{2660}",
+                        "Be the first on the leaderboard.",
+                        Some("Win a game and opt in to appear here."),
+                        font_res,
+                    );
                 }
                 LeaderboardResource::Loaded(rows) => {
                     // Column headers

solitaire_engine/src/lib.rs

@@ -15,6 +15,8 @@ pub mod avatar_plugin;
 pub mod card_animation;
 pub mod card_plugin;
 pub mod challenge_plugin;
+pub mod cheat_sheet_plugin;
+pub mod contextual_tips_plugin;
 pub mod core_game_plugin;
 pub mod cursor_plugin;
 pub mod daily_challenge_plugin;
@@ -26,6 +28,7 @@ pub mod font_plugin;
 pub mod game_plugin;
 pub mod help_plugin;
 pub mod home_plugin;
+pub mod hotkeys;
 pub mod hud_plugin;
 pub mod input_plugin;
 pub mod layout;
@@ -60,10 +63,12 @@ pub mod theme_store_plugin;
 pub mod time_attack_plugin;
 pub mod touch_selection_plugin;
 pub mod ui_focus;
+pub mod ui_glass;
 pub mod ui_modal;
 pub mod ui_theme;
 pub mod ui_tooltip;
 pub mod weekly_goals_plugin;
+pub mod whats_new_plugin;
 pub mod win_summary_plugin;
 pub mod you_hub_plugin;
 
@@ -93,6 +98,8 @@ pub use card_plugin::{
 pub use challenge_plugin::{
     CHALLENGE_UNLOCK_LEVEL, ChallengeAdvancedEvent, ChallengePlugin, challenge_progress_label,
 };
+pub use cheat_sheet_plugin::{CheatSheetOverlay, CheatSheetPlugin};
+pub use contextual_tips_plugin::ContextualTipsPlugin;
 pub use core_game_plugin::CoreGamePlugin;
 pub use cursor_plugin::CursorPlugin;
 pub use daily_challenge_plugin::{
@@ -194,6 +201,7 @@ pub use ui_modal::{
 };
 pub use ui_tooltip::{Tooltip, UiTooltipPlugin};
 pub use weekly_goals_plugin::{WeeklyGoalCompletedEvent, WeeklyGoalsPlugin};
+pub use whats_new_plugin::{WhatsNewPending, WhatsNewPlugin, WhatsNewScreen};
 pub use win_summary_plugin::{
     ScreenShakeResource, SessionAchievements, WinSummaryPending, WinSummaryPlugin, format_win_time,
 };

solitaire_engine/src/onboarding_plugin.rs

@@ -84,66 +84,11 @@ struct OnboardingSkipButton;
 pub struct OnboardingSlideIndex(pub u8);
 
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-// Slide data — hotkey rows are taken verbatim from `help_plugin.rs` so the
-// two screens stay in sync without a shared abstraction.
+// Slide data — the hotkey slide renders the essential subset of the
+// shared table in `crate::hotkeys` (Phase J unified the previously
+// diverging copies here and in help_plugin).
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-/// A single `key — description` pair shown on slide 3.
-#[cfg(not(target_os = "android"))]
-struct HotkeyRow {
-    keys: &'static str,
-    description: &'static str,
-}
-
-/// Most-used shortcuts from the `help_plugin` canonical list.
-///
-/// Updating the list in `help_plugin.rs` should be mirrored here. The
-/// ARCHITECTURE.md decision log calls out that we copy values rather than
-/// refactor the help plugin.
-#[cfg(not(target_os = "android"))]
-const HOTKEYS: &[HotkeyRow] = &[
-    HotkeyRow {
-        keys: "D / Space",
-        description: "Draw from stock",
-    },
-    HotkeyRow {
-        keys: "U",
-        description: "Undo last move",
-    },
-    HotkeyRow {
-        keys: "Tab → Enter",
-        description: "Pick a card; arrows pick where; Enter to drop",
-    },
-    HotkeyRow {
-        keys: "N",
-        description: "New Classic game",
-    },
-    HotkeyRow {
-        keys: "M",
-        description: "Open Mode Launcher (then 1–5 to pick)",
-    },
-    HotkeyRow {
-        keys: "S",
-        description: "Stats & progression",
-    },
-    HotkeyRow {
-        keys: "A",
-        description: "Achievements",
-    },
-    HotkeyRow {
-        keys: "O",
-        description: "Settings",
-    },
-    HotkeyRow {
-        keys: "Esc",
-        description: "Pause / resume",
-    },
-    HotkeyRow {
-        keys: "F1",
-        description: "Help / controls",
-    },
-];
-
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // Plugin
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -313,6 +258,10 @@ fn complete_onboarding(
     despawn_screen(commands, screens);
     if let Some(s) = settings {
         s.0.first_run_complete = true;
+        // A fresh install has nothing "new" to announce — stamp the
+        // running release so the What's-new card (Phase I) only ever
+        // fires after an actual upgrade.
+        s.0.last_seen_whats_new = crate::whats_new_plugin::current_release_version();
         persist(path.map(|p| &p.0), &s.0);
     }
 }
@@ -382,20 +331,27 @@ fn spawn_slide_welcome(commands: &mut Commands, font_res: Option<&FontResource>)
     });
 }
 
+/// How-to-play body copy, phrased for the platform's input vocabulary —
+/// a touch player never left-clicks (Phase H polish; spotted in the
+/// emulator smoke of v0.44.0).
+#[cfg(target_os = "android")]
+const HOW_TO_PLAY_BODY: &str = "Drag any face-up card to move it between piles. \
+     You can drag a whole column at once by grabbing the topmost card \
+     you want to move. Double-tap a face-up card to send it to a \
+     foundation pile automatically (when the move is legal). \
+     Tap Hint in the bottom bar for a suggested move.";
+#[cfg(not(target_os = "android"))]
+const HOW_TO_PLAY_BODY: &str = "Left-click and drag any face-up card to move it between piles. \
+     You can drag a whole column at once by grabbing the topmost card \
+     you want to move. Double-click a face-up card to send it to a \
+     foundation pile automatically (when the move is legal). \
+     Right-click a card for a hint — valid destinations will highlight.";
+
 /// Slide 2 — How to play.
 fn spawn_slide_how_to_play(commands: &mut Commands, font_res: Option<&FontResource>) {
     spawn_modal(commands, OnboardingScreen, Z_ONBOARDING, |card| {
         spawn_modal_header(card, "Drag cards to play", font_res);
-        spawn_modal_body_text(
-            card,
-            "Left-click and drag any face-up card to move it between piles. \
-             You can drag a whole column at once by grabbing the topmost card \
-             you want to move. Double-click a face-up card to send it to a \
-             foundation pile automatically (when the move is legal). \
-             Right-click a card for a hint — valid destinations will highlight.",
-            TEXT_SECONDARY,
-            font_res,
-        );
+        spawn_modal_body_text(card, HOW_TO_PLAY_BODY, TEXT_SECONDARY, font_res);
         spawn_modal_actions(card, |actions| {
             spawn_modal_button(
                 actions,
@@ -435,8 +391,10 @@ fn spawn_slide_hotkeys(commands: &mut Commands, font_res: Option<&FontResource>)
     spawn_modal(commands, OnboardingScreen, Z_ONBOARDING, |card| {
         spawn_modal_header(card, "Keyboard shortcuts", font_res);
 
-        // Vertical list of `key — description` rows, same chip style as HelpScreen.
-        for row in HOTKEYS {
+        // Vertical list of `key — description` rows, same chip style as
+        // HelpScreen. Essential subset only — the full table lives on
+        // the hold-`/` cheat sheet.
+        for row in crate::hotkeys::HOTKEYS.iter().filter(|r| r.essential) {
             card.spawn(Node {
                 flex_direction: FlexDirection::Row,
                 align_items: AlignItems::Center,
@@ -815,22 +773,15 @@ mod tests {
     }
 
     // -----------------------------------------------------------------------
-    // Hotkey list is non-empty (guards against accidental truncation)
+    // Hotkey slide renders a non-empty essential subset (the table's own
+    // integrity tests live in `crate::hotkeys`)
     // -----------------------------------------------------------------------
 
     #[test]
-    fn hotkey_list_is_non_empty() {
-        assert!(!HOTKEYS.is_empty(), "HOTKEYS must not be empty");
-    }
-
-    #[test]
-    fn all_hotkey_rows_have_non_empty_fields() {
-        for row in HOTKEYS {
-            assert!(!row.keys.is_empty(), "hotkey key field must not be empty");
-            assert!(
-                !row.description.is_empty(),
-                "hotkey description must not be empty"
-            );
-        }
+    fn hotkey_slide_subset_is_non_empty() {
+        assert!(
+            crate::hotkeys::HOTKEYS.iter().any(|r| r.essential),
+            "the onboarding slide needs at least one essential hotkey"
+        );
     }
 }

solitaire_engine/src/safe_area.rs

@@ -101,9 +101,10 @@ impl Plugin for SafeAreaInsetsPlugin {
 fn apply_safe_area_anchors(
     insets: Res<SafeAreaInsets>,
     windows: Query<&Window>,
+    ui_scale: Option<Res<UiScale>>,
     mut q: Query<(&SafeAreaAnchoredTop, &mut Node)>,
 ) {
-    if !insets.is_changed() {
+    if !insets.is_changed() && !ui_scale.as_ref().is_some_and(|s| s.is_changed()) {
         return;
     }
     // Android's WindowInsets API returns physical pixels; Bevy UI's Val::Px
@@ -119,19 +120,31 @@ fn apply_safe_area_anchors(
         );
     }
     let top_logical = raw_top.min(max_inset);
+    // `bevy::ui::UiScale` (Phase K) multiplies every Val::Px at layout
+    // time. `base_top` is UI chrome and SHOULD scale with the rest of
+    // the interface, but the system-bar inset is physical reality —
+    // pre-divide it so the post-multiplication offset stays exact.
+    let ui = effective_ui_scale(ui_scale.as_deref());
     for (anchor, mut node) in &mut q {
-        node.top = Val::Px(anchor.base_top + top_logical);
+        node.top = Val::Px(anchor.base_top + top_logical / ui);
     }
 }
 
+/// The live UI scale, defensively clamped — a zero or negative scale
+/// would flip or destroy the inset math.
+fn effective_ui_scale(ui_scale: Option<&UiScale>) -> f32 {
+    ui_scale.map_or(1.0, |s| s.0.max(0.1))
+}
+
 /// Re-applies `base_bottom + insets.bottom / scale` to every entity carrying
 /// [`SafeAreaAnchoredBottom`] whenever [`SafeAreaInsets`] changes.
 fn apply_safe_area_bottom_anchors(
     insets: Res<SafeAreaInsets>,
     windows: Query<&Window>,
+    ui_scale: Option<Res<UiScale>>,
     mut q: Query<(&SafeAreaAnchoredBottom, &mut Node)>,
 ) {
-    if !insets.is_changed() {
+    if !insets.is_changed() && !ui_scale.as_ref().is_some_and(|s| s.is_changed()) {
         return;
     }
     let scale = windows.iter().next().map_or(1.0, |w| w.scale_factor());
@@ -144,8 +157,12 @@ fn apply_safe_area_bottom_anchors(
         );
     }
     let bottom_logical = raw_bottom.min(max_inset);
+    // See `apply_safe_area_anchors`: the physical inset is pre-divided
+    // by the UI scale so a 90% setting can't sink the action bar into
+    // the gesture zone (and 130% doesn't over-inset it).
+    let ui = effective_ui_scale(ui_scale.as_deref());
     for (anchor, mut node) in &mut q {
-        node.bottom = Val::Px(anchor.base_bottom + bottom_logical);
+        node.bottom = Val::Px(anchor.base_bottom + bottom_logical / ui);
     }
 }
 
@@ -163,19 +180,23 @@ fn apply_safe_area_bottom_anchors(
 fn apply_safe_area_to_modal_scrims(
     insets: Res<SafeAreaInsets>,
     windows: Query<&Window>,
+    ui_scale: Option<Res<UiScale>>,
     mut scrims: Query<&mut Node, With<ModalScrim>>,
     new_scrims: Query<(), (With<ModalScrim>, Added<ModalScrim>)>,
 ) {
     let has_new = !new_scrims.is_empty();
-    if !insets.is_changed() && !has_new {
+    if !insets.is_changed() && !has_new && !ui_scale.as_ref().is_some_and(|s| s.is_changed()) {
         return;
     }
     let scale = windows.iter().next().map_or(1.0, |w| w.scale_factor());
     let window_height = windows.iter().next().map_or(800.0, |w| w.height());
     // Clamp each inset to 25% of screen height so an unexpectedly large OS
     // value can't push the modal card off the visible area entirely.
-    let top_logical = (insets.top / scale).min(window_height * 0.25);
-    let bottom_logical = (insets.bottom / scale).min(window_height * 0.25);
+    // Physical insets are pre-divided by the UI scale — see
+    // `apply_safe_area_anchors`.
+    let ui = effective_ui_scale(ui_scale.as_deref());
+    let top_logical = (insets.top / scale).min(window_height * 0.25) / ui;
+    let bottom_logical = (insets.bottom / scale).min(window_height * 0.25) / ui;
     for mut node in &mut scrims {
         // Set both edges so the scrim's content box equals the usable area
         // between the status bar and the gesture/navigation bar. With

solitaire_engine/src/settings_plugin/input.rs

@@ -353,6 +353,14 @@ pub(super) fn handle_settings_buttons(
                     **t = on_off_label(settings.0.reduce_motion_mode);
                 }
             }
+            SettingsButton::ToggleReduceTransparency => {
+                settings.0.reduce_transparency_mode = !settings.0.reduce_transparency_mode;
+                persist(&path, &settings.0);
+                changed.write(SettingsChangedEvent(settings.0.clone()));
+                // Text refreshed by `update_reduce_transparency_text`; the
+                // glass chrome itself follows via `update_glass_surfaces`
+                // next frame.
+            }
             SettingsButton::ToggleTouchInputMode => {
                 use solitaire_data::settings::TouchInputMode;
                 settings.0.touch_input_mode = match settings.0.touch_input_mode {
@@ -363,6 +371,14 @@ pub(super) fn handle_settings_buttons(
                 changed.write(SettingsChangedEvent(settings.0.clone()));
                 // Text refreshed by `update_touch_input_mode_text` next frame.
             }
+            SettingsButton::CycleUiScale => {
+                settings.0.ui_scale = next_ui_scale(settings.0.ui_scale);
+                persist(&path, &settings.0);
+                changed.write(SettingsChangedEvent(settings.0.clone()));
+                // Text refreshed by `update_ui_scale_text`; the live
+                // `bevy::ui::UiScale` resource follows via
+                // `sync_ui_scale_resource` next frame.
+            }
             SettingsButton::ToggleWinnableDealsOnly => {
                 settings.0.winnable_deals_only = !settings.0.winnable_deals_only;
                 persist(&path, &settings.0);

solitaire_engine/src/settings_plugin/mod.rs

@@ -135,10 +135,18 @@ struct HighContrastText;
 #[derive(Component, Debug)]
 struct ReduceMotionText;
 
+/// Marks the `Text` node showing the current reduce-transparency state.
+#[derive(Component, Debug)]
+struct ReduceTransparencyText;
+
 /// Marks the `Text` node showing the current touch input mode state.
 #[derive(Component, Debug)]
 struct TouchInputModeText;
 
+/// Marks the `Text` node showing the current UI scale percentage.
+#[derive(Component, Debug)]
+struct UiScaleText;
+
 /// Marks the `Text` node showing the live tooltip-delay value.
 #[derive(Component, Debug)]
 struct TooltipDelayText;
@@ -273,10 +281,18 @@ enum SettingsButton {
     /// non-essential motion (card-slide animations become instant
     /// snaps) per `design-system.md` §Accessibility (#3).
     ToggleReduceMotion,
+    /// Toggle the [`Settings::reduce_transparency_mode`] flag — swaps
+    /// translucent glass chrome (the floating touch tab bar) for opaque
+    /// fills so table content never bleeds through UI text.
+    ToggleReduceTransparency,
     /// Toggle [`Settings::touch_input_mode`] between `OneTap`
     /// (auto-move on tap, default) and `TapToSelect` (first tap selects
     /// a card/stack, second tap on a target pile moves it).
     ToggleTouchInputMode,
+    /// Cycle [`Settings::ui_scale`] through 90 % → 100 % → 115 % →
+    /// 130 % → 90 %. Applied live via `bevy::ui::UiScale`; the table
+    /// stays window-fit (Phase K).
+    CycleUiScale,
     /// Toggle the [`Settings::winnable_deals_only`] flag. When on, new
     /// random Classic-mode deals are filtered through
     /// [`solitaire_core::game_state::GameState::solve_fresh_deal`] until one is provably
@@ -353,7 +369,9 @@ impl SettingsButton {
             // run before continuing to the picker rows.
             SettingsButton::ToggleHighContrast => 61,
             SettingsButton::ToggleReduceMotion => 62,
-            SettingsButton::ToggleTouchInputMode => 63,
+            SettingsButton::ToggleReduceTransparency => 63,
+            SettingsButton::ToggleTouchInputMode => 64,
+            SettingsButton::CycleUiScale => 65,
             // Picker rows — every swatch in a row shares the row's
             // priority so entity-index tiebreaking yields left → right.
             SettingsButton::SelectCardBack(_) => 70,
@@ -449,6 +467,11 @@ impl Plugin for SettingsPlugin {
                     handle_volume_keys,
                     record_window_geometry_changes,
                     persist_window_geometry_after_debounce,
+                    // State sync, not UI — runs even under `headless()`
+                    // so the live `bevy::ui::UiScale` always mirrors the
+                    // setting; rides the mutator spine so it is ordered
+                    // after every settings writer this frame.
+                    sync_ui_scale_resource,
                 )
                     .chain()
                     .in_set(SettingsMutation),
@@ -492,6 +515,7 @@ impl Plugin for SettingsPlugin {
                     update_high_contrast_backgrounds.run_if(resource_changed::<SettingsResource>),
                     update_reduce_motion_text,
                     update_touch_input_mode_text,
+                    update_ui_scale_text,
                     update_tooltip_delay_text,
                     update_time_bonus_multiplier_text,
                     update_replay_move_interval_text,
@@ -499,6 +523,16 @@ impl Plugin for SettingsPlugin {
                     update_smart_default_size_text,
                 ),
             );
+            app.add_systems(
+                Update,
+                (
+                    update_reduce_transparency_text,
+                    // Guards internally on settings-change / newly added
+                    // glass — `Added<GlassSurface>` can't be expressed as
+                    // a resource run condition.
+                    update_glass_surfaces,
+                ),
+            );
             app.add_systems(
                 Update,
                 (

solitaire_engine/src/settings_plugin/tests.rs

@@ -736,3 +736,60 @@ fn scroll_clamps_offset_to_zero_at_top() {
         "scrolling past top must clamp to 0, got {offset}"
     );
 }
+
+// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// Phase K: UI scale
+// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+#[test]
+fn ui_scale_steps_cycle_and_wrap() {
+    assert_eq!(next_ui_scale(0.9), 1.0);
+    assert_eq!(next_ui_scale(1.0), 1.15);
+    assert_eq!(next_ui_scale(1.15), 1.3);
+    assert_eq!(next_ui_scale(1.3), 0.9, "the cycle must wrap");
+    // A hand-edited in-between value advances to the next larger step.
+    assert_eq!(next_ui_scale(1.05), 1.15);
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn ui_scale_label_formats_as_percent() {
+    assert_eq!(ui_scale_label(0.9), "90%");
+    assert_eq!(ui_scale_label(1.0), "100%");
+    assert_eq!(ui_scale_label(1.15), "115%");
+    assert_eq!(ui_scale_label(1.3), "130%");
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn ui_scale_setting_syncs_the_bevy_resource() {
+    let mut app = headless_app();
+    app.insert_resource(UiScale(1.0));
+    app.world_mut()
+        .resource_mut::<SettingsResource>()
+        .0
+        .ui_scale = 1.3;
+    app.update();
+
+    assert!(
+        (app.world().resource::<UiScale>().0 - 1.3).abs() < f32::EPSILON,
+        "Settings::ui_scale must drive bevy::ui::UiScale"
+    );
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn ui_scale_out_of_range_sanitizes_on_load() {
+    use solitaire_data::settings::{UI_SCALE_MAX, UI_SCALE_MIN};
+
+    let wild = Settings {
+        ui_scale: 5.0,
+        ..Settings::default()
+    }
+    .sanitized();
+    assert_eq!(wild.ui_scale, UI_SCALE_MAX);
+
+    let tiny = Settings {
+        ui_scale: 0.1,
+        ..Settings::default()
+    }
+    .sanitized();
+    assert_eq!(tiny.ui_scale, UI_SCALE_MIN);
+}

solitaire_engine/src/settings_plugin/ui.rs

@@ -317,6 +317,15 @@ fn spawn_accessibility_tab(
         "Skips card-slide animations and other non-essential motion. Cards snap instantly to their target.",
         font_res,
     );
+    toggle_row(
+        body,
+        "Reduce Transparency",
+        ReduceTransparencyText,
+        on_off_label(settings.reduce_transparency_mode),
+        SettingsButton::ToggleReduceTransparency,
+        "Replaces the see-through glass toolbar with a solid panel so cards behind it never reduce readability.",
+        font_res,
+    );
     toggle_row(
         body,
         "Touch Input Mode",
@@ -326,6 +335,15 @@ fn spawn_accessibility_tab(
         "One-tap: tap a card to auto-move it. Tap to select: first tap selects a card, second tap on a pile moves it.",
         font_res,
     );
+    toggle_row(
+        body,
+        "UI Scale",
+        UiScaleText,
+        ui_scale_label(settings.ui_scale),
+        SettingsButton::CycleUiScale,
+        "Scales all menus, buttons, and HUD text. The table itself always fits the screen.",
+        font_res,
+    );
     tooltip_delay_row(body, settings.tooltip_delay_secs, font_res);
 }
 

solitaire_engine/src/settings_plugin/updates.rs

@@ -9,8 +9,10 @@ use crate::font_plugin::FontResource;
 use crate::progress_plugin::ProgressResource;
 use crate::resources::{SettingsScrollPos, SyncStatus, SyncStatusResource};
 use crate::theme::ThemeThumbnailCache;
+use crate::ui_glass::{GlassSurface, glass_decorations};
 use crate::ui_modal::ModalScrim;
 use crate::ui_theme::{BORDER_SUBTLE_HC, HighContrastBackground, HighContrastBorder};
+use bevy::ui::{BackgroundGradient, BorderGradient};
 
 /// Spawns the Settings panel when `SettingsScreen` becomes `true`;
 /// despawns it when it becomes `false`.
@@ -330,6 +332,41 @@ pub(super) fn update_reduce_motion_text(
     }
 }
 
+pub(super) fn update_reduce_transparency_text(
+    settings: Res<SettingsResource>,
+    mut text_nodes: Query<&mut Text, With<ReduceTransparencyText>>,
+) {
+    if !settings.is_changed() {
+        return;
+    }
+    for mut text in &mut text_nodes {
+        **text = on_off_label(settings.0.reduce_transparency_mode);
+    }
+}
+
+/// Retargets every [`GlassSurface`]'s sheen + rim gradients when the
+/// reduce-transparency or high-contrast toggles change. Runs on
+/// `SettingsResource` change and on newly added surfaces (so glass
+/// spawned after startup picks up an already-active toggle). Parallel to
+/// [`update_high_contrast_borders`]: same trigger, different components.
+pub(super) fn update_glass_surfaces(
+    settings: Res<SettingsResource>,
+    mut surfaces: Query<(&mut BackgroundGradient, &mut BorderGradient), With<GlassSurface>>,
+    added: Query<(), Added<GlassSurface>>,
+) {
+    if !settings.is_changed() && added.is_empty() {
+        return;
+    }
+    let (sheen, rim) = glass_decorations(
+        settings.0.reduce_transparency_mode,
+        settings.0.high_contrast_mode,
+    );
+    for (mut s, mut r) in &mut surfaces {
+        *s = sheen.clone();
+        *r = rim.clone();
+    }
+}
+
 pub(super) fn update_touch_input_mode_text(
     settings: Res<SettingsResource>,
     mut text_nodes: Query<&mut Text, With<TouchInputModeText>>,
@@ -515,6 +552,58 @@ pub(super) fn touch_input_mode_label(mode: &solitaire_data::settings::TouchInput
     }
 }
 
+/// The four UI-scale steps the settings row cycles through (Phase K).
+pub(super) const UI_SCALE_STEPS: [f32; 4] = [0.9, 1.0, 1.15, 1.3];
+
+/// The next UI-scale step after `current`, wrapping 130 % → 90 %. A
+/// hand-edited value between steps advances to the first step larger
+/// than it, so the cycle always makes visible progress.
+pub(super) fn next_ui_scale(current: f32) -> f32 {
+    for step in UI_SCALE_STEPS {
+        if step > current + 0.001 {
+            return step;
+        }
+    }
+    UI_SCALE_STEPS[0]
+}
+
+/// Display string for the UI-scale row, e.g. `"115%"`.
+pub(super) fn ui_scale_label(scale: f32) -> String {
+    format!("{:.0}%", scale * 100.0)
+}
+
+/// Refreshes the live UI-scale value text whenever settings change.
+pub(super) fn update_ui_scale_text(
+    settings: Res<SettingsResource>,
+    mut text_nodes: Query<&mut Text, With<UiScaleText>>,
+) {
+    if !settings.is_changed() {
+        return;
+    }
+    for mut text in &mut text_nodes {
+        **text = ui_scale_label(settings.0.ui_scale);
+    }
+}
+
+/// Applies `Settings::ui_scale` to the live [`bevy::ui::UiScale`]
+/// resource — at startup (first change tick) and whenever the setting
+/// changes. Absent under `MinimalPlugins` (no `bevy_ui`), hence the
+/// `Option`; the table is unaffected either way (`compute_layout`
+/// owns world-space sizing, not UI scale).
+pub(super) fn sync_ui_scale_resource(
+    settings: Res<SettingsResource>,
+    ui_scale: Option<ResMut<UiScale>>,
+) {
+    let Some(mut ui_scale) = ui_scale else { return };
+    if !settings.is_changed() {
+        return;
+    }
+    let target = settings.0.ui_scale;
+    if (ui_scale.0 - target).abs() > f32::EPSILON {
+        ui_scale.0 = target;
+    }
+}
+
 /// Display string for the "Smart window size" toggle. The argument
 /// is the *enabled* state (i.e. the inverse of the underlying
 /// `disable_smart_default_size` field) so reading the label gives

solitaire_engine/src/stats_plugin.rs

@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ use crate::ui_modal::{ButtonVariant, ModalButton, spawn_modal_button};
 use crate::ui_theme::{
     ACCENT_PRIMARY, BG_ELEVATED_HI, BORDER_SUBTLE, HighContrastBorder, RADIUS_SM, STATE_INFO,
     STATE_WARNING, STREAK_MILESTONES, TEXT_PRIMARY, TEXT_SECONDARY, TYPE_BODY, TYPE_BODY_LG,
-    TYPE_CAPTION, TYPE_HEADLINE, VAL_SPACE_1, VAL_SPACE_2, VAL_SPACE_3, VAL_SPACE_4,
+    TYPE_HEADLINE, VAL_SPACE_1, VAL_SPACE_2, VAL_SPACE_3, VAL_SPACE_4,
 };
 
 /// Bevy resource wrapping the current stats.
@@ -719,25 +719,17 @@ pub(crate) fn spawn_stats_body(
             },
         ))
         .with_children(|body| {
-            // First-launch caption — sits above the grid as gentle nudge so
+            // First-launch empty state (Phase L) — sits above the grid so
             // the wall of em-dashes reads as "nothing to track yet" rather
             // than as broken state.
             if is_first_launch {
-                body.spawn((
-                    Text::new("Play a game to start tracking stats."),
-                    TextFont {
-                        font_size: TYPE_CAPTION,
-                        ..default()
-                    },
-                    TextColor(TEXT_SECONDARY),
-                    Node {
-                        margin: UiRect {
-                            bottom: VAL_SPACE_2,
-                            ..default()
-                        },
-                        ..default()
-                    },
-                ));
+                crate::ui_modal::spawn_empty_state(
+                    body,
+                    "\u{2663}",
+                    "Play a game to start tracking stats.",
+                    None,
+                    font_res,
+                );
             }
 
             // --- primary stat cells grid ---
@@ -893,6 +885,20 @@ pub(crate) fn spawn_replays_body(
     selected_index: usize,
     font_res: Option<&FontResource>,
 ) {
+    // Standard empty state (Phase L) — the selector / Watch / Copy
+    // controls only spawn when there is something to select, so their
+    // handlers all no-op via their existing empty-query paths.
+    if replays.is_empty() {
+        crate::ui_modal::spawn_empty_state(
+            card,
+            "\u{2666}",
+            "No replays yet.",
+            Some("Every win records a replay here automatically."),
+            font_res,
+        );
+        return;
+    }
+
     let font_handle = font_res.map(|f| f.0.clone()).unwrap_or_default();
     let font_row = TextFont {
         font: font_handle,

solitaire_engine/src/theme_store_plugin.rs

@@ -14,6 +14,9 @@
 //! filesystem-based; the plugin is gated out on wasm32 alongside
 //! `SyncPlugin`.
 
+use std::collections::HashMap;
+
+use bevy::asset::RenderAssetUsages;
 use bevy::prelude::*;
 use bevy::tasks::{AsyncComputeTaskPool, Task, futures_lite::future};
 use thiserror::Error;
@@ -29,8 +32,8 @@ use crate::resources::TokioRuntimeResource;
 use crate::settings_plugin::{SettingsPanel, SettingsResource};
 use crate::theme::{ImportError, ThemeRegistry, import_theme, refresh_registry};
 use crate::ui_modal::{
-    ButtonVariant, ModalScrim, ScrimDismissible, spawn_modal, spawn_modal_actions,
-    spawn_modal_button, spawn_modal_header,
+    ButtonVariant, ModalScrim, ScrimDismissible, spawn_empty_state, spawn_modal,
+    spawn_modal_actions, spawn_modal_button, spawn_modal_header,
 };
 use crate::ui_theme::{
     BORDER_SUBTLE, TEXT_PRIMARY, TEXT_SECONDARY, TYPE_BODY, TYPE_CAPTION, VAL_SPACE_2, VAL_SPACE_3,
@@ -105,6 +108,21 @@ struct InstallTask(Option<(String, Task<InstallResult>)>);
 #[derive(Resource, Default)]
 struct StoreBaseUrl(Option<String>);
 
+/// Decoded preview thumbnails by theme id (Phase H). Session-lifetime:
+/// previews survive closing and reopening the store, so a revisit
+/// renders instantly without refetching.
+#[derive(Resource, Default)]
+struct PreviewCache(HashMap<String, Handle<Image>>);
+
+/// One in-flight preview download: raw PNG bytes or the fetch error.
+type PreviewFetch = Task<Result<Vec<u8>, ThemeStoreError>>;
+
+/// In-flight preview downloads, one per catalog entry that advertises
+/// a `preview_url` not already in [`PreviewCache`]. `String` is the
+/// theme id the bytes belong to.
+#[derive(Resource, Default)]
+struct PreviewTasks(Vec<(String, PreviewFetch)>);
+
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // Plugin
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -118,6 +136,8 @@ impl Plugin for ThemeStorePlugin {
             .init_resource::<CatalogTask>()
             .init_resource::<InstallTask>()
             .init_resource::<StoreBaseUrl>()
+            .init_resource::<PreviewCache>()
+            .init_resource::<PreviewTasks>()
             // Esc-close reads keyboard input; register defensively so
             // the plugin works under MinimalPlugins in tests.
             .init_resource::<ButtonInput<KeyCode>>()
@@ -129,6 +149,7 @@ impl Plugin for ThemeStorePlugin {
                 (
                     handle_open_request,
                     poll_catalog_task,
+                    poll_preview_tasks,
                     handle_install_buttons,
                     poll_install_task,
                     handle_close_button,
@@ -176,6 +197,7 @@ fn handle_open_request(
     mut catalog_task: ResMut<CatalogTask>,
     mut store_base: ResMut<StoreBaseUrl>,
     mut warning_toast: MessageWriter<WarningToastEvent>,
+    previews: Res<PreviewCache>,
     mut commands: Commands,
     font_res: Option<Res<FontResource>>,
 ) {
@@ -207,16 +229,28 @@ fn handle_open_request(
         rt.block_on(async { ThemeStoreClient::new(base_url).fetch_catalog().await })
     }));
 
-    spawn_store_modal(&mut commands, &catalog_state, None, font_res.as_deref());
+    spawn_store_modal(
+        &mut commands,
+        &catalog_state,
+        None,
+        &previews,
+        font_res.as_deref(),
+    );
 }
 
-/// Polls the catalog fetch; on completion updates [`CatalogState`] and
+/// Polls the catalog fetch; on completion updates [`CatalogState`],
+/// kicks off preview downloads for entries not yet in the cache, and
 /// rebuilds the modal if it is still open.
+#[allow(clippy::too_many_arguments)]
 fn poll_catalog_task(
     mut catalog_task: ResMut<CatalogTask>,
     mut catalog_state: ResMut<CatalogState>,
     screens: Query<Entity, With<ThemeStoreScreen>>,
     registry: Option<Res<ThemeRegistry>>,
+    rt: Option<Res<TokioRuntimeResource>>,
+    store_base: Res<StoreBaseUrl>,
+    previews: Res<PreviewCache>,
+    mut preview_tasks: ResMut<PreviewTasks>,
     mut commands: Commands,
     font_res: Option<Res<FontResource>>,
 ) {
@@ -229,7 +263,29 @@ fn poll_catalog_task(
     catalog_task.0 = None;
 
     *catalog_state = match result {
-        Ok(entries) => CatalogState::Loaded(entries),
+        Ok(entries) => {
+            // Fetch previews for anything new. Decorative — failures
+            // just leave the row text-only, so errors only log.
+            if let (Some(rt), Some(base_url)) = (rt.as_ref(), store_base.0.as_deref()) {
+                for entry in entries
+                    .iter()
+                    .filter(|e| e.preview_url.is_some() && !previews.0.contains_key(&e.id))
+                {
+                    let rt = rt.0.clone();
+                    let base_url = base_url.to_owned();
+                    let entry = entry.clone();
+                    preview_tasks.0.push((
+                        entry.id.clone(),
+                        AsyncComputeTaskPool::get().spawn(async move {
+                            rt.block_on(async {
+                                ThemeStoreClient::new(base_url).fetch_preview(&entry).await
+                            })
+                        }),
+                    ));
+                }
+            }
+            CatalogState::Loaded(entries)
+        }
         Err(e) => {
             warn!("theme store: catalog fetch failed: {e}");
             CatalogState::Error(e.to_string())
@@ -241,10 +297,69 @@ fn poll_catalog_task(
         &mut commands,
         &catalog_state,
         registry.as_deref(),
+        &previews,
         font_res.as_deref(),
     );
 }
 
+/// Polls in-flight preview downloads. Each finished PNG is decoded into
+/// an [`Image`] asset and cached by theme id; the open modal rebuilds
+/// once per frame that added at least one preview, so thumbnails pop in
+/// as they arrive. Failures log and leave the row text-only. Skipped
+/// entirely when `Assets<Image>` is absent (`MinimalPlugins` tests).
+#[allow(clippy::too_many_arguments)]
+fn poll_preview_tasks(
+    mut preview_tasks: ResMut<PreviewTasks>,
+    mut previews: ResMut<PreviewCache>,
+    images: Option<ResMut<Assets<Image>>>,
+    catalog_state: Res<CatalogState>,
+    screens: Query<Entity, With<ThemeStoreScreen>>,
+    registry: Option<Res<ThemeRegistry>>,
+    mut commands: Commands,
+    font_res: Option<Res<FontResource>>,
+) {
+    if preview_tasks.0.is_empty() {
+        return;
+    }
+    let Some(mut images) = images else {
+        return;
+    };
+
+    let mut added = false;
+    preview_tasks.0.retain_mut(|(id, task)| {
+        let Some(result) = future::block_on(future::poll_once(task)) else {
+            return true; // still downloading
+        };
+        match result {
+            Ok(bytes) => match image::load_from_memory(&bytes) {
+                Ok(dyn_img) => {
+                    let handle = images.add(Image::from_dynamic(
+                        dyn_img,
+                        true,
+                        RenderAssetUsages::RENDER_WORLD,
+                    ));
+                    previews.0.insert(id.clone(), handle);
+                    added = true;
+                }
+                Err(e) => warn!("theme store: preview for '{id}' failed to decode: {e}"),
+            },
+            Err(e) => warn!("theme store: preview fetch for '{id}' failed: {e}"),
+        }
+        false
+    });
+
+    if added {
+        rebuild_open_modal(
+            &screens,
+            &mut commands,
+            &catalog_state,
+            registry.as_deref(),
+            &previews,
+            font_res.as_deref(),
+        );
+    }
+}
+
 /// Starts a download + import task when an Install button is pressed.
 /// One install at a time; repeat clicks while busy are ignored.
 fn handle_install_buttons(
@@ -308,6 +423,7 @@ fn poll_install_task(
     screens: Query<Entity, With<ThemeStoreScreen>>,
     mut info_toast: MessageWriter<InfoToastEvent>,
     mut warning_toast: MessageWriter<WarningToastEvent>,
+    previews: Res<PreviewCache>,
     mut commands: Commands,
     font_res: Option<Res<FontResource>>,
 ) {
@@ -343,6 +459,7 @@ fn poll_install_task(
         &mut commands,
         &catalog_state,
         registry.as_deref(),
+        &previews,
         font_res.as_deref(),
     );
 }
@@ -378,11 +495,12 @@ fn rebuild_open_modal(
     commands: &mut Commands,
     catalog_state: &CatalogState,
     registry: Option<&ThemeRegistry>,
+    previews: &PreviewCache,
     font_res: Option<&FontResource>,
 ) {
     for entity in screens {
         commands.entity(entity).despawn();
-        spawn_store_modal(commands, catalog_state, registry, font_res);
+        spawn_store_modal(commands, catalog_state, registry, previews, font_res);
     }
 }
 
@@ -391,6 +509,7 @@ fn spawn_store_modal(
     commands: &mut Commands,
     catalog_state: &CatalogState,
     registry: Option<&ThemeRegistry>,
+    previews: &PreviewCache,
     font_res: Option<&FontResource>,
 ) {
     let body_font = TextFont {
@@ -409,31 +528,45 @@ fn spawn_store_modal(
 
         match catalog_state {
             CatalogState::Idle | CatalogState::Loading => {
-                card.spawn((
-                    Text::new("Loading catalog…"),
-                    body_font.clone(),
-                    TextColor(TEXT_SECONDARY),
-                ));
+                spawn_empty_state(
+                    card,
+                    "\u{21BB}",
+                    "Loading the catalog\u{2026}",
+                    None,
+                    font_res,
+                );
             }
             CatalogState::Error(msg) => {
-                card.spawn((
-                    Text::new(format!("Could not load the catalog: {msg}")),
-                    body_font.clone(),
-                    TextColor(TEXT_SECONDARY),
-                ));
+                spawn_empty_state(
+                    card,
+                    "!",
+                    "Couldn't load the catalog.",
+                    Some(msg.as_str()),
+                    font_res,
+                );
             }
             CatalogState::Loaded(entries) if entries.is_empty() => {
-                card.spawn((
-                    Text::new("The server has no themes yet."),
-                    body_font.clone(),
-                    TextColor(TEXT_SECONDARY),
-                ));
+                spawn_empty_state(
+                    card,
+                    "#",
+                    "The server has no themes yet.",
+                    Some("Themes dropped into the server's theme_store folder appear here."),
+                    font_res,
+                );
             }
             CatalogState::Loaded(entries) => {
                 for entry in entries {
                     let installed =
                         registry.is_some_and(|registry| registry.find(&entry.id).is_some());
-                    spawn_store_row(card, entry, installed, &body_font, &caption_font, font_res);
+                    spawn_store_row(
+                        card,
+                        entry,
+                        installed,
+                        previews.0.get(&entry.id),
+                        &body_font,
+                        &caption_font,
+                        font_res,
+                    );
                 }
             }
         }
@@ -452,12 +585,20 @@ fn spawn_store_modal(
     commands.entity(scrim).insert(ScrimDismissible);
 }
 
-/// One catalog row: name + author/size caption on the left, Install
-/// button (or "Installed" caption) on the right.
+/// Height of a row's preview thumbnail in logical pixels; the width
+/// follows the theme's own `card_aspect` so a preview is never
+/// stretched.
+const PREVIEW_THUMB_HEIGHT_PX: f32 = 72.0;
+
+/// One catalog row: preview thumbnail (when downloaded) + name +
+/// author/size caption on the left, Install button (or "Installed"
+/// caption) on the right.
+#[allow(clippy::too_many_arguments)]
 fn spawn_store_row(
     parent: &mut ChildSpawnerCommands,
     entry: &ThemeCatalogEntry,
     installed: bool,
+    preview: Option<&Handle<Image>>,
     body_font: &TextFont,
     caption_font: &TextFont,
     font_res: Option<&FontResource>,
@@ -477,25 +618,45 @@ fn spawn_store_row(
         ))
         .with_children(|row| {
             row.spawn(Node {
-                flex_direction: FlexDirection::Column,
-                row_gap: VAL_SPACE_2,
+                flex_direction: FlexDirection::Row,
+                align_items: AlignItems::Center,
+                column_gap: VAL_SPACE_3,
                 ..default()
             })
-            .with_children(|col| {
-                col.spawn((
-                    Text::new(entry.name.clone()),
-                    body_font.clone(),
-                    TextColor(TEXT_PRIMARY),
-                ));
-                col.spawn((
-                    Text::new(format!(
-                        "by {} — {} KB",
-                        entry.author,
-                        entry.size_bytes.div_ceil(1024)
-                    )),
-                    caption_font.clone(),
-                    TextColor(TEXT_SECONDARY),
-                ));
+            .with_children(|left| {
+                if let Some(handle) = preview {
+                    let (aw, ah) = entry.card_aspect;
+                    let width = PREVIEW_THUMB_HEIGHT_PX * aw.max(1) as f32 / ah.max(1) as f32;
+                    left.spawn((
+                        ImageNode::new(handle.clone()),
+                        Node {
+                            width: Val::Px(width),
+                            height: Val::Px(PREVIEW_THUMB_HEIGHT_PX),
+                            ..default()
+                        },
+                    ));
+                }
+                left.spawn(Node {
+                    flex_direction: FlexDirection::Column,
+                    row_gap: VAL_SPACE_2,
+                    ..default()
+                })
+                .with_children(|col| {
+                    col.spawn((
+                        Text::new(entry.name.clone()),
+                        body_font.clone(),
+                        TextColor(TEXT_PRIMARY),
+                    ));
+                    col.spawn((
+                        Text::new(format!(
+                            "by {} — {} KB",
+                            entry.author,
+                            entry.size_bytes.div_ceil(1024)
+                        )),
+                        caption_font.clone(),
+                        TextColor(TEXT_SECONDARY),
+                    ));
+                });
             });
             if installed {
                 row.spawn((
@@ -661,4 +822,85 @@ mod tests {
         ));
         assert_eq!(screen_count(&mut app), 1);
     }
+
+    // -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+    // Phase H part 2: preview thumbnails
+    // -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+    fn catalog_entry(id: &str, preview: bool) -> ThemeCatalogEntry {
+        ThemeCatalogEntry {
+            id: id.into(),
+            name: id.into(),
+            author: "Test".into(),
+            version: "1.0.0".into(),
+            card_aspect: (2, 3),
+            size_bytes: 1024,
+            sha256: "00".into(),
+            download_url: format!("/api/themes/{id}/download"),
+            preview_url: preview.then(|| format!("/api/themes/{id}/preview")),
+        }
+    }
+
+    /// A row whose theme id is in the [`PreviewCache`] renders an
+    /// `ImageNode` thumbnail; a row without one stays text-only.
+    #[test]
+    fn loaded_row_shows_preview_thumbnail_only_when_cached() {
+        let mut app = headless_app();
+        let cached = catalog_entry("with-preview", true);
+        let uncached = catalog_entry("without-preview", false);
+
+        let mut cache = PreviewCache::default();
+        cache
+            .0
+            .insert(cached.id.clone(), Handle::<Image>::default());
+        let state = CatalogState::Loaded(vec![cached, uncached]);
+
+        {
+            let world = app.world_mut();
+            let mut commands = world.commands();
+            spawn_store_modal(&mut commands, &state, None, &cache, None);
+        }
+        app.update();
+
+        let thumbs = app
+            .world_mut()
+            .query::<&ImageNode>()
+            .iter(app.world())
+            .count();
+        assert_eq!(
+            thumbs, 1,
+            "exactly the cached entry must render a preview thumbnail"
+        );
+    }
+
+    /// The thumbnail width follows the theme's own card aspect so a
+    /// preview never renders stretched.
+    #[test]
+    fn preview_thumbnail_width_follows_card_aspect() {
+        let mut app = headless_app();
+        let mut entry = catalog_entry("wide", true);
+        entry.card_aspect = (1, 1); // square theme art
+        let mut cache = PreviewCache::default();
+        cache.0.insert(entry.id.clone(), Handle::<Image>::default());
+        let state = CatalogState::Loaded(vec![entry]);
+
+        {
+            let world = app.world_mut();
+            let mut commands = world.commands();
+            spawn_store_modal(&mut commands, &state, None, &cache, None);
+        }
+        app.update();
+
+        let node = app
+            .world_mut()
+            .query_filtered::<&Node, With<ImageNode>>()
+            .single(app.world())
+            .expect("thumbnail node must exist");
+        assert_eq!(node.height, Val::Px(PREVIEW_THUMB_HEIGHT_PX));
+        assert_eq!(
+            node.width,
+            Val::Px(PREVIEW_THUMB_HEIGHT_PX),
+            "a 1:1 aspect must yield a square thumbnail"
+        );
+    }
 }

solitaire_engine/src/ui_glass.rs

@@ -0,0 +1,281 @@
+//! "Liquid glass" material for floating UI surfaces.
+//!
+//! Produces the translucent, light-catching treatment used by the floating
+//! touch tab bar (`hud_plugin::tab_bar`): a semi-transparent fill with a
+//! vertical sheen, a specular rim highlight around the border, and a soft
+//! drop shadow underneath. The table shows through the fill *sharp* — Bevy's
+//! UI pipeline has no backdrop-blur concept, so this module approximates
+//! frosted glass with layered gradients instead of sampling what's behind
+//! the node. That keeps it a plain `bevy_ui` bundle: no custom shaders, no
+//! extra render passes, and identical behaviour on desktop, Android, and
+//! WebGL2.
+//!
+//! # Swapping the treatment
+//!
+//! Layout code depends only on [`glass_surface`] and [`GLASS_BORDER_PX`].
+//! A future real-refraction material (e.g. a `UiMaterial` sampling a blurred
+//! render target) can replace this module's internals without touching any
+//! caller — that boundary is the reason this file exists separately from
+//! `hud_plugin/tab_bar.rs`.
+//!
+//! # Departure from the Terminal design system
+//!
+//! `ui_theme` documents HUD chrome as opaque "status-line" panels. The glass
+//! bar is a deliberate, user-approved exception for the floating touch tab
+//! bar only; do not reuse this material for modals or the top HUD band
+//! without a matching design decision.
+
+use bevy::prelude::*;
+use bevy::ui::{
+    BackgroundGradient, BorderGradient, BoxShadow, ColorStop, LinearGradient, ShadowStyle,
+};
+
+use crate::ui_theme::{BG_ELEVATED, BORDER_SUBTLE, BORDER_SUBTLE_HC};
+
+/// Border width every glass surface must reserve in its `Node::border` so
+/// the rim gradient has a strip to paint into.
+pub const GLASS_BORDER_PX: f32 = 1.0;
+
+/// Marker on every node that received [`glass_surface`]. The settings
+/// plugin's `update_glass_surfaces` retargets these when the player
+/// toggles reduce-transparency or high-contrast, swapping the gradients
+/// in place via [`glass_decorations`].
+#[derive(Component, Debug)]
+pub struct GlassSurface;
+
+/// Base fill at the *bottom* of the glass sheet — near-black at ~62%
+/// opacity so the felt and cards remain visible through the bar while
+/// keeping icon/label contrast comfortable.
+const GLASS_FILL_BOTTOM: Color = Color::srgba(0.055, 0.055, 0.063, 0.62);
+
+/// Fill at the *top* of the sheet — the same glass lifted towards white,
+/// reading as the curved surface catching overhead light.
+const GLASS_FILL_TOP: Color = Color::srgba(0.20, 0.21, 0.23, 0.66);
+
+/// Rim highlight at the top edge — the bright specular line where a real
+/// glass pill would catch the light source.
+const GLASS_RIM_TOP: Color = Color::srgba(1.0, 1.0, 1.0, 0.38);
+
+/// Rim at the midpoint — almost gone, so the highlight reads as a glint
+/// rather than a drawn outline.
+const GLASS_RIM_MID: Color = Color::srgba(1.0, 1.0, 1.0, 0.06);
+
+/// Rim at the bottom edge — a faint secondary catch-light, as on the
+/// underside of a curved surface above a bright table.
+const GLASS_RIM_BOTTOM: Color = Color::srgba(1.0, 1.0, 1.0, 0.16);
+
+/// Drop shadow under the floating surface.
+const GLASS_SHADOW: Color = Color::srgba(0.0, 0.0, 0.0, 0.35);
+
+/// High-contrast fill — same glass, far less see-through, so text and
+/// icons keep contrast over any card art. Per `design-system.md`
+/// §Accessibility the HC toggle trades aesthetics for legibility.
+const GLASS_FILL_TOP_HC: Color = Color::srgba(0.20, 0.21, 0.23, 0.90);
+/// High-contrast fill at the bottom of the sheet.
+const GLASS_FILL_BOTTOM_HC: Color = Color::srgba(0.055, 0.055, 0.063, 0.88);
+
+/// High-contrast rim at the top edge — matches the luminance of
+/// `BORDER_SUBTLE_HC` so the bar's outline reads as strongly as every
+/// other HC-boosted border.
+const GLASS_RIM_TOP_HC: Color = Color::srgba(1.0, 1.0, 1.0, 0.75);
+/// High-contrast rim at the midpoint.
+const GLASS_RIM_MID_HC: Color = Color::srgba(1.0, 1.0, 1.0, 0.35);
+/// High-contrast rim at the bottom edge.
+const GLASS_RIM_BOTTOM_HC: Color = Color::srgba(1.0, 1.0, 1.0, 0.50);
+
+/// Visual components for a floating glass surface.
+///
+/// The caller owns the `Node` and must set two fields for the material to
+/// render correctly:
+/// - `border: UiRect::all(Val::Px(GLASS_BORDER_PX))` — the rim gradient
+///   paints into the border strip and is invisible without it.
+/// - `border_radius` — half the node height for a fully-round pill.
+///
+/// Everything here is fragment-shader work inside Bevy's stock UI pipeline,
+/// so it is safe on WebGL2 and adds no per-frame cost beyond ordinary nodes.
+pub fn glass_surface() -> impl Bundle {
+    let (sheen, rim) = glass_decorations(false, false);
+    (
+        GlassSurface,
+        sheen,
+        rim,
+        // Soft shadow underneath sells the "floating above the table" read.
+        BoxShadow(vec![ShadowStyle {
+            color: GLASS_SHADOW,
+            x_offset: Val::Px(0.0),
+            y_offset: Val::Px(6.0),
+            spread_radius: Val::Px(0.0),
+            blur_radius: Val::Px(16.0),
+        }]),
+    )
+}
+
+/// The sheen + rim pair for the requested accessibility state. The
+/// settings plugin overwrites every [`GlassSurface`]'s components with
+/// these when the relevant toggles change.
+///
+/// - Default: translucent fill with a top-lit sheen and a specular rim.
+/// - `high_contrast`: same shape, near-opaque fill, and a rim boosted to
+///   `BORDER_SUBTLE_HC` luminance so the outline stays legible.
+/// - `reduce_transparency`: flat opaque `BG_ELEVATED` fill and a flat
+///   border — no see-through at all. Combined with `high_contrast` the
+///   flat border brightens to `BORDER_SUBTLE_HC`.
+pub fn glass_decorations(
+    reduce_transparency: bool,
+    high_contrast: bool,
+) -> (BackgroundGradient, BorderGradient) {
+    if reduce_transparency {
+        // "Gradients" with a single stop render as flat fills — reusing the
+        // same component types means the settings toggle swaps values, not
+        // component sets.
+        let border = if high_contrast {
+            BORDER_SUBTLE_HC
+        } else {
+            BORDER_SUBTLE
+        };
+        return (
+            BackgroundGradient(vec![
+                LinearGradient::new(
+                    LinearGradient::TO_BOTTOM,
+                    vec![ColorStop::new(BG_ELEVATED, Val::Percent(0.0))],
+                )
+                .into(),
+            ]),
+            BorderGradient(vec![
+                LinearGradient::new(
+                    LinearGradient::TO_BOTTOM,
+                    vec![ColorStop::new(border, Val::Percent(0.0))],
+                )
+                .into(),
+            ]),
+        );
+    }
+
+    let (fill_top, fill_bottom, rim_top, rim_mid, rim_bottom) = if high_contrast {
+        (
+            GLASS_FILL_TOP_HC,
+            GLASS_FILL_BOTTOM_HC,
+            GLASS_RIM_TOP_HC,
+            GLASS_RIM_MID_HC,
+            GLASS_RIM_BOTTOM_HC,
+        )
+    } else {
+        (
+            GLASS_FILL_TOP,
+            GLASS_FILL_BOTTOM,
+            GLASS_RIM_TOP,
+            GLASS_RIM_MID,
+            GLASS_RIM_BOTTOM,
+        )
+    };
+    (
+        // Sheen: one top-to-bottom linear gradient carries both the fill and
+        // the lighting so there is a single source of truth for the surface
+        // colour (a separate `BackgroundColor` would just be painted over).
+        BackgroundGradient(vec![
+            LinearGradient::new(
+                LinearGradient::TO_BOTTOM,
+                vec![
+                    ColorStop::new(fill_top, Val::Percent(0.0)),
+                    ColorStop::new(fill_bottom, Val::Percent(60.0)),
+                ],
+            )
+            .into(),
+        ]),
+        // Specular rim: bright at the top edge, fading out through the
+        // sides, with a faint return at the bottom.
+        BorderGradient(vec![
+            LinearGradient::new(
+                LinearGradient::TO_BOTTOM,
+                vec![
+                    ColorStop::new(rim_top, Val::Percent(0.0)),
+                    ColorStop::new(rim_mid, Val::Percent(55.0)),
+                    ColorStop::new(rim_bottom, Val::Percent(100.0)),
+                ],
+            )
+            .into(),
+        ]),
+    )
+}
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod tests {
+    use super::*;
+    use bevy::ui::Gradient;
+
+    /// The bundle must insert all three visual components — a regression
+    /// here (e.g. a refactor dropping the rim) would silently flatten the
+    /// glass into a plain translucent box.
+    #[test]
+    fn glass_surface_inserts_sheen_rim_and_shadow() {
+        let mut world = World::new();
+        let e = world.spawn(glass_surface()).id();
+        assert!(world.get::<BackgroundGradient>(e).is_some());
+        assert!(world.get::<BorderGradient>(e).is_some());
+        assert!(world.get::<BoxShadow>(e).is_some());
+    }
+
+    /// The fill must stay translucent (that is the whole point of glass) but
+    /// opaque enough that text keeps contrast over busy card art.
+    #[test]
+    fn glass_fill_alpha_stays_in_readable_band() {
+        for fill in [GLASS_FILL_TOP, GLASS_FILL_BOTTOM] {
+            let a = fill.alpha();
+            assert!(
+                (0.4..=0.85).contains(&a),
+                "glass fill alpha {a} outside readable 0.4–0.85 band"
+            );
+        }
+    }
+
+    /// The rim gradient must actually glint: strictly brightest at the top,
+    /// dimmest in the middle.
+    #[test]
+    fn rim_highlight_peaks_at_top() {
+        assert!(GLASS_RIM_TOP.alpha() > GLASS_RIM_BOTTOM.alpha());
+        assert!(GLASS_RIM_BOTTOM.alpha() > GLASS_RIM_MID.alpha());
+        assert!(GLASS_RIM_TOP_HC.alpha() > GLASS_RIM_BOTTOM_HC.alpha());
+        assert!(GLASS_RIM_BOTTOM_HC.alpha() > GLASS_RIM_MID_HC.alpha());
+    }
+
+    /// Reduce-transparency must produce fully opaque fills — the entire
+    /// point of the toggle is that nothing shows through.
+    #[test]
+    fn reduce_transparency_is_fully_opaque() {
+        for high_contrast in [false, true] {
+            let (sheen, _) = glass_decorations(true, high_contrast);
+            for gradient in &sheen.0 {
+                let Gradient::Linear(linear) = gradient else {
+                    panic!("reduce-transparency sheen must stay linear");
+                };
+                for stop in &linear.stops {
+                    assert_eq!(
+                        stop.color.alpha(),
+                        1.0,
+                        "opaque variant leaked translucency (hc={high_contrast})"
+                    );
+                }
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    /// High-contrast glass must be meaningfully less transparent than the
+    /// default, and its rim meaningfully brighter — otherwise the toggle
+    /// does nothing perceptible on this surface.
+    #[test]
+    fn high_contrast_boosts_fill_and_rim() {
+        assert!(GLASS_FILL_TOP_HC.alpha() >= GLASS_FILL_TOP.alpha() + 0.15);
+        assert!(GLASS_FILL_BOTTOM_HC.alpha() >= GLASS_FILL_BOTTOM.alpha() + 0.15);
+        assert!(GLASS_RIM_TOP_HC.alpha() >= GLASS_RIM_TOP.alpha() + 0.25);
+    }
+
+    /// `glass_surface()` must carry the marker the settings applier
+    /// retargets — without it the accessibility toggles silently skip
+    /// the bar.
+    #[test]
+    fn glass_surface_carries_retarget_marker() {
+        let mut world = World::new();
+        let e = world.spawn(glass_surface()).id();
+        assert!(world.get::<GlassSurface>(e).is_some());
+    }
+}

solitaire_engine/src/ui_modal.rs

@@ -60,9 +60,9 @@ use crate::settings_plugin::SettingsResource;
 use crate::ui_theme::{
     ACCENT_PRIMARY, ACCENT_PRIMARY_HOVER, ACCENT_SECONDARY, BG_BASE, BG_ELEVATED, BG_ELEVATED_HI,
     BG_ELEVATED_PRESSED, BG_ELEVATED_TOP, BORDER_STRONG, BORDER_SUBTLE, HighContrastBorder,
-    MOTION_MODAL_SECS, RADIUS_LG, RADIUS_MD, RADIUS_SM, SCRIM, STATE_SUCCESS, TEXT_PRIMARY,
-    TEXT_SECONDARY, TYPE_BODY_LG, TYPE_CAPTION, TYPE_HEADLINE, VAL_SPACE_2, VAL_SPACE_3,
-    VAL_SPACE_4, VAL_SPACE_5, scaled_duration,
+    MOTION_MODAL_SECS, RADIUS_LG, RADIUS_MD, RADIUS_SM, SCRIM, STATE_SUCCESS, TEXT_DISABLED,
+    TEXT_PRIMARY, TEXT_SECONDARY, TYPE_BODY, TYPE_BODY_LG, TYPE_CAPTION, TYPE_DISPLAY,
+    TYPE_HEADLINE, VAL_SPACE_2, VAL_SPACE_3, VAL_SPACE_4, VAL_SPACE_5, scaled_duration,
 };
 
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -178,6 +178,32 @@ pub fn spawn_modal<M: Component, F>(
     z_panel: i32,
     build_card: F,
 ) -> Entity
+where
+    F: FnOnce(&mut ChildSpawnerCommands),
+{
+    spawn_modal_sized(
+        commands,
+        plugin_marker,
+        z_panel,
+        MODAL_CARD_MAX_WIDTH,
+        build_card,
+    )
+}
+
+/// Default maximum card width in logical pixels — every [`spawn_modal`]
+/// caller gets this. Surfaces that lay out side-by-side panes (e.g. the
+/// two-pane Home on wide viewports) can raise it via [`spawn_modal_sized`].
+pub const MODAL_CARD_MAX_WIDTH: f32 = 720.0;
+
+/// [`spawn_modal`] with an explicit card `max_width`. Behaviour is
+/// otherwise identical — same scrim, enter animation, and card chrome.
+pub fn spawn_modal_sized<M: Component, F>(
+    commands: &mut Commands,
+    plugin_marker: M,
+    z_panel: i32,
+    max_width: f32,
+    build_card: F,
+) -> Entity
 where
     F: FnOnce(&mut ChildSpawnerCommands),
 {
@@ -235,7 +261,7 @@ where
                     padding: UiRect::all(VAL_SPACE_5),
                     border: UiRect::all(Val::Px(1.0)),
                     border_radius: BorderRadius::all(Val::Px(RADIUS_LG)),
-                    max_width: Val::Px(720.0),
+                    max_width: Val::Px(max_width),
                     align_items: AlignItems::Stretch,
                     ..default()
                 },
@@ -302,6 +328,80 @@ pub fn spawn_modal_body_text(
     parent.spawn((ModalBody, Text::new(text.into()), font, TextColor(color)));
 }
 
+/// Standard empty / loading / error surface (Phase L): a large glyph,
+/// a headline, and an optional secondary detail line, centred in the
+/// available space. Every async or possibly-empty surface (leaderboard,
+/// replays, theme store, first-launch stats) renders through this so
+/// "nothing here yet" reads identically everywhere.
+///
+/// A next-step action is composition, not configuration: spawn a
+/// [`spawn_modal_button`] (or any control) in the same parent right
+/// after this call.
+///
+/// `glyph` MUST come from FiraMono-covered ranges — card suits
+/// (U+2660–2666), Arrows (U+2190–21FF), or ASCII. The Geometric Shapes
+/// block renders as tofu on Android (§10 / §11).
+pub fn spawn_empty_state(
+    parent: &mut ChildSpawnerCommands,
+    glyph: &str,
+    headline: &str,
+    detail: Option<&str>,
+    font_res: Option<&FontResource>,
+) {
+    let font_handle = font_res.map(|f| f.0.clone()).unwrap_or_default();
+    let font_glyph = TextFont {
+        font: font_handle.clone(),
+        font_size: TYPE_DISPLAY,
+        ..default()
+    };
+    let font_headline = TextFont {
+        font: font_handle.clone(),
+        font_size: TYPE_BODY_LG,
+        ..default()
+    };
+    let font_detail = TextFont {
+        font: font_handle,
+        font_size: TYPE_BODY,
+        ..default()
+    };
+
+    parent
+        .spawn((
+            EmptyStateBlock,
+            Node {
+                flex_direction: FlexDirection::Column,
+                align_items: AlignItems::Center,
+                row_gap: VAL_SPACE_2,
+                padding: UiRect::axes(VAL_SPACE_3, VAL_SPACE_5),
+                width: Val::Percent(100.0),
+                ..default()
+            },
+        ))
+        .with_children(|block| {
+            block.spawn((
+                Text::new(glyph.to_string()),
+                font_glyph,
+                TextColor(TEXT_DISABLED),
+            ));
+            block.spawn((
+                Text::new(headline.to_string()),
+                font_headline,
+                TextColor(TEXT_PRIMARY),
+            ));
+            if let Some(detail) = detail {
+                block.spawn((
+                    Text::new(detail.to_string()),
+                    font_detail,
+                    TextColor(TEXT_SECONDARY),
+                ));
+            }
+        });
+}
+
+/// Marker on every [`spawn_empty_state`] block, mostly for tests.
+#[derive(Component, Debug)]
+pub struct EmptyStateBlock;
+
 /// Spawns the bottom actions row — flex-row with primary right-aligned.
 /// The closure populates the row's buttons via `spawn_modal_button`.
 ///
@@ -1158,4 +1258,62 @@ mod tests {
             "exactly one of the two stacked dismissible modals should remain"
         );
     }
+
+    // -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+    // Phase L: standard empty state
+    // -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+    /// The helper spawns glyph + headline (+ detail when given) under one
+    /// marked block, so every empty surface renders identically.
+    #[test]
+    fn empty_state_spawns_expected_structure() {
+        let mut app = App::new();
+        app.add_plugins(MinimalPlugins);
+        {
+            let world = app.world_mut();
+            let mut commands = world.commands();
+            commands.spawn(Node::default()).with_children(|parent| {
+                spawn_empty_state(
+                    parent,
+                    "\u{2660}",
+                    "Nothing here.",
+                    Some("Do the thing."),
+                    None,
+                );
+                spawn_empty_state(parent, "!", "No detail variant.", None, None);
+            });
+        }
+        app.update();
+
+        let blocks = app
+            .world_mut()
+            .query_filtered::<Entity, With<EmptyStateBlock>>()
+            .iter(app.world())
+            .count();
+        assert_eq!(blocks, 2, "each call spawns exactly one marked block");
+
+        let texts: Vec<String> = app
+            .world_mut()
+            .query::<&Text>()
+            .iter(app.world())
+            .map(|t| t.0.clone())
+            .collect();
+        for expected in [
+            "\u{2660}",
+            "Nothing here.",
+            "Do the thing.",
+            "!",
+            "No detail variant.",
+        ] {
+            assert!(
+                texts.iter().any(|t| t == expected),
+                "missing text node {expected:?}; got {texts:?}"
+            );
+        }
+        assert_eq!(
+            texts.len(),
+            5,
+            "the detail-less variant must not spawn a detail node"
+        );
+    }
 }

solitaire_engine/src/whats_new_plugin.rs

@@ -0,0 +1,527 @@
+//! One-shot "What's new" card on the first launch after an update
+//! (Phase I of the 2026-07 UI redesign).
+//!
+//! ObtainX updates install silently, so shipped features go unnoticed —
+//! nobody found the theme store on their own. On the first launch where
+//! the running release differs from `Settings::last_seen_whats_new`,
+//! this plugin shows a single dismissible card summarising the latest
+//! changelog section, then records the version so the card never
+//! repeats. Fresh installs never see it: onboarding completion stamps
+//! the current version silently, so the card only ever describes an
+//! *upgrade*.
+//!
+//! # Launch beat
+//!
+//! Splash → (first run only: onboarding) → **what's new** → Home →
+//! table. `spawn_home_on_launch` waits on [`WhatsNewPending`] the same
+//! way it waits for the onboarding modal.
+//!
+//! # Version source
+//!
+//! The embedded `CHANGELOG.md`'s topmost release section provides both
+//! the card's content and the "current version" for change detection —
+//! one source of truth, no build-time version plumbing. (The APK
+//! `versionName` comes from the release tag at package time and never
+//! reaches Rust; the workspace `Cargo.toml` version is static.)
+
+use bevy::input::ButtonInput;
+use bevy::prelude::*;
+use solitaire_data::save_settings_to;
+
+use crate::font_plugin::FontResource;
+use crate::onboarding_plugin::OnboardingScreen;
+use crate::settings_plugin::{SettingsResource, SettingsStoragePath};
+use crate::ui_modal::{
+    ButtonVariant, ModalScrim, spawn_modal, spawn_modal_actions, spawn_modal_button,
+    spawn_modal_header,
+};
+use crate::ui_theme::{
+    TEXT_PRIMARY, TEXT_SECONDARY, TYPE_BODY, TYPE_CAPTION, VAL_SPACE_1, VAL_SPACE_2, Z_MODAL_PANEL,
+};
+
+/// The changelog ships inside the binary — small, changes only at
+/// release cadence, and the card must work offline (§4.2).
+const CHANGELOG: &str = include_str!("../../CHANGELOG.md");
+
+/// Most bullets shown on the card; a giant release stays skimmable.
+const MAX_CARD_BULLETS: usize = 8;
+
+/// Marker on the What's-new modal's scrim root.
+#[derive(Component, Debug)]
+pub struct WhatsNewScreen;
+
+/// Marker on the card's "Got it" button.
+#[derive(Component, Debug)]
+struct WhatsNewCloseButton;
+
+/// `true` until this plugin has made its launch-beat decision — either
+/// the card was shown and dismissed, or there was nothing to show.
+/// `spawn_home_on_launch` waits on this so the card gets the beat
+/// before Home.
+#[derive(Resource, Debug)]
+pub struct WhatsNewPending(pub bool);
+
+impl Default for WhatsNewPending {
+    fn default() -> Self {
+        Self(true)
+    }
+}
+
+/// One display line of the card.
+#[derive(Debug, PartialEq, Eq)]
+enum NoteLine {
+    /// A `###` section heading ("Added", "Fixed", …).
+    Heading(String),
+    /// The lead sentence of one changelog bullet.
+    Bullet(String),
+}
+
+/// The changelog's topmost release section, reduced to card content.
+#[derive(Debug)]
+struct ReleaseNotes {
+    /// Version string without the `v` prefix, e.g. `"0.46.0"`.
+    version: String,
+    lines: Vec<NoteLine>,
+}
+
+/// The version of the topmost changelog release — the engine's notion
+/// of "the running release". Empty only if the changelog is malformed.
+pub fn current_release_version() -> String {
+    parse_latest_release(CHANGELOG).map_or_else(String::new, |notes| notes.version)
+}
+
+/// Parses the first `## [x.y.z]` section of `changelog` into card
+/// content. `## [Unreleased]` is skipped; `### Internal` subsections
+/// are dropped (players don't care about CI); each bullet is reduced
+/// to its lead sentence with markdown emphasis stripped.
+fn parse_latest_release(changelog: &str) -> Option<ReleaseNotes> {
+    let mut lines_iter = changelog.lines();
+    let mut version = None;
+    for line in lines_iter.by_ref() {
+        if let Some(rest) = line.strip_prefix("## [") {
+            let (v, _) = rest.split_once(']')?;
+            if v.eq_ignore_ascii_case("Unreleased") {
+                continue;
+            }
+            version = Some(v.to_string());
+            break;
+        }
+    }
+    let version = version?;
+
+    let mut lines = Vec::new();
+    let mut skipping_section = false;
+    let mut current_bullet: Option<String> = None;
+
+    let flush = |bullet: &mut Option<String>, lines: &mut Vec<NoteLine>| {
+        if let Some(text) = bullet.take() {
+            lines.push(NoteLine::Bullet(lead_sentence(&text)));
+        }
+    };
+
+    for line in lines_iter {
+        if line.starts_with("## [") {
+            break; // next (older) release section
+        }
+        if let Some(heading) = line.strip_prefix("### ") {
+            flush(&mut current_bullet, &mut lines);
+            skipping_section = heading.trim().eq_ignore_ascii_case("internal");
+            if !skipping_section {
+                lines.push(NoteLine::Heading(heading.trim().to_string()));
+            }
+            continue;
+        }
+        if skipping_section {
+            continue;
+        }
+        if let Some(rest) = line.strip_prefix("- ") {
+            flush(&mut current_bullet, &mut lines);
+            current_bullet = Some(rest.trim().to_string());
+        } else if current_bullet.is_some() && !line.trim().is_empty() {
+            // Wrapped continuation of the current bullet.
+            if let Some(bullet) = current_bullet.as_mut() {
+                bullet.push(' ');
+                bullet.push_str(line.trim());
+            }
+        }
+    }
+    flush(&mut current_bullet, &mut lines);
+
+    Some(ReleaseNotes { version, lines })
+}
+
+/// Strips markdown emphasis / code ticks and truncates to the first
+/// sentence — changelog bullets lead with a bold summary sentence, and
+/// that is exactly the card-sized version.
+fn lead_sentence(bullet: &str) -> String {
+    let stripped: String = bullet.replace("**", "").replace('`', "");
+    // Trailing "(#123)" references never survive the sentence cut, but
+    // guard against a bullet that is only a reference.
+    let end = stripped.find(". ").map_or(stripped.len(), |i| i + 1);
+    stripped[..end].trim().trim_end_matches('.').to_string()
+}
+
+/// Registers the launch-gate spawn system and the dismiss handlers.
+pub struct WhatsNewPlugin;
+
+impl Plugin for WhatsNewPlugin {
+    fn build(&self, app: &mut App) {
+        app.init_resource::<WhatsNewPending>()
+            .init_resource::<ButtonInput<KeyCode>>()
+            .add_systems(
+                Update,
+                (maybe_spawn_whats_new, handle_whats_new_close).chain(),
+            );
+    }
+}
+
+/// Shows the card once the launch surface is clear, or stands down when
+/// there is nothing to show. See the module docs for the exact beat.
+///
+/// The seen-version stamp persists on *spawn*, not dismissal — if the
+/// app dies with the card open the player has still seen it once, and
+/// the card must never nag.
+#[allow(clippy::too_many_arguments)]
+fn maybe_spawn_whats_new(
+    mut commands: Commands,
+    mut pending: ResMut<WhatsNewPending>,
+    splash: Query<(), With<crate::splash_plugin::SplashRoot>>,
+    onboarding: Query<(), With<OnboardingScreen>>,
+    restore_prompts: Query<(), With<crate::game_plugin::RestorePromptScreen>>,
+    pending_restore: Option<Res<crate::game_plugin::PendingRestoredGame>>,
+    other_scrims: Query<(), With<ModalScrim>>,
+    mut settings: Option<ResMut<SettingsResource>>,
+    storage_path: Option<Res<SettingsStoragePath>>,
+    font_res: Option<Res<FontResource>>,
+    screens: Query<(), With<WhatsNewScreen>>,
+) {
+    if !pending.0 {
+        return;
+    }
+    if !screens.is_empty() {
+        // Card already open — the seen-version stamp landed on spawn,
+        // so without this guard the next frame would read "already
+        // seen" and release the beat under the open card.
+        return;
+    }
+    if !splash.is_empty()
+        || !onboarding.is_empty()
+        || !restore_prompts.is_empty()
+        || pending_restore.as_ref().is_some_and(|p| p.0.is_some())
+    {
+        return;
+    }
+    let Some(settings) = settings.as_mut() else {
+        // Headless / no settings wired: nothing to compare against.
+        pending.0 = false;
+        return;
+    };
+    if !settings.0.first_run_complete {
+        // Fresh install mid-onboarding — completion stamps the version
+        // itself (see `complete_onboarding`), which resolves this gate
+        // on a later frame without ever showing the card.
+        return;
+    }
+    let Some(notes) = parse_latest_release(CHANGELOG) else {
+        pending.0 = false;
+        return;
+    };
+    if settings.0.last_seen_whats_new == notes.version {
+        pending.0 = false;
+        return;
+    }
+    if !other_scrims.is_empty() {
+        // Another modal owns the beat right now; try again next frame.
+        return;
+    }
+
+    spawn_whats_new_card(&mut commands, &notes, font_res.as_deref());
+
+    settings.0.last_seen_whats_new = notes.version.clone();
+    if let Some(p) = storage_path
+        && let Some(path) = p.0.as_deref()
+        && let Err(e) = save_settings_to(path, &settings.0)
+    {
+        warn!("whats-new: failed to persist seen version: {e}");
+    }
+    // `pending` stays true until dismissal so Home keeps waiting.
+}
+
+/// Dismisses the card on "Got it" or Esc and releases the launch beat.
+fn handle_whats_new_close(
+    mut commands: Commands,
+    keys: Option<Res<ButtonInput<KeyCode>>>,
+    buttons: Query<&Interaction, (With<WhatsNewCloseButton>, Changed<Interaction>)>,
+    screens: Query<Entity, With<WhatsNewScreen>>,
+    other_scrims: Query<(), (With<ModalScrim>, Without<WhatsNewScreen>)>,
+    mut pending: ResMut<WhatsNewPending>,
+) {
+    if screens.is_empty() {
+        return;
+    }
+    let click = buttons.iter().any(|i| *i == Interaction::Pressed);
+    let esc = keys.is_some_and(|k| k.just_pressed(KeyCode::Escape)) && other_scrims.is_empty();
+    if !click && !esc {
+        return;
+    }
+    for entity in &screens {
+        commands.entity(entity).despawn();
+    }
+    pending.0 = false;
+}
+
+/// Spawns the card: header with the version, the parsed changelog
+/// lines, and a "Got it" action.
+fn spawn_whats_new_card(
+    commands: &mut Commands,
+    notes: &ReleaseNotes,
+    font_res: Option<&FontResource>,
+) {
+    let font_handle = font_res.map(|f| f.0.clone()).unwrap_or_default();
+    let font_heading = TextFont {
+        font: font_handle.clone(),
+        font_size: TYPE_CAPTION,
+        ..default()
+    };
+    let font_bullet = TextFont {
+        font: font_handle,
+        font_size: TYPE_BODY,
+        ..default()
+    };
+
+    // Deliberately NOT ScrimDismissible: scrim-tap despawns without
+    // running the close handler, which would leave the launch beat
+    // held and Home never spawning. Esc and "Got it" both release it.
+    let title = format!("What's new in v{}", notes.version);
+    spawn_modal(commands, WhatsNewScreen, Z_MODAL_PANEL, |card| {
+        spawn_modal_header(card, &title, font_res);
+
+        card.spawn(Node {
+            flex_direction: FlexDirection::Column,
+            row_gap: VAL_SPACE_2,
+            width: Val::Percent(100.0),
+            max_height: Val::Vh(60.0),
+            overflow: Overflow::scroll_y(),
+            ..default()
+        })
+        .with_children(|body| {
+            let mut bullets_shown = 0usize;
+            for line in &notes.lines {
+                match line {
+                    NoteLine::Heading(heading) => {
+                        body.spawn((
+                            Text::new(heading.clone()),
+                            font_heading.clone(),
+                            TextColor(TEXT_SECONDARY),
+                            Node {
+                                margin: UiRect::top(VAL_SPACE_1),
+                                ..default()
+                            },
+                        ));
+                    }
+                    NoteLine::Bullet(text) => {
+                        if bullets_shown >= MAX_CARD_BULLETS {
+                            continue;
+                        }
+                        bullets_shown += 1;
+                        body.spawn((
+                            Text::new(format!("\u{2022} {text}")),
+                            font_bullet.clone(),
+                            TextColor(TEXT_PRIMARY),
+                        ));
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+        });
+
+        spawn_modal_actions(card, |actions| {
+            spawn_modal_button(
+                actions,
+                WhatsNewCloseButton,
+                "Got it",
+                None,
+                ButtonVariant::Primary,
+                font_res,
+            );
+        });
+    });
+}
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod tests {
+    use super::*;
+    use solitaire_data::Settings;
+
+    const SAMPLE: &str = "# Changelog\n\n## [Unreleased]\n\n## [0.46.0] — 2026-07-13\n\n\
+### Added\n\n- **Theme-store previews.** The store modal now shows each theme's\n  \
+preview image next to its name. (#179)\n- **Hint ghost preview.** You see the move. (#179)\n\n\
+### Internal\n\n- **CI is faster.** Nobody cares in-game. (#176)\n\n\
+### Fixed\n\n- **Touch onboarding copy.** No more left-click. (#178)\n\n\
+## [0.45.0] — 2026-07-13\n\n### Added\n\n- Old stuff.\n";
+
+    #[test]
+    fn parses_top_section_version_and_skips_unreleased() {
+        let notes = parse_latest_release(SAMPLE).expect("sample must parse");
+        assert_eq!(notes.version, "0.46.0");
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn drops_internal_sections_and_older_releases() {
+        let notes = parse_latest_release(SAMPLE).expect("sample must parse");
+        let headings: Vec<&str> = notes
+            .lines
+            .iter()
+            .filter_map(|l| match l {
+                NoteLine::Heading(h) => Some(h.as_str()),
+                _ => None,
+            })
+            .collect();
+        assert_eq!(headings, vec!["Added", "Fixed"]);
+        assert!(
+            !notes
+                .lines
+                .iter()
+                .any(|l| matches!(l, NoteLine::Bullet(b) if b.contains("CI is faster"))),
+            "Internal bullets must not reach the card"
+        );
+        assert!(
+            !notes
+                .lines
+                .iter()
+                .any(|l| matches!(l, NoteLine::Bullet(b) if b.contains("Old stuff"))),
+            "older release sections must not bleed in"
+        );
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn bullets_reduce_to_their_lead_sentence() {
+        let notes = parse_latest_release(SAMPLE).expect("sample must parse");
+        assert!(
+            notes
+                .lines
+                .contains(&NoteLine::Bullet("Theme-store previews".to_string()))
+        );
+        assert!(
+            notes
+                .lines
+                .contains(&NoteLine::Bullet("Hint ghost preview".to_string()))
+        );
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn embedded_changelog_parses_to_a_nonempty_version() {
+        let version = current_release_version();
+        assert!(
+            !version.is_empty(),
+            "the real CHANGELOG.md must yield a version"
+        );
+        assert!(
+            version.chars().next().is_some_and(|c| c.is_ascii_digit()),
+            "version must be bare (no v prefix): {version}"
+        );
+    }
+
+    fn app_with(settings: Settings) -> App {
+        let mut app = App::new();
+        app.add_plugins(MinimalPlugins).add_plugins(WhatsNewPlugin);
+        app.insert_resource(SettingsResource(settings));
+        app.update();
+        app
+    }
+
+    fn card_count(app: &mut App) -> usize {
+        app.world_mut()
+            .query::<&WhatsNewScreen>()
+            .iter(app.world())
+            .count()
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn upgrade_shows_card_and_stamps_version() {
+        let mut app = app_with(Settings {
+            first_run_complete: true,
+            last_seen_whats_new: "0.1.0".into(),
+            ..Settings::default()
+        });
+        app.update();
+
+        assert_eq!(card_count(&mut app), 1, "an upgrade must show the card");
+        assert_eq!(
+            app.world()
+                .resource::<SettingsResource>()
+                .0
+                .last_seen_whats_new,
+            current_release_version(),
+            "the seen version must stamp on spawn"
+        );
+        assert!(
+            app.world().resource::<WhatsNewPending>().0,
+            "the launch beat stays held until dismissal"
+        );
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn seen_version_shows_nothing_and_releases_the_beat() {
+        let mut app = app_with(Settings {
+            first_run_complete: true,
+            last_seen_whats_new: current_release_version(),
+            ..Settings::default()
+        });
+        app.update();
+
+        assert_eq!(card_count(&mut app), 0);
+        assert!(
+            !app.world().resource::<WhatsNewPending>().0,
+            "nothing to show must release the launch beat"
+        );
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn fresh_install_waits_for_onboarding_and_never_shows() {
+        let mut app = app_with(Settings {
+            first_run_complete: false,
+            ..Settings::default()
+        });
+        app.update();
+        assert_eq!(card_count(&mut app), 0);
+        assert!(
+            app.world().resource::<WhatsNewPending>().0,
+            "mid-onboarding the beat stays held"
+        );
+
+        // Onboarding completion stamps the version (mirrored from
+        // complete_onboarding) — afterwards the card must stand down.
+        {
+            let mut settings = app.world_mut().resource_mut::<SettingsResource>();
+            settings.0.first_run_complete = true;
+            settings.0.last_seen_whats_new = current_release_version();
+        }
+        app.update();
+        assert_eq!(card_count(&mut app), 0, "fresh installs never see the card");
+        assert!(!app.world().resource::<WhatsNewPending>().0);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn got_it_dismisses_and_releases_the_beat() {
+        let mut app = app_with(Settings {
+            first_run_complete: true,
+            ..Settings::default()
+        });
+        app.update();
+        assert_eq!(card_count(&mut app), 1);
+
+        let button = app
+            .world_mut()
+            .query_filtered::<Entity, With<WhatsNewCloseButton>>()
+            .single(app.world())
+            .expect("Got it button must exist");
+        app.world_mut()
+            .entity_mut(button)
+            .insert(Interaction::Pressed);
+        app.update();
+        app.update();
+
+        assert_eq!(card_count(&mut app), 0, "Got it must dismiss the card");
+        assert!(!app.world().resource::<WhatsNewPending>().0);
+    }
+}

solitaire_server/e2e/scripts/cycle_metrics.js

@@ -206,7 +206,9 @@ async function main() {
                     invariant_ok: !!snap?.invariants?.state_ok,
                     history_len: Array.isArray(snap?.move_history) ? snap.move_history.length : null,
                     replay_payload_present: payload !== null,
-                    replay_moves_len: Array.isArray(payload?.moves) ? payload.moves.length : 0,
+                    replay_moves_len: Array.isArray(payload?.recording?.instructions)
+                        ? payload.recording.instructions.length
+                        : 0,
                 };
             }, { stepCap: maxSteps, policyName: policy, maxVisits: maxVisitsPerState });
 

solitaire_server/e2e/tests/gameplay_review.spec.js

@@ -69,9 +69,9 @@ test("draw-mode toggle affects replay payload draw_mode", async ({ page }) => {
 
     const payload = await page.evaluate(() => window.__FERROUS_DEBUG__.replayPayload());
     expect(payload.draw_mode).toBe("DrawThree");
-    expect(payload.schema_version).toBe(2);
-    expect(Array.isArray(payload.moves)).toBeTruthy();
-    expect(payload.moves.length).toBeGreaterThan(0);
+    expect(payload.schema_version).toBe(4);
+    expect(Array.isArray(payload.recording?.instructions)).toBeTruthy();
+    expect(payload.recording.instructions.length).toBeGreaterThan(0);
 });
 
 test("autonomous play keeps invariants stable across seed batch", async ({ page }) => {

solitaire_server/e2e/tests/smoke.spec.js

@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ test("debug failure report contains replay diagnostics", async ({ page }) => {
     expect(report.invariants).toBeTruthy();
 });
 
-test("replay payload builder exports schema-v2 moves", async ({ page }) => {
+test("replay payload builder exports a schema-v4 recording", async ({ page }) => {
     await page.goto("/play-classic?seed=42");
     await page.waitForFunction(() => typeof window.__FERROUS_DEBUG__ === "object");
 
@@ -57,10 +57,14 @@ test("replay payload builder exports schema-v2 moves", async ({ page }) => {
         .poll(async () => await page.evaluate(() => window.__FERROUS_DEBUG__.replayPayload() !== null))
         .toBe(true);
     const payload = await page.evaluate(() => window.__FERROUS_DEBUG__.replayPayload());
-    expect(payload.schema_version).toBe(2);
+    // Schema v4: the wasm layer assembles the whole payload; the deal is
+    // embedded in `recording` and moves live at recording.instructions.
+    expect(payload.schema_version).toBe(4);
     expect(payload.draw_mode).toMatch(/Draw(One|Three)/);
     expect(payload.mode).toBe("Classic");
-    expect(Array.isArray(payload.moves)).toBeTruthy();
-    expect(payload.moves.length).toBeGreaterThan(0);
-    expect(payload.win_move_index).toBe(payload.moves.length - 1);
+    expect(payload.recording).toBeTruthy();
+    expect(payload.recording.initial_state).toBeTruthy();
+    expect(Array.isArray(payload.recording.instructions)).toBeTruthy();
+    expect(payload.recording.instructions.length).toBeGreaterThan(0);
+    expect(payload.win_move_index).toBe(payload.recording.instructions.length - 1);
 });