docs: cut v0.17.0 — solver-driven hints + replay-rate slider

Two follow-up commits on top of v0.16.0: - 87275bf: H-key hint asks the v0.15.0 solver for the actual best first move, with the existing heuristic kept as fallback. - 53e3b81: Settings → Gameplay slider tunes replay playback rate (0.10–1.00 s, default 0.45 s) read per frame from SettingsResource. Adds the [0.17.0] CHANGELOG section, folds the post-v0.16.0 provisional table into a v0.17.0 shipped table in SESSION_HANDOFF, prunes the now-stale "Cut v0.17.0" item from the punch list, and re-letters the resume-prompt decision options A–D. Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.7 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>
docs: reconcile SESSION_HANDOFF with actually-shipped state
2026-05-06 04:11:08 +00:00 · 2026-05-06 04:05:03 +00:00 · 2026-05-06 04:00:59 +00:00 · 2026-05-06 04:00:59 +00:00 · 2026-05-06 01:10:02 +00:00 · 2026-05-06 00:52:08 +00:00
28 changed files with 6427 additions and 1766 deletions
@@ -716,11 +716,14 @@ pub struct AchievementDef {
 | `speed_and_skill` | ??? | Win < 90s without undo | Yes | Card back #4 |
 | `comeback` | ??? | Win after 3+ stock recycles | Yes | Background #4 |
 | `zen_winner` | ??? | Win in Zen Mode | Yes | Badge |
+| `cinephile` | Cinephile | Watch a saved replay all the way through | No | — |

 ### Evaluation Timing

 Achievement conditions are evaluated by `AchievementPlugin` on every `GameWonEvent` and `StateChangedEvent`. The plugin calls `solitaire_core::check_achievements()` which returns a `Vec<AchievementDef>` of newly unlocked achievements. The plugin then fires `AchievementUnlockedEvent` for each, which the toast and persistence systems handle independently.

+A small number of achievements are *event-driven* rather than condition-driven: their `AchievementDef::condition` always returns `false` and their unlock is written from a dedicated observer system instead. `cinephile` is the canonical example — it unlocks when `ReplayPlaybackState` transitions from `Playing` to `Completed` (a saved replay watched to its natural end). The Stop button transitions `Playing → Inactive` directly without entering `Completed`, so manual aborts do not unlock the achievement.
+
 ---

 ## 12. Progression System
@@ -8,6 +8,158 @@ project follows [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/).

 _Nothing yet._

+## [0.17.0] — 2026-05-06
+
+A short follow-up round on top of v0.16.0: the H-key hint is no
+longer a heuristic guess but the actual best first move suggested by
+the v0.15.0 solver, and the in-engine replay player now has a
+player-tunable playback rate.
+
+### Added
+
+- **Replay-rate slider** in Settings → Gameplay. Tunes
+  `replay_move_interval_secs` from 0.10 s to 1.00 s in 0.05 s steps;
+  default 0.45 s. `tick_replay_playback` reads the value from
+  `SettingsResource` per frame so the slider takes effect on the
+  next playback tick — no restart required.
+
+### Changed
+
+- **Solver-driven hints.** Pressing **H** used to surface a
+  heuristic-best move (foundation moves preferred, then
+  tableau-to-tableau by depth-of-flip-revealed). It now asks the
+  v0.15.0 solver for the actual provably-best first move via the
+  new `solitaire_core::solver::try_solve_with_first_move` /
+  `try_solve_from_state` APIs. When the solver returns inconclusive
+  (rare deals where the bound runs out before a result), the old
+  heuristic remains the fallback. Median 2 ms per H press.
+
+### Stats
+
+- 1208 passing tests (was 1196 at v0.16.0 close).
+- Zero clippy warnings under `--workspace --all-targets -- -D warnings`.
+
+## [0.16.0] — 2026-05-06
+
+A modal-feel polish round. Every overlay screen now scrolls when its
+content overflows the 800×600 minimum window, every clickable button
+shows a hand cursor on hover, keyboard focus lands on the primary
+button on the same frame the modal opens, and read-only modals
+dismiss when the player clicks the scrim outside the card.
+
+### Added
+
+- **Pointer cursor on hover** for every interactive `Button` entity
+  (modal buttons, HUD action bar, mode-launcher cards, settings
+  toggles, Stats selectors). `update_cursor_icon` gains a fourth
+  branch sitting between Grabbing (active drag) and Grab
+  (draggable card hover): when no drag is active and any
+  `Interaction::Hovered`/`Pressed` button is detected, the window
+  cursor swaps to `SystemCursorIcon::Pointer`. A pure
+  `pick_cursor_icon` helper makes the priority logic
+  unit-testable.
+- **Click-outside-to-dismiss** for the six read-only modals: Stats,
+  Achievements, Help, Profile, Leaderboard, Home. New
+  `ScrimDismissible` marker on `ModalScrim` opts a modal in;
+  `dismiss_modal_on_scrim_click` runs in `Update`, despawns the
+  topmost dismissible scrim on a left-mouse press whose cursor
+  lands on the scrim and outside every `ModalCard`. Bevy's
+  hierarchy despawn cascades to the card and children.
+  Settings, Onboarding, Pause, Forfeit confirm, and Confirm New
+  Game intentionally don't opt in — they carry unsaved or
+  destructive state.
+
+### Fixed
+
+- **Modal content scrolls when it overflows** (Achievements, Help,
+  Stats, Profile, Leaderboard). Each modal's body Node now
+  carries `Overflow::scroll_y()` plus a `max_height` constraint
+  (`Val::Vh(70.0)` for most, `Val::Vh(50.0)` for the
+  leaderboard's variable-length ranking section) and a marker
+  component (`AchievementsScrollable`, `HelpScrollable`,
+  `StatsScrollable`, `ProfileScrollable`,
+  `LeaderboardScrollable`). A sibling `scroll_*_panel` system
+  per modal routes `MouseWheel` events into the body's
+  `ScrollPosition`. Mirrors the existing `SettingsPanelScrollable`
+  pattern. Home modal intentionally not scrolled — its five
+  mode cards + Cancel are sized to fit at 800×600 by design.
+- **Modal focus arrives on the same frame the modal opens.**
+  Previously `attach_focusable_to_modal_buttons` and
+  `auto_focus_on_modal_open` ran in `Update` alongside arbitrary
+  click-handlers that spawn modals; with no ordering edge,
+  Bevy's deferred `Commands` queued the new entities but the
+  attach system couldn't see them on the same tick. Both systems
+  moved to `PostUpdate` so the schedule boundary itself supplies
+  the sync point — `FocusedButton` is always populated before
+  `app.update()` returns. The very next Tab/Enter press lands on
+  a populated resource instead of wasting itself moving focus
+  from None to the primary.
+
+### Stats
+
+- 1196 passing tests (was 1178 at v0.15.0 close).
+- Zero clippy warnings under `--workspace --all-targets -- -D warnings`.
+
+## [0.15.0] — 2026-05-02
+
+In-engine replay playback, the Klondike solver + "Winnable deals
+only" toggle, a 19th achievement, rolling replay history, and a
+significant build-time / binary-size win from disabling Bevy's
+default audio stack.
+
+### Added
+
+- **In-engine replay playback** for the Stats overlay's Watch Replay
+  button. New `ReplayPlaybackPlugin` runs a state machine
+  (Inactive / Playing / Completed) that resets the live game to the
+  recorded deal and ticks through `replay.moves` at
+  `REPLAY_MOVE_INTERVAL_SECS` (0.45 s) firing the canonical
+  `MoveRequestEvent` / `DrawRequestEvent` per recorded move.
+  Recording is suppressed during playback so replays don't re-record
+  themselves.
+- **Replay overlay banner** (`ReplayOverlayPlugin`) anchored to the
+  top of the window during playback. Shows "Replay" label, "Move N
+  of M" progress, and a Stop button. Z-order leaves modals
+  (Settings, Pause, Help) free to render on top so the player can
+  adjust audio mid-replay.
+- **Rolling replay history** at `<data_dir>/replays.json` capped at
+  8 entries. Replaces the single-slot `latest_replay.json` (legacy
+  file is migrated forward on first launch via
+  `migrate_legacy_latest_replay`). Stats overlay gains a Prev / Next
+  selector and a "Replay N / M" caption so the player can revisit
+  older wins.
+- **"Cinephile" achievement** (#19). Unlocks the first time
+  `ReplayPlaybackState` transitions Playing → Completed (i.e. the
+  replay played out to its end without the player pressing Stop).
+  Stop transitions Playing → Inactive directly so it doesn't count.
+- **Klondike solver** in `solitaire_core::solver`. Iterative-DFS
+  with memoisation on a 64-bit canonical state hash, two budget
+  knobs (move_budget + state_budget) for pathological cases, and a
+  three-state `SolverResult` (Winnable / Unwinnable / Inconclusive).
+  Median solve time 2 ms; pathological inconclusives cap near
+  120 ms. Pure logic — `solitaire_core` keeps no Bevy or I/O.
+- **"Winnable deals only" toggle** in Settings → Gameplay (default
+  off). When on, `handle_new_game` walks seed N, N+1, N+2, …
+  through `try_solve` until it finds Winnable or Inconclusive,
+  capped at `SOLVER_DEAL_RETRY_CAP` (50) attempts. Daily
+  challenges, replays, and explicit-seed requests bypass the
+  solver — only random Classic deals are gated.
+
+### Changed
+
+- **Bevy default-feature trim** (`bevy = { default-features = false,
+  features = [...] }` in workspace Cargo.toml) drops 51 transitive
+  crates including the `bevy_audio` → rodio → cpal 0.15 + symphonia
+  chain that the project doesn't use (kira handles audio directly).
+  The retained feature list is curated to exactly what the engine
+  uses; `solitaire_wasm` is unaffected because it doesn't depend on
+  bevy.
+
+### Stats
+
+- 1178 passing tests (was 1134 at v0.14.0 close).
+- Zero clippy warnings under `--workspace --all-targets -- -D warnings`.
+
 ## [0.14.0] — 2026-05-02

 Two threads land in v0.14.0: the second half of the post-v0.12.0 UX
@@ -405,7 +557,9 @@ with no PNG artwork yet.
  CREDITS.md, persistent window geometry, mode-launcher Home repurpose,
  client-side sync round-trip integration tests.

-[Unreleased]: https://github.com/funman300/Rusty_Solitaire/compare/v0.14.0...HEAD
+[Unreleased]: https://github.com/funman300/Rusty_Solitaire/compare/v0.16.0...HEAD
+[0.16.0]: https://github.com/funman300/Rusty_Solitaire/compare/v0.15.0...v0.16.0
+[0.15.0]: https://github.com/funman300/Rusty_Solitaire/compare/v0.14.0...v0.15.0
 [0.14.0]: https://github.com/funman300/Rusty_Solitaire/compare/v0.13.0...v0.14.0
 [0.13.0]: https://github.com/funman300/Rusty_Solitaire/compare/v0.12.0...v0.13.0
 [0.12.0]: https://github.com/funman300/Rusty_Solitaire/compare/v0.11.0...v0.12.0
@@ -36,7 +36,46 @@ solitaire_sync   = { path = "solitaire_sync" }
 solitaire_data   = { path = "solitaire_data" }
 solitaire_engine = { path = "solitaire_engine" }

-bevy = "0.18"
+# Bevy with `default-features = false` to avoid the unused
+# `bevy_audio → rodio + symphonia + cpal 0.15 + alsa 0.9` chain.
+# Audio is handled directly by `kira` in `audio_plugin.rs`, so the
+# `bevy_audio` feature is intentionally omitted. The features below
+# enumerate every leaf of the standard `2d` + `ui` meta-features that
+# we actually use; new features should only be added with a
+# corresponding use site.
+bevy = { version = "0.18", default-features = false, features = [
+    # default_app
+    "async_executor",
+    "bevy_asset",
+    "bevy_input_focus",
+    "bevy_log",
+    "bevy_state",
+    "bevy_window",
+    "custom_cursor",
+    "reflect_auto_register",
+    # default_platform (desktop subset; no android/wayland/webgl/gilrs/sysinfo)
+    "std",
+    "bevy_winit",
+    "default_font",
+    "multi_threaded",
+    "x11",
+    # common_api
+    "bevy_color",
+    "bevy_image",
+    "bevy_mesh",
+    "bevy_shader",
+    "bevy_text",
+    "png",
+    # 2d rendering
+    "bevy_camera",
+    "bevy_render",
+    "bevy_core_pipeline",
+    "bevy_sprite",
+    "bevy_sprite_render",
+    # UI rendering
+    "bevy_ui",
+    "bevy_ui_render",
+] }
 kira = "0.12"

 # SVG rasterisation pipeline for the runtime card-theme system.
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ optional self-hosted sync so your stats follow you across machines.
  move within picker rows, Enter activates; works across every modal and
  the HUD action bar
 - **Progression** — XP, levels, unlockable card backs and backgrounds
- **18 Achievements** — including secret ones
+- **19 Achievements** — including secret ones
 - **Daily Challenge** — server-seeded so every player worldwide gets the
  same deal
 - **Leaderboard** — opt-in, powered by your own self-hosted server
@@ -1,24 +1,22 @@
 # Solitaire Quest — Session Handoff

-**Last updated:** 2026-05-02 (session 9, post-v0.14.0 release prep) — v0.14.0 cut. The Quat bug fixes, the rest of the v0.13.0 candidate list, and the entire replay → upload → web-viewer pipeline are all bundled in this release. Direction now opens for the next round.
+**Last updated:** 2026-05-06 (post-v0.17.0) — v0.17.0 cut on top of v0.16.0 bundling the solver-driven hints (`87275bf`) and the replay-rate slider (`53e3b81`). An async-solver attempt earlier in the session was rolled back when an agent left 3 failing tests during interruption — flagged as carryover. Test-to-work ratio noted as a quality signal: future agent briefs scale back to behaviour-level tests only, not stdlib/serde-derive coverage.

 ## Status at pause

- **HEAD on origin:** v0.14.0's tag commit (CHANGELOG + handoff refresh).
+- **HEAD on origin:** v0.17.0's tag commit.
 - **Working tree:** clean apart from untracked `CARD_PLAN.md` (intentional).
 - **Build:** `cargo clippy --workspace --all-targets -- -D warnings` clean.
- **Tests:** **1134 passed / 0 failed** across the workspace.
- **Tags on origin:** `v0.9.0`, `v0.10.0`, `v0.11.0`, `v0.12.0`, `v0.13.0`, `v0.14.0`.
+- **Tests:** **1208 passed / 0 failed** across the workspace.
+- **Tags on origin:** `v0.9.0` through `v0.17.0`.

 ## Where we are

-v0.14.0 is the largest release since the card-theme system. Three threads land together:
+v0.16.0 is the smallest meaningful release in a while — a focused round on how modals feel rather than what they contain. The originating bug was "I can't scroll on the Achievements list"; the sweep that followed found four other modals with the same problem plus three smaller modal-feel gaps (no pointer cursor on buttons, focus arriving a frame late, no click-outside-to-dismiss).

-1. **The remaining v0.13.0-era UX candidates** — theme thumbnails, daily-challenge calendar, Time Attack auto-save, per-mode bests, time-bonus multiplier slider.
-2. **Quat smoke-test bug fixes** — multi-card move validation, softlock detection, deal-tween information leak.
-3. **The replay pipeline** — record on win, persist to disk, upload to server, view in browser via a new `solitaire_wasm` crate. The biggest single feature since the card-theme system.
+Every overlay screen now: scrolls if its content can overflow at 800×600, shows a hand cursor when you hover any button, has its primary auto-focused the moment the modal appears so the very first Tab/Enter is meaningful, and (for read-only screens) dismisses when you click outside the card.

-The card-flight web animations and replay E2E test coverage close out the pipeline.
+The post-v0.15.0 next-round candidates are still mostly open — solver-driven hints, replay-rate slider, solver progress overlay, async solver, "won previously" indicator, replay sharing. Direction is open.

 ### Design direction (unchanged)

@@ -30,64 +28,38 @@ The card-flight web animations and replay E2E test coverage close out the pipeli

 `github.com/funman300/Rusty_Solitaire` is the canonical repo. Always push there.

-## Session 8 + 9 (shipped 2026-05-02) — v0.14.0
-
-### v0.13.0-era UX candidates (had landed but missed v0.13.0's tag)
+## v0.17.0 (shipped 2026-05-06)

 | Area | Commit | What landed |
 |---|---|---|
-| Theme thumbnails | `ba527de` | Each Settings → Cosmetic theme chip renders an Ace + back preview pair via `rasterize_svg`. Cached per theme. Missing-SVG themes show a transparent placeholder rather than crashing. |
-| Daily-challenge calendar | `1a10476` | 14-dot horizontal calendar in the Profile modal. Today is ringed, completed days fill `STATE_SUCCESS`, missed days fill `BG_ELEVATED`. Caption: "Current streak: N · Longest: M". `PlayerProgress` gains `daily_challenge_history` (capped at 365) and `daily_challenge_longest_streak`. |
-| Time Attack auto-save | `0001432` | New sibling `time_attack_session.json` next to `game_state.json`. Atomic .tmp + rename. 30 s auto-save while active + on `AppExit`. Sessions whose 10-min window expired in real time while the app was closed are discarded on load. |
-| Per-mode bests | `3984231` | StatsSnapshot gains six `#[serde(default)]` fields (Classic / Zen / Challenge × best_score + fastest_win_seconds). Stats screen renders a "Per-mode bests" section. Lifetime totals continue to roll all modes together. |
-| Time-bonus slider | `89c51ab` | Settings → Gameplay slider 0.0–2.0, default 1.0, "Off" at zero. Multiplies the time-bonus shown in the win modal. Cosmetic only — does NOT affect achievement unlock thresholds. |
+| Solver-driven hints | `87275bf` | The H-key hint asks the solver for the actual best first move via `try_solve_with_first_move` / `try_solve_from_state`. Heuristic stays as fallback. Median 2 ms per H press. |
+| Replay-rate slider | `53e3b81` | Settings → Gameplay slider tunes `replay_move_interval_secs` 0.10–1.00 s in 0.05 s steps; default 0.45 s. Read per frame from `SettingsResource`. |

-### Quat smoke-test bug fixes
+## v0.16.0 (shipped 2026-05-06)

 | Area | Commit | What landed |
 |---|---|---|
-| Move validation (#1) | `f1aeb24` | `solitaire_core::rules::is_valid_tableau_sequence(&[Card]) -> bool` checks every adjacent pair in a moved stack descends one rank with alternating colour. Wired into `move_cards`. Closes the bug where any multi-card lift could be dropped as long as the bottom landed legally. |
-| Deal-tween leak (#4) | `3eabc14` | New-game snaps every card sprite to the stock pile position before writing `StateChangedEvent`, so all 52 cards animate from a single deck point during the deal. Previously sprites started from previous-game positions, briefly revealing the prior deal. |
-| Softlock detection (#2) | `2716472` | `has_legal_moves` rewritten: walks every potential move source (every stock card, every waste card, the face-up top of every tableau column) against every foundation and every tableau. Previous heuristic returned `true` whenever stock had cards, hiding genuine softlocks. `GameOverScreen` now actually fires for true softlocks. |
-| End-game screen (#3) | — | Resolved as downstream of #2. The pre-existing `GameOverScreen` and `WinSummaryOverlay` already cover the close-out paths; the softlock screen just never spawned because the old `has_legal_moves` lied. |
-
-### Replay pipeline (the major feature)
-
-| Area | Commit | What landed |
-|---|---|---|
-| Replay storage | `42535f5` | `solitaire_data::replay::Replay` (seed + draw_mode + mode + score + time + recorded date + ordered move list) and atomic save/load helpers under `<data_dir>/latest_replay.json`. Schema v1; `load` returns None for any other version. |
-| Engine recording | `57d1c58` | `RecordingReplay` resource + `ReplayPath` settings. Every successful `MoveRequestEvent` / `DrawRequestEvent` appends to recording; `GameWonEvent` freezes the recording into a `Replay` and persists. Undo intentionally not recorded. New game clears the recording. |
-| Stats button | `d9f36bf` | Stats overlay surfaces a "Latest win:" caption + "Watch replay" button. Loads from disk via `LatestReplayResource`. (Full in-engine playback deferred — button currently fires an `InfoToastEvent` describing the replay.) |
-| Server upload + fetch | `93182fa` | `POST /api/replays` accepts a `Replay` JSON; `GET /api/replays/:id` returns it. JWT-gated. SQL migration for the new `replays` table. |
-| Engine sync | `23c9704` | Engine uploads winning replays automatically when the player has cloud sync configured. Re-uses the existing JWT/refresh-token flow. |
-| WASM crate | `5bed43e` | New workspace member `solitaire_wasm` compiles replay-relevant `solitaire_core` types to WebAssembly so a browser can re-execute a replay client-side. `wasm-bindgen` glue. |
-| Web viewer | `07b8ecd` | `GET /replays/:id` returns HTML + CSS + the wasm bundle. Browser fetches the replay JSON, rasterises a deal from the seed, and animates the recorded moves. |
-| E2E coverage | `3081505` | Server tests covering the full upload → fetch round-trip via `axum::test`. |
-| Web flight anim | `1fcd032` | Card-flight tweens on the web side so the browser viewer reads as a real game replay rather than a static dump. |
+| Modal scroll | `7a3032b` | Achievements / Help / Stats / Profile / Leaderboard bodies now carry `Overflow::scroll_y()` + a `max_height` constraint + a per-plugin `*Scrollable` marker. Sibling `scroll_*_panel` systems route `MouseWheel` into the body's `ScrollPosition`. Mirrors the existing `SettingsPanelScrollable` pattern. Home modal not scrolled — five mode cards + Cancel are sized to fit by design. |
+| Pointer cursor | `cd54ce1` | `update_cursor_icon` gains a fourth branch: `SystemCursorIcon::Pointer` whenever any `Interaction::Hovered`/`Pressed` button is detected and no card drag is active. Branch order Grabbing → Pointer → Grab → Default. Pure `pick_cursor_icon(is_dragging, any_button_hovered, any_card_hovered)` helper unit-tests the priority. |
+| Same-frame focus | `48e4121` | `attach_focusable_to_modal_buttons` and `auto_focus_on_modal_open` moved from `Update` to `PostUpdate`. The schedule boundary supplies the sync point so a click-handler in `Update` that spawns a modal has its `Commands` materialised before attach runs. `FocusedButton` is populated before `app.update()` returns; the very first Tab/Enter after open lands on a populated resource. |
+| Scrim dismiss core | `a54201e` | New `ScrimDismissible` marker on `ModalScrim` opts a modal into click-outside-to-close. `dismiss_modal_on_scrim_click` system in `ui_modal` despawns the topmost dismissible scrim on a left-mouse press whose cursor lands on the scrim and outside every `ModalCard`. Stats / Achievements / Help opted in. |
+| Scrim dismiss tail | `cbf2483` | One-line opt-in (capture scrim + insert marker) for Profile / Leaderboard / Home, completing all six read-only modals. |

 ## Open punch list

 ### Release prep
-1. **Smoke-test on the alex machine** after pulling — confirm Quat's three bug fixes hold up in real gameplay, and try the new replay button + web viewer end-to-end.
-2. **Desktop packaging** per `ARCHITECTURE.md §17`. The Arch PKGBUILD exists in `/home/manage/solitaire-quest-pkgbuild/` (separate repo). Pending: app icon, macOS `.icns` + notarisation cert, Windows `.ico` + Authenticode cert, AppImage recipe.

-### UX iteration (next-round candidates)
+1. **Desktop packaging** per `ARCHITECTURE.md §17`. Arch PKGBUILD exists in `/home/manage/solitaire-quest-pkgbuild/` (separate repo). Pending: app icon, macOS `.icns` + notarisation cert, Windows `.ico` + Authenticode cert, AppImage recipe.

- **Solver-at-deal toggle** (Quat investigation #1, still deferred): add a Settings → Gameplay toggle "Winnable deals only" rather than baking solver-only into every deal. Lightest middle ground.
- **Disable Bevy's default audio feature** (Quat investigation #2, still deferred): one-line `default-features = false` swap on the workspace `bevy =` line, re-enable explicitly the features the engine uses (`render`, `bevy_winit`, `2d`, `bevy_window`, `png`, `bevy_text`, `bevy_ui`, `bevy_log`, `bevy_asset`, `default_font`, `bevy_state`). Drops ~50 transitive crates including the rodio + symphonia stack the project doesn't use (kira handles audio).
- **In-engine replay playback** — promote the "Watch replay" button from a stub toast to a real playback overlay that re-runs the recorded moves with `CardAnimation` tweens. The wasm crate already proves the playback math; the in-engine version reuses the same execute logic against the live game state.
- **Per-replay history** — currently single-slot at `latest_replay.json`. A "best replay per mode" bucket or a recent-N rolling list would let players revisit notable wins.
- **Solver-driven hint system** — extend the existing hint toggle so a deal-time solver provides higher-quality hints (currently a heuristic). Requires the solver from the toggle work above.
- **Achievement: "won via replay path"** — track when a player wins a deal whose previously-saved replay also won the same deal. Mostly fun; trivial scope.
+### Process note (raised this session)

-## Card-theme system (CARD_PLAN.md, fully shipped)
+Recent agent briefs reflexively asked for ≥3 tests per feature, which produced low-value coverage on trivial settings fields (default-value tests, serde-derive round-trips, clamp tests that just exercise stdlib `clamp`). Future agent briefs should ask only for tests that pin **behaviour contracts or regressions on real bugs** — not coverage of language/library mechanics.

-Seven phases landed across `b8fb3fb` → `924a1e2` in v0.11.0; v0.13.0's `7ed4f2c` consumes the per-theme `back.svg`; v0.14.0's `ba527de` adds preview thumbnails. End-to-end:
+### Carryover candidates — still open

- **Bundled default theme** ships in the binary via `embedded://` — 52 hayeah/playing-cards-assets SVGs + a midnight-purple `back.svg`.
- **User themes** under `themes://`. Drop a directory containing `theme.ron` + 53 SVGs.
- **Importer** at `solitaire_engine::theme::import_theme(zip)` validates archives and atomically unpacks.
- **Picker UI** in Settings → Cosmetic; thumbnails + the active theme's `back` override the legacy `back_N.png` picker when present.
+- **Solver-on-AsyncComputeTaskPool** — current solver runs synchronously on the main thread. Worst-case 50 attempts × 120 ms = 6 s of UI stall on pathological seeds. **An attempt this session was rolled back** when an agent was interrupted leaving 3 failing tests; redoing this needs more careful scoping (smaller pieces, real cancel-and-test flow, NOT a parallel agent split). Worth taking next.
+- **Per-deal "won previously" indicator** — the rolling replay history's seeds make this easy: when a new game starts on a seed the player has already won, surface a tiny indicator on the HUD.
+- **Replay sharing** — `replays.json` is per-machine. Allow a player to copy a replay's URL (already wired via `solitaire_server`) and post it elsewhere. The web-viewer already exists.

 ## Resume prompt

@@ -95,17 +67,18 @@ Seven phases landed across `b8fb3fb` → `924a1e2` in v0.11.0; v0.13.0's `7ed4f2
 You are a senior Rust + Bevy developer working on Solitaire Quest.
 Working directory: <Rusty_Solitaire clone path on this machine — local
 directory may still be named Rusty_Solitare from earlier; that's fine>.
-Branch: master. Direction is OPEN — v0.14.0 just shipped covering the
-Quat bug fixes, the v0.13.0 candidate tail, and the entire
-replay-pipeline feature.
+Branch: master. Direction is OPEN — v0.16.0 just shipped covering
+modal scroll fixes, pointer cursor, same-frame focus, and scrim-click
+dismiss across all six read-only modals.

-State: HEAD at v0.14.0. Working tree clean apart from untracked
-CARD_PLAN.md (intentional).
+State: HEAD at v0.17.0 (solver hints + replay-rate slider on top
+of v0.16.0). Working tree clean apart from untracked CARD_PLAN.md
+(intentional).
 Build: cargo clippy --workspace --all-targets -- -D warnings clean.
-Tests: 1134 passed / 0 failed.
+Tests: 1208 passed / 0 failed.

 READ FIRST (in order, before doing anything):
-  1. SESSION_HANDOFF.md  — v0.14.0 changelog + open punch list
+  1. SESSION_HANDOFF.md  — v0.16.0 changelog + open punch list
  2. CHANGELOG.md        — release-by-release record
  3. CLAUDE.md           — hard rules (UI-first, no panics, etc.)
  4. ARCHITECTURE.md     — crate responsibilities + data flow
@@ -114,16 +87,14 @@ READ FIRST (in order, before doing anything):
                           may be missing on a fresh machine)

 DECISION TO ASK THE PLAYER FIRST:
-  A. Smoke-test v0.14.0 on the alex machine first to confirm the
-     three Quat bug fixes hold up in real gameplay and the replay
-     pipeline works end-to-end (record → upload → web viewer).
-  B. Take the deferred Bevy-audio-feature trim (Quat investigation
-     #2) — one-line workspace edit, ~50 fewer transitive crates.
-  C. Take the deferred solver toggle (Quat investigation #1): add
-     "Winnable deals only" Settings toggle. Larger.
-  D. Promote the in-engine "Watch replay" button to real playback.
-  E. Pick from the remaining "next-round candidates" in this doc.
-  F. Take the deferred desktop-packaging item (needs artwork +
+  A. Solver-on-AsyncComputeTaskPool with progress toast + cancel.
+     A previous attempt was rolled back when an agent left 3
+     failing tests; redoing it needs smaller pieces. Eliminates the
+     worst-case 6 s UI stall — highest gameplay impact left.
+  B. Per-deal "won previously" HUD indicator using the rolling
+     replay history's seeds.
+  C. Replay sharing — copyable URL via the existing web viewer.
+  D. Take the deferred desktop-packaging item (needs artwork +
     signing certs from the user).

 WORKFLOW NOTES:
@@ -136,5 +107,5 @@ WORKFLOW NOTES:
  - Every commit must pass build / clippy / test before pushing.
  - Push to GitHub (origin) — that is the canonical remote.

-OPEN AT THE START: ask which of A–F. Don't pick unilaterally.
+OPEN AT THE START: ask which of A–D. Don't pick unilaterally.
 ```
@@ -10,7 +10,8 @@ use solitaire_engine::{
    AudioPlugin, AutoCompletePlugin, CardAnimationPlugin, CardPlugin, ChallengePlugin,
    CursorPlugin, DailyChallengePlugin, FeedbackAnimPlugin, FontPlugin, GamePlugin, HelpPlugin,
    HomePlugin, HudPlugin, InputPlugin, LeaderboardPlugin, OnboardingPlugin, PausePlugin,
-    ProfilePlugin, ProgressPlugin, RadialMenuPlugin, SelectionPlugin, SettingsPlugin, SplashPlugin,
+    ProfilePlugin, ProgressPlugin, RadialMenuPlugin, ReplayOverlayPlugin, ReplayPlaybackPlugin,
+    SelectionPlugin, SettingsPlugin, SplashPlugin,
    StatsPlugin, SyncPlugin, TablePlugin, ThemePlugin, ThemeRegistryPlugin, TimeAttackPlugin,
    UiFocusPlugin, UiModalPlugin, UiTooltipPlugin, WeeklyGoalsPlugin, WinSummaryPlugin,
 };
@@ -117,6 +118,8 @@ fn main() {
        .add_plugins(FeedbackAnimPlugin)
        .add_plugins(CardAnimationPlugin)
        .add_plugins(AutoCompletePlugin)
+        .add_plugins(ReplayPlaybackPlugin)
+        .add_plugins(ReplayOverlayPlugin)
        .add_plugins(StatsPlugin::default())
        .add_plugins(ProgressPlugin::default())
        .add_plugins(AchievementPlugin::default())
@@ -140,6 +140,16 @@ fn comeback(c: &AchievementContext) -> bool {
 fn zen_winner(c: &AchievementContext) -> bool {
    c.last_win_is_zen
 }
+/// Cinephile is event-driven: it unlocks when the engine observes a
+/// `ReplayPlaybackState` transition from `Playing` to `Completed`, not on
+/// any field of [`AchievementContext`]. The condition predicate therefore
+/// always returns false so [`check_achievements`] never unlocks it from a
+/// `GameWonEvent` / `StateChangedEvent` cycle — the unlock is driven by
+/// `AchievementUnlockedEvent` written directly from the engine's
+/// replay-playback observer.
+fn cinephile_never(_c: &AchievementContext) -> bool {
+    false
+}

 /// All currently-evaluable achievements. Order is stable so persistence files
 /// remain readable across versions (new achievements append).
@@ -288,6 +298,18 @@ pub const ALL_ACHIEVEMENTS: &[AchievementDef] = &[
        reward: Some(Reward::Badge),
        condition: zen_winner,
    },
+    AchievementDef {
+        id: "cinephile",
+        name: "Cinephile",
+        description: "Watch a saved replay all the way through",
+        secret: false,
+        reward: None,
+        // Event-driven unlock: the engine's replay-playback observer fires
+        // `AchievementUnlockedEvent("cinephile")` directly on a Playing →
+        // Completed transition. `cinephile_never` keeps the condition path
+        // a no-op so a `GameWonEvent` evaluation cycle cannot unlock it.
+        condition: cinephile_never,
+    },
 ];

 /// Return every `AchievementDef` whose condition is satisfied by `ctx`.
@@ -721,6 +743,31 @@ mod tests {
        assert!(ids.contains(&"no_undo"), "no_undo must also unlock when perfectionist does");
    }

+    #[test]
+    fn cinephile_achievement_in_canonical_list() {
+        let def = achievement_by_id("cinephile").expect("cinephile must be registered");
+        assert_eq!(def.id, "cinephile");
+        assert_eq!(def.name, "Cinephile");
+        assert!(!def.secret, "cinephile is not a secret achievement");
+        // Event-driven: the predicate is a sentinel that always returns
+        // false. `check_achievements` must never unlock cinephile from a
+        // GameWonEvent context, even one that satisfies every other gate.
+        let mut c = ctx();
+        c.games_won = 1;
+        c.win_streak_current = 999;
+        c.last_win_time_seconds = 1;
+        c.last_win_used_undo = false;
+        c.best_single_score = 99_999;
+        c.lifetime_score = u64::MAX;
+        c.last_win_is_zen = true;
+        c.last_win_recycle_count = 99;
+        let ids: Vec<&str> = check_achievements(&c).iter().map(|d| d.id).collect();
+        assert!(
+            !ids.contains(&"cinephile"),
+            "cinephile must never unlock via condition evaluation; got {ids:?}",
+        );
+    }
+
    #[test]
    fn perfectionist_score_well_above_threshold_still_passes() {
        let mut c = ctx();
@@ -6,3 +6,4 @@ pub mod game_state;
 pub mod pile;
 pub mod rules;
 pub mod scoring;
+pub mod solver;
@@ -141,9 +141,10 @@ pub use challenge::{challenge_count, challenge_seed_for, CHALLENGE_SEEDS};
 pub mod settings;
 pub use settings::{
    load_settings_from, save_settings_to, settings_file_path, AnimSpeed, Settings, SyncBackend,
-    Theme, WindowGeometry, TIME_BONUS_MULTIPLIER_MAX, TIME_BONUS_MULTIPLIER_MIN,
-    TIME_BONUS_MULTIPLIER_STEP, TOOLTIP_DELAY_MAX_SECS, TOOLTIP_DELAY_MIN_SECS,
-    TOOLTIP_DELAY_STEP_SECS,
+    Theme, WindowGeometry, REPLAY_MOVE_INTERVAL_MAX_SECS, REPLAY_MOVE_INTERVAL_MIN_SECS,
+    REPLAY_MOVE_INTERVAL_STEP_SECS, SOLVER_DEAL_RETRY_CAP, TIME_BONUS_MULTIPLIER_MAX,
+    TIME_BONUS_MULTIPLIER_MIN, TIME_BONUS_MULTIPLIER_STEP, TOOLTIP_DELAY_MAX_SECS,
+    TOOLTIP_DELAY_MIN_SECS, TOOLTIP_DELAY_STEP_SECS,
 };

 pub mod auth_tokens;
@@ -155,7 +156,10 @@ pub mod sync_client;
 pub use sync_client::{provider_for_backend, LocalOnlyProvider, SolitaireServerClient};

 pub mod replay;
+#[allow(deprecated)]
+pub use replay::{latest_replay_path, load_latest_replay_from, save_latest_replay_to};
 pub use replay::{
-    latest_replay_path, load_latest_replay_from, save_latest_replay_to, Replay, ReplayMove,
-    REPLAY_SCHEMA_VERSION,
+    append_replay_to_history, load_replay_history_from, migrate_legacy_latest_replay,
+    replay_history_path, save_replay_history_to, Replay, ReplayHistory, ReplayMove,
+    REPLAY_HISTORY_CAP, REPLAY_HISTORY_SCHEMA_VERSION, REPLAY_SCHEMA_VERSION,
 };
@@ -31,6 +31,34 @@ use solitaire_core::pile::PileType;

 const APP_DIR_NAME: &str = "solitaire_quest";
 const LATEST_REPLAY_FILE_NAME: &str = "latest_replay.json";
+const REPLAY_HISTORY_FILE_NAME: &str = "replays.json";
+
+/// Maximum number of recent winning replays the rolling history retains.
+///
+/// When [`append_replay_to_history`] pushes a fresh entry past this cap,
+/// the oldest entry is dropped so the file never grows unbounded. The
+/// player can revisit any of the last [`REPLAY_HISTORY_CAP`] wins from
+/// the Stats overlay's replay selector — older wins age out silently.
+pub const REPLAY_HISTORY_CAP: usize = 8;
+
+/// Save-file schema version for [`ReplayHistory`]. Bump when the on-disk
+/// shape of the wrapper changes incompatibly so [`load_replay_history_from`]
+/// returns `None` for older files (the player simply sees an empty
+/// history rather than a half-loaded broken one). Bumping
+/// [`REPLAY_SCHEMA_VERSION`] independently invalidates individual
+/// [`Replay`] payloads inside an otherwise-current history.
+///
+/// History:
+/// - v1 (current): initial release of the rolling history wrapper.
+pub const REPLAY_HISTORY_SCHEMA_VERSION: u32 = 1;
+
+/// Default value for [`ReplayHistory::schema_version`] when deserialising
+/// files that pre-date the field. Any value other than
+/// [`REPLAY_HISTORY_SCHEMA_VERSION`] causes [`load_replay_history_from`]
+/// to return `None`.
+fn history_schema_v0() -> u32 {
+    0
+}

 /// Save-file schema version for [`Replay`]. Increment when the on-disk
 /// representation changes incompatibly so [`load_latest_replay_from`] can
@@ -138,17 +166,87 @@ impl Replay {
    }
 }

+/// Rolling history of the player's most recent winning replays.
+///
+/// Stored as a single JSON file at
+/// `<data_dir>/solitaire_quest/replays.json` (see
+/// [`replay_history_path`]). Capped at [`REPLAY_HISTORY_CAP`] entries —
+/// when [`append_replay_to_history`] pushes past the cap, the oldest
+/// entry is dropped so the file never grows unbounded.
+///
+/// `replays[0]` is always the most recent win; the Stats overlay's
+/// replay selector defaults to that entry and surfaces the older
+/// entries behind a small chooser so the player can revisit a memorable
+/// game even after a more recent win.
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, PartialEq, Eq, Serialize, Deserialize)]
+pub struct ReplayHistory {
+    /// Schema version. See [`REPLAY_HISTORY_SCHEMA_VERSION`].
+    #[serde(default = "history_schema_v0")]
+    pub schema_version: u32,
+    /// Most recent first. Capped at [`REPLAY_HISTORY_CAP`] entries —
+    /// older entries drop off when the cap is hit.
+    pub replays: Vec<Replay>,
+}
+
+impl Default for ReplayHistory {
+    /// An empty history at the current schema version. Used by callers
+    /// that need a starting point before the first winning replay has
+    /// ever been recorded.
+    fn default() -> Self {
+        Self {
+            schema_version: REPLAY_HISTORY_SCHEMA_VERSION,
+            replays: Vec::new(),
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+impl ReplayHistory {
+    /// Returns the most recent replay (`replays[0]`), or `None` when the
+    /// history is empty. Convenience used by the Stats overlay's default
+    /// selector position.
+    pub fn most_recent(&self) -> Option<&Replay> {
+        self.replays.first()
+    }
+
+    /// Returns the number of replays currently retained.
+    pub fn len(&self) -> usize {
+        self.replays.len()
+    }
+
+    /// Returns `true` when no replays have been recorded yet.
+    pub fn is_empty(&self) -> bool {
+        self.replays.is_empty()
+    }
+}
+
 /// Returns the platform-specific path to `latest_replay.json`, or `None`
 /// if `dirs::data_dir()` is unavailable (e.g. minimal Linux containers).
+#[deprecated(
+    note = "single-slot replay storage replaced by the rolling history at \
+            replay_history_path(); kept for the one-shot legacy migration \
+            in migrate_legacy_latest_replay"
+)]
 pub fn latest_replay_path() -> Option<PathBuf> {
    dirs::data_dir().map(|d| d.join(APP_DIR_NAME).join(LATEST_REPLAY_FILE_NAME))
 }

+/// Returns the platform-specific path to `replays.json`, the rolling
+/// history file, or `None` if `dirs::data_dir()` is unavailable (e.g.
+/// minimal Linux containers).
+pub fn replay_history_path() -> Option<PathBuf> {
+    dirs::data_dir().map(|d| d.join(APP_DIR_NAME).join(REPLAY_HISTORY_FILE_NAME))
+}
+
 /// Save a [`Replay`] atomically to `path` using the standard `.tmp` →
 /// rename contract that the rest of `storage.rs` uses.
 ///
 /// Overwrites any existing replay — only the most recent winning replay
 /// is retained on disk.
+#[deprecated(
+    note = "single-slot replay storage replaced by the rolling history; \
+            use append_replay_to_history instead. Kept for the one-shot \
+            legacy migration."
+)]
 pub fn save_latest_replay_to(path: &Path, replay: &Replay) -> io::Result<()> {
    if let Some(parent) = path.parent() {
        fs::create_dir_all(parent)?;
@@ -168,6 +266,11 @@ pub fn save_latest_replay_to(path: &Path, replay: &Replay) -> io::Result<()> {
 /// "No replay recorded yet" caption rather than a half-loaded broken
 /// replay. Bumping [`REPLAY_SCHEMA_VERSION`] therefore invalidates every
 /// older save without further migration code.
+#[deprecated(
+    note = "single-slot replay storage replaced by the rolling history; \
+            use load_replay_history_from instead. Kept for the one-shot \
+            legacy migration."
+)]
 pub fn load_latest_replay_from(path: &Path) -> Option<Replay> {
    let data = fs::read(path).ok()?;
    let replay: Replay = serde_json::from_slice(&data).ok()?;
@@ -177,7 +280,124 @@ pub fn load_latest_replay_from(path: &Path) -> Option<Replay> {
    Some(replay)
 }

+/// Save a [`ReplayHistory`] atomically to `path` using the standard
+/// `.tmp` → rename contract.
+///
+/// The on-disk encoding is pretty-printed JSON; the file is intended to
+/// be small (≤ [`REPLAY_HISTORY_CAP`] entries, each carrying a few
+/// hundred move records at most) so the readability tradeoff is fine.
+pub fn save_replay_history_to(path: &Path, history: &ReplayHistory) -> io::Result<()> {
+    if let Some(parent) = path.parent() {
+        fs::create_dir_all(parent)?;
+    }
+    let json = serde_json::to_string_pretty(history).map_err(io::Error::other)?;
+    let tmp = path.with_extension("json.tmp");
+    fs::write(&tmp, json.as_bytes())?;
+    fs::rename(&tmp, path)?;
+    Ok(())
+}
+
+/// Load a [`ReplayHistory`] from `path`, returning `None` when the file
+/// is missing, corrupt, or carries a [`schema_version`](ReplayHistory::schema_version)
+/// other than [`REPLAY_HISTORY_SCHEMA_VERSION`].
+///
+/// Individual [`Replay`] entries inside an otherwise-current history are
+/// filtered to only those carrying [`REPLAY_SCHEMA_VERSION`] — older
+/// entries are silently dropped so a future bump of the inner replay
+/// schema does not corrupt the wrapper.
+pub fn load_replay_history_from(path: &Path) -> Option<ReplayHistory> {
+    let data = fs::read(path).ok()?;
+    let history: ReplayHistory = serde_json::from_slice(&data).ok()?;
+    if history.schema_version != REPLAY_HISTORY_SCHEMA_VERSION {
+        return None;
+    }
+    let filtered: Vec<Replay> = history
+        .replays
+        .into_iter()
+        .filter(|r| r.schema_version == REPLAY_SCHEMA_VERSION)
+        .collect();
+    Some(ReplayHistory {
+        schema_version: REPLAY_HISTORY_SCHEMA_VERSION,
+        replays: filtered,
+    })
+}
+
+/// Append `replay` to the front of the rolling history at `path`,
+/// dropping the oldest entry once [`REPLAY_HISTORY_CAP`] is exceeded,
+/// and persist the updated history atomically.
+///
+/// If `path` has no existing history (missing file, corrupt, or
+/// schema-mismatched) a fresh [`ReplayHistory::default`] is used as the
+/// starting point so the new replay is always saved. The returned
+/// [`ReplayHistory`] is the exact value written to disk so callers can
+/// update an in-memory mirror (e.g. the Stats overlay's
+/// `ReplayHistoryResource`) without a follow-up `load`.
+pub fn append_replay_to_history(
+    path: &Path,
+    replay: Replay,
+) -> io::Result<ReplayHistory> {
+    let mut history = load_replay_history_from(path).unwrap_or_default();
+    // Most recent first. Reserve the front slot; pop the oldest if we
+    // exceed the cap so the file never grows unbounded.
+    history.replays.insert(0, replay);
+    if history.replays.len() > REPLAY_HISTORY_CAP {
+        history.replays.truncate(REPLAY_HISTORY_CAP);
+    }
+    save_replay_history_to(path, &history)?;
+    Ok(history)
+}
+
+/// One-shot migration from the legacy single-slot
+/// `latest_replay.json` file to the rolling [`ReplayHistory`] stored at
+/// `history_path`.
+///
+/// Behaviour matrix:
+/// - `history_path` already exists  → no-op (the rolling history wins).
+/// - `history_path` is absent and `latest_path` is absent → no-op.
+/// - `history_path` is absent and `latest_path` exists with a valid
+///   replay → seed a fresh history with that one replay and write it.
+/// - `history_path` is absent and `latest_path` exists but is corrupt /
+///   schema-mismatched → write an empty history (we know the player is
+///   on the new build and shouldn't keep being prompted to migrate).
+///
+/// The legacy `latest_replay.json` file is intentionally NOT deleted by
+/// this helper — keep it for one release as a safety net so a player
+/// rolling back to the previous build doesn't lose their last winning
+/// replay. The deletion is planned for the release after this one.
+pub fn migrate_legacy_latest_replay(latest_path: &Path, history_path: &Path) {
+    if history_path.exists() {
+        // Rolling history is authoritative once it exists.
+        return;
+    }
+    if !latest_path.exists() {
+        return;
+    }
+    // Use the deprecated loader directly — the migration is the one
+    // place we still consult the legacy file shape on purpose.
+    #[allow(deprecated)]
+    let legacy = load_latest_replay_from(latest_path);
+    let history = match legacy {
+        Some(replay) => ReplayHistory {
+            schema_version: REPLAY_HISTORY_SCHEMA_VERSION,
+            replays: vec![replay],
+        },
+        None => ReplayHistory::default(),
+    };
+    if let Err(e) = save_replay_history_to(history_path, &history) {
+        // Migration failure is non-fatal: on the next launch we'll just
+        // try again. We log to stderr rather than panic so headless
+        // tests stay quiet.
+        eprintln!(
+            "replay: failed to migrate legacy latest_replay.json into rolling history: {e}",
+        );
+    }
+}
+
 #[cfg(test)]
+// The legacy single-slot tests still exercise `save_latest_replay_to` /
+// `load_latest_replay_from` on purpose — they're the round-trip
+// guardrails for the migration source format.
+#[allow(deprecated)]
 mod tests {
    use super::*;
    use std::env;
@@ -294,4 +514,189 @@ mod tests {
        assert!(load_latest_replay_from(&path).is_none());
        let _ = fs::remove_file(&path);
    }
+
+    // -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+    // ReplayHistory — rolling list of recent wins
+    // -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+    /// Build a [`Replay`] whose `final_score` carries `id` so tests can
+    /// assert ordering / identity without writing a deep equality match.
+    fn replay_with_id(id: i32) -> Replay {
+        let date = NaiveDate::from_ymd_opt(2026, 5, 2).expect("valid date");
+        Replay::new(
+            id as u64,
+            DrawMode::DrawOne,
+            GameMode::Classic,
+            60,
+            id,
+            date,
+            vec![ReplayMove::StockClick],
+        )
+    }
+
+    /// Pushing past [`REPLAY_HISTORY_CAP`] must drop the oldest entries —
+    /// the on-disk file (and the in-memory mirror returned by the helper)
+    /// stays bounded so the user's data dir never grows unbounded.
+    #[test]
+    fn append_replay_to_history_caps_at_eight() {
+        let path = tmp_path("history_cap");
+        let _ = fs::remove_file(&path);
+
+        let mut last_returned = ReplayHistory::default();
+        for i in 0..10 {
+            last_returned = append_replay_to_history(&path, replay_with_id(i))
+                .expect("append must succeed");
+        }
+
+        assert_eq!(
+            last_returned.replays.len(),
+            REPLAY_HISTORY_CAP,
+            "history must be capped at REPLAY_HISTORY_CAP entries",
+        );
+        // The most recent ten pushes were ids 0..=9; ids 9, 8, ..., 2
+        // survive (newest first), ids 0 and 1 aged out.
+        let ids: Vec<i32> = last_returned.replays.iter().map(|r| r.final_score).collect();
+        assert_eq!(
+            ids,
+            vec![9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2],
+            "newest entries must survive, oldest must age out",
+        );
+
+        // The on-disk file must agree with the returned in-memory copy.
+        let loaded = load_replay_history_from(&path).expect("load must succeed");
+        assert_eq!(loaded, last_returned, "disk must mirror returned history");
+
+        let _ = fs::remove_file(&path);
+    }
+
+    /// `append_replay_to_history` must place new entries at index 0 so
+    /// the Stats overlay's default selector (most recent) lands on the
+    /// just-saved replay.
+    #[test]
+    fn append_replay_inserts_at_front() {
+        let path = tmp_path("history_front");
+        let _ = fs::remove_file(&path);
+
+        append_replay_to_history(&path, replay_with_id(1)).expect("append 1");
+        append_replay_to_history(&path, replay_with_id(2)).expect("append 2");
+        let history = append_replay_to_history(&path, replay_with_id(3)).expect("append 3");
+
+        let ids: Vec<i32> = history.replays.iter().map(|r| r.final_score).collect();
+        assert_eq!(
+            ids,
+            vec![3, 2, 1],
+            "history must be reverse-chronological (newest first)",
+        );
+
+        let _ = fs::remove_file(&path);
+    }
+
+    /// On first launch with the new code, a pre-existing
+    /// `latest_replay.json` must seed the new rolling history so the
+    /// player doesn't lose their last winning replay across the upgrade.
+    #[test]
+    fn legacy_latest_replay_migrates_to_history_on_first_launch() {
+        let latest = tmp_path("legacy_migrate_latest");
+        let history = tmp_path("legacy_migrate_history");
+        let _ = fs::remove_file(&latest);
+        let _ = fs::remove_file(&history);
+
+        // Seed the legacy file with a real replay.
+        let legacy_replay = sample_replay();
+        save_latest_replay_to(&latest, &legacy_replay).expect("seed legacy");
+        assert!(!history.exists(), "history file must not exist pre-migration");
+
+        migrate_legacy_latest_replay(&latest, &history);
+
+        assert!(history.exists(), "migration must create the history file");
+        let loaded = load_replay_history_from(&history)
+            .expect("post-migration history must load");
+        assert_eq!(loaded.replays.len(), 1, "history must hold exactly the legacy entry");
+        assert_eq!(loaded.replays[0], legacy_replay, "entry must equal the legacy replay");
+        // Legacy file is intentionally retained for one release as a
+        // safety net — see `migrate_legacy_latest_replay` doc comment.
+        assert!(latest.exists(), "legacy file must NOT be deleted by migration");
+
+        let _ = fs::remove_file(&latest);
+        let _ = fs::remove_file(&history);
+    }
+
+    /// When the rolling history file already exists, the migration must
+    /// be a no-op — we never want to overwrite the player's accumulated
+    /// history with a stale single-slot legacy entry.
+    #[test]
+    fn migrate_is_noop_when_history_already_exists() {
+        let latest = tmp_path("legacy_noop_latest");
+        let history = tmp_path("legacy_noop_history");
+        let _ = fs::remove_file(&latest);
+        let _ = fs::remove_file(&history);
+
+        save_latest_replay_to(&latest, &sample_replay()).expect("seed legacy");
+        let pre_existing = ReplayHistory {
+            schema_version: REPLAY_HISTORY_SCHEMA_VERSION,
+            replays: vec![replay_with_id(42)],
+        };
+        save_replay_history_to(&history, &pre_existing).expect("seed history");
+
+        migrate_legacy_latest_replay(&latest, &history);
+
+        let loaded = load_replay_history_from(&history).expect("load");
+        assert_eq!(loaded, pre_existing, "existing history must not be overwritten");
+
+        let _ = fs::remove_file(&latest);
+        let _ = fs::remove_file(&history);
+    }
+
+    /// A populated [`ReplayHistory`] must round-trip byte-identically
+    /// through `save_replay_history_to` / `load_replay_history_from`.
+    #[test]
+    fn replay_history_round_trips_through_save_and_load() {
+        let path = tmp_path("history_round_trip");
+        let _ = fs::remove_file(&path);
+
+        let history = ReplayHistory {
+            schema_version: REPLAY_HISTORY_SCHEMA_VERSION,
+            replays: vec![replay_with_id(7), replay_with_id(3), sample_replay()],
+        };
+        save_replay_history_to(&path, &history).expect("save");
+        let loaded = load_replay_history_from(&path).expect("load");
+        assert_eq!(loaded, history, "round-trip must preserve every field");
+
+        let _ = fs::remove_file(&path);
+    }
+
+    /// A file written by an older history schema must be rejected so the
+    /// player sees a clean empty history rather than a half-loaded one.
+    #[test]
+    fn replay_history_legacy_schema_version_falls_through_to_none() {
+        let path = tmp_path("history_legacy_schema");
+        let _ = fs::remove_file(&path);
+
+        // No `schema_version` key → defaults to 0 via `history_schema_v0()`.
+        let v0_json = r#"{
+            "replays": []
+        }"#;
+        fs::write(&path, v0_json).expect("write v0 fixture");
+
+        assert!(
+            load_replay_history_from(&path).is_none(),
+            "v0 history must be rejected (schema gate)",
+        );
+
+        let _ = fs::remove_file(&path);
+    }
+
+    /// Atomic-write contract for the rolling history — `.tmp` must not be
+    /// left behind after `save_replay_history_to` returns.
+    #[test]
+    fn replay_history_save_is_atomic() {
+        let path = tmp_path("history_atomic");
+        let _ = fs::remove_file(&path);
+
+        save_replay_history_to(&path, &ReplayHistory::default()).expect("save");
+        let tmp = path.with_extension("json.tmp");
+        assert!(!tmp.exists(), ".tmp must be cleaned up after rename");
+
+        let _ = fs::remove_file(&path);
+    }
 }
@@ -166,6 +166,32 @@ pub struct Settings {
    /// `#[serde(default = "default_time_bonus_multiplier")]`.
    #[serde(default = "default_time_bonus_multiplier")]
    pub time_bonus_multiplier: f32,
+    /// When `true`, the engine rejects new-game deals the
+    /// [`solitaire_core::solver`] cannot prove winnable, retrying
+    /// fresh seeds up to [`SOLVER_DEAL_RETRY_CAP`] attempts before
+    /// giving up and using the last tried seed. Off by default —
+    /// the solver adds a few hundred milliseconds of latency on the
+    /// pathological deals that hit the budget cap, and not every
+    /// player wants to wait. Older `settings.json` files written
+    /// before this field existed deserialize cleanly to `false` via
+    /// `#[serde(default)]`.
+    ///
+    /// Scope: only random-seed Classic-mode deals are filtered.
+    /// Daily challenges, replays, and explicit-seed requests skip the
+    /// solver retry loop — see `solitaire_engine::handle_new_game`.
+    #[serde(default)]
+    pub winnable_deals_only: bool,
+    /// Per-move duration during replay playback, in seconds. Range
+    /// `[REPLAY_MOVE_INTERVAL_MIN_SECS, REPLAY_MOVE_INTERVAL_MAX_SECS]`;
+    /// default mirrors `solitaire_engine::replay_playback::REPLAY_MOVE_INTERVAL_SECS`
+    /// (0.45 s/move) so existing playback behaviour is unchanged for
+    /// players who never touch the slider. Smaller values scrub
+    /// faster through the recorded move list. Older `settings.json`
+    /// files written before this field existed deserialize cleanly to
+    /// the default via
+    /// `#[serde(default = "default_replay_move_interval_secs")]`.
+    #[serde(default = "default_replay_move_interval_secs")]
+    pub replay_move_interval_secs: f32,
 }

 fn default_draw_mode() -> DrawMode {
@@ -223,6 +249,44 @@ fn default_time_bonus_multiplier() -> f32 {
    1.0
 }

+/// Default per-move duration during replay playback, in seconds.
+/// Mirrors `solitaire_engine::replay_playback::REPLAY_MOVE_INTERVAL_SECS`
+/// so legacy `settings.json` files load to the existing baseline and
+/// playback feels identical for players who never touch the slider.
+/// The constant is duplicated across the data and engine crates
+/// because `solitaire_data` cannot depend on the engine crate — keep
+/// the two values in sync when adjusting either.
+fn default_replay_move_interval_secs() -> f32 {
+    0.45
+}
+
+/// Lower bound of the player-tunable replay-playback per-move interval,
+/// in seconds. Below this the cards barely register visually before
+/// the next move fires; the cap keeps the playback legible.
+pub const REPLAY_MOVE_INTERVAL_MIN_SECS: f32 = 0.10;
+
+/// Upper bound of the player-tunable replay-playback per-move interval,
+/// in seconds. One second per move is a comfortable upper limit for
+/// players who want to study a recorded game frame by frame.
+pub const REPLAY_MOVE_INTERVAL_MAX_SECS: f32 = 1.00;
+
+/// Increment applied by the replay-playback decrement / increment
+/// buttons. 0.05 s gives 19 stops between MIN and MAX — fine-grained
+/// enough to land on any "round" speed (0.10 s, 0.25 s, 0.45 s, etc.)
+/// without making the slider feel stuck on the same value.
+pub const REPLAY_MOVE_INTERVAL_STEP_SECS: f32 = 0.05;
+
+/// Maximum number of seed retries [`solitaire_engine::handle_new_game`]
+/// is willing to attempt before giving up and accepting the latest
+/// candidate seed when [`Settings::winnable_deals_only`] is on. If
+/// every retry comes back [`SolverResult::Unwinnable`] (which would
+/// be very unusual) we'd rather hand the player a possibly-unwinnable
+/// deal than spin forever on the main thread.
+///
+/// 50 attempts × ~50 ms median per solve = ~2.5 s worst-case stall —
+/// the upper bound on UI freeze when the toggle is on.
+pub const SOLVER_DEAL_RETRY_CAP: u32 = 50;
+
 impl Default for Settings {
    fn default() -> Self {
        Self {
@@ -241,14 +305,17 @@ impl Default for Settings {
            shown_achievement_onboarding: false,
            tooltip_delay_secs: default_tooltip_delay(),
            time_bonus_multiplier: default_time_bonus_multiplier(),
+            winnable_deals_only: false,
+            replay_move_interval_secs: default_replay_move_interval_secs(),
        }
    }
 }

 impl Settings {
-    /// Clamps `sfx_volume`, `music_volume`, `tooltip_delay_secs`, and
-    /// `time_bonus_multiplier` into their respective ranges after
-    /// deserialization or hand-editing of `settings.json`.
+    /// Clamps `sfx_volume`, `music_volume`, `tooltip_delay_secs`,
+    /// `time_bonus_multiplier`, and `replay_move_interval_secs` into
+    /// their respective ranges after deserialization or hand-editing of
+    /// `settings.json`.
    pub fn sanitized(self) -> Self {
        Self {
            sfx_volume: self.sfx_volume.clamp(0.0, 1.0),
@@ -259,6 +326,9 @@ impl Settings {
            time_bonus_multiplier: self
                .time_bonus_multiplier
                .clamp(TIME_BONUS_MULTIPLIER_MIN, TIME_BONUS_MULTIPLIER_MAX),
+            replay_move_interval_secs: self
+                .replay_move_interval_secs
+                .clamp(REPLAY_MOVE_INTERVAL_MIN_SECS, REPLAY_MOVE_INTERVAL_MAX_SECS),
            ..self
        }
    }
@@ -297,6 +367,21 @@ impl Settings {
        self.time_bonus_multiplier = (raw * 10.0).round() / 10.0;
        self.time_bonus_multiplier
    }
+
+    /// Adjust the replay-playback per-move interval by `delta`
+    /// seconds, clamped to
+    /// `[REPLAY_MOVE_INTERVAL_MIN_SECS, REPLAY_MOVE_INTERVAL_MAX_SECS]`.
+    /// The result is rounded to two decimal places so the readout
+    /// stays clean across repeated `±` clicks at the 0.05 s step
+    /// (avoids float drift like `0.45000003`). Returns the new value.
+    pub fn adjust_replay_move_interval(&mut self, delta: f32) -> f32 {
+        let raw = (self.replay_move_interval_secs + delta)
+            .clamp(REPLAY_MOVE_INTERVAL_MIN_SECS, REPLAY_MOVE_INTERVAL_MAX_SECS);
+        // Round to 2 decimal places — the slider step is 0.05, so this
+        // collapses any FP drift introduced by repeated additions.
+        self.replay_move_interval_secs = (raw * 100.0).round() / 100.0;
+        self.replay_move_interval_secs
+    }
 }

 /// Returns the platform-specific path to `settings.json`, or `None` if
@@ -428,6 +513,8 @@ mod tests {
            shown_achievement_onboarding: false,
            tooltip_delay_secs: default_tooltip_delay(),
            time_bonus_multiplier: default_time_bonus_multiplier(),
+            winnable_deals_only: false,
+            replay_move_interval_secs: default_replay_move_interval_secs(),
        };
        save_settings_to(&path, &s).expect("save");
        let loaded = load_settings_from(&path);
@@ -835,4 +922,146 @@ mod tests {
            s2.time_bonus_multiplier
        );
    }
+
+    // -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+    // winnable_deals_only — solver-backed deal filter toggle
+    // -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+    #[test]
+    fn settings_winnable_deals_only_default_is_false() {
+        // Off by default — the solver adds latency we shouldn't impose
+        // on every player without their consent.
+        assert!(
+            !Settings::default().winnable_deals_only,
+            "default winnable_deals_only must be false"
+        );
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn settings_winnable_deals_only_round_trip() {
+        let path = tmp_path("winnable_deals_only_round_trip");
+        let _ = fs::remove_file(&path);
+        let s = Settings {
+            winnable_deals_only: true,
+            ..Settings::default()
+        };
+        save_settings_to(&path, &s).expect("save");
+        let loaded = load_settings_from(&path);
+        assert!(
+            loaded.winnable_deals_only,
+            "winnable_deals_only must survive serde round-trip"
+        );
+        let _ = fs::remove_file(&path);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn legacy_settings_without_winnable_deals_only_deserializes_to_false() {
+        // A settings.json written before this field existed must
+        // deserialize cleanly to `false` (the default-off behaviour)
+        // rather than failing the whole load or surprising the player
+        // by switching the toggle on.
+        let json = br#"{ "sfx_volume": 0.7, "first_run_complete": true }"#;
+        let s: Settings = serde_json::from_slice(json).unwrap_or_default();
+        assert!(
+            !s.winnable_deals_only,
+            "legacy settings.json missing winnable_deals_only must deserialize to false"
+        );
+    }
+
+    // -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+    // replay_move_interval_secs — player-tunable replay playback speed
+    // -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+    #[test]
+    fn settings_replay_move_interval_default_is_zero_point_four_five() {
+        // The pre-slider baseline is 0.45 s/move, matching
+        // `solitaire_engine::replay_playback::REPLAY_MOVE_INTERVAL_SECS`.
+        // The default must not regress for players who never touch
+        // the slider.
+        let s = Settings::default();
+        assert!(
+            (s.replay_move_interval_secs - 0.45).abs() < 1e-6,
+            "replay_move_interval_secs default must be 0.45 (the pre-slider baseline), got {}",
+            s.replay_move_interval_secs
+        );
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn settings_replay_move_interval_round_trip() {
+        let path = tmp_path("replay_move_interval_round_trip");
+        let _ = fs::remove_file(&path);
+        let s = Settings {
+            replay_move_interval_secs: 0.20,
+            ..Settings::default()
+        };
+        save_settings_to(&path, &s).expect("save");
+        let loaded = load_settings_from(&path);
+        assert!(
+            (loaded.replay_move_interval_secs - 0.20).abs() < 1e-6,
+            "replay_move_interval_secs must survive serde round-trip; got {}",
+            loaded.replay_move_interval_secs
+        );
+        let _ = fs::remove_file(&path);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn legacy_settings_without_replay_move_interval_deserializes_to_default() {
+        // A settings.json written before this field existed must
+        // deserialize cleanly to the existing 0.45 s baseline so old
+        // players see no change to replay playback speed.
+        let json = br#"{ "sfx_volume": 0.7, "first_run_complete": true }"#;
+        let s: Settings = serde_json::from_slice(json).unwrap_or_default();
+        assert!(
+            (s.replay_move_interval_secs - default_replay_move_interval_secs()).abs() < 1e-6,
+            "legacy settings.json missing replay_move_interval_secs must deserialize to default ({}), got {}",
+            default_replay_move_interval_secs(),
+            s.replay_move_interval_secs
+        );
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn settings_replay_move_interval_clamps_to_range() {
+        // Negative or oversized values from a hand-edited file must be
+        // clamped on load.
+        let s = Settings {
+            replay_move_interval_secs: 5.0,
+            ..Settings::default()
+        }
+        .sanitized();
+        assert_eq!(s.replay_move_interval_secs, REPLAY_MOVE_INTERVAL_MAX_SECS);
+
+        let s2 = Settings {
+            replay_move_interval_secs: -1.0,
+            ..Settings::default()
+        }
+        .sanitized();
+        assert_eq!(s2.replay_move_interval_secs, REPLAY_MOVE_INTERVAL_MIN_SECS);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn adjust_replay_move_interval_clamps_and_rounds() {
+        let mut s = Settings { replay_move_interval_secs: 0.45, ..Default::default() };
+        // Step down to 0.40.
+        assert!((s.adjust_replay_move_interval(-0.05) - 0.40).abs() < 1e-6);
+        // Big positive jump clamps to MAX.
+        assert!(
+            (s.adjust_replay_move_interval(99.0) - REPLAY_MOVE_INTERVAL_MAX_SECS).abs() < 1e-6
+        );
+        // Big negative jump clamps to MIN.
+        assert!(
+            (s.adjust_replay_move_interval(-99.0) - REPLAY_MOVE_INTERVAL_MIN_SECS).abs() < 1e-6
+        );
+
+        // Repeated 0.05 steps must not drift past the 0.05 grid.
+        let mut s2 = Settings { replay_move_interval_secs: 0.10, ..Default::default() };
+        for _ in 0..6 {
+            s2.adjust_replay_move_interval(0.05);
+        }
+        // After six +0.05 steps from 0.10, value should be exactly 0.40 (2 decimals).
+        assert!(
+            (s2.replay_move_interval_secs - 0.40).abs() < 1e-6,
+            "rounding should pin repeated 0.05 steps to the decimal grid, got {}",
+            s2.replay_move_interval_secs
+        );
+    }
 }
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@

 use std::path::PathBuf;

+use bevy::input::mouse::{MouseScrollUnit, MouseWheel};
 use bevy::prelude::*;
 use chrono::{Local, Timelike, Utc};
 use solitaire_core::achievement::{
@@ -25,11 +26,13 @@ use crate::events::{
 use crate::font_plugin::FontResource;
 use crate::game_plugin::GameMutation;
 use crate::progress_plugin::{LevelUpEvent, ProgressResource, ProgressStoragePath, ProgressUpdate};
+use crate::replay_playback::ReplayPlaybackState;
 use crate::resources::GameStateResource;
 use crate::settings_plugin::{SettingsResource, SettingsStoragePath};
 use crate::stats_plugin::{StatsResource, StatsUpdate};
 use crate::ui_modal::{
    spawn_modal, spawn_modal_actions, spawn_modal_button, spawn_modal_header, ButtonVariant,
+    ScrimDismissible,
 };
 use crate::ui_theme::{
    ACCENT_PRIMARY, BORDER_SUBTLE, STATE_SUCCESS, TEXT_DISABLED, TEXT_PRIMARY, TEXT_SECONDARY,
@@ -47,6 +50,19 @@ pub struct AchievementsScreen;
 #[derive(Component, Debug)]
 pub struct AchievementRow;

+/// Marker on the scrollable body Node inside the Achievements modal.
+///
+/// The Achievements list can grow to ~19 rows which overflows the modal at
+/// the 800x600 minimum window. This marker tags the inner container that
+/// carries `Overflow::scroll_y()` plus a `max_height` constraint so the
+/// content scrolls instead of clipping. Mirrors the
+/// `SettingsPanelScrollable` pattern in `settings_plugin`.
+///
+/// `scroll_achievements_panel` reads this marker to route mouse-wheel
+/// events into the body's `ScrollPosition`.
+#[derive(Component, Debug)]
+pub struct AchievementsScrollable;
+
 /// All per-player achievement records (one per known achievement).
 #[derive(Resource, Debug, Clone)]
 pub struct AchievementsResource(pub Vec<AchievementRecord>);
@@ -95,6 +111,11 @@ impl Plugin for AchievementPlugin {
            .add_message::<XpAwardedEvent>()
            .add_message::<InfoToastEvent>()
            .add_message::<ToggleAchievementsRequestEvent>()
+            // `MouseWheel` is emitted by Bevy's input plugin under
+            // `DefaultPlugins`; register it explicitly so the
+            // achievements-scroll system also runs cleanly under
+            // `MinimalPlugins` in tests.
+            .add_message::<MouseWheel>()
            // Run after GameMutation (so GameWonEvent is available), after
            // StatsUpdate (so stats reflect this win), and after ProgressUpdate
            // (so daily_challenge_streak is up to date for daily_devotee).
@@ -116,7 +137,13 @@ impl Plugin for AchievementPlugin {
                    .after(StatsUpdate),
            )
            .add_systems(Update, toggle_achievements_screen)
-            .add_systems(Update, handle_achievements_close_button);
+            .add_systems(Update, handle_achievements_close_button)
+            .add_systems(Update, scroll_achievements_panel)
+            // Event-driven unlock: observe `ReplayPlaybackState` and unlock
+            // `cinephile` the first time playback runs to natural completion.
+            // Reads the resource via `Option<Res<_>>` so headless tests that
+            // omit `ReplayPlaybackPlugin` still build.
+            .add_systems(Update, evaluate_cinephile_on_replay_completion);
    }
 }

@@ -222,6 +249,66 @@ fn evaluate_on_win(
            }
 }

+/// Cinephile unlock observer.
+///
+/// Watches [`ReplayPlaybackState`] and unlocks the `cinephile` achievement
+/// the first time the resource transitions from `Playing` to `Completed` —
+/// i.e. the player watched a saved replay all the way through. The Stop
+/// button transitions `Playing` → `Inactive` directly (never via
+/// `Completed`), so manual aborts do not trigger the unlock.
+///
+/// Idempotent: once the record is unlocked, subsequent Playing → Completed
+/// transitions are a no-op (no extra `AchievementUnlockedEvent`, no extra
+/// disk write). The transition itself is debounced by tracking the
+/// previous frame's `is_playing()` state in a `Local<bool>` — without
+/// this, a freshly-spawned `Completed` state would re-fire each frame
+/// during the linger window.
+///
+/// Reads `ReplayPlaybackState` via `Option<Res<_>>` so achievement tests
+/// that omit `ReplayPlaybackPlugin` still build cleanly.
+fn evaluate_cinephile_on_replay_completion(
+    state: Option<Res<ReplayPlaybackState>>,
+    // `Local` collides with `chrono::Local` imported at the top of this
+    // module — fully qualify so the Bevy system parameter resolves
+    // correctly.
+    mut last_was_playing: bevy::prelude::Local<bool>,
+    mut achievements: ResMut<AchievementsResource>,
+    mut unlocks: MessageWriter<AchievementUnlockedEvent>,
+    path: Res<AchievementsStoragePath>,
+) {
+    let Some(state) = state else {
+        return;
+    };
+
+    // Detect the Playing → Completed transition: was playing last frame,
+    // is now completed. Direct Playing → Inactive (Stop button) does not
+    // satisfy this guard because it never enters `Completed`.
+    let now_playing = state.is_playing();
+    let now_completed = state.is_completed();
+    let just_completed = *last_was_playing && now_completed;
+    *last_was_playing = now_playing;
+
+    if !just_completed {
+        return;
+    }
+
+    let Some(record) = achievements.0.iter_mut().find(|r| r.id == "cinephile") else {
+        return;
+    };
+    if record.unlocked {
+        return;
+    }
+    record.unlock(Utc::now());
+    record.reward_granted = true;
+    unlocks.write(AchievementUnlockedEvent(record.clone()));
+
+    if let Some(target) = &path.0
+        && let Err(e) = save_achievements_to(target, &achievements.0)
+    {
+        warn!("failed to save achievements after cinephile unlock: {e}");
+    }
+}
+
 /// Achievement-onboarding cue.
 ///
 /// On the player's very first win — and only their first — fires a single
@@ -329,6 +416,38 @@ fn handle_achievements_close_button(
    }
 }

+/// Routes mouse-wheel events into the Achievements modal's scrollable body
+/// while the panel is open.
+///
+/// `offset_y` increases downward (0 = top). Scrolling down (`ev.y < 0`) adds
+/// to the offset; scrolling up subtracts. Clamped to >= 0 so the viewport
+/// never scrolls past the top. Mirrors `scroll_settings_panel` in
+/// `settings_plugin`. The query is empty when no `AchievementsScrollable`
+/// is in the world (modal closed) so this is a no-op outside the open
+/// state without an explicit gate resource.
+fn scroll_achievements_panel(
+    mut scroll_evr: MessageReader<MouseWheel>,
+    mut scrollables: Query<&mut ScrollPosition, With<AchievementsScrollable>>,
+) {
+    if scrollables.is_empty() {
+        scroll_evr.clear();
+        return;
+    }
+    let delta_y: f32 = scroll_evr
+        .read()
+        .map(|ev| match ev.unit {
+            MouseScrollUnit::Line => ev.y * 50.0,
+            MouseScrollUnit::Pixel => ev.y,
+        })
+        .sum();
+    if delta_y == 0.0 {
+        return;
+    }
+    for mut sp in scrollables.iter_mut() {
+        sp.0.y = (sp.0.y - delta_y).max(0.0);
+    }
+}
+
 fn spawn_achievements_screen(
    commands: &mut Commands,
    records: &[AchievementRecord],
@@ -355,16 +474,35 @@ fn spawn_achievements_screen(
        ..default()
    };

-    spawn_modal(commands, AchievementsScreen, Z_MODAL_PANEL, |card| {
+    let scrim = spawn_modal(commands, AchievementsScreen, Z_MODAL_PANEL, |card| {
        spawn_modal_header(card, header, font_res);

+        // Scrollable body — the achievements list grows to ~19 rows which
+        // overflows the modal on the 800x600 minimum window. Wrapping the
+        // row list in an `Overflow::scroll_y()` Node with a constrained
+        // `max_height` keeps every row reachable. The Done button below
+        // sits outside the scroll so it's always one click away. Mirrors
+        // the `SettingsPanelScrollable` pattern.
+        card.spawn((
+            AchievementsScrollable,
+            ScrollPosition::default(),
+            Node {
+                flex_direction: FlexDirection::Column,
+                row_gap: VAL_SPACE_1,
+                max_height: Val::Vh(70.0),
+                overflow: Overflow::scroll_y(),
+                ..default()
+            },
+        ))
+        .with_children(|body| {
            // Achievement rows — unlocked first, then locked alphabetical.
            let mut sorted: Vec<_> = records.iter().collect();
            sorted.sort_by_key(|r| (!r.unlocked, r.id.clone()));

            for record in &sorted {
                let def = achievement_by_id(&record.id);
-            let (name, description) = def.map_or((record.id.as_str(), ""), |d| (d.name, d.description));
+                let (name, description) =
+                    def.map_or((record.id.as_str(), ""), |d| (d.name, d.description));

                // Hide secret locked achievements so they remain a surprise.
                let is_secret = def.is_some_and(|d| d.secret);
@@ -380,7 +518,7 @@ fn spawn_achievements_screen(

                let tooltip_text = tooltip_for_row(record.unlocked, def);

-            card.spawn((
+                body.spawn((
                    Node {
                        flex_direction: FlexDirection::Column,
                        row_gap: VAL_SPACE_1,
@@ -419,7 +557,7 @@ fn spawn_achievements_screen(
                });

                // Subtle row separator — keeps the long list scannable.
-            card.spawn((
+                body.spawn((
                    Node {
                        height: Val::Px(1.0),
                        ..default()
@@ -427,6 +565,7 @@ fn spawn_achievements_screen(
                    BackgroundColor(BORDER_SUBTLE),
                ));
            }
+        });

        spawn_modal_actions(card, |actions| {
            spawn_modal_button(
@@ -439,6 +578,9 @@ fn spawn_achievements_screen(
            );
        });
    });
+    // Achievements is a read-only list — clicking the scrim outside
+    // the card dismisses alongside the existing A / Done paths.
+    commands.entity(scrim).insert(ScrimDismissible);
 }

 fn format_reward(reward: Reward) -> String {
@@ -829,6 +971,64 @@ mod tests {
        assert_eq!(count, 0);
    }

+    // -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+    // Scrollable body
+    // -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+    /// Spawning the modal must place exactly one `AchievementsScrollable`
+    /// marker in the world so the row list scrolls instead of clipping at
+    /// the 800x600 minimum window.
+    #[test]
+    fn achievements_modal_body_is_scrollable() {
+        let mut app = headless_app();
+        press(&mut app, KeyCode::KeyA);
+        app.update();
+
+        let count = app
+            .world_mut()
+            .query::<&AchievementsScrollable>()
+            .iter(app.world())
+            .count();
+        assert_eq!(
+            count, 1,
+            "Achievements modal must spawn exactly one AchievementsScrollable body"
+        );
+    }
+
+    /// The scrollable body must constrain its `max_height` so the modal
+    /// actually engages scrolling on tall content. Without this the inner
+    /// flex column would expand to fit every row and `Overflow::scroll_y`
+    /// would have nothing to clip.
+    #[test]
+    fn achievements_modal_body_has_max_height() {
+        let mut app = headless_app();
+        press(&mut app, KeyCode::KeyA);
+        app.update();
+
+        let mut q = app
+            .world_mut()
+            .query_filtered::<&Node, With<AchievementsScrollable>>();
+        let nodes: Vec<&Node> = q.iter(app.world()).collect();
+        assert_eq!(nodes.len(), 1, "expected exactly one scrollable body");
+        let node = nodes[0];
+
+        // `Val::Auto` is the default; assert the body's `max_height` was
+        // explicitly set to something else so scroll engages.
+        assert_ne!(
+            node.max_height,
+            Val::Auto,
+            "scrollable body must set a non-default max_height; got {:?}",
+            node.max_height
+        );
+        // And the overflow axis must be y-scroll.
+        assert_eq!(
+            node.overflow,
+            Overflow::scroll_y(),
+            "scrollable body must use Overflow::scroll_y(); got {:?}",
+            node.overflow
+        );
+    }
+
    // -----------------------------------------------------------------------
    // format_reward
    // -----------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -1149,9 +1349,215 @@ mod tests {
        );
    }

-    /// Without any `GameWonEvent` arriving the system must be a no-op:
-    /// no toast, no flag flip — even on update ticks where stats happen
-    /// to read `games_won == 1`.
+    // -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+    // Cinephile (event-driven via ReplayPlaybackState)
+    // -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+    use crate::replay_playback::ReplayPlaybackState;
+    use solitaire_data::{Replay, ReplayMove};
+    use chrono::NaiveDate;
+    use solitaire_core::game_state::{DrawMode, GameMode};
+
+    /// Headless app variant that injects a default `ReplayPlaybackState`
+    /// directly (no `ReplayPlaybackPlugin`) so we can drive the resource
+    /// by hand. The achievement plugin's cinephile observer reads it via
+    /// `Option<Res<_>>` so the absence of the playback plugin is safe.
+    fn cinephile_app() -> App {
+        let mut app = headless_app();
+        app.init_resource::<ReplayPlaybackState>();
+        app
+    }
+
+    fn dummy_replay() -> Replay {
+        Replay::new(
+            1,
+            DrawMode::DrawOne,
+            GameMode::Classic,
+            10,
+            100,
+            NaiveDate::from_ymd_opt(2026, 5, 5).expect("valid date"),
+            vec![ReplayMove::StockClick],
+        )
+    }
+
+    fn cinephile_unlocked(app: &App) -> bool {
+        app.world()
+            .resource::<AchievementsResource>()
+            .0
+            .iter()
+            .find(|r| r.id == "cinephile")
+            .map(|r| r.unlocked)
+            .unwrap_or(false)
+    }
+
+    fn cinephile_unlocks_emitted(app: &App) -> usize {
+        let events = app.world().resource::<Messages<AchievementUnlockedEvent>>();
+        let mut cursor = events.get_cursor();
+        cursor
+            .read(events)
+            .filter(|e| e.0.id == "cinephile")
+            .count()
+    }
+
+    /// The cinephile record must be seeded on plugin init like every other
+    /// achievement, so the observer can find and mutate it later.
+    #[test]
+    fn cinephile_record_seeded_by_plugin() {
+        let app = cinephile_app();
+        let records = &app.world().resource::<AchievementsResource>().0;
+        assert!(
+            records.iter().any(|r| r.id == "cinephile" && !r.unlocked),
+            "cinephile record must be seeded as locked",
+        );
+    }
+
+    /// Drive Inactive → Playing → Completed and assert the cinephile
+    /// achievement unlocks and exactly one `AchievementUnlockedEvent` is
+    /// emitted.
+    #[test]
+    fn cinephile_unlocks_on_replay_completion() {
+        let mut app = cinephile_app();
+
+        // Frame 1: enter Playing. The observer's first sample sees
+        // `last_was_playing = false` and `now_playing = true`.
+        *app.world_mut().resource_mut::<ReplayPlaybackState>() =
+            ReplayPlaybackState::Playing {
+                replay: dummy_replay(),
+                cursor: 0,
+                secs_to_next: 0.0,
+            };
+        app.update();
+        assert!(
+            !cinephile_unlocked(&app),
+            "Playing alone must not unlock cinephile",
+        );
+
+        // Frame 2: transition to Completed. The observer must detect
+        // `last_was_playing = true && now_completed = true` and unlock.
+        *app.world_mut().resource_mut::<ReplayPlaybackState>() =
+            ReplayPlaybackState::Completed;
+        app.update();
+
+        assert!(
+            cinephile_unlocked(&app),
+            "cinephile must unlock on Playing → Completed transition",
+        );
+        assert_eq!(
+            cinephile_unlocks_emitted(&app),
+            1,
+            "exactly one AchievementUnlockedEvent must fire for cinephile",
+        );
+    }
+
+    /// Stop button transitions Playing → Inactive directly (not via
+    /// Completed). Drive that path and assert no cinephile unlock.
+    #[test]
+    fn cinephile_does_not_unlock_on_stop_button_abort() {
+        let mut app = cinephile_app();
+
+        *app.world_mut().resource_mut::<ReplayPlaybackState>() =
+            ReplayPlaybackState::Playing {
+                replay: dummy_replay(),
+                cursor: 0,
+                secs_to_next: 0.0,
+            };
+        app.update();
+
+        // Direct Playing → Inactive — the path the Stop button takes via
+        // `stop_replay_playback`. Must not unlock cinephile.
+        *app.world_mut().resource_mut::<ReplayPlaybackState>() =
+            ReplayPlaybackState::Inactive;
+        app.update();
+
+        assert!(
+            !cinephile_unlocked(&app),
+            "Stop button (Playing → Inactive) must not unlock cinephile",
+        );
+        assert_eq!(
+            cinephile_unlocks_emitted(&app),
+            0,
+            "no AchievementUnlockedEvent for cinephile on a Stop transition",
+        );
+    }
+
+    /// A second Playing → Completed cycle on an already-unlocked record
+    /// must be idempotent: no additional `AchievementUnlockedEvent`.
+    #[test]
+    fn cinephile_does_not_double_fire() {
+        let mut app = cinephile_app();
+
+        // First completion cycle to unlock.
+        *app.world_mut().resource_mut::<ReplayPlaybackState>() =
+            ReplayPlaybackState::Playing {
+                replay: dummy_replay(),
+                cursor: 0,
+                secs_to_next: 0.0,
+            };
+        app.update();
+        *app.world_mut().resource_mut::<ReplayPlaybackState>() =
+            ReplayPlaybackState::Completed;
+        app.update();
+        assert!(cinephile_unlocked(&app), "precondition: first cycle must unlock");
+
+        // Drain the event queue so the next assertion doesn't double-count
+        // the legitimate first-time unlock event.
+        app.world_mut()
+            .resource_mut::<Messages<AchievementUnlockedEvent>>()
+            .clear();
+
+        // Second cycle: Inactive → Playing → Completed once more.
+        *app.world_mut().resource_mut::<ReplayPlaybackState>() =
+            ReplayPlaybackState::Inactive;
+        app.update();
+        *app.world_mut().resource_mut::<ReplayPlaybackState>() =
+            ReplayPlaybackState::Playing {
+                replay: dummy_replay(),
+                cursor: 0,
+                secs_to_next: 0.0,
+            };
+        app.update();
+        *app.world_mut().resource_mut::<ReplayPlaybackState>() =
+            ReplayPlaybackState::Completed;
+        app.update();
+
+        assert_eq!(
+            cinephile_unlocks_emitted(&app),
+            0,
+            "cinephile must not re-fire on a second Playing → Completed cycle",
+        );
+    }
+
+    /// `Completed` lingers across multiple frames before the auto-clear
+    /// transitions back to `Inactive`. The observer must fire exactly
+    /// once during that linger window — not once per frame.
+    #[test]
+    fn cinephile_fires_once_across_completed_linger() {
+        let mut app = cinephile_app();
+
+        *app.world_mut().resource_mut::<ReplayPlaybackState>() =
+            ReplayPlaybackState::Playing {
+                replay: dummy_replay(),
+                cursor: 0,
+                secs_to_next: 0.0,
+            };
+        app.update();
+        *app.world_mut().resource_mut::<ReplayPlaybackState>() =
+            ReplayPlaybackState::Completed;
+        app.update();
+        // Stay in Completed for a few more frames as the real auto-clear
+        // does. Each subsequent frame the resource is still `Completed`
+        // but the observer has already counted this transition.
+        app.update();
+        app.update();
+        app.update();
+
+        assert_eq!(
+            cinephile_unlocks_emitted(&app),
+            1,
+            "cinephile must fire exactly once across the Completed linger window",
+        );
+    }
+
    #[test]
    fn no_win_event_means_no_achievement_onboarding_toast() {
        let mut app = onboarding_test_app();
@@ -2,9 +2,19 @@
 //!
 //! **Cursor icons** (`update_cursor_icon`)
 //! - Cards are being dragged → `Grabbing` (closed hand)
+//! - A UI `Button` entity is hovered (and no drag in progress) → `Pointer`
+//!   (the hand-with-extended-index-finger icon). This telegraphs
+//!   clickability for every modal button, HUD action, mode-launcher
+//!   card, settings toggle, etc.
 //! - Cursor hovers over a face-up draggable card → `Grab` (open hand)
 //! - Otherwise → `Default` (arrow)
 //!
+//! Priority order: dragging > button-hover > card-hover > default. A
+//! button-overlapping-a-card edge case favours `Pointer` because UI
+//! elements take precedence over world-space cards; in practice
+//! buttons are always on UI nodes and cards are sprites, so they
+//! cannot occupy the same hit region simultaneously.
+//!
 //! **Drop-target highlights** (`update_drop_highlights`)
 //! While a drag is in progress every `PileMarker` sprite is tinted:
 //! - **Green** if the dragged stack can legally land there.
@@ -70,6 +80,31 @@ impl Plugin for CursorPlugin {
 // #31 — Cursor icon
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------

+/// Pure decision function for the cursor icon, separated from the Bevy
+/// system so it can be unit-tested without `PrimaryWindow` /
+/// `Camera` / `Time` plumbing.
+///
+/// Priority order (highest first):
+/// 1. `is_dragging` → `Grabbing`
+/// 2. `any_button_hovered` → `Pointer`
+/// 3. `any_card_hovered` → `Grab`
+/// 4. otherwise → `Default`
+fn pick_cursor_icon(
+    is_dragging: bool,
+    any_button_hovered: bool,
+    any_card_hovered: bool,
+) -> SystemCursorIcon {
+    if is_dragging {
+        SystemCursorIcon::Grabbing
+    } else if any_button_hovered {
+        SystemCursorIcon::Pointer
+    } else if any_card_hovered {
+        SystemCursorIcon::Grab
+    } else {
+        SystemCursorIcon::Default
+    }
+}
+
 /// Updates the primary-window cursor icon based on drag state and hover.
 fn update_cursor_icon(
    drag: Res<DragState>,
@@ -77,18 +112,27 @@ fn update_cursor_icon(
    cameras: Query<(&Camera, &GlobalTransform)>,
    layout: Option<Res<LayoutResource>>,
    game: Option<Res<GameStateResource>>,
+    button_q: Query<&Interaction, With<Button>>,
    mut commands: Commands,
 ) {
    let Ok((win_entity, window)) = windows.single() else { return };

-    if !drag.is_idle() {
-        commands
-            .entity(win_entity)
-            .insert(CursorIcon::from(SystemCursorIcon::Grabbing));
-        return;
-    }
+    let is_dragging = !drag.is_idle();

-    let hovering = (|| {
+    // A UI button is "hovered" if any `Button` entity has its
+    // `Interaction` set to `Hovered` or `Pressed`. We include
+    // `Pressed` so the pointer icon stays visible while a click is
+    // being held, matching browser behaviour.
+    let any_button_hovered = button_q
+        .iter()
+        .any(|i| matches!(i, Interaction::Hovered | Interaction::Pressed));
+
+    let any_card_hovered = if is_dragging || any_button_hovered {
+        // No need to do the world-space hit test when a higher
+        // priority branch already wins.
+        false
+    } else {
+        (|| {
            let cursor = window.cursor_position()?;
            let (camera, cam_xf) = cameras.single().ok()?;
            let world = camera.viewport_to_world_2d(cam_xf, cursor).ok()?;
@@ -96,13 +140,11 @@ fn update_cursor_icon(
            let game = game.as_ref()?;
            Some(cursor_over_draggable(world, &game.0, &layout))
        })()
-    .unwrap_or(false);
+        .unwrap_or(false)
+    };

-    commands.entity(win_entity).insert(CursorIcon::from(if hovering {
-        SystemCursorIcon::Grab
-    } else {
-        SystemCursorIcon::Default
-    }));
+    let icon = pick_cursor_icon(is_dragging, any_button_hovered, any_card_hovered);
+    commands.entity(win_entity).insert(CursorIcon::from(icon));
 }

 /// Returns `true` if `cursor` (world-space) is over any face-up draggable card.
@@ -482,6 +524,53 @@ mod tests {
        );
    }

+    // -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+    // pick_cursor_icon priority-order tests
+    // -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+    #[test]
+    fn cursor_picks_grabbing_when_dragging_overrides_button_hover() {
+        // Dragging always wins regardless of button or card hover state.
+        assert!(matches!(
+            pick_cursor_icon(true, true, true),
+            SystemCursorIcon::Grabbing
+        ));
+        assert!(matches!(
+            pick_cursor_icon(true, false, false),
+            SystemCursorIcon::Grabbing
+        ));
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn cursor_picks_pointer_when_button_hovered_and_no_drag() {
+        // Button hover beats card hover when not dragging.
+        assert!(matches!(
+            pick_cursor_icon(false, true, false),
+            SystemCursorIcon::Pointer
+        ));
+        assert!(matches!(
+            pick_cursor_icon(false, true, true),
+            SystemCursorIcon::Pointer
+        ));
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn cursor_picks_grab_when_card_hovered_and_no_button() {
+        // Card hover wins only when no drag and no button-hover.
+        assert!(matches!(
+            pick_cursor_icon(false, false, true),
+            SystemCursorIcon::Grab
+        ));
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn cursor_picks_default_when_nothing_hovered() {
+        assert!(matches!(
+            pick_cursor_icon(false, false, false),
+            SystemCursorIcon::Default
+        ));
+    }
+
    #[test]
    fn cursor_over_draggable_returns_false_for_empty_game() {
        use solitaire_core::game_state::{DrawMode, GameState};
@@ -11,10 +11,16 @@ use std::time::{SystemTime, UNIX_EPOCH};

 use bevy::prelude::*;
 use chrono::Utc;
-use solitaire_core::game_state::{DrawMode, GameState};
+use solitaire_core::game_state::{DrawMode, GameMode, GameState};
 use solitaire_core::pile::PileType;
-use solitaire_data::{delete_game_state_at, game_state_file_path, latest_replay_path,
-    load_game_state_from, save_game_state_to, save_latest_replay_to, Replay, ReplayMove};
+use solitaire_core::solver::{try_solve, SolverConfig, SolverResult};
+use solitaire_data::{
+    append_replay_to_history, delete_game_state_at, game_state_file_path, load_game_state_from,
+    migrate_legacy_latest_replay, replay_history_path, save_game_state_to, Replay, ReplayMove,
+    SOLVER_DEAL_RETRY_CAP,
+};
+#[allow(deprecated)]
+use solitaire_data::latest_replay_path;

 use crate::events::{
    CardFlippedEvent, DrawRequestEvent, FoundationCompletedEvent, GameWonEvent, InfoToastEvent,
@@ -54,7 +60,15 @@ pub struct GameMutation;
 #[derive(Resource, Debug, Clone)]
 pub struct GameStatePath(pub Option<PathBuf>);

-/// Persistence path for the most recent winning replay. `None` disables I/O.
+/// Persistence path for the rolling [`solitaire_data::ReplayHistory`]
+/// file (`replays.json`). `None` disables I/O — used by tests and on
+/// minimal Linux containers without `dirs::data_dir()`.
+///
+/// Each `GameWonEvent` appends the freshly-frozen [`Replay`] to the
+/// history at this path via
+/// [`solitaire_data::append_replay_to_history`], capping at
+/// [`solitaire_data::REPLAY_HISTORY_CAP`] so the file never grows
+/// unbounded.
 #[derive(Resource, Debug, Clone)]
 pub struct ReplayPath(pub Option<PathBuf>);

@@ -101,9 +115,27 @@ impl Plugin for GamePlugin {
            .and_then(load_game_state_from)
            .unwrap_or_else(|| GameState::new(seed_from_system_time(), DrawMode::DrawOne));

+        // One-shot migration from the legacy single-slot
+        // `latest_replay.json` to the rolling history at `replays.json`.
+        // Runs at plugin construction so the player's last winning
+        // replay from a pre-history build is the first entry of the
+        // new history file. The legacy file is intentionally left in
+        // place for one release as a safety net (see
+        // `migrate_legacy_latest_replay` doc comment).
+        let history_path = replay_history_path();
+        if let (Some(legacy), Some(history)) =
+            (
+                #[allow(deprecated)]
+                latest_replay_path(),
+                history_path.as_ref(),
+            )
+        {
+            migrate_legacy_latest_replay(&legacy, history);
+        }
+
        app.insert_resource(GameStateResource(initial_state))
            .insert_resource(GameStatePath(path))
-            .insert_resource(ReplayPath(latest_replay_path()))
+            .insert_resource(ReplayPath(history_path))
            .init_resource::<RecordingReplay>()
            .init_resource::<DragState>()
            .init_resource::<SyncStatusResource>()
@@ -188,6 +220,41 @@ fn seed_from_system_time() -> u64 {
        .map_or(0, |d| d.as_nanos() as u64)
 }

+/// Walks forward from `initial_seed` (incrementing by 1 with wrapping
+/// arithmetic) until the [`solitaire_core::solver`] returns a verdict
+/// the engine accepts as winnable, or until [`SOLVER_DEAL_RETRY_CAP`]
+/// attempts have elapsed.
+///
+/// The solver classifies each deal as one of three verdicts:
+///   - [`SolverResult::Winnable`] — provably solvable; accept.
+///   - [`SolverResult::Inconclusive`] — budget exceeded, no proof
+///     either way; accept (we treat "we don't know" as winnable so
+///     the toggle never silently drops a player into the retry cap).
+///   - [`SolverResult::Unwinnable`] — provably dead; try the next seed.
+///
+/// If every seed in the retry window is `Unwinnable` (extremely
+/// unlikely on real inputs), the function returns the *last* tried
+/// seed so the player still gets a deal — better a possibly-unwinnable
+/// hand than an infinite loop.
+///
+/// Pure helper extracted for testability — `new_game_with_solver_*`
+/// engine tests in the same file exercise this path.
+pub(crate) fn choose_winnable_seed(initial_seed: u64, draw_mode: &DrawMode) -> u64 {
+    let cfg = SolverConfig::default();
+    let mut seed = initial_seed;
+    for _ in 0..SOLVER_DEAL_RETRY_CAP {
+        match try_solve(seed, draw_mode.clone(), &cfg) {
+            SolverResult::Winnable | SolverResult::Inconclusive => return seed,
+            SolverResult::Unwinnable => {
+                seed = seed.wrapping_add(1);
+            }
+        }
+    }
+    // Retry cap exhausted — accept the latest tried seed rather than
+    // recurring forever.
+    seed
+}
+
 #[allow(clippy::too_many_arguments)]
 fn handle_new_game(
    mut commands: Commands,
@@ -229,7 +296,7 @@ fn handle_new_game(
            commands.entity(entity).despawn();
        }

-        let seed = ev.seed.unwrap_or_else(seed_from_system_time);
+        let initial_seed = ev.seed.unwrap_or_else(seed_from_system_time);
        // Prefer the draw mode from Settings when starting a fresh game.
        // Fall back to the current game's draw mode in headless/test contexts
        // where SettingsPlugin is not installed.
@@ -237,7 +304,32 @@ fn handle_new_game(
            .as_ref()
            .map_or_else(|| game.0.draw_mode.clone(), |s| s.0.draw_mode.clone());
        let mode = ev.mode.unwrap_or(game.0.mode);
-        game.0 = GameState::new_with_mode(seed, draw_mode, mode);
+
+        // Solver-backed retry: when the player has opted in to
+        // "Winnable deals only" AND this is a random Classic deal
+        // (no caller-supplied seed), reject deals the solver can
+        // prove unwinnable and try the next seed. Capped at
+        // [`SOLVER_DEAL_RETRY_CAP`] so a pathological run can't
+        // hang the main thread — if every attempt is rejected we
+        // fall through to the latest tried seed.
+        //
+        // **Scope** — the retry deliberately skips:
+        // - Daily challenges and challenge-mode seeds (caller passes
+        //   `ev.seed = Some(...)` so the player gets the same deal as
+        //   everyone else).
+        // - Replays (the replay's own seed is authoritative).
+        // - Any other explicit seed request — the player asked for
+        //   that seed; honour it.
+        let winnable_only = settings
+            .as_ref()
+            .is_some_and(|s| s.0.winnable_deals_only);
+        let chosen_seed = if winnable_only && mode == GameMode::Classic && ev.seed.is_none() {
+            choose_winnable_seed(initial_seed, &draw_mode)
+        } else {
+            initial_seed
+        };
+
+        game.0 = GameState::new_with_mode(chosen_seed, draw_mode, mode);
        // Reset the in-flight replay buffer — a fresh deal starts with
        // an empty move list. The previously saved replay on disk
        // (latest_replay.json) is preserved until the player wins again.
@@ -557,14 +649,15 @@ fn handle_undo(

 /// On every `GameWonEvent`, freeze the in-flight [`RecordingReplay`] into
 /// a [`Replay`] tagged with the deal seed/mode, the win's score and
-/// elapsed time, and today's date — then persist it atomically to
-/// `<data_dir>/solitaire_quest/latest_replay.json` (or to whichever path
-/// `ReplayPath` carries; tests inject a temp path).
+/// elapsed time, and today's date — then append it to the rolling
+/// [`solitaire_data::ReplayHistory`] at the path `ReplayPath` carries
+/// (tests inject a temp path).
 ///
-/// Only the most recent winning replay is retained — the existing file is
-/// overwritten. The recording buffer is left intact after the win so a
-/// subsequent state-change does not erase the move list before the save
-/// completes; it gets cleared on the next `NewGameRequestEvent`.
+/// The history is capped at [`solitaire_data::REPLAY_HISTORY_CAP`]
+/// entries; older wins age out automatically when the cap is hit. The
+/// recording buffer is left intact after the win so a subsequent
+/// state-change does not erase the move list before the save completes;
+/// it gets cleared on the next `NewGameRequestEvent`.
 pub fn record_replay_on_win(
    mut wins: MessageReader<GameWonEvent>,
    game: Res<GameStateResource>,
@@ -597,8 +690,8 @@ pub fn record_replay_on_win(
            // to inspect it without going through the disk.
            continue;
        };
-        if let Err(e) = save_latest_replay_to(p, &replay) {
-            warn!("replay: failed to save winning replay: {e}");
+        if let Err(e) = append_replay_to_history(p, replay) {
+            warn!("replay: failed to append winning replay to history: {e}");
        }
    }
 }
@@ -1946,11 +2039,13 @@ mod tests {
    }

    /// On `GameWonEvent`, the recording is frozen into a `Replay` and
-    /// persisted. We point `ReplayPath` at a temp file, fake a win, and
-    /// load the file back to assert the metadata + move list match.
+    /// appended to the rolling [`solitaire_data::ReplayHistory`]. We
+    /// point `ReplayPath` at a temp file, fake a win, and load the
+    /// history back to assert the just-saved entry sits at the front
+    /// with the metadata + move list intact.
    #[test]
    fn replay_recording_freezes_into_replay_on_game_won() {
-        use solitaire_data::load_latest_replay_from;
+        use solitaire_data::load_replay_history_from;

        let path = std::env::temp_dir().join("engine_test_replay_freeze.json");
        let _ = std::fs::remove_file(&path);
@@ -1978,8 +2073,14 @@ mod tests {
        });
        app.update();

-        let loaded = load_latest_replay_from(&path)
+        let history = load_replay_history_from(&path)
            .expect("a winning replay must be persisted to ReplayPath");
+        assert_eq!(
+            history.replays.len(),
+            1,
+            "fresh history must contain exactly the just-recorded win",
+        );
+        let loaded = &history.replays[0];
        assert_eq!(loaded.seed, 7654, "seed must match the live game state");
        assert_eq!(loaded.draw_mode, DrawMode::DrawOne, "draw_mode must be captured");
        assert_eq!(loaded.final_score, 4321, "final_score must come from the win event");
@@ -1998,6 +2099,53 @@ mod tests {
        let _ = std::fs::remove_file(&path);
    }

+    /// Successive `GameWonEvent`s must accumulate in the rolling
+    /// history rather than overwriting one another. Pre-cap, every win
+    /// joins the front of `history.replays`.
+    #[test]
+    fn replay_recording_appends_to_history_across_wins() {
+        use solitaire_data::load_replay_history_from;
+
+        let path = std::env::temp_dir().join("engine_test_replay_history_append.json");
+        let _ = std::fs::remove_file(&path);
+
+        let mut app = test_app(11);
+        app.insert_resource(ReplayPath(Some(path.clone())));
+
+        // First win.
+        {
+            let mut recording = app.world_mut().resource_mut::<RecordingReplay>();
+            recording.moves.clear();
+            recording.moves.push(ReplayMove::StockClick);
+        }
+        app.world_mut().write_message(GameWonEvent {
+            score: 100,
+            time_seconds: 60,
+        });
+        app.update();
+
+        // Second win — different score so we can distinguish.
+        {
+            let mut recording = app.world_mut().resource_mut::<RecordingReplay>();
+            recording.moves.clear();
+            recording.moves.push(ReplayMove::StockClick);
+            recording.moves.push(ReplayMove::StockClick);
+        }
+        app.world_mut().write_message(GameWonEvent {
+            score: 200,
+            time_seconds: 120,
+        });
+        app.update();
+
+        let history = load_replay_history_from(&path).expect("history must exist");
+        assert_eq!(history.replays.len(), 2, "both wins must be retained");
+        // Newest first — second win lands at index 0.
+        assert_eq!(history.replays[0].final_score, 200);
+        assert_eq!(history.replays[1].final_score, 100);
+
+        let _ = std::fs::remove_file(&path);
+    }
+
    /// `GameWonEvent` with an empty recording must NOT touch disk.
    /// Without this guard, parallel-plugin tests that synthesise
    /// win events for XP / streak / weekly-goal logic (without
@@ -2022,4 +2170,154 @@ mod tests {
            "no replay must be written when recording is empty",
        );
    }
+
+    // -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+    // Solver-backed "Winnable deals only" toggle
+    //
+    // Exercises [`choose_winnable_seed`] and the wiring inside
+    // `handle_new_game` that consults [`Settings::winnable_deals_only`].
+    // -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+    /// Inject a `SettingsResource` with the given `winnable_deals_only`
+    /// flag. The handle_new_game system already reads this resource via
+    /// `Option<Res<...>>`, so no `SettingsPlugin` boot is needed.
+    fn insert_settings(app: &mut App, winnable_deals_only: bool) {
+        let settings = solitaire_data::Settings {
+            winnable_deals_only,
+            ..solitaire_data::Settings::default()
+        };
+        app.insert_resource(crate::settings_plugin::SettingsResource(settings));
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn new_game_with_solver_toggle_off_uses_requested_seed() {
+        // Toggle off — the engine must use the seed it was handed and
+        // never invoke the solver. Seed 999 is just an arbitrary
+        // deterministic seed; the test asserts the resulting deal
+        // matches `GameState::new(999, DrawOne)`.
+        let mut app = test_app(1);
+        insert_settings(&mut app, false);
+
+        app.world_mut().write_message(NewGameRequestEvent {
+            seed: Some(999),
+            mode: None,
+            confirmed: false,
+        });
+        app.update();
+
+        let actual_seed = app.world().resource::<GameStateResource>().0.seed;
+        assert_eq!(
+            actual_seed, 999,
+            "with solver toggle off, the requested seed must be honoured exactly"
+        );
+        // Cross-check: the dealt tableau must match GameState::new(999) byte-for-byte.
+        let expected = GameState::new(999, DrawMode::DrawOne);
+        for i in 0..7 {
+            assert_eq!(
+                app.world().resource::<GameStateResource>().0.piles[&PileType::Tableau(i)].cards,
+                expected.piles[&PileType::Tableau(i)].cards,
+                "tableau column {i} must match the unfiltered seed",
+            );
+        }
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn new_game_with_solver_toggle_off_random_seed_path() {
+        // When seed is None and toggle is off, the engine uses a
+        // system-time seed and skips the solver. We can't pin the
+        // exact seed, but we can assert the seed is *not* the
+        // sentinel zero (which would only happen if SystemTime is
+        // before the epoch — practically impossible), AND that no
+        // resource has been mutated to suggest the solver ran.
+        // The strongest assertion is "the move runs to completion
+        // without panicking", which the .update() call covers.
+        let mut app = test_app(1);
+        insert_settings(&mut app, false);
+
+        app.world_mut().write_message(NewGameRequestEvent {
+            seed: None,
+            mode: None,
+            confirmed: false,
+        });
+        app.update();
+
+        // Game state was reseeded — move_count is 0 on the new game.
+        assert_eq!(app.world().resource::<GameStateResource>().0.move_count, 0);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn new_game_with_solver_toggle_on_skips_solver_for_specific_seed() {
+        // Even with the toggle on, an *explicit* seed must be honoured:
+        // daily challenges, replay seeding, and challenge-mode all
+        // pass `Some(seed)` and must never be retried.
+        let mut app = test_app(1);
+        insert_settings(&mut app, true);
+
+        app.world_mut().write_message(NewGameRequestEvent {
+            seed: Some(123),
+            mode: None,
+            confirmed: false,
+        });
+        app.update();
+
+        assert_eq!(
+            app.world().resource::<GameStateResource>().0.seed,
+            123,
+            "explicit-seed requests must skip the solver retry loop",
+        );
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn choose_winnable_seed_skips_unwinnable_seed() {
+        // Seed 394 was identified by the offline scan
+        // (`solver::tests::find_unwinnable`) as the only Unwinnable
+        // seed in 0..500 under the default solver budget. Seed 395
+        // resolves as Inconclusive — the engine treats Inconclusive
+        // as winnable (see `choose_winnable_seed` doc), so the
+        // helper must return 395 when started at 394.
+        let chosen = choose_winnable_seed(394, &DrawMode::DrawOne);
+        assert_eq!(
+            chosen, 395,
+            "seed 394 is Unwinnable; the next seed (395, Inconclusive) must be accepted"
+        );
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn new_game_with_solver_toggle_on_retries_until_winnable() {
+        // End-to-end: with the toggle on, fire a NewGameRequestEvent
+        // with seed=None and *manually pre-seed* the system-time
+        // path by clearing the GameStateResource so handle_new_game
+        // takes the random branch. We can't easily inject the
+        // system-time seed here, so we exercise the helper via a
+        // separate call and assert the *resource* receives the
+        // post-retry seed when the helper would have rejected.
+        //
+        // We test the integration by setting up an alternative
+        // scenario: pass `seed: Some(394)` with toggle on. Our
+        // implementation already documents that explicit seeds skip
+        // the retry, so this *won't* trigger retry. The cleaner
+        // integration is captured in `choose_winnable_seed_skips_*`.
+        // Here we verify the default-seed path doesn't crash when
+        // toggle is on — exercising the live solver call inside
+        // handle_new_game without depending on the solver picking
+        // a specific seed.
+        let mut app = test_app(1);
+        insert_settings(&mut app, true);
+
+        app.world_mut().write_message(NewGameRequestEvent {
+            seed: None,
+            mode: None,
+            confirmed: false,
+        });
+        app.update();
+
+        // The chosen seed is non-deterministic (system time),
+        // but the new game must have been started cleanly:
+        // move_count back to 0, undo stack empty.
+        assert_eq!(app.world().resource::<GameStateResource>().0.move_count, 0);
+        assert_eq!(
+            app.world().resource::<GameStateResource>().0.undo_stack_len(),
+            0
+        );
+    }
 }
@@ -4,12 +4,14 @@
 //! is an optional accelerator. Listed shortcuts are grouped by intent —
 //! gameplay, modes, and overlays.

+use bevy::input::mouse::{MouseScrollUnit, MouseWheel};
 use bevy::prelude::*;

 use crate::events::HelpRequestEvent;
 use crate::font_plugin::FontResource;
 use crate::ui_modal::{
    spawn_modal, spawn_modal_actions, spawn_modal_button, spawn_modal_header, ButtonVariant,
+    ScrimDismissible,
 };
 use crate::ui_theme::{
    Z_MODAL_PANEL, BORDER_SUBTLE, RADIUS_SM, SPACE_2, TEXT_PRIMARY, TEXT_SECONDARY, TYPE_BODY,
@@ -24,6 +26,16 @@ pub struct HelpScreen;
 #[derive(Component, Debug)]
 pub struct HelpCloseButton;

+/// Marker on the scrollable body Node inside the Help modal.
+///
+/// The controls reference is six sections totalling ~28 rows, which
+/// overflows the modal on the 800x600 minimum window. This marker tags
+/// the inner container that carries `Overflow::scroll_y()` plus a
+/// `max_height` constraint so every row stays reachable. Mirrors the
+/// `SettingsPanelScrollable` pattern.
+#[derive(Component, Debug)]
+pub struct HelpScrollable;
+
 /// Spawns and despawns the help / controls overlay shown when the player
 /// clicks the "Help" HUD button or presses `F1`. All hotkeys and gesture
 /// guides live here.
@@ -32,7 +44,14 @@ pub struct HelpPlugin;
 impl Plugin for HelpPlugin {
    fn build(&self, app: &mut App) {
        app.add_message::<HelpRequestEvent>()
-            .add_systems(Update, (toggle_help_screen, handle_help_close_button));
+            // `MouseWheel` is emitted by Bevy's input plugin under
+            // `DefaultPlugins`; register it explicitly so the help-scroll
+            // system also runs cleanly under `MinimalPlugins` in tests.
+            .add_message::<MouseWheel>()
+            .add_systems(
+                Update,
+                (toggle_help_screen, handle_help_close_button, scroll_help_panel),
+            );
    }
 }

@@ -71,6 +90,32 @@ fn handle_help_close_button(
    }
 }

+/// Routes mouse-wheel events into the Help modal's scrollable body while
+/// the panel is open. No-op when no `HelpScrollable` exists in the world
+/// (modal closed). Mirrors `scroll_settings_panel`.
+fn scroll_help_panel(
+    mut scroll_evr: MessageReader<MouseWheel>,
+    mut scrollables: Query<&mut ScrollPosition, With<HelpScrollable>>,
+) {
+    if scrollables.is_empty() {
+        scroll_evr.clear();
+        return;
+    }
+    let delta_y: f32 = scroll_evr
+        .read()
+        .map(|ev| match ev.unit {
+            MouseScrollUnit::Line => ev.y * 50.0,
+            MouseScrollUnit::Pixel => ev.y,
+        })
+        .sum();
+    if delta_y == 0.0 {
+        return;
+    }
+    for mut sp in scrollables.iter_mut() {
+        sp.0.y = (sp.0.y - delta_y).max(0.0);
+    }
+}
+
 /// Each entry in the controls reference table.
 struct ControlRow {
    keys: &'static str,
@@ -165,12 +210,29 @@ fn spawn_help_screen(commands: &mut Commands, font_res: Option<&FontResource>) {
        ..default()
    };

-    spawn_modal(commands, HelpScreen, Z_MODAL_PANEL, |card| {
+    let scrim = spawn_modal(commands, HelpScreen, Z_MODAL_PANEL, |card| {
        spawn_modal_header(card, "Controls", font_res);

+        // Scrollable body — the controls reference is six sections totalling
+        // ~28 rows, which overflows the modal on the 800x600 minimum
+        // window. Wrapping in an `Overflow::scroll_y()` Node with a
+        // constrained `max_height` keeps every row reachable; the Done
+        // button below stays fixed outside the scroll.
+        card.spawn((
+            HelpScrollable,
+            ScrollPosition::default(),
+            Node {
+                flex_direction: FlexDirection::Column,
+                row_gap: VAL_SPACE_2,
+                max_height: Val::Vh(70.0),
+                overflow: Overflow::scroll_y(),
+                ..default()
+            },
+        ))
+        .with_children(|body| {
            for section in CONTROL_SECTIONS {
                // Section title in muted text — distinguishes from row content.
-            card.spawn((
+                body.spawn((
                    Text::new(section.title),
                    font_section.clone(),
                    TextColor(TEXT_SECONDARY),
@@ -178,7 +240,7 @@ fn spawn_help_screen(commands: &mut Commands, font_res: Option<&FontResource>) {

                // Each row is a flex-row: kbd-style chip + description.
                for row in section.rows {
-                card.spawn(Node {
+                    body.spawn(Node {
                        flex_direction: FlexDirection::Row,
                        align_items: AlignItems::Center,
                        column_gap: VAL_SPACE_3,
@@ -216,11 +278,12 @@ fn spawn_help_screen(commands: &mut Commands, font_res: Option<&FontResource>) {

                // Section spacer — small empty box. Keeps each section
                // visually grouped.
-            card.spawn(Node {
+                body.spawn(Node {
                    height: Val::Px(SPACE_2),
                    ..default()
                });
            }
+        });

        spawn_modal_actions(card, |actions| {
            spawn_modal_button(
@@ -233,6 +296,9 @@ fn spawn_help_screen(commands: &mut Commands, font_res: Option<&FontResource>) {
            );
        });
    });
+    // Help is read-only — clicking the scrim outside the card dismisses
+    // alongside the existing F1 / Esc / Done paths.
+    commands.entity(scrim).insert(ScrimDismissible);
 }

 #[cfg(test)]
@@ -264,6 +330,36 @@ mod tests {
        );
    }

+    #[test]
+    fn help_modal_body_is_scrollable() {
+        let mut app = headless_app();
+        app.world_mut()
+            .resource_mut::<ButtonInput<KeyCode>>()
+            .press(KeyCode::F1);
+        app.update();
+
+        let count = app
+            .world_mut()
+            .query::<&HelpScrollable>()
+            .iter(app.world())
+            .count();
+        assert_eq!(
+            count, 1,
+            "Help modal must spawn exactly one HelpScrollable body"
+        );
+
+        let mut q = app
+            .world_mut()
+            .query_filtered::<&Node, With<HelpScrollable>>();
+        let nodes: Vec<&Node> = q.iter(app.world()).collect();
+        assert_ne!(
+            nodes[0].max_height,
+            Val::Auto,
+            "scrollable body must set a non-default max_height"
+        );
+        assert_eq!(nodes[0].overflow, Overflow::scroll_y());
+    }
+
    #[test]
    fn pressing_f1_twice_closes_help_screen() {
        let mut app = headless_app();
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ use crate::progress_plugin::ProgressResource;
 use crate::ui_focus::{Disabled, FocusGroup, Focusable};
 use crate::ui_modal::{
    spawn_modal, spawn_modal_actions, spawn_modal_button, spawn_modal_header, ButtonVariant,
+    ScrimDismissible,
 };
 use crate::ui_theme::{
    ACCENT_PRIMARY, BG_ELEVATED_HI, BORDER_STRONG, BORDER_SUBTLE, RADIUS_MD, STATE_INFO,
@@ -359,7 +360,7 @@ fn handle_home_digit_keys(

 /// Spawns the Home modal with five mode cards plus a Cancel button.
 fn spawn_home_screen(commands: &mut Commands, level: u32, font_res: Option<&FontResource>) {
-    spawn_modal(commands, HomeScreen, Z_MODAL_PANEL, |card| {
+    let scrim = spawn_modal(commands, HomeScreen, Z_MODAL_PANEL, |card| {
        spawn_modal_header(card, "Choose a Mode", font_res);

        for mode in [
@@ -383,6 +384,8 @@ fn spawn_home_screen(commands: &mut Commands, level: u32, font_res: Option<&Font
            );
        });
    });
+    // Home is read-only — opt into click-outside-to-dismiss.
+    commands.entity(scrim).insert(ScrimDismissible);
 }

 /// Tab-walk order for each mode card, matching the visual top-to-bottom
@@ -54,6 +54,16 @@ use crate::time_attack_plugin::TimeAttackResource;
 /// Z-depth used for cards while being dragged — above all resting cards.
 const DRAG_Z: f32 = 500.0;

+/// Solver budgets used by the H-key hint system.
+///
+/// Wraps `solitaire_core::solver::SolverConfig` as a Bevy resource so
+/// tests can inject tighter budgets to exercise the heuristic-fallback
+/// path. Production initialises this to `SolverConfig::default()` (100k
+/// move / 200k state budgets, the same numbers the new-game retry loop
+/// uses).
+#[derive(Resource, Debug, Clone, Default)]
+pub struct HintSolverConfig(pub solitaire_core::solver::SolverConfig);
+
 /// Shared countdown state for the new-game double-press confirmation
 /// flow.
 ///
@@ -89,6 +99,7 @@ pub struct InputPlugin;
 impl Plugin for InputPlugin {
    fn build(&self, app: &mut App) {
        app.init_resource::<HintCycleIndex>()
+            .init_resource::<HintSolverConfig>()
            .init_resource::<KeyboardConfirmState>()
            .add_message::<NewGameConfirmEvent>()
            .add_message::<StartZenRequestEvent>()
@@ -236,20 +247,34 @@ fn handle_keyboard_core(
    // Esc is handled by `PausePlugin` (overlay toggle + paused flag).
 }

-/// Handles the H key: cycles through all available hints, highlighting the
-/// source card yellow for 2 s and showing a descriptive toast.
+/// Handles the H key: surface the solver's provably-best first move when
+/// the position is winnable; otherwise fall back to cycling through the
+/// heuristic hints.
 ///
-/// The hint index wraps around once all hints have been cycled through. When no
-/// moves are available a "No hints available" toast is shown instead.
+/// The solver (`solitaire_core::solver::try_solve_from_state`) is run
+/// synchronously on each H press — median ~2 ms on real positions, with a
+/// hard cap from `SolverConfig::default()`'s budgets. When the verdict is
+/// `Winnable`, the returned `first_move` is shown as a single, stable hint
+/// (no cycling — the optimal move doesn't change between identical
+/// presses). When the verdict is `Unwinnable` or `Inconclusive`, the
+/// handler falls back to the legacy heuristic in `all_hints`, which still
+/// cycles through every legal move.
+///
+/// When no moves are available a "No hints available" toast is shown
+/// instead. The H key always produces a hint when any legal move exists.
+///
+/// TODO: if profiling ever shows >100 ms solver calls in practice, move
+/// the solver call to `AsyncComputeTaskPool` to keep input latency low.
 #[allow(clippy::too_many_arguments)]
 fn handle_keyboard_hint(
    keys: Res<ButtonInput<KeyCode>>,
    paused: Option<Res<PausedResource>>,
    game: Option<Res<GameStateResource>>,
    layout: Option<Res<LayoutResource>>,
+    solver_config: Res<HintSolverConfig>,
    mut hint_cycle: ResMut<HintCycleIndex>,
    mut commands: Commands,
-    mut card_entities: Query<(Entity, &CardEntity, &mut Sprite)>,
+    card_entities: Query<(Entity, &CardEntity, &mut Sprite)>,
    mut info_toast: MessageWriter<InfoToastEvent>,
    mut hint_visual: MessageWriter<HintVisualEvent>,
 ) {
@@ -269,6 +294,25 @@ fn handle_keyboard_hint(

    let Some(_layout_res) = layout else { return };

+    // First pass: ask the solver for the provably-best move. The
+    // solver is deterministic, so repeated H presses on the same
+    // position keep showing the same hint (cycling is reserved for
+    // the heuristic fallback path).
+    use solitaire_core::solver::{try_solve_from_state, SolverResult};
+    let outcome = try_solve_from_state(&g.0, &solver_config.0);
+    if outcome.result == SolverResult::Winnable
+        && let Some(mv) = outcome.first_move
+    {
+        let from = mv.source.clone();
+        let to = mv.dest.clone();
+        emit_hint_visuals(&g.0, &from, &to, &mut commands, card_entities, &mut info_toast, &mut hint_visual);
+        return;
+    }
+
+    // Fallback: heuristic cycling hint. Used when the solver verdict
+    // is `Unwinnable` (no legal winning path — but a legal *move* may
+    // still exist, e.g. drawing from stock) or `Inconclusive` (budget
+    // exhausted on a complex mid-game position).
    let hints = all_hints(&g.0);
    if hints.is_empty() {
        info_toast.write(InfoToastEvent("No hints available".to_string()));
@@ -278,14 +322,29 @@ fn handle_keyboard_hint(
    // Pick the hint at the current cycle index (wrapping) and advance.
    let idx = hint_cycle.0 % hints.len();
    hint_cycle.0 = hint_cycle.0.wrapping_add(1);
-    let (from, to, _count) = &hints[idx];
+    let (from, to, _count) = hints[idx].clone();
+    emit_hint_visuals(&g.0, &from, &to, &mut commands, card_entities, &mut info_toast, &mut hint_visual);
+}

+/// Apply the visual + toast effects for a single chosen hint move.
+///
+/// Shared between the solver-driven and heuristic-driven hint paths so
+/// both produce identical player-facing feedback.
+fn emit_hint_visuals(
+    game: &GameState,
+    from: &PileType,
+    to: &PileType,
+    commands: &mut Commands,
+    mut card_entities: Query<(Entity, &CardEntity, &mut Sprite)>,
+    info_toast: &mut MessageWriter<InfoToastEvent>,
+    hint_visual: &mut MessageWriter<HintVisualEvent>,
+) {
    // When the hint points at the stock (draw suggestion) there is no
    // face-up card to highlight — show a toast instead.
    // If the stock is empty, pressing D will recycle the waste rather
    // than draw a card, so the toast text must reflect that.
    if *from == PileType::Stock {
-        let stock_empty = g.0.piles
+        let stock_empty = game.piles
            .get(&PileType::Stock)
            .is_some_and(|p| p.cards.is_empty());
        let msg = if stock_empty {
@@ -298,7 +357,7 @@ fn handle_keyboard_hint(
    }

    // Find the top face-up card in the source pile and highlight it.
-    let top_card_id = g.0.piles.get(from)
+    let top_card_id = game.piles.get(from)
        .and_then(|p| p.cards.last().filter(|c| c.face_up))
        .map(|c| c.id);
    if let Some(card_id) = top_card_id {
@@ -327,7 +386,7 @@ fn handle_keyboard_hint(
    // player keeps thinking in suit terms; otherwise fall back to "foundation".
    let msg = match to {
        PileType::Foundation(_) => {
-            let claimed = g.0.piles.get(to).and_then(|p| p.claimed_suit());
+            let claimed = game.piles.get(to).and_then(|p| p.claimed_suit());
            if let Some(suit) = claimed {
                let suit_name = match suit {
                    Suit::Clubs => "Clubs",
@@ -2125,5 +2184,194 @@ mod tests {
            anim.end_z
        );
    }
+
+    // -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+    // Hint system — solver promotion (v0.16.0+)
+    //
+    // The H-key hint is now backed by `solitaire_core::solver::try_solve_from_state`.
+    // When the solver proves the position winnable, the hint is the
+    // first move on the solver's solution path. When the solver returns
+    // Inconclusive (budget exhausted) or Unwinnable, the legacy
+    // heuristic in `all_hints` supplies the hint instead so the H key
+    // always produces feedback while any legal move exists.
+    // -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+    /// Build a minimal Bevy app that registers only the resources and
+    /// messages needed to drive `handle_keyboard_hint` end-to-end.
+    /// Skips every other input system — the test only exercises the hint
+    /// path and we want the assertions to be unaffected by other handlers.
+    fn hint_test_app() -> App {
+        let mut app = App::new();
+        app.add_plugins(MinimalPlugins);
+        app.add_message::<InfoToastEvent>();
+        app.add_message::<HintVisualEvent>();
+        app.init_resource::<HintCycleIndex>();
+        app.init_resource::<HintSolverConfig>();
+        app.init_resource::<ButtonInput<KeyCode>>();
+        // Layout: a fixed 1280x800 layout — `handle_keyboard_hint` only
+        // checks the resource is present, never reads coordinates.
+        app.insert_resource(crate::layout::LayoutResource(
+            crate::layout::compute_layout(Vec2::new(1280.0, 800.0)),
+        ));
+        app.add_systems(Update, handle_keyboard_hint);
+        app
+    }
+
+    /// Helper: simulate "the player just pressed H this frame".
+    fn press_h(app: &mut App) {
+        let mut input = app.world_mut().resource_mut::<ButtonInput<KeyCode>>();
+        input.release(KeyCode::KeyH);
+        input.clear();
+        input.press(KeyCode::KeyH);
+    }
+
+    /// Build a near-finished `GameState`: foundations hold A..Q for each
+    /// suit, four Kings sit on tableau columns 0..3, stock and waste
+    /// empty. Solver-side equivalent of the `near_finished_game_state`
+    /// helper in `solitaire_core::solver::tests`.
+    fn near_finished_game_state() -> GameState {
+        use solitaire_core::card::{Card, Rank, Suit};
+        let mut game = GameState::new(1, DrawMode::DrawOne);
+        for slot in 0..4_u8 {
+            game.piles
+                .get_mut(&PileType::Foundation(slot))
+                .unwrap()
+                .cards
+                .clear();
+        }
+        for i in 0..7_usize {
+            game.piles
+                .get_mut(&PileType::Tableau(i))
+                .unwrap()
+                .cards
+                .clear();
+        }
+        game.piles.get_mut(&PileType::Stock).unwrap().cards.clear();
+        game.piles.get_mut(&PileType::Waste).unwrap().cards.clear();
+        let suit_for_slot = [Suit::Clubs, Suit::Diamonds, Suit::Hearts, Suit::Spades];
+        let ranks_below_king = [
+            Rank::Ace, Rank::Two, Rank::Three, Rank::Four, Rank::Five,
+            Rank::Six, Rank::Seven, Rank::Eight, Rank::Nine, Rank::Ten,
+            Rank::Jack, Rank::Queen,
+        ];
+        for (slot, suit) in suit_for_slot.iter().enumerate() {
+            let pile = game
+                .piles
+                .get_mut(&PileType::Foundation(slot as u8))
+                .unwrap();
+            for (i, rank) in ranks_below_king.iter().enumerate() {
+                pile.cards.push(Card {
+                    id: (slot as u32) * 13 + i as u32,
+                    suit: *suit,
+                    rank: *rank,
+                    face_up: true,
+                });
+            }
+        }
+        for (col, suit) in suit_for_slot.iter().enumerate() {
+            game.piles
+                .get_mut(&PileType::Tableau(col))
+                .unwrap()
+                .cards
+                .push(Card {
+                    id: 100 + col as u32,
+                    suit: *suit,
+                    rank: Rank::King,
+                    face_up: true,
+                });
+        }
+        game
+    }
+
+    /// When the solver verdict is Winnable, the hint must come from the
+    /// solver: in our near-finished fixture, four Tableau→Foundation
+    /// moves are legal and the solver returns one of them. The
+    /// `HintVisualEvent` source card must be one of the four Kings and
+    /// the destination must be a foundation slot.
+    #[test]
+    fn hint_uses_solver_when_winnable() {
+        use solitaire_core::card::Rank;
+        let mut app = hint_test_app();
+        let game = near_finished_game_state();
+        // Track the 4 King ids so we can assert the hint source matches.
+        let king_ids: Vec<u32> = (0..4_u8)
+            .map(|c| {
+                game.piles
+                    .get(&PileType::Tableau(c as usize))
+                    .unwrap()
+                    .cards
+                    .last()
+                    .filter(|c| c.rank == Rank::King)
+                    .map(|c| c.id)
+                    .expect("each tableau col 0..3 has a King on top")
+            })
+            .collect();
+
+        app.insert_resource(GameStateResource(game));
+        press_h(&mut app);
+        app.update();
+
+        // Read out the messages via the standard cursor API.
+        let messages = app.world().resource::<Messages<HintVisualEvent>>();
+        let mut cursor = messages.get_cursor();
+        let collected: Vec<HintVisualEvent> = cursor.read(messages).cloned().collect();
+        assert_eq!(
+            collected.len(), 1,
+            "exactly one HintVisualEvent must fire on a winnable solver verdict"
+        );
+        let event = &collected[0];
+        assert!(
+            king_ids.contains(&event.source_card_id),
+            "solver hint must point at one of the four Kings; got id {}",
+            event.source_card_id
+        );
+        assert!(
+            matches!(event.dest_pile, PileType::Foundation(_)),
+            "solver hint destination must be a foundation slot; got {:?}",
+            event.dest_pile
+        );
+    }
+
+    /// When the solver returns Inconclusive (e.g. tight budgets force an
+    /// early bail), the heuristic fallback must still produce a hint
+    /// event so the H key never feels broken.
+    ///
+    /// We force the solver inconclusive by setting both budgets to 0 —
+    /// the search bails on the very first iteration, returning
+    /// `SolverResult::Inconclusive`. The heuristic fallback then runs on
+    /// the fresh deal and finds at least one legal move.
+    #[test]
+    fn hint_falls_back_to_heuristic_when_solver_inconclusive() {
+        use solitaire_core::solver::SolverConfig;
+        let mut app = hint_test_app();
+        // Force solver to bail before exploring anything.
+        app.insert_resource(HintSolverConfig(SolverConfig {
+            move_budget: 0,
+            state_budget: 0,
+        }));
+        // A fresh seeded deal — guaranteed to have at least one legal
+        // move (the standard Klondike opening always has draws available
+        // even if no immediate tableau move exists).
+        let game = GameState::new(42, DrawMode::DrawOne);
+        app.insert_resource(GameStateResource(game));
+        press_h(&mut app);
+        app.update();
+
+        let world = app.world();
+        let visuals = world.resource::<Messages<HintVisualEvent>>();
+        let mut visual_cursor = visuals.get_cursor();
+        let collected: Vec<HintVisualEvent> = visual_cursor.read(visuals).cloned().collect();
+        // Either a card-move hint (most fresh deals) or a draw suggestion.
+        // A draw suggestion fires no `HintVisualEvent` (only an
+        // `InfoToastEvent`), so we accept zero-or-one HintVisualEvent so
+        // long as at least one feedback signal was emitted overall.
+        let toasts = world.resource::<Messages<InfoToastEvent>>();
+        let mut toast_cursor = toasts.get_cursor();
+        let toast_count = toast_cursor.read(toasts).count();
+        assert!(
+            !collected.is_empty() || toast_count > 0,
+            "heuristic fallback must produce a hint signal (visual or toast)"
+        );
+    }
 }

@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 //! When the provider does not support leaderboards (e.g. `LocalOnlyProvider`)
 //! the panel shows "Not available" immediately.

+use bevy::input::mouse::{MouseScrollUnit, MouseWheel};
 use bevy::prelude::*;
 use bevy::tasks::{futures_lite::future, AsyncComputeTaskPool, Task};
 use solitaire_data::settings::SyncBackend;
@@ -20,10 +21,11 @@ use crate::settings_plugin::SettingsResource;
 use crate::sync_plugin::SyncProviderResource;
 use crate::ui_modal::{
    spawn_modal, spawn_modal_actions, spawn_modal_button, spawn_modal_header, ButtonVariant,
+    ScrimDismissible,
 };
 use crate::ui_theme::{
    ACCENT_PRIMARY, BORDER_SUBTLE, STATE_INFO, TEXT_PRIMARY, TEXT_SECONDARY, TYPE_BODY,
-    TYPE_BODY_LG, TYPE_CAPTION, VAL_SPACE_4, Z_MODAL_PANEL,
+    TYPE_BODY_LG, TYPE_CAPTION, VAL_SPACE_2, VAL_SPACE_4, Z_MODAL_PANEL,
 };

 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -66,6 +68,18 @@ struct LeaderboardFetchTask(Option<Task<Result<Vec<LeaderboardEntry>, String>>>)
 #[derive(Component, Debug)]
 pub struct LeaderboardScreen;

+/// Marker on the scrollable body Node inside the Leaderboard modal.
+///
+/// The leaderboard caps at the top 10 entries today, but rendering the
+/// caption + opt-in/opt-out row + 10 data rows on the 800x600 minimum
+/// window is right at the edge of overflowing — long display names or
+/// future row-count expansion would cut off entries below the fold.
+/// Wrapping the data section in an `Overflow::scroll_y()` Node with a
+/// constrained `max_height` keeps every row reachable. Mirrors the
+/// `SettingsPanelScrollable` pattern.
+#[derive(Component, Debug)]
+pub struct LeaderboardScrollable;
+
 /// Marker on the "Opt In" button inside the leaderboard panel.
 #[derive(Component, Debug)]
 struct LeaderboardOptInButton;
@@ -98,6 +112,11 @@ impl Plugin for LeaderboardPlugin {
            .init_resource::<OptInTask>()
            .init_resource::<OptOutTask>()
            .add_message::<ToggleLeaderboardRequestEvent>()
+            // `MouseWheel` is emitted by Bevy's input plugin under
+            // `DefaultPlugins`; register it explicitly so the
+            // leaderboard-scroll system also runs cleanly under
+            // `MinimalPlugins` in tests.
+            .add_message::<MouseWheel>()
            .add_systems(
                Update,
                (
@@ -112,7 +131,8 @@ impl Plugin for LeaderboardPlugin {
                    poll_opt_out_task,
                )
                    .chain(),
-            );
+            )
+            .add_systems(Update, scroll_leaderboard_panel);
    }
 }

@@ -222,6 +242,33 @@ fn update_leaderboard_panel(
 }

 /// Click handler for the modal's "Done" button — despawns the overlay.
+/// Routes mouse-wheel events into the Leaderboard modal's scrollable
+/// data body while the panel is open. No-op when no
+/// `LeaderboardScrollable` exists in the world (modal closed). Mirrors
+/// `scroll_settings_panel`.
+fn scroll_leaderboard_panel(
+    mut scroll_evr: MessageReader<MouseWheel>,
+    mut scrollables: Query<&mut ScrollPosition, With<LeaderboardScrollable>>,
+) {
+    if scrollables.is_empty() {
+        scroll_evr.clear();
+        return;
+    }
+    let delta_y: f32 = scroll_evr
+        .read()
+        .map(|ev| match ev.unit {
+            MouseScrollUnit::Line => ev.y * 50.0,
+            MouseScrollUnit::Pixel => ev.y,
+        })
+        .sum();
+    if delta_y == 0.0 {
+        return;
+    }
+    for mut sp in scrollables.iter_mut() {
+        sp.0.y = (sp.0.y - delta_y).max(0.0);
+    }
+}
+
 fn handle_leaderboard_close_button(
    mut commands: Commands,
    close_buttons: Query<&Interaction, (With<LeaderboardCloseButton>, Changed<Interaction>)>,
@@ -346,7 +393,7 @@ fn spawn_leaderboard_screen(
    remote_available: bool,
    font_res: Option<&FontResource>,
 ) {
-    spawn_modal(commands, LeaderboardScreen, Z_MODAL_PANEL, |card| {
+    let scrim = spawn_modal(commands, LeaderboardScreen, Z_MODAL_PANEL, |card| {
        spawn_modal_header(card, "Leaderboard", font_res);

        // Subhead — what the screen does + what the buttons control.
@@ -420,23 +467,40 @@ fn spawn_leaderboard_screen(
            BackgroundColor(BORDER_SUBTLE),
        ));

+        // Scrollable data section — caps at top 10 rows today, but on the
+        // 800x600 minimum window the header + caption + opt-in row + 10
+        // entries crowds the modal. Wrapping in `Overflow::scroll_y()`
+        // with a `max_height` keeps every entry reachable and survives
+        // any future expansion of the row cap.
+        card.spawn((
+            LeaderboardScrollable,
+            ScrollPosition::default(),
+            Node {
+                flex_direction: FlexDirection::Column,
+                row_gap: VAL_SPACE_2,
+                max_height: Val::Vh(50.0),
+                overflow: Overflow::scroll_y(),
+                ..default()
+            },
+        ))
+        .with_children(|body| {
            match data {
                LeaderboardResource::Idle => {
-                card.spawn((
+                    body.spawn((
                        Text::new("Fetching\u{2026}"),
                        font_status.clone(),
                        TextColor(STATE_INFO),
                    ));
                }
                LeaderboardResource::Error(_) => {
-                card.spawn((
+                    body.spawn((
                        Text::new("Couldn't reach the leaderboard. Try again later."),
                        font_status.clone(),
                        TextColor(TEXT_SECONDARY),
                    ));
                }
                LeaderboardResource::Loaded(rows) if rows.is_empty() => {
-                card.spawn((
+                    body.spawn((
                        Text::new("No entries yet \u{2014} sync and opt in to appear here."),
                        font_row.clone(),
                        TextColor(TEXT_SECONDARY),
@@ -444,7 +508,7 @@ fn spawn_leaderboard_screen(
                }
                LeaderboardResource::Loaded(rows) => {
                    // Column headers
-                card.spawn(Node {
+                    body.spawn(Node {
                        flex_direction: FlexDirection::Row,
                        column_gap: VAL_SPACE_4,
                        ..default()
@@ -476,7 +540,7 @@ fn spawn_leaderboard_screen(
                            .best_score
                            .map_or_else(|| "-".to_string(), |s| s.to_string());

-                    card.spawn(Node {
+                        body.spawn(Node {
                            flex_direction: FlexDirection::Row,
                            column_gap: VAL_SPACE_4,
                            ..default()
@@ -490,6 +554,7 @@ fn spawn_leaderboard_screen(
                    }
                }
            }
+        });

        spawn_modal_actions(card, |actions| {
            spawn_modal_button(
@@ -502,6 +567,8 @@ fn spawn_leaderboard_screen(
            );
        });
    });
+    // Leaderboard is read-only — opt into click-outside-to-dismiss.
+    commands.entity(scrim).insert(ScrimDismissible);
 }

 fn header_cell(parent: &mut ChildSpawnerCommands, text: &str, width: f32, font: &TextFont) {
@@ -646,6 +713,34 @@ mod tests {
        assert_eq!(count, 1);
    }

+    #[test]
+    fn leaderboard_modal_body_is_scrollable() {
+        let mut app = headless_app();
+        press(&mut app, KeyCode::KeyL);
+        app.update();
+
+        let count = app
+            .world_mut()
+            .query::<&LeaderboardScrollable>()
+            .iter(app.world())
+            .count();
+        assert_eq!(
+            count, 1,
+            "Leaderboard modal must spawn exactly one LeaderboardScrollable body"
+        );
+
+        let mut q = app
+            .world_mut()
+            .query_filtered::<&Node, With<LeaderboardScrollable>>();
+        let nodes: Vec<&Node> = q.iter(app.world()).collect();
+        assert_ne!(
+            nodes[0].max_height,
+            Val::Auto,
+            "scrollable body must set a non-default max_height"
+        );
+        assert_eq!(nodes[0].overflow, Overflow::scroll_y());
+    }
+
    #[test]
    fn pressing_l_twice_dismisses_screen() {
        let mut app = headless_app();
@@ -24,6 +24,8 @@ pub mod onboarding_plugin;
 pub mod pause_plugin;
 pub mod profile_plugin;
 pub mod radial_menu;
+pub mod replay_overlay;
+pub mod replay_playback;
 pub mod settings_plugin;
 pub mod progress_plugin;
 pub mod resources;
@@ -112,6 +114,14 @@ pub use radial_menu::{
    legal_destinations_for_card, radial_anchor_for_index, radial_hovered_index, RadialIcon,
    RadialMenuPlugin, RightClickRadialState, Z_RADIAL_MENU,
 };
+pub use replay_overlay::{
+    ReplayOverlayBannerText, ReplayOverlayPlugin, ReplayOverlayProgressText, ReplayOverlayRoot,
+    ReplayStopButton, Z_REPLAY_OVERLAY,
+};
+pub use replay_playback::{
+    start_replay_playback, stop_replay_playback, ReplayPlaybackPlugin, ReplayPlaybackState,
+    REPLAY_COMPLETION_LINGER_SECS, REPLAY_MOVE_INTERVAL_SECS,
+};
 pub use settings_plugin::{
    PendingWindowGeometry, SettingsChangedEvent, SettingsPlugin, SettingsResource, SettingsScreen,
    SFX_STEP, WINDOW_GEOMETRY_DEBOUNCE_SECS,
@@ -123,7 +133,8 @@ pub use selection_plugin::{
 };
 pub use splash_plugin::{SplashAge, SplashPlugin, SplashRoot};
 pub use stats_plugin::{
-    format_replay_caption, LatestReplayPath, LatestReplayResource, StatsPlugin, StatsResource,
+    format_replay_caption, LatestReplayPath, ReplayHistoryResource, ReplayNextButton,
+    ReplayPrevButton, ReplaySelectorCaption, SelectedReplayIndex, StatsPlugin, StatsResource,
    StatsScreen, StatsUpdate, WatchReplayButton,
 };
 pub use sync_plugin::{SyncPlugin, SyncProviderResource};
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 //! summary in a single scrollable panel. Spawned on the first `P` keypress and
 //! despawned on the second.

+use bevy::input::mouse::{MouseScrollUnit, MouseWheel};
 use bevy::input::ButtonInput;
 use bevy::prelude::*;
 use chrono::{Duration, Local, NaiveDate};
@@ -19,6 +20,7 @@ use crate::settings_plugin::SettingsResource;
 use crate::stats_plugin::{format_fastest_win, format_win_rate, StatsResource};
 use crate::ui_modal::{
    spawn_modal, spawn_modal_actions, spawn_modal_button, spawn_modal_header, ButtonVariant,
+    ScrimDismissible,
 };
 use crate::ui_theme::{
    ACCENT_PRIMARY, BG_ELEVATED, BORDER_STRONG, SPACE_1, STATE_INFO, STATE_SUCCESS, TEXT_PRIMARY,
@@ -60,10 +62,60 @@ pub struct ProfilePlugin;
 #[derive(Component, Debug)]
 pub struct ProfileCloseButton;

+/// Marker on the scrollable body Node inside the Profile modal.
+///
+/// The Profile panel renders sync info, progression (incl. 14-day
+/// calendar), every unlocked achievement (up to ~18), and a stats
+/// summary, which can overflow the modal on the 800x600 minimum window
+/// once a player has unlocked several achievements. This marker tags
+/// the inner container that carries `Overflow::scroll_y()` plus a
+/// `max_height` constraint. Mirrors the `SettingsPanelScrollable`
+/// pattern.
+#[derive(Component, Debug)]
+pub struct ProfileScrollable;
+
 impl Plugin for ProfilePlugin {
    fn build(&self, app: &mut App) {
        app.add_message::<ToggleProfileRequestEvent>()
-            .add_systems(Update, (toggle_profile_screen, handle_profile_close_button));
+            // `MouseWheel` is emitted by Bevy's input plugin under
+            // `DefaultPlugins`; register it explicitly so the
+            // profile-scroll system also runs cleanly under
+            // `MinimalPlugins` in tests.
+            .add_message::<MouseWheel>()
+            .add_systems(
+                Update,
+                (
+                    toggle_profile_screen,
+                    handle_profile_close_button,
+                    scroll_profile_panel,
+                ),
+            );
+    }
+}
+
+/// Routes mouse-wheel events into the Profile modal's scrollable body
+/// while the panel is open. No-op when no `ProfileScrollable` exists in
+/// the world (modal closed). Mirrors `scroll_settings_panel`.
+fn scroll_profile_panel(
+    mut scroll_evr: MessageReader<MouseWheel>,
+    mut scrollables: Query<&mut ScrollPosition, With<ProfileScrollable>>,
+) {
+    if scrollables.is_empty() {
+        scroll_evr.clear();
+        return;
+    }
+    let delta_y: f32 = scroll_evr
+        .read()
+        .map(|ev| match ev.unit {
+            MouseScrollUnit::Line => ev.y * 50.0,
+            MouseScrollUnit::Pixel => ev.y,
+        })
+        .sum();
+    if delta_y == 0.0 {
+        return;
+    }
+    for mut sp in scrollables.iter_mut() {
+        sp.0.y = (sp.0.y - delta_y).max(0.0);
    }
 }

@@ -133,9 +185,27 @@ fn spawn_profile_screen(
        ..default()
    };

-    spawn_modal(commands, ProfileScreen, Z_MODAL_PANEL, |card| {
+    let scrim = spawn_modal(commands, ProfileScreen, Z_MODAL_PANEL, |card| {
        spawn_modal_header(card, "Profile", font_res);

+        // Scrollable body — the Profile panel renders sync info,
+        // progression (incl. a 14-day calendar), every unlocked
+        // achievement (up to ~18), and a stats summary, which can
+        // overflow the modal on the 800x600 minimum window once the
+        // player has unlocked several achievements. The Done action
+        // stays fixed outside the scroll.
+        card.spawn((
+            ProfileScrollable,
+            ScrollPosition::default(),
+            Node {
+                flex_direction: FlexDirection::Column,
+                row_gap: VAL_SPACE_1,
+                max_height: Val::Vh(70.0),
+                overflow: Overflow::scroll_y(),
+                ..default()
+            },
+        ))
+        .with_children(|body| {
            // First-launch welcome — only when the player has zero XP and
            // zero daily streak, so the profile doesn't read as a wall of
            // zeros to a brand-new player.
@@ -143,7 +213,7 @@ fn spawn_profile_screen(
                && p.0.total_xp == 0
                && p.0.daily_challenge_streak == 0
            {
-            card.spawn((
+                body.spawn((
                    Text::new("Welcome! Play games to earn XP and unlock achievements."),
                    font_section.clone(),
                    TextColor(ACCENT_PRIMARY),
@@ -158,14 +228,14 @@ fn spawn_profile_screen(
            }

            // ── Sync section ────────────────────────────────────────────
-        card.spawn((
+            body.spawn((
                Text::new("Sync"),
                font_section.clone(),
                TextColor(STATE_INFO),
            ));
            if let Some(s) = settings {
                let (backend_name, username) = sync_info(&s.0.sync_backend);
-            card.spawn((
+                body.spawn((
                    Text::new(format!("Account: {username}  |  Backend: {backend_name}")),
                    font_row.clone(),
                    TextColor(TEXT_PRIMARY),
@@ -180,7 +250,7 @@ fn spawn_profile_screen(
                    }
                    SyncStatus::Error(e) => format!("Sync error: {e}"),
                };
-            card.spawn((
+                body.spawn((
                    Text::new(status_text),
                    font_row.clone(),
                    TextColor(TEXT_SECONDARY),
@@ -188,8 +258,8 @@ fn spawn_profile_screen(
            }

            // ── Progression section ─────────────────────────────────────
-        spawn_spacer(card, VAL_SPACE_2);
-        card.spawn((
+            spawn_spacer(body, VAL_SPACE_2);
+            body.spawn((
                Text::new("Progression"),
                font_section.clone(),
                TextColor(STATE_INFO),
@@ -202,7 +272,7 @@ fn spawn_profile_screen(
                } else {
                    xp_done.saturating_mul(100).checked_div(xp_span).unwrap_or(100)
                };
-            card.spawn((
+                body.spawn((
                    Text::new(format!(
                        "Level {}  \u{2014}  {} XP  ({}/{} to next, {}%)",
                        prog.level, prog.total_xp, xp_done, xp_span, pct
@@ -210,7 +280,7 @@ fn spawn_profile_screen(
                    font_row.clone(),
                    TextColor(TEXT_PRIMARY),
                ));
-            card.spawn((
+                body.spawn((
                    Text::new(format!(
                        "Daily streak: {}  |  Card backs: {}  |  Backgrounds: {}",
                        prog.daily_challenge_streak,
@@ -223,7 +293,7 @@ fn spawn_profile_screen(

                // 14-day daily-challenge calendar row.
                spawn_daily_calendar(
-                card,
+                    body,
                    &prog.daily_challenge_history,
                    prog.daily_challenge_streak,
                    prog.daily_challenge_longest_streak,
@@ -233,8 +303,8 @@ fn spawn_profile_screen(
            }

            // ── Achievements section ────────────────────────────────────
-        spawn_spacer(card, VAL_SPACE_2);
-        card.spawn((
+            spawn_spacer(body, VAL_SPACE_2);
+            body.spawn((
                Text::new("Achievements"),
                font_section.clone(),
                TextColor(STATE_INFO),
@@ -242,7 +312,7 @@ fn spawn_profile_screen(
            if let Some(ar) = achievements {
                let records = &ar.0;
                let unlocked_count = records.iter().filter(|r| r.unlocked).count();
-            card.spawn((
+                body.spawn((
                    Text::new(format!("{unlocked_count} / 18 unlocked")),
                    font_row.clone(),
                    TextColor(ACCENT_PRIMARY),
@@ -264,14 +334,14 @@ fn spawn_profile_screen(
                        Some(dt) => format!("  ({})", dt.format("%Y-%m-%d")),
                        None => String::new(),
                    };
-                card.spawn((
+                    body.spawn((
                        Text::new(format!("  [x] {name}{date_str}")),
                        font_row.clone(),
                        TextColor(STATE_SUCCESS),
                    ));
                }
                if !any_unlocked {
-                card.spawn((
+                    body.spawn((
                        Text::new("  No achievements unlocked yet."),
                        font_row.clone(),
                        TextColor(TEXT_SECONDARY),
@@ -280,8 +350,8 @@ fn spawn_profile_screen(
            }

            // ── Statistics summary section ──────────────────────────────
-        spawn_spacer(card, VAL_SPACE_2);
-        card.spawn((
+            spawn_spacer(body, VAL_SPACE_2);
+            body.spawn((
                Text::new("Statistics Summary"),
                font_section.clone(),
                TextColor(STATE_INFO),
@@ -293,7 +363,7 @@ fn spawn_profile_screen(
                } else {
                    s.best_single_score.to_string()
                };
-            card.spawn((
+                body.spawn((
                    Text::new(format!(
                        "Played: {}  |  Won: {}  |  Win rate: {}  |  Best time: {}",
                        s.games_played,
@@ -304,7 +374,7 @@ fn spawn_profile_screen(
                    font_row.clone(),
                    TextColor(TEXT_PRIMARY),
                ));
-            card.spawn((
+                body.spawn((
                    Text::new(format!(
                        "Win streak: {} current, {} best  |  Best score: {}",
                        s.win_streak_current, s.win_streak_best, best_score_str,
@@ -313,6 +383,7 @@ fn spawn_profile_screen(
                    TextColor(TEXT_PRIMARY),
                ));
            }
+        });

        spawn_modal_actions(card, |actions| {
            spawn_modal_button(
@@ -325,6 +396,8 @@ fn spawn_profile_screen(
            );
        });
    });
+    // Profile is read-only — opt into click-outside-to-dismiss.
+    commands.entity(scrim).insert(ScrimDismissible);
 }

 /// Spawn a fixed-height vertical spacer node.
@@ -503,6 +576,36 @@ mod tests {
        );
    }

+    #[test]
+    fn profile_modal_body_is_scrollable() {
+        let mut app = headless_app();
+        app.world_mut()
+            .resource_mut::<ButtonInput<KeyCode>>()
+            .press(KeyCode::KeyP);
+        app.update();
+
+        let count = app
+            .world_mut()
+            .query::<&ProfileScrollable>()
+            .iter(app.world())
+            .count();
+        assert_eq!(
+            count, 1,
+            "Profile modal must spawn exactly one ProfileScrollable body"
+        );
+
+        let mut q = app
+            .world_mut()
+            .query_filtered::<&Node, With<ProfileScrollable>>();
+        let nodes: Vec<&Node> = q.iter(app.world()).collect();
+        assert_ne!(
+            nodes[0].max_height,
+            Val::Auto,
+            "scrollable body must set a non-default max_height"
+        );
+        assert_eq!(nodes[0].overflow, Overflow::scroll_y());
+    }
+
    #[test]
    fn pressing_p_twice_closes_profile_screen() {
        let mut app = headless_app();
@@ -0,0 +1,565 @@
+//! On-screen overlay shown while a recorded [`Replay`] plays back.
+//!
+//! The overlay is a thin top-of-window banner with three pieces of UI:
+//!
+//! - A "Replay" label on the left so the player knows the surface is
+//!   under playback control rather than live input.
+//! - A "Move N of M" progress indicator in the centre, recomputed every
+//!   frame the cursor advances.
+//! - A "Stop" button on the right that aborts playback and returns
+//!   control to the player.
+//!
+//! When playback finishes ([`ReplayPlaybackState::Completed`]) the banner
+//! label swaps to "Replay complete" and stays visible until the playback
+//! core auto-clears the resource back to [`ReplayPlaybackState::Inactive`]
+//! a few seconds later, at which point the overlay despawns.
+//!
+//! The overlay sits at z-layer [`Z_REPLAY_OVERLAY`] — above gameplay but
+//! below every modal layer ([`Z_MODAL_SCRIM`] and up). That ordering lets
+//! the player still open Settings, Pause, and Help during a replay; those
+//! modals will render on top of the banner as expected.
+//!
+//! [`Replay`]: solitaire_data::Replay
+//! [`Z_MODAL_SCRIM`]: crate::ui_theme::Z_MODAL_SCRIM
+
+use bevy::prelude::*;
+
+use crate::font_plugin::FontResource;
+use crate::replay_playback::{stop_replay_playback, ReplayPlaybackState};
+use crate::ui_modal::{spawn_modal_button, ButtonVariant};
+use crate::ui_theme::{
+    ACCENT_PRIMARY, BG_ELEVATED_HI, TEXT_PRIMARY, TYPE_BODY, TYPE_HEADLINE, VAL_SPACE_2,
+    VAL_SPACE_4, Z_DROP_OVERLAY,
+};
+
+// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// Z-index — see `ui_theme::Z_MODAL_SCRIM` (200) for the next layer above.
+// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+/// `bevy::ui` `ZIndex` value for the replay overlay banner.
+///
+/// Numeric value is `Z_DROP_OVERLAY as i32 + 5 = 55`; chosen so the banner
+/// sits clearly above the HUD top layer (`Z_HUD_TOP = 60` is intentionally
+/// **below** modals, but the overlay needs to be above HUD readouts) yet
+/// well below `Z_MODAL_SCRIM = 200` so Settings, Pause, and Help modals
+/// continue to render on top of the overlay during a replay.
+///
+/// The `Z_DROP_OVERLAY + 5` formula in the spec is reproduced here as an
+/// integer because `Z_DROP_OVERLAY` itself is a `f32` Sprite-space z used
+/// for the drop-target overlay sprites — UI nodes use `i32` `ZIndex`, so
+/// we materialise a separate constant rather than reuse the `f32` value.
+pub const Z_REPLAY_OVERLAY: i32 = Z_DROP_OVERLAY as i32 + 5;
+
+/// Total height of the banner in pixels. Thin enough to leave the
+/// gameplay surface visible underneath, tall enough to comfortably fit
+/// the headline-sized "Replay" label.
+const BANNER_HEIGHT: f32 = 48.0;
+
+/// Background colour alpha for the banner. `BG_ELEVATED_HI` at this alpha
+/// reads as a clear "this is a UI strip" callout while still letting the
+/// felt show through enough to anchor the banner to the play surface.
+const BANNER_ALPHA: f32 = 0.92;
+
+// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// Marker components
+// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+/// Marker on the banner's root `Node`. Used by the spawn / despawn /
+/// progress-update systems to find the overlay.
+#[derive(Component, Debug)]
+pub struct ReplayOverlayRoot;
+
+/// Marker on the left-hand banner label `Text`. Carries either "Replay"
+/// (during playback) or "Replay complete" (once finished); the
+/// completion-text-update system swaps the contents in place.
+#[derive(Component, Debug)]
+pub struct ReplayOverlayBannerText;
+
+/// Marker on the centre progress `Text`. Updated every frame to reflect
+/// the current `(cursor, total)` returned by
+/// [`ReplayPlaybackState::progress`].
+#[derive(Component, Debug)]
+pub struct ReplayOverlayProgressText;
+
+/// Marker on the right-hand "Stop" button. Click handler queries for this
+/// and calls [`stop_replay_playback`] when an `Interaction::Pressed`
+/// transition is seen.
+#[derive(Component, Debug)]
+pub struct ReplayStopButton;
+
+// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// Plugin
+// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+/// Bevy plugin that registers every system needed to drive the replay
+/// overlay's lifecycle.
+///
+/// The plugin is independent of [`crate::replay_playback::ReplayPlaybackPlugin`]
+/// — it only reads the shared `ReplayPlaybackState` resource. Tests insert
+/// the resource manually and exercise the overlay in isolation.
+pub struct ReplayOverlayPlugin;
+
+impl Plugin for ReplayOverlayPlugin {
+    fn build(&self, app: &mut App) {
+        // The systems are ordered so that, on a single frame:
+        //   1. The state-watcher spawns or despawns the overlay if the
+        //      `ReplayPlaybackState` resource changed.
+        //   2. The completion-text update swaps the banner label when the
+        //      state is `Completed`.
+        //   3. The progress-text update writes the latest "Move N of M".
+        //   4. The Stop-button click handler reads `Interaction::Pressed`
+        //      and calls `stop_replay_playback` (which mutates the state).
+        // Putting Stop last means a click in frame N is observed by
+        // `react_to_state_change` in frame N+1, which then despawns the
+        // overlay in response — a clean state-driven loop.
+        app.add_systems(
+            Update,
+            (
+                react_to_state_change,
+                update_banner_label,
+                update_progress_text,
+                handle_stop_button,
+            )
+                .chain(),
+        );
+    }
+}
+
+// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// Spawning
+// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+/// Reads [`ReplayPlaybackState`] every time the resource changes and either
+/// spawns or despawns the overlay accordingly. Treats the resource as the
+/// single source of truth — the spawn / despawn decision is derived from
+/// `is_playing() || is_completed()` rather than tracking previous-state
+/// transitions explicitly, which keeps the system stateless.
+fn react_to_state_change(
+    mut commands: Commands,
+    state: Res<ReplayPlaybackState>,
+    existing: Query<Entity, With<ReplayOverlayRoot>>,
+    font_res: Option<Res<FontResource>>,
+) {
+    if !state.is_changed() {
+        return;
+    }
+
+    let should_be_visible = state.is_playing() || state.is_completed();
+    let already_spawned = existing.iter().next().is_some();
+
+    if should_be_visible && !already_spawned {
+        spawn_overlay(&mut commands, font_res.as_deref(), &state);
+    } else if !should_be_visible && already_spawned {
+        for entity in &existing {
+            commands.entity(entity).despawn();
+        }
+    }
+    // The `should_be_visible && already_spawned` branch is a no-op here —
+    // the per-frame text update systems below repaint the banner label
+    // and progress readout in place without a respawn.
+}
+
+/// Spawns the banner — a flex-row Node anchored to the top edge of the
+/// window with three children: the "Replay" / "Replay complete" label,
+/// the centred progress text, and the right-aligned Stop button.
+fn spawn_overlay(
+    commands: &mut Commands,
+    font_res: Option<&FontResource>,
+    state: &ReplayPlaybackState,
+) {
+    let font_handle = font_res.map(|f| f.0.clone()).unwrap_or_default();
+
+    let banner_label = if state.is_completed() {
+        "Replay complete"
+    } else {
+        "Replay"
+    };
+    let progress_label = format_progress(state);
+
+    let banner_bg = Color::srgba(
+        BG_ELEVATED_HI.to_srgba().red,
+        BG_ELEVATED_HI.to_srgba().green,
+        BG_ELEVATED_HI.to_srgba().blue,
+        BANNER_ALPHA,
+    );
+
+    commands
+        .spawn((
+            ReplayOverlayRoot,
+            Node {
+                position_type: PositionType::Absolute,
+                left: Val::Px(0.0),
+                top: Val::Px(0.0),
+                width: Val::Percent(100.0),
+                height: Val::Px(BANNER_HEIGHT),
+                flex_direction: FlexDirection::Row,
+                align_items: AlignItems::Center,
+                justify_content: JustifyContent::SpaceBetween,
+                padding: UiRect::axes(VAL_SPACE_4, VAL_SPACE_2),
+                column_gap: VAL_SPACE_4,
+                ..default()
+            },
+            BackgroundColor(banner_bg),
+            // Pin the banner to its z layer in both the local and the
+            // global stacking context — `GlobalZIndex` matters because
+            // the overlay is a top-level Node (no parent), and Bevy 0.18
+            // has historically had subtle stacking-context drift here.
+            ZIndex(Z_REPLAY_OVERLAY),
+            GlobalZIndex(Z_REPLAY_OVERLAY),
+        ))
+        .with_children(|banner| {
+            // Left: "Replay" label in the loud yellow accent so it reads
+            // unmistakably as a non-gameplay surface.
+            banner.spawn((
+                ReplayOverlayBannerText,
+                Text::new(banner_label),
+                TextFont {
+                    font: font_handle.clone(),
+                    font_size: TYPE_HEADLINE,
+                    ..default()
+                },
+                TextColor(ACCENT_PRIMARY),
+            ));
+
+            // Centre: progress readout — neutral primary text colour so
+            // the eye treats it as data, not a callout.
+            banner.spawn((
+                ReplayOverlayProgressText,
+                Text::new(progress_label),
+                TextFont {
+                    font: font_handle,
+                    font_size: TYPE_BODY,
+                    ..default()
+                },
+                TextColor(TEXT_PRIMARY),
+            ));
+
+            // Right: Stop button. Tertiary variant — the action is
+            // available but not the loudest element in the banner; the
+            // "Replay" yellow accent owns that slot. `spawn_modal_button`
+            // gives us hover / press paint and focus rings for free via
+            // the existing `UiModalPlugin` paint system.
+            banner
+                .spawn(Node {
+                    flex_direction: FlexDirection::Row,
+                    align_items: AlignItems::Center,
+                    column_gap: VAL_SPACE_2,
+                    ..default()
+                })
+                .with_children(|wrap| {
+                    spawn_modal_button(
+                        wrap,
+                        ReplayStopButton,
+                        "Stop",
+                        None,
+                        ButtonVariant::Tertiary,
+                        font_res,
+                    );
+                });
+        });
+}
+
+// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// Per-frame text updates
+// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+/// Overwrites the banner label whenever the resource changes — covers the
+/// `Playing → Completed` transition by swapping "Replay" for
+/// "Replay complete" in place without despawning the overlay.
+fn update_banner_label(
+    state: Res<ReplayPlaybackState>,
+    mut q: Query<&mut Text, With<ReplayOverlayBannerText>>,
+) {
+    if !state.is_changed() {
+        return;
+    }
+    let label = if state.is_completed() {
+        "Replay complete"
+    } else if state.is_playing() {
+        "Replay"
+    } else {
+        return;
+    };
+    for mut text in &mut q {
+        **text = label.to_string();
+    }
+}
+
+/// Repaints the "Move N of M" centre readout every frame the cursor moves.
+/// Cheap — early-exits if the resource has not changed since the last
+/// frame so idle replays don't churn the text mesh.
+fn update_progress_text(
+    state: Res<ReplayPlaybackState>,
+    mut q: Query<&mut Text, With<ReplayOverlayProgressText>>,
+) {
+    if !state.is_changed() {
+        return;
+    }
+    let label = format_progress(&state);
+    for mut text in &mut q {
+        **text = label.clone();
+    }
+}
+
+/// Pure helper — formats the centre progress readout for the given state.
+/// Exposed at module scope so the spawn path and the per-frame update
+/// path produce the exact same string.
+fn format_progress(state: &ReplayPlaybackState) -> String {
+    match state.progress() {
+        Some((cursor, total)) => format!("Move {cursor} of {total}"),
+        None if state.is_completed() => "Replay complete".to_string(),
+        None => String::new(),
+    }
+}
+
+// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// Stop button handler
+// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+/// Watches the Stop button for `Interaction::Pressed` transitions. On a
+/// click, calls [`stop_replay_playback`] which resets the state to
+/// `Inactive`; the next frame's `react_to_state_change` then despawns
+/// the overlay.
+fn handle_stop_button(
+    mut commands: Commands,
+    mut state: ResMut<ReplayPlaybackState>,
+    buttons: Query<&Interaction, (With<ReplayStopButton>, Changed<Interaction>)>,
+) {
+    if !buttons.iter().any(|i| *i == Interaction::Pressed) {
+        return;
+    }
+    stop_replay_playback(&mut commands, &mut state);
+}
+
+// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// Tests
+// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod tests {
+    use super::*;
+    use chrono::NaiveDate;
+    use solitaire_core::game_state::{DrawMode, GameMode};
+    use solitaire_data::{Replay, ReplayMove};
+
+    /// Build a minimal but well-formed [`Replay`] with `move_count` no-op
+    /// `StockClick` entries. Tests only ever read `replay.moves.len()`
+    /// (denominator of the progress indicator), so the move kind is
+    /// irrelevant beyond producing the right count.
+    fn synthetic_replay(move_count: usize) -> Replay {
+        Replay::new(
+            42,
+            DrawMode::DrawOne,
+            GameMode::Classic,
+            120,
+            1_000,
+            NaiveDate::from_ymd_opt(2026, 5, 2).expect("valid date"),
+            (0..move_count).map(|_| ReplayMove::StockClick).collect(),
+        )
+    }
+
+    /// Build a test app that has the overlay plugin but **not** the
+    /// playback plugin — tests insert `ReplayPlaybackState` manually so
+    /// they can drive every state transition deterministically.
+    fn headless_app() -> App {
+        let mut app = App::new();
+        app.add_plugins(MinimalPlugins).add_plugins(ReplayOverlayPlugin);
+        app.init_resource::<ReplayPlaybackState>();
+        app
+    }
+
+    /// Count `ReplayOverlayRoot` entities in the world — the overlay's
+    /// presence/absence is the spawn-test's primary observable.
+    fn overlay_root_count(app: &mut App) -> usize {
+        app.world_mut()
+            .query::<&ReplayOverlayRoot>()
+            .iter(app.world())
+            .count()
+    }
+
+    /// Read the current text content of the unique progress-text entity.
+    fn progress_text(app: &mut App) -> String {
+        let mut q = app
+            .world_mut()
+            .query_filtered::<&Text, With<ReplayOverlayProgressText>>();
+        q.iter(app.world())
+            .next()
+            .map(|t| t.0.clone())
+            .unwrap_or_default()
+    }
+
+    /// Read the current text content of the unique banner-label entity.
+    fn banner_text(app: &mut App) -> String {
+        let mut q = app
+            .world_mut()
+            .query_filtered::<&Text, With<ReplayOverlayBannerText>>();
+        q.iter(app.world())
+            .next()
+            .map(|t| t.0.clone())
+            .unwrap_or_default()
+    }
+
+    /// Set the playback resource without going through the playback core.
+    fn set_state(app: &mut App, state: ReplayPlaybackState) {
+        app.world_mut().insert_resource(state);
+    }
+
+    /// Find the unique `ReplayStopButton` entity for the click-handler
+    /// test. There must be exactly one.
+    fn stop_button_entity(app: &mut App) -> Entity {
+        let mut q = app
+            .world_mut()
+            .query_filtered::<Entity, With<ReplayStopButton>>();
+        q.iter(app.world())
+            .next()
+            .expect("Stop button must exist while overlay is spawned")
+    }
+
+    /// Going `Inactive → Playing` spawns exactly one overlay root and
+    /// the banner label reads "Replay".
+    #[test]
+    fn overlay_spawns_when_playback_starts() {
+        let mut app = headless_app();
+        // First update with the default `Inactive` resource — overlay
+        // must not exist yet.
+        app.update();
+        assert_eq!(overlay_root_count(&mut app), 0);
+
+        set_state(
+            &mut app,
+            ReplayPlaybackState::Playing {
+                replay: synthetic_replay(10),
+                cursor: 0,
+                secs_to_next: 0.5,
+            },
+        );
+        app.update();
+
+        assert_eq!(
+            overlay_root_count(&mut app),
+            1,
+            "exactly one ReplayOverlayRoot must spawn on Inactive → Playing",
+        );
+        assert_eq!(banner_text(&mut app), "Replay");
+    }
+
+    /// The progress-text entity reads `"Move {cursor} of {total}"` for a
+    /// well-formed `Playing` state.
+    #[test]
+    fn overlay_progress_text_reflects_cursor() {
+        let mut app = headless_app();
+        set_state(
+            &mut app,
+            ReplayPlaybackState::Playing {
+                replay: synthetic_replay(10),
+                cursor: 5,
+                secs_to_next: 0.5,
+            },
+        );
+        app.update();
+
+        assert_eq!(progress_text(&mut app), "Move 5 of 10");
+    }
+
+    /// Pressing the Stop button resets the state back to `Inactive` and
+    /// the next frame's `react_to_state_change` despawns the overlay.
+    /// Mirrors the synthetic `Interaction::Pressed` insertion pattern
+    /// used elsewhere in the engine for headless click tests.
+    #[test]
+    fn overlay_stop_button_click_clears_playback() {
+        let mut app = headless_app();
+        set_state(
+            &mut app,
+            ReplayPlaybackState::Playing {
+                replay: synthetic_replay(10),
+                cursor: 0,
+                secs_to_next: 0.5,
+            },
+        );
+        app.update();
+        assert_eq!(overlay_root_count(&mut app), 1);
+
+        let stop = stop_button_entity(&mut app);
+        app.world_mut()
+            .entity_mut(stop)
+            .insert(Interaction::Pressed);
+        // Tick once: the click handler runs late in the frame and resets
+        // the state to `Inactive`.
+        app.update();
+
+        // State must be back to Inactive.
+        let state = app.world().resource::<ReplayPlaybackState>();
+        assert!(
+            matches!(state, ReplayPlaybackState::Inactive),
+            "Stop click must reset ReplayPlaybackState to Inactive; got {state:?}",
+        );
+
+        // One more tick — `react_to_state_change` sees the resource
+        // change to Inactive and despawns the overlay.
+        app.update();
+        assert_eq!(
+            overlay_root_count(&mut app),
+            0,
+            "overlay must despawn the frame after state returns to Inactive",
+        );
+    }
+
+    /// Manually flipping the resource back to `Inactive` (e.g. via the
+    /// playback core's auto-clear after `Completed`) tears the overlay
+    /// down without any further input.
+    #[test]
+    fn overlay_despawns_when_playback_returns_to_inactive() {
+        let mut app = headless_app();
+        set_state(
+            &mut app,
+            ReplayPlaybackState::Playing {
+                replay: synthetic_replay(3),
+                cursor: 1,
+                secs_to_next: 0.5,
+            },
+        );
+        app.update();
+        assert_eq!(overlay_root_count(&mut app), 1);
+
+        set_state(&mut app, ReplayPlaybackState::Inactive);
+        app.update();
+
+        assert_eq!(
+            overlay_root_count(&mut app),
+            0,
+            "overlay must despawn on Playing → Inactive transition",
+        );
+    }
+
+    /// On `Playing → Completed` the banner label updates in place rather
+    /// than respawning. The overlay must still be present, and the label
+    /// must read "Replay complete".
+    #[test]
+    fn overlay_text_changes_on_completed() {
+        let mut app = headless_app();
+        set_state(
+            &mut app,
+            ReplayPlaybackState::Playing {
+                replay: synthetic_replay(7),
+                cursor: 7,
+                secs_to_next: 0.0,
+            },
+        );
+        app.update();
+        assert_eq!(banner_text(&mut app), "Replay");
+
+        set_state(&mut app, ReplayPlaybackState::Completed);
+        app.update();
+
+        assert_eq!(
+            overlay_root_count(&mut app),
+            1,
+            "overlay must remain spawned while in Completed state",
+        );
+        assert_eq!(
+            banner_text(&mut app),
+            "Replay complete",
+            "banner label must swap on Playing → Completed",
+        );
+    }
+}
@@ -0,0 +1,833 @@
+//! In-engine replay playback core.
+//!
+//! When the player clicks "Watch replay" on the Stats overlay, the live
+//! game state is reset to the deal seeded from the replay's `seed` /
+//! `mode` / `draw_mode`, and the engine ticks through `replay.moves` at a
+//! steady cadence — firing the canonical [`MoveRequestEvent`] /
+//! [`DrawRequestEvent`] for each one. The existing animation pipeline
+//! plays back identically to a live game.
+//!
+//! ## Public surface
+//!
+//! - [`ReplayPlaybackState`] — single source of truth for whether
+//!   playback is live, how far through the move list we've ticked, and
+//!   how long until the next advance.
+//! - [`start_replay_playback`] — public entry point; the Stats
+//!   "Watch replay" button calls this. Resets the game to the recorded
+//!   deal and transitions the state machine to
+//!   [`ReplayPlaybackState::Playing`].
+//! - [`stop_replay_playback`] — interrupts playback at any time. Safe to
+//!   call when [`ReplayPlaybackState::Inactive`].
+//! - [`ReplayPlaybackPlugin`] — registers the resource and the tick /
+//!   linger systems.
+//!
+//! ## Coordination note
+//!
+//! This module is built in parallel with the Stats-side overlay. The
+//! resource shape, helper signatures, and plugin marker match the
+//! contract the overlay agent reads against — see also the docs on the
+//! enum variants.
+//!
+//! ## Recording is paused during playback
+//!
+//! Playback fires the same [`MoveRequestEvent`] / [`DrawRequestEvent`]
+//! the live engine handles. Without intervention, [`RecordingReplay`]
+//! would re-record those events and a replay would re-record itself
+//! indefinitely. To prevent that, [`record_replay_skip_during_playback`]
+//! snapshots the recording's length at the start of playback and
+//! truncates the buffer back to that length every frame. This keeps
+//! the recording contract opaque to `game_plugin` — no event-source
+//! flag is threaded through, no every-callsite gate is added.
+
+use bevy::prelude::*;
+use solitaire_data::{Replay, ReplayMove};
+
+use crate::events::{DrawRequestEvent, MoveRequestEvent, StateChangedEvent};
+use crate::game_plugin::{GameMutation, RecordingReplay};
+use crate::resources::GameStateResource;
+use crate::settings_plugin::SettingsResource;
+
+/// Default per-move duration during playback, in seconds. Acts as the
+/// fallback when `SettingsResource` is absent — i.e. in headless test
+/// fixtures that don't install [`crate::settings_plugin::SettingsPlugin`].
+/// In production the live value is read from
+/// [`solitaire_data::Settings::replay_move_interval_secs`] every frame
+/// so Settings adjustments take effect on the next playback tick.
+///
+/// Kept in sync with `solitaire_data::settings::default_replay_move_interval_secs`
+/// (the data crate cannot depend on this engine crate, so the constant
+/// is duplicated). The
+/// `settings_replay_move_interval_default_matches_engine_constant`
+/// test in `solitaire_engine::settings_plugin` enforces equality.
+pub const REPLAY_MOVE_INTERVAL_SECS: f32 = 0.45;
+
+/// Helper: returns the live per-move replay interval. Reads
+/// [`SettingsResource::replay_move_interval_secs`] when the resource is
+/// installed, falling back to [`REPLAY_MOVE_INTERVAL_SECS`] otherwise.
+/// Also clamps below by `f32::EPSILON` so a hand-edited 0.0 cannot
+/// busy-loop the playback tick.
+fn current_move_interval_secs(settings: Option<&SettingsResource>) -> f32 {
+    let raw = settings
+        .map(|s| s.0.replay_move_interval_secs)
+        .unwrap_or(REPLAY_MOVE_INTERVAL_SECS);
+    raw.max(f32::EPSILON)
+}
+
+/// How long the [`ReplayPlaybackState::Completed`] state lingers before
+/// the auto-clear system transitions it back to
+/// [`ReplayPlaybackState::Inactive`]. Gives the overlay UI time to
+/// display "Replay complete" before dismissing.
+pub const REPLAY_COMPLETION_LINGER_SECS: f32 = 5.0;
+
+/// Lifecycle state of an in-flight replay playback.
+///
+/// The default state is [`Inactive`](Self::Inactive) — no replay is
+/// running. The overlay (and any other consumer) reads this resource to
+/// decide whether the "Replay" banner should be visible and what
+/// progress to display.
+///
+/// Lifecycle:
+/// 1. Default state is [`Inactive`](Self::Inactive).
+/// 2. [`start_replay_playback`] transitions to
+///    [`Playing`](Self::Playing) and resets the live `GameState` to the
+///    replay's recorded deal.
+/// 3. The tick system [`tick_replay_playback`] advances `cursor` once
+///    per [`REPLAY_MOVE_INTERVAL_SECS`] and fires the canonical event
+///    for each [`ReplayMove`].
+/// 4. When `cursor == replay.moves.len()`, the state transitions to
+///    [`Completed`](Self::Completed). It lingers for
+///    [`REPLAY_COMPLETION_LINGER_SECS`] (driven by
+///    [`auto_clear_completed_replay`]) before returning to
+///    [`Inactive`](Self::Inactive).
+/// 5. [`stop_replay_playback`] interrupts at any time and forces the
+///    state back to [`Inactive`](Self::Inactive).
+#[derive(Resource, Debug, Default)]
+pub enum ReplayPlaybackState {
+    /// No replay is being played back. The overlay despawns itself when
+    /// the resource transitions back to this variant.
+    #[default]
+    Inactive,
+    /// A replay is currently being played back. The overlay reads
+    /// `replay.moves.len()` for the denominator of the progress
+    /// indicator and `cursor` for the numerator.
+    Playing {
+        /// The replay being played back. Owned so the state is the
+        /// only place playback metadata lives — no separate resource
+        /// needed.
+        replay: Replay,
+        /// Index of the next move to apply, in `[0, replay.moves.len()]`.
+        cursor: usize,
+        /// Seconds remaining until the next move is dispatched.
+        secs_to_next: f32,
+    },
+    /// The replay finished playing back. The overlay swaps the banner
+    /// label to "Replay complete" until [`auto_clear_completed_replay`]
+    /// transitions back to [`Inactive`](Self::Inactive) a few seconds
+    /// later.
+    Completed,
+}
+
+impl ReplayPlaybackState {
+    /// Returns `true` when a replay is currently being played back.
+    pub fn is_playing(&self) -> bool {
+        matches!(self, Self::Playing { .. })
+    }
+
+    /// Returns `true` when the replay has finished but the resource has
+    /// not yet been auto-cleared back to [`Self::Inactive`].
+    pub fn is_completed(&self) -> bool {
+        matches!(self, Self::Completed)
+    }
+
+    /// Returns `(cursor, total)` when a replay is in progress so the
+    /// overlay can render `"Move N of M"`. Returns `None` while
+    /// [`Inactive`](Self::Inactive) or [`Completed`](Self::Completed) —
+    /// the replay is consumed when transitioning out of `Playing`, so
+    /// the total is no longer available in `Completed`.
+    pub fn progress(&self) -> Option<(usize, usize)> {
+        match self {
+            Self::Playing { replay, cursor, .. } => Some((*cursor, replay.moves.len())),
+            Self::Inactive | Self::Completed => None,
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+/// Public entry point — call from the Stats "Watch replay" button
+/// handler.
+///
+/// Resets the live [`GameStateResource`] to a fresh deal seeded from
+/// `replay.seed` / `replay.draw_mode` / `replay.mode` (via
+/// [`Commands::insert_resource`]), then transitions the state machine
+/// to [`ReplayPlaybackState::Playing`] with `cursor: 0` and
+/// `secs_to_next: REPLAY_MOVE_INTERVAL_SECS`.
+///
+/// `commands` is used to overwrite [`GameStateResource`] in a deferred
+/// flush — equivalent to what `handle_new_game` does, minus the
+/// [`crate::events::NewGameRequestEvent`] round-trip and the
+/// abandon-current-game confirmation modal (which would block playback
+/// indefinitely). Using `Commands` rather than [`crate::events::NewGameRequestEvent`]
+/// also sidesteps the fact that `NewGameRequestEvent` has no
+/// `draw_mode_override` field — `handle_new_game` always reads
+/// `draw_mode` from `Settings`, which would silently coerce a Draw-1
+/// replay into a Draw-3 game (or vice versa) when the player's
+/// settings disagree with the recording.
+///
+/// Safe to call from any state — if a replay is already playing it is
+/// dropped and the new one starts immediately.
+pub fn start_replay_playback(
+    commands: &mut Commands,
+    state: &mut ResMut<ReplayPlaybackState>,
+    replay: Replay,
+) {
+    use solitaire_core::game_state::GameState;
+
+    let fresh = GameState::new_with_mode(replay.seed, replay.draw_mode.clone(), replay.mode);
+    commands.insert_resource(GameStateResource(fresh));
+
+    // Initial `secs_to_next` uses the constant rather than reading
+    // `SettingsResource` because this entry point takes `Commands` /
+    // `ResMut<ReplayPlaybackState>` only. The first-tick latency may
+    // therefore lag the configured interval by up to ~0.45 s on an
+    // unusually short setting; subsequent ticks read the live setting
+    // every frame via [`tick_replay_playback`].
+    **state = ReplayPlaybackState::Playing {
+        replay,
+        cursor: 0,
+        secs_to_next: REPLAY_MOVE_INTERVAL_SECS,
+    };
+}
+
+/// Aborts an in-flight replay playback and resets
+/// [`ReplayPlaybackState`] back to [`ReplayPlaybackState::Inactive`].
+///
+/// Safe to call from any state — when already
+/// [`ReplayPlaybackState::Inactive`] it simply re-asserts inactivity.
+///
+/// The current [`GameStateResource`] is left as-is: the player sees the
+/// replay's most-recently-applied state until they start a fresh game
+/// manually. This avoids forcing an extra deal animation in their face
+/// the moment they cancel.
+///
+/// `commands` is currently unused but accepted to match the
+/// [`start_replay_playback`] signature — leaves room to hook in
+/// cleanup (e.g. despawning playback-only overlays) without a future
+/// API break.
+pub fn stop_replay_playback(
+    _commands: &mut Commands,
+    state: &mut ResMut<ReplayPlaybackState>,
+) {
+    **state = ReplayPlaybackState::Inactive;
+}
+
+/// Tick system. Runs every frame; only does work when
+/// [`ReplayPlaybackState::is_playing`].
+///
+/// Drains `secs_to_next` by `time.delta_secs()`. When the countdown
+/// expires, fires the canonical event for the move at `cursor`,
+/// increments `cursor`, and resets `secs_to_next`. When `cursor`
+/// reaches `replay.moves.len()`, transitions to
+/// [`ReplayPlaybackState::Completed`].
+///
+/// The advance loop is a `while`, not an `if`, so coarse time steps
+/// (e.g. test-driven 200 ms ticks against a 450 ms interval) still
+/// fire the right number of events — accumulated debt is paid off
+/// across as many advances as needed in the same frame. In normal
+/// gameplay frame deltas are well below `REPLAY_MOVE_INTERVAL_SECS`,
+/// so the loop runs at most once per frame.
+fn tick_replay_playback(
+    time: Res<Time>,
+    settings: Option<Res<SettingsResource>>,
+    mut state: ResMut<ReplayPlaybackState>,
+    mut moves_writer: MessageWriter<MoveRequestEvent>,
+    mut draws_writer: MessageWriter<DrawRequestEvent>,
+) {
+    let dt = time.delta_secs();
+    let interval = current_move_interval_secs(settings.as_deref());
+    let mut transition_to_completed = false;
+
+    if let ReplayPlaybackState::Playing {
+        replay,
+        cursor,
+        secs_to_next,
+    } = state.as_mut()
+    {
+        *secs_to_next -= dt;
+        while *secs_to_next <= 0.0 && *cursor < replay.moves.len() {
+            match &replay.moves[*cursor] {
+                ReplayMove::Move { from, to, count } => {
+                    moves_writer.write(MoveRequestEvent {
+                        from: from.clone(),
+                        to: to.clone(),
+                        count: *count,
+                    });
+                }
+                ReplayMove::StockClick => {
+                    draws_writer.write(DrawRequestEvent);
+                }
+            }
+            *cursor += 1;
+            *secs_to_next += interval;
+        }
+
+        if *cursor >= replay.moves.len() {
+            transition_to_completed = true;
+        }
+    }
+
+    if transition_to_completed {
+        *state = ReplayPlaybackState::Completed;
+    }
+}
+
+/// Local timer for the [`ReplayPlaybackState::Completed`] linger.
+/// Resets to zero whenever the state transitions out of
+/// [`ReplayPlaybackState::Completed`].
+#[derive(Default)]
+struct CompletionLinger(f32);
+
+/// Auto-clear system. While [`ReplayPlaybackState::Completed`],
+/// accumulates time and transitions back to
+/// [`ReplayPlaybackState::Inactive`] once
+/// [`REPLAY_COMPLETION_LINGER_SECS`] has elapsed.
+fn auto_clear_completed_replay(
+    time: Res<Time>,
+    mut state: ResMut<ReplayPlaybackState>,
+    mut linger: Local<CompletionLinger>,
+) {
+    if state.is_completed() {
+        linger.0 += time.delta_secs();
+        if linger.0 >= REPLAY_COMPLETION_LINGER_SECS {
+            *state = ReplayPlaybackState::Inactive;
+            linger.0 = 0.0;
+        }
+    } else {
+        // Reset whenever we're not in Completed so the next completion
+        // measures from zero rather than accumulating across cycles.
+        linger.0 = 0.0;
+    }
+}
+
+/// Local cache of the recording buffer's length at the start of
+/// playback. Lets us roll back any growth during playback without
+/// touching `game_plugin`'s recording call sites.
+#[derive(Default)]
+struct RecordingSnapshot {
+    /// `Some(len)` while playback is active. The recording is
+    /// truncated back to this length every frame so playback-driven
+    /// events leak no entries into the recorded move list. `None`
+    /// when not playing — recording behaves normally.
+    snapshot_len: Option<usize>,
+}
+
+/// Recording-pause system. While [`ReplayPlaybackState::is_playing`],
+/// snapshots the recording's length on entry and truncates the
+/// recording back to that length every frame. This keeps the live
+/// [`RecordingReplay`] opaque to `game_plugin`'s `handle_move` /
+/// `handle_draw` — those still push unconditionally; we just wipe the
+/// playback-driven entries before any other system can read them.
+///
+/// Implemented this way because [`RecordingReplay`] is mutated inside
+/// the [`GameMutation`] system set (the schedule set that owns
+/// `handle_move` / `handle_draw`). We schedule this system
+/// `.after(GameMutation)` so the truncation runs each frame *after*
+/// the unconditional push, removing the same entry the playback tick
+/// caused.
+fn record_replay_skip_during_playback(
+    state: Res<ReplayPlaybackState>,
+    mut recording: ResMut<RecordingReplay>,
+    mut snap: Local<RecordingSnapshot>,
+) {
+    // Treat `Playing` and `Completed` identically for the purpose of
+    // recording suppression. The tick system's final advance fires
+    // its event in the same frame it transitions to `Completed`; the
+    // event is then consumed by `handle_move` / `handle_draw` either
+    // this frame (race-dependent on system order) or the next. By
+    // suppressing recording growth across both states, we close that
+    // window cleanly: the snapshot survives until the resource is
+    // back to `Inactive` (auto-cleared after
+    // `REPLAY_COMPLETION_LINGER_SECS`).
+    if state.is_playing() || state.is_completed() {
+        let baseline = match snap.snapshot_len {
+            Some(n) => n,
+            None => {
+                let n = recording.moves.len();
+                snap.snapshot_len = Some(n);
+                n
+            }
+        };
+        if recording.moves.len() > baseline {
+            recording.moves.truncate(baseline);
+        }
+    } else {
+        // Drop the snapshot when neither playing nor completed so
+        // the next playback cycle re-anchors to whatever the
+        // recording is at that point.
+        snap.snapshot_len = None;
+    }
+}
+
+/// On-completion side effect: fire a single [`StateChangedEvent`] when
+/// playback transitions from `Playing` to `Completed` so any UI that
+/// listens for state mutations refreshes one final time. Cheap and
+/// idempotent — `StateChangedEvent` is a one-shot signal.
+fn fire_state_changed_on_completion(
+    state: Res<ReplayPlaybackState>,
+    mut last_was_completed: Local<bool>,
+    mut writer: MessageWriter<StateChangedEvent>,
+) {
+    let now_completed = state.is_completed();
+    if now_completed && !*last_was_completed {
+        writer.write(StateChangedEvent);
+    }
+    *last_was_completed = now_completed;
+}
+
+/// Bevy plugin that initialises [`ReplayPlaybackState`] and drives
+/// playback ticks, completion linger, and the recording-pause guard.
+///
+/// Register this in the main app alongside [`crate::game_plugin::GamePlugin`].
+/// Tests can install it under [`MinimalPlugins`] to exercise the public
+/// API without spinning up the full client.
+pub struct ReplayPlaybackPlugin;
+
+impl Plugin for ReplayPlaybackPlugin {
+    fn build(&self, app: &mut App) {
+        app.init_resource::<ReplayPlaybackState>()
+            .add_systems(
+                Update,
+                (
+                    tick_replay_playback,
+                    auto_clear_completed_replay,
+                    fire_state_changed_on_completion,
+                )
+                    .chain(),
+            )
+            .add_systems(
+                Update,
+                record_replay_skip_during_playback.after(GameMutation),
+            );
+    }
+}
+
+// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// Tests
+// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod tests {
+    use super::*;
+    use crate::game_plugin::GamePlugin;
+    use bevy::time::TimeUpdateStrategy;
+    use chrono::NaiveDate;
+    use solitaire_core::game_state::{DrawMode, GameMode};
+    use solitaire_core::pile::PileType;
+    use std::time::Duration;
+
+    /// Builds a headless `App` with `MinimalPlugins`, `GamePlugin`, and
+    /// `ReplayPlaybackPlugin`. `GamePlugin` brings the canonical
+    /// `MoveRequestEvent` / `DrawRequestEvent` registrations along with
+    /// `RecordingReplay` so the recording-pause test can read it.
+    fn headless_app() -> App {
+        let mut app = App::new();
+        app.add_plugins(MinimalPlugins)
+            .add_plugins(GamePlugin::headless())
+            .add_plugins(ReplayPlaybackPlugin);
+        // Disable game-state persistence so tests don't touch the
+        // real ~/.local/share/solitaire_quest/game_state.json.
+        app.insert_resource(crate::game_plugin::GameStatePath(None));
+        app.insert_resource(crate::game_plugin::ReplayPath(None));
+        // Tick once so any startup systems flush before the first
+        // assertion.
+        app.update();
+        app
+    }
+
+    /// `Time<Virtual>` clamps each tick to `max_delta` (default 250 ms),
+    /// so we drive 200 ms steps and call `update` enough times to pass
+    /// the requested duration.
+    fn advance_by(app: &mut App, total_secs: f32) {
+        app.insert_resource(TimeUpdateStrategy::ManualDuration(
+            Duration::from_secs_f32(0.2),
+        ));
+        let ticks = (total_secs / 0.2).ceil() as usize + 1;
+        for _ in 0..ticks {
+            app.update();
+        }
+    }
+
+    /// A 3-move replay covering both `Move` and `StockClick` variants.
+    /// Seed 12345 is arbitrary — the test asserts on event counts and
+    /// move shapes, not on board positions.
+    fn sample_replay_three_moves() -> Replay {
+        Replay::new(
+            12345,
+            DrawMode::DrawOne,
+            GameMode::Classic,
+            60,
+            500,
+            NaiveDate::from_ymd_opt(2026, 5, 5).expect("valid date"),
+            vec![
+                ReplayMove::StockClick,
+                ReplayMove::Move {
+                    from: PileType::Waste,
+                    to: PileType::Tableau(3),
+                    count: 1,
+                },
+                ReplayMove::StockClick,
+            ],
+        )
+    }
+
+    /// Scoped helper to invoke `start_replay_playback` from within the
+    /// app's `World` (the public API takes `Commands`, which only
+    /// exists inside systems). We use a one-shot system to obtain the
+    /// `Commands`.
+    fn start_playback(app: &mut App, replay: Replay) {
+        #[derive(Resource)]
+        struct ReplayInbox(Option<Replay>);
+        app.insert_resource(ReplayInbox(Some(replay)));
+
+        fn run(
+            mut commands: Commands,
+            mut state: ResMut<ReplayPlaybackState>,
+            mut inbox: ResMut<ReplayInbox>,
+        ) {
+            if let Some(replay) = inbox.0.take() {
+                start_replay_playback(&mut commands, &mut state, replay);
+            }
+        }
+        let id = app.world_mut().register_system(run);
+        app.world_mut()
+            .run_system(id)
+            .expect("one-shot start_playback");
+    }
+
+    fn stop_playback(app: &mut App) {
+        fn run(mut commands: Commands, mut state: ResMut<ReplayPlaybackState>) {
+            stop_replay_playback(&mut commands, &mut state);
+        }
+        let id = app.world_mut().register_system(run);
+        app.world_mut()
+            .run_system(id)
+            .expect("one-shot stop_playback");
+    }
+
+    /// Fresh state must be `Inactive`. After `start_replay_playback`
+    /// the state must be `Playing { cursor: 0, .. }` carrying the
+    /// supplied replay.
+    #[test]
+    fn start_replay_playback_transitions_inactive_to_playing() {
+        let mut app = headless_app();
+        assert!(matches!(
+            *app.world().resource::<ReplayPlaybackState>(),
+            ReplayPlaybackState::Inactive
+        ));
+
+        let replay = sample_replay_three_moves();
+        start_playback(&mut app, replay.clone());
+        // Apply the deferred Commands flush.
+        app.update();
+
+        let state = app.world().resource::<ReplayPlaybackState>();
+        match state {
+            ReplayPlaybackState::Playing {
+                cursor,
+                replay: r,
+                ..
+            } => {
+                assert_eq!(*cursor, 0);
+                assert_eq!(r.seed, replay.seed);
+                assert_eq!(r.moves.len(), 3);
+            }
+            other => panic!("expected Playing, got {other:?}"),
+        }
+        assert_eq!(state.progress(), Some((0, 3)));
+    }
+
+    /// One full interval (plus a small margin to clear the boundary)
+    /// must advance the cursor by at least one.
+    #[test]
+    fn tick_advances_cursor_after_interval() {
+        let mut app = headless_app();
+        start_playback(&mut app, sample_replay_three_moves());
+        app.update();
+
+        // Drive virtual time forward by one interval.
+        advance_by(&mut app, REPLAY_MOVE_INTERVAL_SECS + 0.05);
+
+        let state = app.world().resource::<ReplayPlaybackState>();
+        match state {
+            ReplayPlaybackState::Playing { cursor, .. } => {
+                assert!(
+                    *cursor >= 1,
+                    "expected cursor advanced past one move, got {cursor}",
+                );
+            }
+            other => panic!("expected Playing, got {other:?}"),
+        }
+    }
+
+    /// Driving past `n * REPLAY_MOVE_INTERVAL_SECS` must produce
+    /// `n` events that match the recorded move kinds. We register a
+    /// pair of accumulator systems that drain `MoveRequestEvent` /
+    /// `DrawRequestEvent` into resources every frame — using a
+    /// detached cursor across many `app.update()` calls is unreliable
+    /// because Bevy's `Messages` double-buffer drops events older
+    /// than two frames.
+    #[test]
+    fn tick_fires_canonical_event_for_each_move() {
+        #[derive(Resource, Default)]
+        struct CapturedMoves(Vec<MoveRequestEvent>);
+        #[derive(Resource, Default)]
+        struct CapturedDraws(usize);
+
+        fn collect_moves(
+            mut events: MessageReader<MoveRequestEvent>,
+            mut sink: ResMut<CapturedMoves>,
+        ) {
+            for ev in events.read() {
+                sink.0.push(ev.clone());
+            }
+        }
+        fn collect_draws(
+            mut events: MessageReader<DrawRequestEvent>,
+            mut sink: ResMut<CapturedDraws>,
+        ) {
+            for _ in events.read() {
+                sink.0 += 1;
+            }
+        }
+
+        let mut app = headless_app();
+        app.init_resource::<CapturedMoves>()
+            .init_resource::<CapturedDraws>()
+            .add_systems(Update, (collect_moves, collect_draws));
+
+        start_playback(&mut app, sample_replay_three_moves());
+        app.update();
+
+        // Drive through 3 intervals. Add a small margin to ensure the
+        // last firing isn't sitting exactly on the boundary.
+        advance_by(&mut app, REPLAY_MOVE_INTERVAL_SECS * 3.0 + 0.1);
+
+        let captured_moves = app.world().resource::<CapturedMoves>();
+        let captured_draws = app.world().resource::<CapturedDraws>();
+
+        // Sample replay: StockClick, Move { Waste -> Tableau(3), 1 }, StockClick.
+        assert_eq!(
+            captured_draws.0, 2,
+            "expected 2 DrawRequestEvent (two StockClicks)",
+        );
+        assert_eq!(
+            captured_moves.0.len(),
+            1,
+            "expected 1 MoveRequestEvent (the single Move variant)",
+        );
+        let m = &captured_moves.0[0];
+        assert!(matches!(m.from, PileType::Waste));
+        assert!(matches!(m.to, PileType::Tableau(3)));
+        assert_eq!(m.count, 1);
+    }
+
+    /// Driving past one interval on a single-move replay must
+    /// transition to `Completed`.
+    #[test]
+    fn playback_completes_when_cursor_reaches_end() {
+        let mut app = headless_app();
+        let one_move = Replay::new(
+            42,
+            DrawMode::DrawOne,
+            GameMode::Classic,
+            10,
+            100,
+            NaiveDate::from_ymd_opt(2026, 5, 5).expect("valid date"),
+            vec![ReplayMove::StockClick],
+        );
+        start_playback(&mut app, one_move);
+        app.update();
+
+        advance_by(&mut app, REPLAY_MOVE_INTERVAL_SECS + 0.1);
+
+        let state = app.world().resource::<ReplayPlaybackState>();
+        assert!(
+            state.is_completed(),
+            "expected Completed after consuming the only move, got {state:?}",
+        );
+    }
+
+    /// `stop_replay_playback` must force the state back to `Inactive`
+    /// even mid-playback.
+    #[test]
+    fn stop_replay_playback_returns_to_inactive() {
+        let mut app = headless_app();
+        start_playback(&mut app, sample_replay_three_moves());
+        app.update();
+        // Tick once so the state is well and truly `Playing`.
+        advance_by(&mut app, 0.1);
+        assert!(app.world().resource::<ReplayPlaybackState>().is_playing());
+
+        stop_playback(&mut app);
+        app.update();
+
+        assert!(matches!(
+            *app.world().resource::<ReplayPlaybackState>(),
+            ReplayPlaybackState::Inactive
+        ));
+    }
+
+    /// Recording must remain frozen during playback. Pre-populate the
+    /// recording with one entry, start playback, and assert the
+    /// recording's move list is unchanged after several ticks.
+    #[test]
+    fn recording_paused_during_playback() {
+        let mut app = headless_app();
+        // Pre-populate the recording with one entry that should
+        // survive playback unchanged. Mirrors the situation where the
+        // player partway through a game opens stats and clicks Watch
+        // Replay — their in-flight recording must not get clobbered.
+        {
+            let mut rec = app.world_mut().resource_mut::<RecordingReplay>();
+            rec.moves.push(ReplayMove::StockClick);
+        }
+        start_playback(&mut app, sample_replay_three_moves());
+        app.update();
+
+        let baseline_len = app.world().resource::<RecordingReplay>().moves.len();
+        assert_eq!(
+            baseline_len, 1,
+            "preconditions: recording starts with one entry",
+        );
+
+        // Drive playback through every move in the replay. Each move
+        // would normally append to `RecordingReplay`; the pause
+        // system must clamp the recording back to `baseline_len` on
+        // every frame.
+        advance_by(&mut app, REPLAY_MOVE_INTERVAL_SECS * 4.0 + 0.1);
+
+        let after_len = app.world().resource::<RecordingReplay>().moves.len();
+        assert_eq!(
+            after_len, baseline_len,
+            "recording must not grow while playback is active",
+        );
+    }
+
+    /// With `SettingsResource::replay_move_interval_secs` set to 0.10 s
+    /// (well below the 0.45 s default), playback over a fixed
+    /// wall-clock window must dispatch strictly more moves than the
+    /// same fixture would at the 0.45 s default. This is the
+    /// regression check that the tick reads from the live Settings
+    /// value rather than the hardcoded
+    /// [`REPLAY_MOVE_INTERVAL_SECS`] constant.
+    ///
+    /// The follow-up assertion exercises the boundary condition: at
+    /// the 0.10 s/move setting, exactly six 0.10 s ticks must yield
+    /// fewer moves than six 0.20 s ticks (because the latter doubles
+    /// the per-update advance and pays off two intervals each tick).
+    #[test]
+    fn replay_playback_tick_uses_settings_interval() {
+        use solitaire_data::Settings;
+
+        #[derive(Resource, Default)]
+        struct CapturedDraws(usize);
+
+        fn collect_draws(
+            mut events: MessageReader<DrawRequestEvent>,
+            mut sink: ResMut<CapturedDraws>,
+        ) {
+            for _ in events.read() {
+                sink.0 += 1;
+            }
+        }
+
+        // Long replay so the fast cadence has plenty of moves to
+        // chew through and the 0.45 s vs 0.10 s difference is easy
+        // to observe.
+        fn ten_draws_replay() -> Replay {
+            Replay::new(
+                7,
+                DrawMode::DrawOne,
+                GameMode::Classic,
+                10,
+                100,
+                NaiveDate::from_ymd_opt(2026, 5, 5).expect("valid date"),
+                vec![ReplayMove::StockClick; 10],
+            )
+        }
+
+        // ---- Run 1: 0.10 s/move (Settings override) ----
+        let mut fast_app = headless_app();
+        fast_app.insert_resource(SettingsResource(Settings {
+            replay_move_interval_secs: 0.10,
+            ..Settings::default()
+        }));
+        fast_app
+            .init_resource::<CapturedDraws>()
+            .add_systems(Update, collect_draws);
+
+        start_playback(&mut fast_app, ten_draws_replay());
+        fast_app.update();
+        // 1.0 s of virtual time at 0.10 s/move dispatches ~5 moves
+        // after the default 0.45 s startup interval is consumed.
+        advance_by(&mut fast_app, 1.0);
+        let fast_count = fast_app.world().resource::<CapturedDraws>().0;
+
+        // ---- Run 2: 0.45 s/move (default — no SettingsResource) ----
+        let mut slow_app = headless_app();
+        // `tick_replay_playback` falls back to `REPLAY_MOVE_INTERVAL_SECS`
+        // (0.45 s) when `SettingsResource` is absent.
+        slow_app
+            .init_resource::<CapturedDraws>()
+            .add_systems(Update, collect_draws);
+
+        start_playback(&mut slow_app, ten_draws_replay());
+        slow_app.update();
+        advance_by(&mut slow_app, 1.0);
+        let slow_count = slow_app.world().resource::<CapturedDraws>().0;
+
+        assert!(
+            fast_count > slow_count,
+            "at 0.10 s/move the tick must dispatch strictly more moves \
+             than at the 0.45 s default over the same wall-clock window: \
+             fast={fast_count}, slow={slow_count}",
+        );
+
+        // ---- Boundary: a 0.05 s/tick cadence over the same window
+        // dispatches NO MORE moves than a 0.10 s/tick cadence, because
+        // 0.05 s < 0.10 s configured interval — the secs_to_next clock
+        // never crosses the threshold inside a single tick. ----
+        //
+        // We don't assert "exactly zero" because the leading update()
+        // after `start_playback` may run before the strategy is
+        // applied (cf. comments on `tick_advances_cursor_after_interval`),
+        // but the count must not exceed what we'd get with one-tick
+        // advances at the same total wall-clock window.
+        fn count_after_window(interval_secs: f32, tick_secs: f32, total_secs: f32) -> usize {
+            let mut app = headless_app();
+            app.insert_resource(SettingsResource(Settings {
+                replay_move_interval_secs: interval_secs,
+                ..Settings::default()
+            }));
+            app.init_resource::<CapturedDraws>()
+                .add_systems(Update, collect_draws);
+            start_playback(&mut app, ten_draws_replay());
+            app.update();
+            app.insert_resource(TimeUpdateStrategy::ManualDuration(
+                Duration::from_secs_f32(tick_secs),
+            ));
+            let ticks = (total_secs / tick_secs).ceil() as usize + 1;
+            for _ in 0..ticks {
+                app.update();
+            }
+            app.world().resource::<CapturedDraws>().0
+        }
+
+        let count_at_05 = count_after_window(0.10, 0.05, 1.0);
+        let count_at_20 = count_after_window(0.10, 0.20, 1.0);
+        assert!(
+            count_at_05 <= count_at_20,
+            "0.05 s ticks (strictly less than the 0.10 s interval) must \
+             dispatch no more moves than 0.20 s ticks over the same \
+             wall-clock window: count_at_05={count_at_05}, count_at_20={count_at_20}",
+        );
+    }
+}
@@ -18,7 +18,8 @@ use bevy::window::{WindowMoved, WindowResized};
 use solitaire_core::game_state::DrawMode;
 use solitaire_data::{
    load_settings_from, save_settings_to, settings_file_path, settings::Theme, AnimSpeed, Settings,
-    WindowGeometry, TIME_BONUS_MULTIPLIER_STEP, TOOLTIP_DELAY_STEP_SECS,
+    WindowGeometry, REPLAY_MOVE_INTERVAL_STEP_SECS, TIME_BONUS_MULTIPLIER_STEP,
+    TOOLTIP_DELAY_STEP_SECS,
 };

 use crate::events::{ManualSyncRequestEvent, ToggleSettingsRequestEvent};
@@ -132,6 +133,17 @@ struct TooltipDelayText;
 #[derive(Component, Debug)]
 struct TimeBonusMultiplierText;

+/// Marks the `Text` node showing the live replay-playback per-move
+/// interval value. The Gameplay-section row beside this label lets the
+/// player tune `Settings::replay_move_interval_secs`.
+#[derive(Component, Debug)]
+struct ReplayMoveIntervalText;
+
+/// Marks the `Text` node showing the current "Winnable deals only"
+/// state ("ON" / "OFF") in the Gameplay section.
+#[derive(Component, Debug)]
+struct WinnableDealsOnlyText;
+
 /// Marks the scrollable inner card so the mouse-wheel system can target it.
 #[derive(Component, Debug)]
 struct SettingsPanelScrollable;
@@ -174,8 +186,19 @@ enum SettingsButton {
    TimeBonusDown,
    /// Increment the cosmetic time-bonus multiplier by one step.
    TimeBonusUp,
+    /// Decrement the replay-playback per-move interval by one step
+    /// (i.e. speed playback up).
+    ReplayMoveIntervalDown,
+    /// Increment the replay-playback per-move interval by one step
+    /// (i.e. slow playback down).
+    ReplayMoveIntervalUp,
    ToggleTheme,
    ToggleColorBlind,
+    /// Toggle the [`Settings::winnable_deals_only`] flag. When on, new
+    /// random Classic-mode deals are filtered through
+    /// [`solitaire_core::solver::try_solve`] until one is provably
+    /// winnable (or the retry cap is hit). Off by default.
+    ToggleWinnableDealsOnly,
    SyncNow,
    Done,
    /// Select a specific card-back by index from the picker row.
@@ -203,13 +226,18 @@ impl SettingsButton {
            SettingsButton::MusicUp => 21,
            // Gameplay section
            SettingsButton::ToggleDrawMode => 30,
+            SettingsButton::ToggleWinnableDealsOnly => 35,
            SettingsButton::CycleAnimSpeed => 40,
            SettingsButton::TooltipDelayDown => 45,
            SettingsButton::TooltipDelayUp => 46,
            SettingsButton::TimeBonusDown => 47,
            SettingsButton::TimeBonusUp => 48,
+            // Replay-speed slider — last Gameplay-section row, so it
+            // sits between TimeBonusUp (48) and the Cosmetic section.
+            SettingsButton::ReplayMoveIntervalDown => 49,
+            SettingsButton::ReplayMoveIntervalUp => 49,
            // Cosmetic section
-            SettingsButton::ToggleTheme => 50,
+            SettingsButton::ToggleTheme => 55,
            SettingsButton::ToggleColorBlind => 60,
            // Picker rows — every swatch in a row shares the row's
            // priority so entity-index tiebreaking yields left → right.
@@ -299,6 +327,8 @@ impl Plugin for SettingsPlugin {
                    update_color_blind_text,
                    update_tooltip_delay_text,
                    update_time_bonus_multiplier_text,
+                    update_replay_move_interval_text,
+                    update_winnable_deals_only_text,
                    attach_focusable_to_settings_buttons,
                    scroll_focus_into_view,
                ),
@@ -549,6 +579,21 @@ fn update_color_blind_text(
    }
 }

+/// Refreshes the live "Winnable deals only" toggle value in the
+/// Gameplay section whenever `SettingsResource` changes (button click,
+/// hand-edited `settings.json` reload, etc.).
+fn update_winnable_deals_only_text(
+    settings: Res<SettingsResource>,
+    mut text_nodes: Query<&mut Text, With<WinnableDealsOnlyText>>,
+) {
+    if !settings.is_changed() {
+        return;
+    }
+    for mut text in &mut text_nodes {
+        **text = winnable_deals_only_label(settings.0.winnable_deals_only);
+    }
+}
+
 /// Refreshes the live tooltip-delay value in the Gameplay section
 /// whenever `SettingsResource` changes (slider buttons, hand-edited
 /// settings.json reload, etc.).
@@ -578,6 +623,21 @@ fn update_time_bonus_multiplier_text(
    }
 }

+/// Refreshes the live replay-playback per-move-interval value in the
+/// Gameplay section whenever `SettingsResource` changes (slider buttons,
+/// hand-edited settings.json reload, etc.).
+fn update_replay_move_interval_text(
+    settings: Res<SettingsResource>,
+    mut text_nodes: Query<&mut Text, With<ReplayMoveIntervalText>>,
+) {
+    if !settings.is_changed() {
+        return;
+    }
+    for mut text in &mut text_nodes {
+        **text = replay_move_interval_label(settings.0.replay_move_interval_secs);
+    }
+}
+
 fn card_back_label(idx: usize) -> String {
    if idx == 0 {
        "Default".to_string()
@@ -738,6 +798,29 @@ fn handle_settings_buttons(
                    changed.write(SettingsChangedEvent(settings.0.clone()));
                }
            }
+            SettingsButton::ReplayMoveIntervalDown => {
+                let before = settings.0.replay_move_interval_secs;
+                let after = settings
+                    .0
+                    .adjust_replay_move_interval(-REPLAY_MOVE_INTERVAL_STEP_SECS);
+                if (before - after).abs() > f32::EPSILON {
+                    persist(&path, &settings.0);
+                    changed.write(SettingsChangedEvent(settings.0.clone()));
+                    // The Text node is refreshed by
+                    // `update_replay_move_interval_text` on the next
+                    // frame via `settings.is_changed()`.
+                }
+            }
+            SettingsButton::ReplayMoveIntervalUp => {
+                let before = settings.0.replay_move_interval_secs;
+                let after = settings
+                    .0
+                    .adjust_replay_move_interval(REPLAY_MOVE_INTERVAL_STEP_SECS);
+                if (before - after).abs() > f32::EPSILON {
+                    persist(&path, &settings.0);
+                    changed.write(SettingsChangedEvent(settings.0.clone()));
+                }
+            }
            SettingsButton::ToggleTheme => {
                settings.0.theme = match settings.0.theme {
                    Theme::Green => Theme::Blue,
@@ -758,6 +841,13 @@ fn handle_settings_buttons(
                    **t = color_blind_label(settings.0.color_blind_mode);
                }
            }
+            SettingsButton::ToggleWinnableDealsOnly => {
+                settings.0.winnable_deals_only = !settings.0.winnable_deals_only;
+                persist(&path, &settings.0);
+                changed.write(SettingsChangedEvent(settings.0.clone()));
+                // The Text node is refreshed by `update_winnable_deals_only_text`
+                // on the next frame via `settings.is_changed()`.
+            }
            SettingsButton::SelectCardBack(idx) => {
                settings.0.selected_card_back = *idx;
                persist(&path, &settings.0);
@@ -812,6 +902,13 @@ fn color_blind_label(enabled: bool) -> String {
    if enabled { "ON".into() } else { "OFF".into() }
 }

+/// Display string for the "Winnable deals only" toggle. Mirrors
+/// [`color_blind_label`] — "ON" / "OFF" — so the layout is uniform
+/// with the rest of the Gameplay-section toggles.
+fn winnable_deals_only_label(enabled: bool) -> String {
+    if enabled { "ON".into() } else { "OFF".into() }
+}
+
 /// Formats the tooltip-hover delay for display in the Settings panel.
 /// `0.0` reads as `"Instant"` so the zero-delay case has a name; any
 /// other value prints as `"{n:.1} s"` (e.g. `"0.5 s"`, `"1.2 s"`).
@@ -835,6 +932,14 @@ fn time_bonus_label(value: f32) -> String {
    }
 }

+/// Formats the replay-playback per-move interval for display in the
+/// Settings panel. Mirrors [`tooltip_delay_label`] for parity — the
+/// readout is `"{n:.2} s/move"` (e.g. `"0.45 s/move"`, `"0.10 s/move"`),
+/// using two decimal places because the step is 0.05 s.
+fn replay_move_interval_label(secs: f32) -> String {
+    format!("{secs:.2} s/move")
+}
+
 /// Auto-attaches [`Focusable`] to every bespoke Settings button — icon
 /// buttons (volume +/−, toggle, cycle), swatch buttons (card-back,
 /// background pickers), and the "Sync Now" button. The "Done" button is
@@ -1158,6 +1263,16 @@ fn spawn_settings_panel(
                "Switch between Draw 1 and Draw 3. Takes effect next deal.",
                font_res,
            );
+            toggle_row(
+                body,
+                "Winnable deals only",
+                WinnableDealsOnlyText,
+                winnable_deals_only_label(settings.winnable_deals_only),
+                SettingsButton::ToggleWinnableDealsOnly,
+                "When on, fresh Classic deals are filtered through a solver \
+                 (may take a moment when on).",
+                font_res,
+            );
            toggle_row(
                body,
                "Anim Speed",
@@ -1177,6 +1292,11 @@ fn spawn_settings_panel(
                settings.time_bonus_multiplier,
                font_res,
            );
+            replay_move_interval_row(
+                body,
+                settings.replay_move_interval_secs,
+                font_res,
+            );

            // --- Cosmetic ---
            section_label(body, "Cosmetic", font_res);
@@ -1411,6 +1531,56 @@ fn time_bonus_multiplier_row(
        });
 }

+/// `Replay speed  0.45 s/move  [−]  [+]` — slider row for the
+/// player-tunable replay-playback per-move interval. Mirrors
+/// [`tooltip_delay_row`] (label, current value, decrement, increment)
+/// but formats the value via [`replay_move_interval_label`] as
+/// `"{n:.2} s/move"`. The decrement button speeds playback up
+/// (smaller interval); the increment slows it down — same direction
+/// convention as the tooltip-delay slider.
+fn replay_move_interval_row(
+    parent: &mut ChildSpawnerCommands,
+    value_secs: f32,
+    font_res: Option<&FontResource>,
+) {
+    let label_font = label_text_font(font_res);
+    let value_font = value_text_font(font_res);
+    parent
+        .spawn(Node {
+            flex_direction: FlexDirection::Row,
+            align_items: AlignItems::Center,
+            column_gap: VAL_SPACE_2,
+            ..default()
+        })
+        .with_children(|row| {
+            row.spawn((
+                Text::new("Replay speed".to_string()),
+                label_font,
+                TextColor(TEXT_SECONDARY),
+            ));
+            row.spawn((
+                ReplayMoveIntervalText,
+                Text::new(replay_move_interval_label(value_secs)),
+                value_font,
+                TextColor(TEXT_PRIMARY),
+            ));
+            icon_button(
+                row,
+                "−",
+                SettingsButton::ReplayMoveIntervalDown,
+                "Speed up replay playback (shorter per-move interval).",
+                font_res,
+            );
+            icon_button(
+                row,
+                "+",
+                SettingsButton::ReplayMoveIntervalUp,
+                "Slow down replay playback (longer per-move interval).",
+                font_res,
+            );
+        });
+}
+
 /// `Label  Value  [⇄]` — used for cycle/toggle rows (draw mode, theme,
 /// anim speed, colour-blind).
 ///
@@ -8,11 +8,12 @@

 use std::path::PathBuf;

+use bevy::input::mouse::{MouseScrollUnit, MouseWheel};
 use bevy::input::ButtonInput;
 use bevy::prelude::*;
 use solitaire_data::{
-    latest_replay_path, load_latest_replay_from, load_stats_from, save_stats_to, stats_file_path,
-    PlayerProgress, Replay, StatsExt, StatsSnapshot, WEEKLY_GOALS,
+    load_replay_history_from, load_stats_from, replay_history_path, save_stats_to,
+    stats_file_path, PlayerProgress, Replay, ReplayHistory, StatsExt, StatsSnapshot, WEEKLY_GOALS,
 };

 use crate::auto_complete_plugin::AutoCompleteState;
@@ -28,6 +29,7 @@ use crate::resources::GameStateResource;
 use crate::time_attack_plugin::TimeAttackResource;
 use crate::ui_modal::{
    spawn_modal, spawn_modal_actions, spawn_modal_button, spawn_modal_header, ButtonVariant,
+    ScrimDismissible,
 };
 use crate::ui_theme::{
    ACCENT_PRIMARY, BORDER_SUBTLE, RADIUS_SM, STATE_INFO, STATE_WARNING, STREAK_MILESTONES,
@@ -58,30 +60,57 @@ pub struct StatsScreen;
 #[derive(Component, Debug)]
 pub struct StatsCell;

-/// Resource holding the most recently loaded winning [`Replay`], if any.
+/// Resource holding the rolling [`ReplayHistory`] of recent winning
+/// replays.
 ///
-/// Populated from `<data_dir>/solitaire_quest/latest_replay.json` at
-/// startup and refreshed in-place whenever the engine writes a new
-/// winning replay (the path the Stats UI calls into is unchanged so a
-/// re-open of the modal sees the latest record).
+/// Populated from `<data_dir>/solitaire_quest/replays.json` at startup
+/// and refreshed in-place whenever the engine writes a new winning
+/// replay so the Stats overlay's selector always reflects the current
+/// on-disk history.
 ///
-/// The Stats overlay reads this to decide whether to render the
-/// "Watch replay" call-to-action or the "No replay recorded yet"
-/// caption.
+/// `replays[0]` is the most recent win — the Stats overlay's selector
+/// defaults to that entry and lets the player step backwards through
+/// up to [`solitaire_data::REPLAY_HISTORY_CAP`] older entries.
 #[derive(Resource, Debug, Default, Clone)]
-pub struct LatestReplayResource(pub Option<Replay>);
+pub struct ReplayHistoryResource(pub ReplayHistory);

-/// Persistence path for the latest winning replay file. `None` disables
-/// I/O — used by tests and by `StatsPlugin::headless`.
+/// Currently-selected index into [`ReplayHistoryResource::0`].`replays`.
+///
+/// `0` is the most recent win and is the default on every modal open.
+/// The Prev / Next chips wrap-around within the bounds of the current
+/// history so the selector is always sat on a valid replay (or on `0`
+/// when the history is empty — the chips paint disabled in that case).
+#[derive(Resource, Debug, Default, Clone, Copy)]
+pub struct SelectedReplayIndex(pub usize);
+
+/// Persistence path for the rolling replay history file
+/// (`replays.json`). `None` disables I/O — used by tests and by
+/// `StatsPlugin::headless`.
 #[derive(Resource, Debug, Clone)]
 pub struct LatestReplayPath(pub Option<PathBuf>);

 /// Marker on the "Watch replay" button inside the Stats modal. Clicking
-/// it currently fires an [`InfoToastEvent`] indicating playback ships
-/// in a future build — see [`handle_watch_replay_button`].
+/// it starts in-engine playback of the selected replay — see
+/// [`handle_watch_replay_button`].
 #[derive(Component, Debug)]
 pub struct WatchReplayButton;

+/// Marker on the selector's "Previous replay" chip — steps the
+/// selection backwards (toward older replays) within
+/// [`ReplayHistoryResource`].
+#[derive(Component, Debug)]
+pub struct ReplayPrevButton;
+
+/// Marker on the selector's "Next replay" chip — steps the selection
+/// forwards (toward more recent replays).
+#[derive(Component, Debug)]
+pub struct ReplayNextButton;
+
+/// Marker on the selector's `"Replay N / M"` caption text node so the
+/// repaint system can rewrite the label as the selection changes.
+#[derive(Component, Debug)]
+pub struct ReplaySelectorCaption;
+
 /// Marker component on each per-mode bests row in the stats overlay.
 ///
 /// One row per supported [`solitaire_core::game_state::GameMode`] (Classic,
@@ -91,6 +120,18 @@ pub struct WatchReplayButton;
 #[derive(Component, Debug)]
 pub struct PerModeBestsRow;

+/// Marker on the scrollable body Node inside the Stats modal.
+///
+/// The Stats panel renders an 8-cell primary grid, three per-mode bests
+/// rows, a five-cell progression grid, weekly goals, an unlocks line,
+/// optional Time Attack readout, and the latest replay caption — enough
+/// content to overflow the modal on the 800x600 minimum window. This
+/// marker tags the inner container that carries `Overflow::scroll_y()`
+/// plus a `max_height` constraint. Mirrors the `SettingsPanelScrollable`
+/// pattern.
+#[derive(Component, Debug)]
+pub struct StatsScrollable;
+
 /// Registers stats resources, update systems, and the UI toggle.
 pub struct StatsPlugin {
    /// Where to persist stats. `None` disables all file I/O (for tests).
@@ -123,14 +164,16 @@ impl Plugin for StatsPlugin {
        // Replay file lives next to stats.json — when the StatsPlugin
        // is in headless mode (storage_path = None), we mirror that
        // policy and disable replay I/O too. Otherwise resolve the
-        // platform-default path via `latest_replay_path()`.
-        let replay_path = self.storage_path.as_ref().and(latest_replay_path());
-        let initial_replay = replay_path
+        // platform-default path via `replay_history_path()`.
+        let replay_path = self.storage_path.as_ref().and(replay_history_path());
+        let initial_history = replay_path
            .as_deref()
-            .and_then(load_latest_replay_from);
+            .and_then(load_replay_history_from)
+            .unwrap_or_default();
        app.insert_resource(StatsResource(loaded))
            .insert_resource(StatsStoragePath(self.storage_path.clone()))
-            .insert_resource(LatestReplayResource(initial_replay))
+            .insert_resource(ReplayHistoryResource(initial_history))
+            .init_resource::<SelectedReplayIndex>()
            .insert_resource(LatestReplayPath(replay_path))
            .add_message::<GameWonEvent>()
            .add_message::<NewGameRequestEvent>()
@@ -138,6 +181,10 @@ impl Plugin for StatsPlugin {
            .add_message::<InfoToastEvent>()
            .add_message::<ToggleStatsRequestEvent>()
            .add_message::<WinStreakMilestoneEvent>()
+            // `MouseWheel` is emitted by Bevy's input plugin under
+            // `DefaultPlugins`; register it explicitly so the stats-scroll
+            // system also runs cleanly under `MinimalPlugins` in tests.
+            .add_message::<MouseWheel>()
            // record_abandoned must read `move_count` BEFORE handle_new_game
            // clobbers it with a fresh game. These are NOT in StatsUpdate because
            // StatsUpdate (as a set) is ordered after GameMutation by external
@@ -160,19 +207,52 @@ impl Plugin for StatsPlugin {
            .add_systems(Update, handle_stats_close_button)
            .add_systems(
                Update,
-                refresh_latest_replay_on_win.after(GameMutation),
+                refresh_replay_history_on_win.after(GameMutation),
            )
-            .add_systems(Update, handle_watch_replay_button);
+            .add_systems(Update, handle_watch_replay_button)
+            .add_systems(
+                Update,
+                (handle_replay_selector_buttons, repaint_replay_selector_caption).chain(),
+            )
+            .add_systems(Update, scroll_stats_panel);
    }
 }

-/// After a win, the engine has just persisted a fresh winning replay.
-/// Re-load it so the next time the player opens the Stats overlay, the
-/// "Watch replay" call-to-action reflects the most recent victory
-/// rather than an older session.
-fn refresh_latest_replay_on_win(
+/// Routes mouse-wheel events into the Stats modal's scrollable body
+/// while the panel is open. No-op when no `StatsScrollable` exists in
+/// the world (modal closed). Mirrors `scroll_settings_panel`.
+fn scroll_stats_panel(
+    mut scroll_evr: MessageReader<MouseWheel>,
+    mut scrollables: Query<&mut ScrollPosition, With<StatsScrollable>>,
+) {
+    if scrollables.is_empty() {
+        scroll_evr.clear();
+        return;
+    }
+    let delta_y: f32 = scroll_evr
+        .read()
+        .map(|ev| match ev.unit {
+            MouseScrollUnit::Line => ev.y * 50.0,
+            MouseScrollUnit::Pixel => ev.y,
+        })
+        .sum();
+    if delta_y == 0.0 {
+        return;
+    }
+    for mut sp in scrollables.iter_mut() {
+        sp.0.y = (sp.0.y - delta_y).max(0.0);
+    }
+}
+
+/// After a win, the engine has just appended a fresh winning replay to
+/// the rolling history file. Re-load it so the next time the player
+/// opens the Stats overlay the selector reflects the new entry, and
+/// reset [`SelectedReplayIndex`] to `0` so the default selection is the
+/// just-recorded win.
+fn refresh_replay_history_on_win(
    mut wins: MessageReader<GameWonEvent>,
-    mut latest: ResMut<LatestReplayResource>,
+    mut history: ResMut<ReplayHistoryResource>,
+    mut selected: ResMut<SelectedReplayIndex>,
    path: Res<LatestReplayPath>,
 ) {
    // Only re-load when at least one win actually fired.
@@ -182,32 +262,123 @@ fn refresh_latest_replay_on_win(
    let Some(p) = path.0.as_deref() else {
        return;
    };
-    latest.0 = load_latest_replay_from(p);
+    history.0 = load_replay_history_from(p).unwrap_or_default();
+    // Snap the selector back to the most recent win — that's the one
+    // the player just earned.
+    selected.0 = 0;
 }

 /// Click handler for the "Watch replay" button.
 ///
-/// Replay playback lives on the sync server's web UI rather than in
-/// the desktop client. This handler currently surfaces a clear toast
-/// pointing the player there once the upload + URL is wired; until
-/// then it acknowledges the click and signals that the feature is on
-/// the way.
+/// Starts in-engine replay playback for the currently-selected entry in
+/// [`ReplayHistoryResource`] (per [`SelectedReplayIndex`]). If the
+/// history is empty or the selector points past the end (defensive
+/// guard), surfaces an [`InfoToastEvent`] instead. The playback path
+/// resets the live game to the recorded deal and ticks through the
+/// move list via [`crate::replay_playback`]; the
+/// [`crate::replay_overlay`] banner surfaces while playback runs.
 fn handle_watch_replay_button(
+    mut commands: Commands,
    buttons: Query<&Interaction, (With<WatchReplayButton>, Changed<Interaction>)>,
-    latest: Res<LatestReplayResource>,
+    history: Res<ReplayHistoryResource>,
+    selected: Res<SelectedReplayIndex>,
+    playback: Option<ResMut<crate::replay_playback::ReplayPlaybackState>>,
    mut toast: MessageWriter<InfoToastEvent>,
 ) {
    if !buttons.iter().any(|i| *i == Interaction::Pressed) {
        return;
    }
-    let message = match &latest.0 {
-        Some(replay) => format!(
-            "Replay ready ({}) \u{2014} web playback coming in a future build",
-            format_replay_caption(replay),
-        ),
-        None => "No replay recorded yet \u{2014} win a game first.".to_string(),
-    };
-    toast.write(InfoToastEvent(message));
+    let chosen = history.0.replays.get(selected.0);
+    match (chosen, playback) {
+        (Some(replay), Some(mut playback)) => {
+            crate::replay_playback::start_replay_playback(
+                &mut commands,
+                &mut playback,
+                replay.clone(),
+            );
+        }
+        (Some(replay), None) => {
+            // ReplayPlaybackPlugin not registered (headless test
+            // fixtures); fall back to a descriptive toast.
+            toast.write(InfoToastEvent(format!(
+                "Replay ready ({})",
+                format_replay_caption(replay)
+            )));
+        }
+        (None, _) => {
+            toast.write(InfoToastEvent(
+                "No replay recorded yet \u{2014} win a game first.".to_string(),
+            ));
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+/// Click handler for the Prev / Next chips on the Stats overlay's
+/// replay selector. Steps [`SelectedReplayIndex`] within the bounds of
+/// the current [`ReplayHistoryResource`]; selection wraps so the
+/// chooser is always sat on a valid replay.
+///
+/// No-op when the history is empty — the selector chips paint disabled
+/// in that case but a defensive bounds check here keeps things tidy if
+/// the click somehow lands.
+fn handle_replay_selector_buttons(
+    prev: Query<&Interaction, (With<ReplayPrevButton>, Changed<Interaction>)>,
+    next: Query<&Interaction, (With<ReplayNextButton>, Changed<Interaction>)>,
+    history: Res<ReplayHistoryResource>,
+    mut selected: ResMut<SelectedReplayIndex>,
+) {
+    let len = history.0.replays.len();
+    if len == 0 {
+        return;
+    }
+    let prev_pressed = prev.iter().any(|i| *i == Interaction::Pressed);
+    let next_pressed = next.iter().any(|i| *i == Interaction::Pressed);
+    if prev_pressed {
+        // Step toward older replays — wrap to the oldest when at the
+        // newest (index 0).
+        selected.0 = if selected.0 == 0 { len - 1 } else { selected.0 - 1 };
+    }
+    if next_pressed {
+        // Step toward more recent replays — wrap to the newest when at
+        // the oldest.
+        selected.0 = (selected.0 + 1) % len;
+    }
+}
+
+/// Live-update the `"Replay N / M"` caption text as the selector
+/// changes. The caption sits next to the Prev / Next chips above the
+/// Watch button so the player can see at a glance which replay they're
+/// about to watch.
+fn repaint_replay_selector_caption(
+    history: Res<ReplayHistoryResource>,
+    selected: Res<SelectedReplayIndex>,
+    mut q: Query<&mut Text, With<ReplaySelectorCaption>>,
+) {
+    if !history.is_changed() && !selected.is_changed() {
+        return;
+    }
+    for mut text in &mut q {
+        **text = replay_selector_caption(selected.0, history.0.replays.len());
+    }
+}
+
+/// Pure helper: render the selector caption shown next to the Prev /
+/// Next chips. Returns `"No replays"` when the history is empty,
+/// otherwise `"Replay {1-based index} / {total}"`.
+///
+/// `index` is zero-based as it's stored in [`SelectedReplayIndex`].
+/// The display flips it to a one-based ordinal so "Replay 1" reads as
+/// "the most recent win" — matching the mental model the chooser
+/// surfaces.
+pub fn replay_selector_caption(index: usize, total: usize) -> String {
+    if total == 0 {
+        return "No replays".to_string();
+    }
+    // Defensive clamp — the caller is supposed to keep `index` in
+    // range, but a stale selector after a cap-driven truncation
+    // shouldn't crash the renderer.
+    let one_based = index.min(total.saturating_sub(1)) + 1;
+    format!("Replay {one_based} / {total}")
 }

 /// Pure helper: render a one-line caption for a [`Replay`] suitable
@@ -359,7 +530,8 @@ fn toggle_stats_screen(
    progress: Option<Res<ProgressResource>>,
    time_attack: Option<Res<TimeAttackResource>>,
    font_res: Option<Res<FontResource>>,
-    latest_replay: Res<LatestReplayResource>,
+    latest_replay: Res<ReplayHistoryResource>,
+    selected_index: Res<SelectedReplayIndex>,
    screens: Query<Entity, With<StatsScreen>>,
 ) {
    let button_clicked = requests.read().count() > 0;
@@ -369,13 +541,14 @@ fn toggle_stats_screen(
    if let Ok(entity) = screens.single() {
        commands.entity(entity).despawn();
    } else {
+        let selected = latest_replay.0.replays.get(selected_index.0);
        spawn_stats_screen(
            &mut commands,
            &stats.0,
            progress.as_deref().map(|p| &p.0),
            time_attack.as_deref(),
            font_res.as_deref(),
-            latest_replay.0.as_ref(),
+            selected,
        );
    }
 }
@@ -430,14 +603,33 @@ fn spawn_stats_screen(
        ..default()
    };

-    spawn_modal(commands, StatsScreen, Z_MODAL_PANEL, |card| {
+    let scrim = spawn_modal(commands, StatsScreen, Z_MODAL_PANEL, |card| {
        spawn_modal_header(card, "Statistics", font_res);

+        // Scrollable body — the Stats panel renders an 8-cell grid plus
+        // multiple sections (per-mode bests, progression, weekly goals,
+        // unlocks, optional Time Attack, latest replay caption) and
+        // overflows the modal on the 800x600 minimum window. Wrapping
+        // in an `Overflow::scroll_y()` Node with a constrained
+        // `max_height` keeps every cell reachable; the Watch Replay /
+        // Done action row stays fixed outside the scroll.
+        card.spawn((
+            StatsScrollable,
+            ScrollPosition::default(),
+            Node {
+                flex_direction: FlexDirection::Column,
+                row_gap: VAL_SPACE_3,
+                max_height: Val::Vh(70.0),
+                overflow: Overflow::scroll_y(),
+                ..default()
+            },
+        ))
+        .with_children(|body| {
            // First-launch caption — sits above the grid as gentle nudge so
            // the wall of em-dashes reads as "nothing to track yet" rather
            // than as broken state.
            if is_first_launch {
-            card.spawn((
+                body.spawn((
                    Text::new("Play a game to start tracking stats."),
                    TextFont {
                        font_size: TYPE_CAPTION,
@@ -455,7 +647,7 @@ fn spawn_stats_screen(
            }

            // --- primary stat cells grid ---
-        card.spawn(Node {
+            body.spawn(Node {
                flex_direction: FlexDirection::Row,
                flex_wrap: FlexWrap::Wrap,
                justify_content: JustifyContent::Center,
@@ -481,12 +673,12 @@ fn spawn_stats_screen(
            // scoring (count of wins inside a 10-minute window) so a per-game
            // best wouldn't compose; Daily uses Classic scoring and so already
            // contributes to the Classic row.
-        card.spawn((
+            body.spawn((
                Text::new("Per-mode bests"),
                font_section.clone(),
                TextColor(STATE_INFO),
            ));
-        card.spawn(Node {
+            body.spawn(Node {
                flex_direction: FlexDirection::Column,
                width: Val::Percent(100.0),
                row_gap: VAL_SPACE_2,
@@ -518,7 +710,7 @@ fn spawn_stats_screen(

            // --- progression section ---
            if let Some(p) = progress {
-            card.spawn((
+                body.spawn((
                    Text::new("Progression"),
                    font_section.clone(),
                    TextColor(STATE_INFO),
@@ -530,7 +722,7 @@ fn spawn_stats_screen(
                let daily_str     = format_stat_value(p.daily_challenge_streak);
                let challenge_str = challenge_progress_label(p.challenge_index);

-            card.spawn(Node {
+                body.spawn(Node {
                    flex_direction: FlexDirection::Row,
                    flex_wrap: FlexWrap::Wrap,
                    justify_content: JustifyContent::Center,
@@ -549,14 +741,14 @@ fn spawn_stats_screen(
                });

                // Weekly goals
-            card.spawn((
+                body.spawn((
                    Text::new("Weekly Goals"),
                    font_section.clone(),
                    TextColor(TEXT_SECONDARY),
                ));
                for goal in WEEKLY_GOALS {
                    let pv = p.weekly_goal_progress.get(goal.id).copied().unwrap_or(0);
-                card.spawn((
+                    body.spawn((
                        Text::new(format!("  {}: {}/{}", goal.description, pv, goal.target)),
                        font_row.clone(),
                        TextColor(TEXT_PRIMARY),
@@ -564,7 +756,7 @@ fn spawn_stats_screen(
                }

                // Unlocks line
-            card.spawn((
+                body.spawn((
                    Text::new(format!(
                        "Card Backs: {}  |  Backgrounds: {}",
                        format_id_list(&p.unlocked_card_backs),
@@ -580,7 +772,7 @@ fn spawn_stats_screen(
                && ta.active {
                    let mins = (ta.remaining_secs / 60.0).floor() as u64;
                    let secs = (ta.remaining_secs % 60.0).floor() as u64;
-                card.spawn((
+                    body.spawn((
                        Text::new(format!(
                            "Time Attack \u{2014} {mins}m {secs:02}s left  |  Wins: {}",
                            ta.wins
@@ -598,11 +790,12 @@ fn spawn_stats_screen(
                Some(r) => format!("Latest win: {}", format_replay_caption(r)),
                None => "No replay recorded yet \u{2014} win a game first.".to_string(),
            };
-        card.spawn((
+            body.spawn((
                Text::new(replay_caption),
                font_row.clone(),
                TextColor(TEXT_SECONDARY),
            ));
+        });

        spawn_modal_actions(card, |actions| {
            // The Watch Replay button is always rendered so the
@@ -628,6 +821,8 @@ fn spawn_stats_screen(
            );
        });
    });
+    // Stats is read-only — opt into click-outside-to-dismiss.
+    commands.entity(scrim).insert(ScrimDismissible);
 }

 /// Spawn one row of the "Per-mode bests" section: the mode label on the
@@ -960,6 +1155,36 @@ mod tests {
        );
    }

+    #[test]
+    fn stats_modal_body_is_scrollable() {
+        let mut app = headless_app();
+        app.world_mut()
+            .resource_mut::<ButtonInput<KeyCode>>()
+            .press(KeyCode::KeyS);
+        app.update();
+
+        let count = app
+            .world_mut()
+            .query::<&StatsScrollable>()
+            .iter(app.world())
+            .count();
+        assert_eq!(
+            count, 1,
+            "Stats modal must spawn exactly one StatsScrollable body"
+        );
+
+        let mut q = app
+            .world_mut()
+            .query_filtered::<&Node, With<StatsScrollable>>();
+        let nodes: Vec<&Node> = q.iter(app.world()).collect();
+        assert_ne!(
+            nodes[0].max_height,
+            Val::Auto,
+            "scrollable body must set a non-default max_height"
+        );
+        assert_eq!(nodes[0].overflow, Overflow::scroll_y());
+    }
+
    #[test]
    fn stats_screen_renders_three_per_mode_bests_rows() {
        // Open the Stats overlay and assert three [`PerModeBestsRow`]
@@ -121,11 +121,34 @@ impl Plugin for UiFocusPlugin {
    fn build(&self, app: &mut App) {
        app.init_resource::<FocusedButton>()
            .add_systems(Startup, spawn_focus_overlay)
+            // Attach + auto-focus run in `PostUpdate` so they see entities
+            // a click-handler in `Update` queued via `Commands` earlier in
+            // the same frame. If they ran in `Update` they'd race the
+            // click handler: there's no ordering edge between an arbitrary
+            // modal-spawning system and the focus chain, so Bevy's
+            // `auto_insert_apply_deferred` pass cannot synchronise them.
+            // Pushing the attach / auto-focus pair into `PostUpdate` puts
+            // the natural schedule-boundary sync point between every
+            // modal spawn and focus arrival — `FocusedButton` is always
+            // populated before the same `app.update()` returns.
+            //
+            // The remaining systems stay in `Update` so they keep
+            // observing input on the frame it occurs. They read
+            // `FocusedButton` written during the *previous* tick's
+            // `PostUpdate`, which is exactly what we want: the very next
+            // user keypress after a modal opens lands on a populated
+            // resource.
            .add_systems(
-                Update,
+                PostUpdate,
                (
                    attach_focusable_to_modal_buttons,
                    auto_focus_on_modal_open,
+                )
+                    .chain(),
+            )
+            .add_systems(
+                Update,
+                (
                    sync_focus_on_mouse_click,
                    clear_hud_focus_on_unhover,
                    handle_focus_keys,
@@ -827,6 +850,143 @@ mod tests {
        assert_eq!(focused, Some(a), "Primary button A should auto-focus");
    }

+    /// One-shot trigger resource consumed by the production-shaped test
+    /// system [`spawn_modal_via_system`]. When set to `true`, the system
+    /// queues a `spawn_modal` call on the next `Update` and clears the
+    /// flag. Mirrors the real production flow where a click-handler
+    /// system queues the modal spawn via `Commands` rather than the
+    /// test fixture using `world.flush()` ahead of time.
+    #[derive(Resource, Default)]
+    struct SpawnModalTrigger(bool);
+
+    /// Production-shaped modal spawner: a regular Bevy `System` that
+    /// reads a trigger flag and queues a 2-button modal via `Commands`.
+    /// Crucially this system has **no** ordering relationship with
+    /// `UiFocusPlugin`'s chain — exactly the situation that surfaces the
+    /// "focus arrives one frame late" bug in production.
+    fn spawn_modal_via_system(
+        mut commands: Commands,
+        mut trigger: ResMut<SpawnModalTrigger>,
+    ) {
+        if !trigger.0 {
+            return;
+        }
+        trigger.0 = false;
+        spawn_modal(&mut commands, TestModal, 0, |card| {
+            spawn_modal_actions(card, |actions| {
+                spawn_modal_button(
+                    actions,
+                    TestButtonB,
+                    "B",
+                    None,
+                    ButtonVariant::Secondary,
+                    None,
+                );
+                spawn_modal_button(
+                    actions,
+                    TestButtonA,
+                    "A",
+                    None,
+                    ButtonVariant::Primary,
+                    None,
+                );
+            });
+        });
+    }
+
+    /// Same-frame-focus contract: when a modal is spawned by an
+    /// independent system during the same `Update` as the focus chain,
+    /// `FocusedButton` must be populated with the primary button by the
+    /// time `handle_focus_keys` runs in that **same** update — so a Tab
+    /// pressed in the very next tick advances focus rather than
+    /// landing on "nothing focused → primary".
+    #[test]
+    fn primary_button_is_focused_on_modal_spawn_same_frame() {
+        let mut app = App::new();
+        app.add_plugins(MinimalPlugins)
+            .add_plugins(UiModalPlugin)
+            .add_plugins(UiFocusPlugin);
+        app.init_resource::<ButtonInput<KeyCode>>();
+        app.init_resource::<SpawnModalTrigger>();
+        // Register the production-shaped spawn system in `Update` with
+        // no chain relationship to `UiFocusPlugin`.
+        app.add_systems(Update, spawn_modal_via_system);
+        // Initial Startup pass.
+        app.update();
+
+        // Trigger the spawn and run exactly ONE update — the same
+        // `Update` cycle that the focus chain runs in. By the end of
+        // this update, `FocusedButton` must already point at the
+        // primary button.
+        app.world_mut().resource_mut::<SpawnModalTrigger>().0 = true;
+        app.update();
+
+        let primary = app
+            .world_mut()
+            .query_filtered::<Entity, With<TestButtonA>>()
+            .iter(app.world())
+            .next()
+            .expect("Primary button should exist after the spawn update");
+
+        assert_eq!(
+            app.world().resource::<FocusedButton>().0,
+            Some(primary),
+            "FocusedButton must be populated with the primary on the same frame the modal spawns"
+        );
+    }
+
+    /// Tab pressed on the very next tick after a modal opens must
+    /// advance focus from the primary to the secondary — not from
+    /// "nothing focused" to the primary. The latter would mean focus
+    /// arrived a frame late and Tab was wasted on first-focus instead
+    /// of advancing.
+    #[test]
+    fn first_tab_after_modal_open_advances_to_secondary() {
+        let mut app = App::new();
+        app.add_plugins(MinimalPlugins)
+            .add_plugins(UiModalPlugin)
+            .add_plugins(UiFocusPlugin);
+        app.init_resource::<ButtonInput<KeyCode>>();
+        app.init_resource::<SpawnModalTrigger>();
+        app.add_systems(Update, spawn_modal_via_system);
+        app.update();
+
+        // Spawn the modal in update N.
+        app.world_mut().resource_mut::<SpawnModalTrigger>().0 = true;
+        app.update();
+
+        // Press Tab on update N+1. If focus arrived correctly in N,
+        // Tab advances primary → secondary. If focus arrived late,
+        // Tab promotes "no focus" to primary (the bug).
+        let primary = app
+            .world_mut()
+            .query_filtered::<Entity, With<TestButtonA>>()
+            .iter(app.world())
+            .next()
+            .expect("primary spawned");
+        let secondary = app
+            .world_mut()
+            .query_filtered::<Entity, With<TestButtonB>>()
+            .iter(app.world())
+            .next()
+            .expect("secondary spawned");
+
+        press_key(&mut app, KeyCode::Tab);
+        app.update();
+
+        let focused_after_tab = app.world().resource::<FocusedButton>().0;
+        assert_ne!(
+            focused_after_tab,
+            Some(primary),
+            "first Tab after modal open should advance off the primary, not land on it (focus arrived late)"
+        );
+        assert_eq!(
+            focused_after_tab,
+            Some(secondary),
+            "first Tab from primary should land on the secondary"
+        );
+    }
+
    #[test]
    fn tab_advances_focus_in_spawn_order() {
        let mut app = headless_app();
@@ -49,6 +49,8 @@
 //! ```

 use bevy::prelude::*;
+use bevy::ui::{ComputedNode, UiGlobalTransform};
+use bevy::window::PrimaryWindow;
 use solitaire_data::AnimSpeed;

 use crate::font_plugin::FontResource;
@@ -74,6 +76,19 @@ pub struct ModalScrim;
 #[derive(Component, Debug)]
 pub struct ModalCard;

+/// Marker on a [`ModalScrim`] entity opting that modal into the
+/// click-outside-to-dismiss behaviour.
+///
+/// When attached, [`dismiss_modal_on_scrim_click`] despawns the scrim
+/// (and its hierarchy) on a left mouse press whose cursor falls on the
+/// scrim and outside every [`ModalCard`]. Modals with destructive
+/// actions or unsaved state (Settings, Onboarding, Pause, Forfeit
+/// confirmation, Confirm New Game, etc.) intentionally do not opt in
+/// — those require an explicit Cancel / Done / Confirm so an
+/// accidental scrim click cannot lose work.
+#[derive(Component, Debug, Clone, Copy)]
+pub struct ScrimDismissible;
+
 /// Marker on a header `Text` (`TYPE_HEADLINE` + `TEXT_PRIMARY`).
 #[derive(Component, Debug)]
 pub struct ModalHeader;
@@ -474,6 +489,89 @@ pub fn advance_modal_enter(
    }
 }

+// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// Click-outside-to-dismiss
+// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+/// Returns `true` when the cursor at `cursor_logical` falls inside the
+/// axis-aligned rectangle described by `centre_logical` (rectangle
+/// centre, logical pixels) and `size_logical` (full width × height,
+/// logical pixels).
+///
+/// Pure helper extracted from [`dismiss_modal_on_scrim_click`] so the
+/// hit-test decision can be tested without a real `Window` /
+/// rendered UI tree.
+#[inline]
+fn cursor_is_inside_rect(cursor_logical: Vec2, centre_logical: Vec2, size_logical: Vec2) -> bool {
+    let half = size_logical * 0.5;
+    cursor_logical.x >= centre_logical.x - half.x
+        && cursor_logical.x <= centre_logical.x + half.x
+        && cursor_logical.y >= centre_logical.y - half.y
+        && cursor_logical.y <= centre_logical.y + half.y
+}
+
+/// Despawns the topmost [`ScrimDismissible`] modal when the player
+/// presses the left mouse button while the cursor is over the scrim
+/// AND outside every [`ModalCard`]. Modals without the marker are
+/// untouched, and existing dismiss paths (Cancel / Done / Esc /
+/// dedicated buttons) keep working unchanged.
+///
+/// **Topmost-only.** Stacked dismissible modals would otherwise all
+/// dismiss together on a single click. The system processes at most
+/// one entity per frame: the first match in the query is taken,
+/// matching the click-handler convention used elsewhere in the engine.
+/// Spawn order is the practical tiebreaker — dismissible modals are
+/// rarely stacked, so picking any one is acceptable.
+///
+/// **No same-frame dismissal.** `just_pressed` is true only on the
+/// frame the button transitions to pressed. The press that *opens* a
+/// modal happens on one frame; this system fires on a subsequent
+/// press, so a modal can never be opened and dismissed in a single
+/// click.
+///
+/// `cards`/`scrims` queries read [`UiGlobalTransform`] (window-space
+/// physical pixels) and [`ComputedNode`] (size in physical pixels);
+/// both are converted to logical pixels via
+/// `ComputedNode::inverse_scale_factor` so they can be compared with
+/// the cursor position from `Window::cursor_position` (logical px).
+#[allow(clippy::type_complexity)]
+pub fn dismiss_modal_on_scrim_click(
+    mut commands: Commands,
+    mouse: Option<Res<ButtonInput<MouseButton>>>,
+    windows: Query<&Window, With<PrimaryWindow>>,
+    scrims: Query<Entity, (With<ModalScrim>, With<ScrimDismissible>)>,
+    cards: Query<(&UiGlobalTransform, &ComputedNode), With<ModalCard>>,
+) {
+    let Some(mouse) = mouse else { return };
+    if !mouse.just_pressed(MouseButton::Left) {
+        return;
+    }
+    let Ok(window) = windows.single() else {
+        return;
+    };
+    let Some(cursor) = window.cursor_position() else {
+        return;
+    };
+
+    // Topmost-only: bail after the first dismissible scrim. Stacked
+    // dismissible modals are not currently a real case, but this guard
+    // keeps the behaviour predictable if they ever arise.
+    let Some(scrim_entity) = scrims.iter().next() else {
+        return;
+    };
+
+    let cursor_over_card = cards.iter().any(|(transform, computed)| {
+        let inv = computed.inverse_scale_factor;
+        let size_logical = computed.size() * inv;
+        let centre_logical = transform.translation * inv;
+        cursor_is_inside_rect(cursor, centre_logical, size_logical)
+    });
+
+    if !cursor_over_card {
+        commands.entity(scrim_entity).despawn();
+    }
+}
+
 /// Repaints every `ModalButton` on `Changed<Interaction>` so hover and
 /// press states are visible without each overlay registering its own
 /// paint system.
@@ -515,6 +613,12 @@ impl Plugin for UiModalPlugin {
            Update,
            (apply_modal_enter_speed, advance_modal_enter, paint_modal_buttons).chain(),
        );
+        // Click-outside-to-dismiss is independent of the open
+        // animation chain — it reads `just_pressed(Left)` and runs
+        // every tick. `just_pressed` is true only on the frame the
+        // button transitions to pressed, so the press that *opens* a
+        // modal cannot dismiss the same modal on the next frame.
+        app.add_systems(Update, dismiss_modal_on_scrim_click);
    }
 }

@@ -668,5 +772,224 @@ mod tests {
            Duration::from_secs_f32(secs),
        ));
    }
+
+    // -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+    // Click-outside-to-dismiss
+    // -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+    /// Pure-helper hit-test: cursor inside the rectangle returns true.
+    #[test]
+    fn cursor_is_inside_rect_inside_returns_true() {
+        // 100×60 rectangle centred at (200, 150).
+        let centre = Vec2::new(200.0, 150.0);
+        let size = Vec2::new(100.0, 60.0);
+        // Centre + a few corners just inside.
+        assert!(cursor_is_inside_rect(centre, centre, size));
+        assert!(cursor_is_inside_rect(Vec2::new(151.0, 121.0), centre, size));
+        assert!(cursor_is_inside_rect(Vec2::new(249.0, 179.0), centre, size));
+    }
+
+    /// Pure-helper hit-test: cursor outside the rectangle returns false
+    /// on every side.
+    #[test]
+    fn cursor_is_inside_rect_outside_returns_false() {
+        let centre = Vec2::new(200.0, 150.0);
+        let size = Vec2::new(100.0, 60.0);
+        assert!(!cursor_is_inside_rect(Vec2::new(149.0, 150.0), centre, size)); // left
+        assert!(!cursor_is_inside_rect(Vec2::new(251.0, 150.0), centre, size)); // right
+        assert!(!cursor_is_inside_rect(Vec2::new(200.0, 119.0), centre, size)); // above
+        assert!(!cursor_is_inside_rect(Vec2::new(200.0, 181.0), centre, size)); // below
+    }
+
+    /// Builds a headless app capable of running
+    /// `dismiss_modal_on_scrim_click`: registers the plugin, primes the
+    /// `ButtonInput<MouseButton>` resource that `MinimalPlugins`
+    /// doesn't provide, and spawns a synthetic `PrimaryWindow`.
+    fn dismiss_test_app() -> App {
+        let mut app = App::new();
+        app.add_plugins(MinimalPlugins).add_plugins(UiModalPlugin);
+        app.init_resource::<ButtonInput<MouseButton>>();
+        // Synthetic primary window. `MinimalPlugins` doesn't ship
+        // `WindowPlugin`, so spawning the entity by hand is fine —
+        // `dismiss_modal_on_scrim_click` only reads `cursor_position`
+        // off it, not any platform-backed state.
+        app.world_mut().spawn((
+            Window {
+                resolution: bevy::window::WindowResolution::new(800, 600),
+                ..default()
+            },
+            PrimaryWindow,
+        ));
+        app
+    }
+
+    /// Marker for synthetic-modal tests below.
+    #[derive(Component, Debug)]
+    struct DismissTestModal;
+
+    /// Spawns a synthetic scrim + card pair pre-populated with
+    /// `ComputedNode` + `UiGlobalTransform` so the dismiss system has
+    /// real geometry to hit-test against without running the full UI
+    /// layout pipeline. `card_centre` and `card_size` are in physical
+    /// pixels (matching `ComputedNode.size`); the synthetic
+    /// `inverse_scale_factor` is 1.0 so logical == physical.
+    fn spawn_synthetic_modal(
+        app: &mut App,
+        dismissible: bool,
+        card_centre: Vec2,
+        card_size: Vec2,
+    ) -> Entity {
+        let world = app.world_mut();
+        let mut scrim = world.spawn((DismissTestModal, ModalScrim));
+        if dismissible {
+            scrim.insert(ScrimDismissible);
+        }
+        let scrim_entity = scrim.id();
+        let card_entity = world
+            .spawn((
+                ModalCard,
+                {
+                    let mut node = ComputedNode {
+                        stack_index: 0,
+                        size: card_size,
+                        content_size: card_size,
+                        scrollbar_size: Vec2::ZERO,
+                        scroll_position: Vec2::ZERO,
+                        outline_width: 0.0,
+                        outline_offset: 0.0,
+                        unrounded_size: card_size,
+                        border: bevy::sprite::BorderRect::default(),
+                        border_radius: bevy::ui::ResolvedBorderRadius::default(),
+                        padding: bevy::sprite::BorderRect::default(),
+                        inverse_scale_factor: 1.0,
+                    };
+                    // `is_empty` guard inside Bevy treats zero-size
+                    // nodes as inert; we always pass a non-zero size.
+                    node.size = card_size;
+                    node
+                },
+                UiGlobalTransform::from_translation(card_centre),
+            ))
+            .id();
+        // Parent the card to the scrim so a `commands.entity(scrim).despawn()`
+        // also takes the card down — matching the real `spawn_modal` hierarchy.
+        world.entity_mut(scrim_entity).add_child(card_entity);
+        scrim_entity
+    }
+
+    /// Sets the synthetic primary window's cursor position (logical px,
+    /// since we use `inverse_scale_factor = 1.0` everywhere in tests).
+    fn set_cursor(app: &mut App, position: Option<Vec2>) {
+        let world = app.world_mut();
+        let mut q = world.query_filtered::<&mut Window, With<PrimaryWindow>>();
+        let mut window = q.single_mut(world).expect("primary window");
+        window.set_cursor_position(position);
+    }
+
+    /// Drives a fresh `just_pressed(Left)` for the next `app.update()`.
+    /// `MinimalPlugins` doesn't run the input clear pass, so we mark
+    /// the clear by hand on the resource between presses.
+    fn press_left_mouse(app: &mut App) {
+        let mut input = app
+            .world_mut()
+            .resource_mut::<ButtonInput<MouseButton>>();
+        input.clear();
+        input.press(MouseButton::Left);
+    }
+
+    /// Click outside the card on a dismissible modal despawns it.
+    #[test]
+    fn dismissible_scrim_despawns_on_scrim_click_outside_card() {
+        let mut app = dismiss_test_app();
+        let scrim = spawn_synthetic_modal(
+            &mut app,
+            /* dismissible: */ true,
+            Vec2::new(400.0, 300.0),
+            Vec2::new(200.0, 100.0),
+        );
+        // Cursor far outside the card — top-left corner of the window.
+        set_cursor(&mut app, Some(Vec2::new(50.0, 50.0)));
+        press_left_mouse(&mut app);
+        app.update();
+
+        assert!(
+            app.world().get_entity(scrim).is_err(),
+            "dismissible scrim should be despawned on a scrim-area click"
+        );
+    }
+
+    /// Click *inside* the card area must NOT dismiss the modal — the
+    /// player intends to interact with the card content.
+    #[test]
+    fn dismissible_scrim_does_not_despawn_on_card_click() {
+        let mut app = dismiss_test_app();
+        let scrim = spawn_synthetic_modal(
+            &mut app,
+            /* dismissible: */ true,
+            Vec2::new(400.0, 300.0),
+            Vec2::new(200.0, 100.0),
+        );
+        // Cursor at the card centre — definitely inside.
+        set_cursor(&mut app, Some(Vec2::new(400.0, 300.0)));
+        press_left_mouse(&mut app);
+        app.update();
+
+        assert!(
+            app.world().get_entity(scrim).is_ok(),
+            "click inside the card must not dismiss the modal"
+        );
+    }
+
+    /// Modals without `ScrimDismissible` ignore scrim clicks entirely.
+    /// Settings, Onboarding, Pause, etc. rely on this opt-out.
+    #[test]
+    fn non_dismissible_scrim_does_not_despawn_on_scrim_click() {
+        let mut app = dismiss_test_app();
+        let scrim = spawn_synthetic_modal(
+            &mut app,
+            /* dismissible: */ false,
+            Vec2::new(400.0, 300.0),
+            Vec2::new(200.0, 100.0),
+        );
+        set_cursor(&mut app, Some(Vec2::new(50.0, 50.0)));
+        press_left_mouse(&mut app);
+        app.update();
+
+        assert!(
+            app.world().get_entity(scrim).is_ok(),
+            "non-dismissible scrim must survive a scrim-area click"
+        );
+    }
+
+    /// Stacked dismissible modals: one click despawns at most one
+    /// modal per frame (the one the query yields first). The other
+    /// stays put until the next press.
+    #[test]
+    fn stacked_modals_dismiss_at_most_one_per_click() {
+        let mut app = dismiss_test_app();
+        let a = spawn_synthetic_modal(
+            &mut app,
+            /* dismissible: */ true,
+            Vec2::new(400.0, 300.0),
+            Vec2::new(200.0, 100.0),
+        );
+        let b = spawn_synthetic_modal(
+            &mut app,
+            /* dismissible: */ true,
+            Vec2::new(400.0, 300.0),
+            Vec2::new(200.0, 100.0),
+        );
+        // Cursor outside both cards.
+        set_cursor(&mut app, Some(Vec2::new(50.0, 50.0)));
+        press_left_mouse(&mut app);
+        app.update();
+
+        let a_alive = app.world().get_entity(a).is_ok();
+        let b_alive = app.world().get_entity(b).is_ok();
+        assert!(
+            a_alive ^ b_alive,
+            "exactly one of the two stacked dismissible modals should remain"
+        );
+    }
 }