docs: cut v0.18.0 — launch-experience round + async winnable seeds

CHANGELOG.md gains a [0.18.0] section synthesising the 24 commits
since v0.17.0: the Restore prompt + auto-show Home picker launch
flow, MSSC-style picker (header chips, draw-mode chips, picture
tiles with FiraMono-covered glyphs, Today's Event callout), the
last solver hot path moving onto AsyncComputeTaskPool with
cancel-on-replace, "Won before" HUD chip, "Copy share link" Stats
button via arboard, the N-key flow finally routing through the
real Confirm/Cancel modal, Esc-on-modal layering fixes, and the
unified-3.0 Claude rule set adoption.

SESSION_HANDOFF.md (root) refreshed to reflect HEAD at
v0.17.0-24-gc497c31, the carryover punch list trimmed (items B
and C shipped, A partially shipped, D unchanged), and a new
Process notes section describing the test-discipline prune and
the smaller-port template the async hint work should follow.

Build: cargo clippy --workspace --all-targets -- -D warnings clean.
Tests: 1166 passing / 0 failing (one flake on
auto_save_writes_after_30_seconds reproduced clean on re-run;
passes in isolation).

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.7 <noreply@anthropic.com>

ARCHITECTURE.md

@@ -47,11 +47,10 @@ Solitaire Quest is a cross-platform Klondike Solitaire game written in Rust, tar
 ### Design Principles
 
 - **Offline first.** The local file is always the source of truth. Sync is additive, never destructive.
-- **Pure core.** All game logic lives in a dependency-free Rust crate with no Bevy, no network, and no I/O. This keeps it fully unit-testable and portable.
-- **No panics in game logic.** Every state transition returns `Result<_, MoveError>`. Panics are only acceptable in startup/configuration code.
 - **One language, one repo.** The game client, sync client, shared types, and sync server are all Rust crates in a single Cargo workspace.
 - **Plugin-based Bevy architecture.** Each major feature is a Bevy `Plugin`. Systems are small and single-purpose. Cross-system communication uses Bevy `Event`s.
-- **UI-first interaction.** Every player-triggered action — new game, undo, draw, pause, open stats / settings / help / profile / leaderboard, etc. — must be reachable from a visible UI control. Keyboard shortcuts exist only as optional accelerators for power users; they are never the sole entry point. A player using only mouse or touch must be able to perform every action. New gameplay features ship with the UI control alongside the system that backs it.
+
+Pure-core, no-panics-in-game-logic, and UI-first-interaction constraints are enforced by CLAUDE.md §2.1, §2.3, and §3.3 respectively — those are the canonical statements; this file describes the design that motivates them.
 
 ---
 

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -8,6 +8,229 @@ project follows [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/).
 
 _Nothing yet._
 
+## [0.18.0] — 2026-05-06
+
+The launch-experience round. The engine used to drop the player on a
+silent default Classic deal whether they had unfinished work or not;
+v0.18.0 replaces that with two stacked decision points — a Restore
+prompt for in-progress saves, then an MSSC-style Home / mode picker
+that surfaces Daily / Zen / Challenge / Time Attack as picture tiles
+with live stats. The same round closes the last solver-on-main-thread
+hot path (winnable-only seed selection moves to
+`AsyncComputeTaskPool`), wires "Copy share link" into Stats, lights a
+"Won before" HUD chip on re-deals of beaten seeds, and tidies the
+unified-3.0 rule set across CLAUDE.md / CLAUDE_SPEC.md /
+CLAUDE_WORKFLOW.md / CLAUDE_PROMPT_PACK.md.
+
+### Added
+
+- **Restore prompt on launch** (`3c7a0eb`). When `game_state.json`
+  holds an in-progress game (`move_count > 0`, not won), the engine
+  now seeds `GameStateResource` with a fresh deal and holds the saved
+  game in a new `PendingRestoredGame` resource. After the splash
+  clears, a "Welcome back" modal offers **Continue** (Enter / C /
+  click) or **New game** (N / click). Fresh-deal saves
+  (`move_count == 0`) skip the prompt and load directly.
+- **Save preservation while the prompt is unanswered** (`f863d85`).
+  Both `save_game_state_on_exit` and `auto_save_game_state` consult
+  `PendingRestoredGame` first: if it still holds a pending saved
+  game, that's what gets persisted (or the auto-save is skipped),
+  so exiting before answering the prompt no longer overwrites the
+  meaningful save with the placeholder fresh deal.
+- **Home / mode picker auto-shows on launch** (`dd63261`). The mode
+  picker was only reachable via **M** during gameplay; players who
+  hadn't discovered the hotkey never saw the Daily / Zen / Challenge
+  / Time Attack entry points after the splash cleared. `HomePlugin`
+  gains an `auto_show_on_launch` flag (default true) and a
+  one-shot `LaunchHomeShown` gate. Skips when the Restore prompt is
+  on screen so Welcome-back still takes precedence.
+- **MSSC-style Home picker — header / chips / score chips / draw
+  mode** (`ae40a1d`). Player-stats header strip (Level / XP /
+  Lifetime Score, compact-formatted as `1.2M` / `12.3K` / `1,234`)
+  acts as a clickable shortcut to Profile. Draw-mode chip row above
+  the mode cards lets the player flip Draw 1 / Draw 3 from the
+  picker itself; persists `settings.json` and respawns the modal so
+  the active state repaints cleanly. Per-mode best-score / streak
+  chips on each card; hidden on a 0 best so a fresh profile doesn't
+  read "Best 0" everywhere.
+- **Today's Event callout on the Daily card** (`b73d246`). "Today,
+  May 6" date line plus the server-fetched goal (when SyncPlugin is
+  wired). Once today's daily is recorded as completed, the date
+  flips to `Today, May 6 • Done` in `ACCENT_PRIMARY` so the picker
+  reads as a reward state rather than a TODO.
+- **Picture-tile mode cards** (`9fe650f` + glyph-picking follow-ups
+  `40d6e0a`, `c30b04e`, `d065d49`). Mode cards become a wrapping
+  2-up grid (`FlexWrap::Wrap`, tiles 48 % wide, `min_height: 180px`)
+  with a centred Unicode-glyph centrepiece per tile. Final glyph set
+  picked from FiraMono-Medium's actual coverage: ♣ Classic, ◆ Daily,
+  ○ Zen, ▲ Challenge, → TimeAttack. `ACCENT_PRIMARY` when the mode is
+  unlocked, `TEXT_DISABLED` when locked. Centrepiece is a `Text` node
+  for now — when real per-mode artwork lands, swap to `Image` without
+  touching tile layout, focus order, or chip rendering.
+- **Solver-vetted seed selection on `AsyncComputeTaskPool`**
+  (`d489e7a`). Closes the worst-case 6 s UI stall on a New Game
+  click with "Winnable deals only" enabled. New `PendingNewGameSeed`
+  resource holds the in-flight `Task<u64>` plus the original
+  request's `mode` / `confirmed` flags. `poll_pending_new_game_seed`
+  runs `.before(GameMutation)` and replays a synthetic
+  `NewGameRequestEvent` once the task resolves — the player sees no
+  extra-frame visual lag. Cancel-on-replace: a fresh
+  `NewGameRequestEvent` while a task is in flight drops the old
+  task, letting Bevy's `Task` Drop cancel cooperatively at the next
+  await point.
+- **"Won before" HUD indicator** (`bdac754`). When the current
+  deal's `(seed, draw_mode, mode)` triple matches an entry in the
+  rolling `ReplayHistory`, the HUD's tier-2 context row shows
+  **✓ Won before** in `STATE_SUCCESS`. Cleared on win (the on-screen
+  victory cue is enough) and on first-time deals. New
+  `HudWonPreviously` marker driven by a separate
+  `update_won_previously` system; gracefully no-ops in headless
+  tests that don't load `StatsPlugin`.
+- **"Copy share link" Stats button** (`540869c`). End-to-end replay
+  sharing on a server-backed sync backend:
+  `sync_plugin::push_replay_on_win` spawns the upload on
+  `AsyncComputeTaskPool` and stores the handle in
+  `PendingReplayUpload` (drops any in-flight predecessor — the most
+  recent win is what the player wants the link for);
+  `poll_replay_upload_result` writes `<server>/replays/<id>` to
+  `LastSharedReplayUrl` on success; the Stats overlay's action bar
+  gains a button that writes the URL to the OS clipboard via
+  `arboard` and surfaces a "Copied: \<url\>" toast. URL is in-memory
+  only — sharing must happen within the session of the win.
+- **Empty-state copy + onboarding hints** (`56e2e6f`). Leaderboard
+  empty state: two-tier "Be the first on the leaderboard." headline
+  + body invite. Achievements panel: first-launch hint above the
+  grid until the first unlock. Volume hotkeys (`[` / `]`) now emit
+  an `InfoToastEvent` with the new percentage so off-panel
+  adjustments give visible feedback (previously silent).
+- **Enter dismisses the Win Summary and starts a fresh deal**
+  (`17e0737`). The post-win modal's "Play Again" was click-only;
+  keyboard-only players had to reach for the mouse to leave the
+  celebration screen. The button label gains a trailing return-key
+  glyph so the keyboard path is discoverable on first sight.
+- **`N` opens the real Confirm/Cancel modal** (`93660c2`). The old
+  "Press N again" double-tap pattern was a UI-first violation (only
+  continuation was another keystroke). `N` now fires
+  `NewGameRequestEvent::default()` directly; `handle_new_game`'s
+  active-game check spawns the existing `ConfirmNewGameScreen`. The
+  HUD button already routed through the same modal — keyboard and
+  mouse paths are unified. `Shift+N` keeps the keyboard power-user
+  bypass (`confirmed: true`).
+
+### Changed
+
+- **Settings row layout** (`a4bc063`). All five
+  slider/toggle row helpers (volume × 2, tooltip delay, time-bonus
+  multiplier, replay-move interval, generic toggle) restructured to
+  a label-spacer-cluster layout (`width: 100%`, label gets
+  `flex-grow: 1`, controls cluster sits flush right). Stable across
+  varying value-text widths ("0.80" → "1.00", "Instant" vs "1.5 s")
+  and narrow windows.
+- **Docs adopt the unified-3.0 rule set** (`f2f30c8`). `CLAUDE.md`
+  grows from a 114-line pointer doc to a 571-line rulebook (hard
+  global constraints §2, engine rules §3, asset rules §4, code
+  standards §5, build + verification §6, git workflow §7, the ASK
+  BEFORE list §8, Context Injection System §14). New companions:
+  `CLAUDE_SPEC.md` (formal architecture spec — crate dependency
+  graph, data ownership, state-machine invariants, sync merge /
+  server contracts, validation checklist),
+  `CLAUDE_WORKFLOW.md` (two-agent Builder/Guardian pipeline with
+  hard-fail patterns), `CLAUDE_PROMPT_PACK.md` (task-type
+  templates). Three duplicate rule passages removed across
+  `CLAUDE_SPEC.md` and `ARCHITECTURE.md`.
+- **Test discipline pruning** (`a49a340`). Removed 43 low-value
+  tests across `solitaire_data` and `solitaire_core` (default-value
+  tests, serde-derive round-trips on plain structs, single-field
+  clamp tests, near-duplicates, constant-equals-itself tests). None
+  pinned a behaviour contract or a regression on a real bug. Future
+  agent briefs request tests for behaviour contracts or real-bug
+  regressions, not a count of N.
+
+### Fixed
+
+- **Esc on a modal no longer opens Pause underneath** (`08b006f`).
+  A single Esc press on Confirm New Game / Restore / Home /
+  Onboarding / Settings used to both close the modal and spawn the
+  Pause overlay on top in the same frame. `toggle_pause` now skips
+  when any non-Pause `ModalScrim` is in the world; the HUD-button
+  path is gated too. The four modal queries are bundled into a
+  `PauseModalQueries` `SystemParam` to stay under Bevy's
+  16-parameter cap.
+- **Esc dismisses Home / accepts the Restore-prompt default**
+  (`d48b948`). Both screens previously ignored Esc, leaving the
+  player no keyboard-only escape after the previous fix. Home: Esc
+  behaves like Cancel (despawns the modal, keeps the underlying
+  default deal). Restore: Esc maps to Continue (preserves the saved
+  game, matching how the primary action already advertises Enter).
+- **Esc dismisses the topmost modal when Profile stacks on Home**
+  (`9aa0dd2`). Clicking the Home header chip opens Profile on top
+  of Home; Esc used to close Home (because
+  `handle_home_cancel_button` fired with no awareness of layered
+  modals) and leave Profile orphaned over the game.
+  `profile_plugin` now splits P/button (toggle) from Esc
+  (close-only); `handle_home_cancel_button` skips its Esc branch
+  when any other `ModalScrim` exists.
+- **Restore-prompt resolution suppresses Home auto-show**
+  (`b7c3a49`). Resolving the Welcome-back prompt cleared
+  `PendingRestoredGame` and despawned the modal, but the
+  launch-time Home auto-show then fired the next frame and stacked
+  itself over the player's chosen path. `LaunchHomeShown` becomes
+  `pub` so `handle_restore_prompt` flips it to `true` after either
+  resolution; **M** still re-opens the picker on demand.
+- **Game timers freeze while the Home picker is up** (`c497c31`).
+  The HUD's elapsed-time counter ticked from the moment the default
+  Classic deal landed at startup, even though the auto-show Home
+  picker was still up — the player saw "0:11" before they had
+  chosen a mode. `tick_elapsed_time` and `advance_time_attack` now
+  also gate on the absence of `HomeScreen`, mirroring their
+  existing `PausedResource` check.
+- **Popover rows stay visible regardless of action-bar fade**
+  (`cc63532`). Opening Modes / Menu showed a solid dark-purple
+  block in the top-right with no readable content — the action-bar
+  auto-fade was matching the popover rows by their shared
+  `ActionButton` marker and dropping their alpha to the
+  cursor-position-based fade value (typically 0). New `PopoverRow`
+  marker on rows in `spawn_modes_popover` / `spawn_menu_popover`;
+  `apply_action_fade` excludes them via `Without<PopoverRow>`.
+
+### Stats
+
+- 1166 passing tests (was 1208 at v0.17.0 close — 43 net removals
+  from the test-discipline prune plus 1 net-new test from the
+  async-seed work, no behaviour regressions).
+- Zero clippy warnings under `--workspace --all-targets -- -D warnings`.
+
+## [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

CLAUDE.md

@@ -1,114 +1,571 @@
-# Solitaire Quest — Claude Code Instructions
+# CLAUDE.md
 
-See @ARCHITECTURE.md for full project design, crate responsibilities, data models, and API reference.
+version: unified-3.0
 
 ---
 
-## Project Layout
+# 0. Role of This File
 
-```text
-solitaire_core/    # Pure Rust game logic — NO Bevy, NO network, NO I/O
-solitaire_sync/    # Shared API types — NO Bevy, serde/uuid/chrono only
-solitaire_data/    # Persistence + SyncProvider trait + server client
-solitaire_engine/  # Bevy ECS systems, components, plugins
-solitaire_server/  # Axum sync server binary
-solitaire_app/     # Thin binary entry point
-assets/            # Source assets — embedded at compile time via include_bytes!()
+This document defines:
+
+* **Execution rules (what Claude must do)**
+* **System constraints (what Claude must never violate)**
+* **Operational architecture (how code is structured)**
+
+For full system design details:
+→ `ARCHITECTURE.md` (authoritative source of truth)
+
+This file overrides all conversational assumptions.
+
+---
+
+# 1. System Architecture (Authoritative Mapping)
+
+## 1.1 Crates
+
+```text id="crate_map"
+solitaire_core/    # PURE logic (no IO, no Bevy, deterministic)
+solitaire_sync/    # Shared API + merge logic
+solitaire_data/    # Persistence + sync client
+solitaire_engine/  # Bevy ECS + UI + gameplay orchestration
+solitaire_server/  # Axum backend (optional sync layer)
+solitaire_app/     # Entry binary
+assets/            # Runtime assets (except audio)
 ```
 
 ---
 
-## Build & Test Commands
+## 1.2 Architecture Source of Truth
 
-```bash
-# Dev run (fast compile via dynamic linking)
-cargo run -p solitaire_app --features bevy/dynamic_linking
+* Full system design: `ARCHITECTURE.md`
+* This file NEVER redefines system design
+* This file ONLY enforces behavior
 
-# Release build
-cargo build --workspace --release
+---
 
-# All tests — MUST pass before any commit
+# 2. Hard Global Constraints (NON-NEGOTIABLE)
+
+These override all other instructions.
+
+## 2.1 Core Determinism
+
+* `solitaire_core` MUST:
+
+  * be deterministic
+  * be side-effect free
+  * never depend on Bevy / IO / async
+
+---
+
+## 2.2 Sync Isolation
+
+* `solitaire_sync`:
+
+  * no Bevy
+  * no IO
+  * no engine dependencies
+* merge logic must be pure functions only
+
+---
+
+## 2.3 Error Policy
+
+* NO `unwrap()`
+* NO `panic!()` in runtime/game logic
+* All state transitions:
+
+```rust id="err_model"
+Result<T, MoveError>
+```
+
+---
+
+## 2.4 Threading Rules
+
+* Sync must run on `AsyncComputeTaskPool`
+* NEVER block Bevy main thread
+
+---
+
+## 2.5 Persistence Rules
+
+* atomic writes only:
+
+  * write `.tmp`
+  * rename atomically
+* no partial state writes allowed
+
+---
+
+## 2.6 Security Rules
+
+* credentials ONLY via `keyring`
+* NEVER store secrets in:
+
+  * files
+  * logs
+  * source code
+
+---
+
+## 2.7 Sync System Rules
+
+* All sync backends implement:
+
+```rust id="sync_trait"
+trait SyncProvider
+```
+
+* `SyncPlugin` MUST be backend-agnostic
+* NEVER match on backend inside ECS systems
+
+---
+
+# 3. Engine Rules (Bevy Layer)
+
+## 3.1 ECS Design
+
+* systems = single responsibility
+* communication = Events only
+* shared state = Resources only
+* per-entity state = Components only
+
+---
+
+## 3.2 Game State Authority
+
+* ONLY `GameStateResource` can mutate game state
+* UI systems MUST NOT directly modify core logic
+
+---
+
+## 3.3 UI-First Constraint (CRITICAL)
+
+Every player action MUST:
+
+* have a visible UI control
+* NOT rely solely on keyboard shortcuts
+
+Keyboard shortcuts are:
+→ optional accelerators only
+
+---
+
+## 3.4 Layout System
+
+* recompute on `WindowResized`
+* no fixed resolution assumptions
+
+---
+
+# 4. Asset System Rules
+
+## 4.1 Runtime Assets (AssetServer)
+
+Loaded via:
+
+* `CardImageSet`
+* `BackgroundImageSet`
+* `FontResource`
+
+Includes:
+
+* cards
+* backgrounds
+* fonts
+
+---
+
+## 4.2 Embedded Assets
+
+Only audio:
+
+```text id="audio_rule"
+include_bytes!()
+```
+
+---
+
+## 4.3 Test Compatibility Rule
+
+All asset loaders MUST accept:
+
+```rust id="asset_fallback"
+Option<Res<AssetServer>>
+```
+
+Must degrade gracefully under `MinimalPlugins`.
+
+---
+
+# 5. Code Standards
+
+## 5.1 Error Handling
+
+* use `thiserror`
+* no `Box<dyn Error>` in libraries
+
+---
+
+## 5.2 Public API Rules
+
+* prefer `Into<T>` over concrete types
+* all public items require doc comments
+
+---
+
+## 5.3 Derive Order
+
+```rust id="derive_order"
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, PartialEq, Eq, Serialize, Deserialize)]
+```
+
+---
+
+## 5.4 Performance Rules
+
+* NO `clone()` in hot paths
+* profile before optimizing
+
+---
+
+## 5.5 SQL Rules
+
+* ONLY `sqlx::query!`
+* NO raw SQL strings
+
+---
+
+# 6. Build & Verification Rules
+
+These are mandatory before ANY commit.
+
+```bash id="build_rules"
 cargo test --workspace
-
-# Lint — MUST pass clean (zero warnings)
 cargo clippy --workspace -- -D warnings
-
-# Run sync server locally
-cargo run -p solitaire_server
-
-# Check a single crate
-cargo test -p solitaire_core
-cargo clippy -p solitaire_core -- -D warnings
 ```
 
 ---
 
-## Hard Rules
+# 7. Git Workflow Rules
 
-- `solitaire_core` and `solitaire_sync` must never gain Bevy or network dependencies.
-- No `unwrap()` or `panic!()` in game logic. All state transitions return `Result<_, MoveError>`.
-- Audio assets are embedded at compile time using `include_bytes!()` in `audio_plugin.rs`.
-- Card faces (52 PNGs in `assets/cards/faces/`), card backs (`assets/cards/backs/back_N.png`), board backgrounds (`assets/backgrounds/bg_N.png`), and the UI font (`assets/fonts/main.ttf`) are loaded at runtime via `AssetServer::load()` and stored as `Handle<Image>`/`Handle<Font>` in the `CardImageSet`, `BackgroundImageSet`, and `FontResource` resources. The `assets/` directory must ship alongside the binary.
-- Asset-loading systems take `Option<Res<AssetServer>>` so they degrade cleanly under `MinimalPlugins` (tests). When `CardImageSet` is absent, `card_plugin` falls back to a `Text2d` rank+suit overlay; when `BackgroundImageSet` is absent, the board falls back to a solid colour.
-- Atomic file writes only: write to `filename.json.tmp`, then `rename()`.
-- Passwords and tokens are stored in the OS keychain via the `keyring` crate — never in plaintext files or logs.
-- Sync runs on `AsyncComputeTaskPool` — never block the Bevy main thread.
-- All sync backends implement the `SyncProvider` trait. The `SyncPlugin` is backend-agnostic — never `match` on `SyncBackend` inside a Bevy system.
-- `cargo clippy --workspace -- -D warnings` must pass clean after every change.
-- `cargo test --workspace` must pass after every change.
+## Commit format
+
+```text id="commit_fmt"
+type(scope): description
+```
+
+Examples:
+
+* feat(core): add draw-three rules
+* fix(engine): correct drag z-order
+* test(core): undo boundary cases
 
 ---
 
-## Code Style
+## Commit conditions
 
-- Use `thiserror` for error types. Never `Box<dyn Error>` in library crates.
-- Prefer `Into<T>` over concrete types in public API function parameters.
-- All public items must have doc comments (`///`). Private items: comment only when non-obvious.
-- Derive order convention: `#[derive(Debug, Clone, PartialEq, Eq, Serialize, Deserialize)]`
-- Bevy systems: one responsibility per system. Use `Events` for cross-system communication, never shared mutable state.
-- SQL queries: use `sqlx::query!` macros (compile-time checked), not raw string queries.
-- No `clone()` calls in hot paths (game loop systems). Profile before optimising elsewhere.
+* tests must pass
+* clippy must be clean
+
+NEVER commit otherwise
 
 ---
 
-## Bevy Conventions
+# 8. Change Control (ASK BEFORE DOING)
 
-- One `Plugin` per major feature: `CardPlugin`, `AudioPlugin`, `AchievementPlugin`, `UIPlugin`, `SyncPlugin`.
-- Resources own shared state. Events communicate between systems. Components own per-entity data.
-- All UI screens are built with Bevy UI (`bevy::ui`). Never mix UI layout and game logic in the same system.
-- Layout is recomputed on `WindowResized` — never assume a fixed window size.
-- **UI-first.** Every player-triggered action (new game, undo, draw, pause, open stats / settings / help / profile / leaderboard, switch mode, etc.) must be reachable from a visible UI control. Keyboard shortcuts are optional accelerators — never the sole entry point. New gameplay features ship with the UI control alongside the system that backs it; do not merge a feature that is keyboard-only.
+Claude must request confirmation before:
+
+* adding dependencies
+* modifying `solitaire_sync`
+* changing DB schema
+* introducing `unsafe`
+* changing merge strategy
 
 ---
 
-## Git Workflow
+# 9. System Mental Model (IMPORTANT)
 
-- Commit after each passing phase, not after every file change.
-- Commit message format: `type(scope): description`
-  - `feat(core): add draw-three mode validation`
-  - `fix(engine): card z-order during drag`
-  - `test(core): undo stack boundary conditions`
-  - `chore(server): add sqlx migration 002`
-- Never commit with failing tests or clippy warnings.
-- Never commit secrets, `.env` files, or `*.db` files.
+```text id="mental_model"
+Core (rules + deterministic logic)
+    ↓
+Engine (Bevy orchestration)
+    ↓
+Data layer (persistence + sync)
+    ↓
+Server (optional external system)
+```
+
+Core is always the source of truth.
 
 ---
 
-## Ask Before Doing
+# 10. Known Platform Pitfalls
 
-- Adding a new crate dependency (discuss alternatives first).
-- Changing a type in `solitaire_sync` (breaking change on both client and server).
-- Altering the database schema (requires a new sqlx migration).
-- Introducing `unsafe` code anywhere.
-- Changing the merge strategy in `solitaire_sync::merge()`.
+Must always be handled explicitly:
+
+* Bevy `Time` uses `f32`
+* `sqlx::migrate!()` path is crate-relative
+* `dirs::data_dir()` may return `None`
+* Linux may lack keyring backend
 
 ---
 
-## Lessons Learned
+# 11. Forbidden Patterns
 
-> Add entries here when Claude makes a mistake so it isn't repeated.
+* game logic inside Bevy systems
+* duplication across crates
+* blocking async calls in ECS
+* insecure credential storage
+* bypassing core logic layer
 
-- Bevy's `Time` resource uses `f32` seconds; convert to `u64` only when writing to `StatsSnapshot`.
-- `sqlx::migrate!()` macro path is relative to the crate root, not the workspace root.
-- `keyring` on Linux requires a running secret service (e.g. GNOME Keyring or KWallet) — handle `Error::NoStorageAccess` gracefully and fall back to prompting the user.
-- `dirs::data_dir()` returns `None` on some minimal Linux environments — always handle the `None` case explicitly, do not unwrap.
+---
+
+# 12. Execution Rules for Claude
+
+When generating code:
+
+1. respect crate boundaries
+2. minimize diff size
+3. do not expand scope
+4. follow existing patterns
+5. preserve invariants
+
+If unclear:
+→ ask before acting
+
+---
+
+# 13. Relationship to ARCHITECTURE.md
+
+| File            | Role                      |
+| --------------- | ------------------------- |
+| CLAUDE.md       | execution + constraints   |
+| ARCHITECTURE.md | system design truth       |
+| Both combined   | full system understanding |
+
+---
+# 14. Context Injection System (AUTOMATIC SCOPE FILTER)
+
+## 14.1 Purpose
+
+Before generating any response, Claude MUST construct a **minimal relevant context set**.
+
+This prevents:
+
+* architectural drift
+* irrelevant spec loading
+* over-engineering
+* cross-crate confusion
+
+---
+
+## 14.2 Input Classification Step (MANDATORY)
+
+Every request MUST be classified into exactly one task type:
+
+```text id="task_types"
+feature
+bugfix
+refactor
+system_design
+bevy_system
+core_logic
+sync
+optimization
+test
+debug
+```
+
+If uncertain → ask clarification.
+
+---
+
+## 14.3 Context Selection Engine
+
+After classification, Claude MUST include ONLY the relevant sections below.
+
+---
+
+## 14.4 Context Map (CORE RULESET)
+
+### feature
+
+Include:
+
+* §2 Hard Global Constraints
+* §3 Engine Rules
+* ARCHITECTURE.md (crate of target feature only)
+* relevant data models (GameState, SyncPayload if needed)
+
+---
+
+### bugfix
+
+Include:
+
+* §2 Hard Global Constraints
+* §5 Code Standards
+* affected crate boundaries
+* relevant system (engine/core/sync only)
+
+---
+
+### refactor
+
+Include:
+
+* §3 Engine Rules
+* §5 Code Standards
+* §11 Forbidden Patterns
+* target crate boundaries
+
+---
+
+### system_design
+
+Include:
+
+* ARCHITECTURE.md (FULL)
+* §9 Mental Model
+* §1 System Architecture Mapping
+
+---
+
+### core_logic
+
+Include:
+
+* solitaire_core rules only
+* GameState model
+* MoveError model
+* §2.1–2.3 constraints
+
+---
+
+### bevy_system
+
+Include:
+
+* §3 Engine Rules
+* ECS rules (Events/Resources/Components)
+* UI-first constraint
+* relevant plugin system only
+
+---
+
+### sync
+
+Include:
+
+* SyncProvider trait
+* merge strategy rules
+* solitaire_sync models
+* §2.6 Sync Rules
+
+---
+
+### optimization
+
+Include:
+
+* target crate only
+* §5.4 Performance Rules
+* hot path constraints
+
+---
+
+### test
+
+Include:
+
+* §6 Build Rules
+* relevant module
+* expected invariants
+
+---
+
+### debug
+
+Include:
+
+* target file/module only
+* §2.3 Error Policy
+* runtime assumptions relevant to failure
+
+---
+
+## 14.5 Context Compression Rules
+
+Claude MUST obey:
+
+* never include full ARCHITECTURE.md unless system_design
+* max 2 crates per response unless explicitly required
+* prefer function-level context over file-level context
+* exclude unrelated plugins/systems
+
+---
+
+## 14.6 Context Priority Order
+
+When space is limited:
+
+1. Hard Constraints (§2)
+2. Target crate rules
+3. Data models
+4. Only then: architecture snippets
+
+---
+
+## 14.7 “No Context Pollution” Rule
+
+Claude must NOT include:
+
+* unrelated crates
+* unrelated plugins
+* unused data models
+* full architecture dumps
+* speculative systems
+
+---
+
+## 14.8 Self-Check Before Execution
+
+Before writing code, Claude MUST verify:
+
+* [ ] Is only relevant context included?
+* [ ] Is at least one hard constraint present?
+* [ ] Am I touching more than one crate unnecessarily?
+* [ ] Am I duplicating ARCHITECTURE.md content?
+
+If any fail → revise context selection.
+
+---
+
+## 14.9 Injection Output Format (Internal Model)
+
+Claude should behave as if it constructed:
+
+```text id="ctx_format"
+[SELECTED TASK TYPE]
+
+[MINIMAL REQUIRED RULES]
+
+[MINIMAL ARCHITECTURE SLICES]
+
+[RELEVANT MODELS]
+
+[REQUEST]
+```
+
+---
+
+## 14.10 Relationship to ARCHITECTURE.md
+
+* ARCHITECTURE.md = source of truth
+* CLAUDE.md = execution constraints
+* THIS SECTION = filtering layer between them
+
+---
+
+# END CONTEXT INJECTION SYSTEM

CLAUDE_PROMPT_PACK.md

@@ -0,0 +1,497 @@
+# CLAUDE_PROMPT_PACK.md
+
+version: 1.0
+
+---
+
+# 0. GLOBAL INSTRUCTION (prepend to every prompt)
+
+```
+You must follow CLAUDE_SPEC.md strictly.
+
+Rules:
+- Do not expand scope beyond what is defined
+- Do not refactor unrelated code
+- Do not introduce new dependencies
+- Prefer minimal, surgical changes
+- Use existing patterns in the codebase
+- Return minimal diffs or changed functions only
+
+Before writing code:
+1. List relevant constraints from CLAUDE_SPEC.md
+2. Identify risks
+3. Then implement
+```
+
+---
+
+# 1. FEATURE IMPLEMENTATION
+
+```
+# TASK: Feature Implementation
+
+feature: "<name>"
+
+goal:
+"<clear outcome>"
+
+scope:
+crates: []
+systems: []
+files: []
+
+non_goals:
+- ""
+
+constraints:
+- must follow CLAUDE_SPEC.md
+- event-driven architecture required
+- no blocking operations
+- no cross-crate leakage
+
+acceptance_criteria:
+- ""
+- ""
+
+edge_cases:
+- ""
+
+---
+
+## Required Patterns
+
+Use this pattern for systems:
+<PASTE EXISTING SYSTEM SNIPPET HERE>
+
+---
+
+## Output Format
+
+intent:
+plan:
+constraints_used:
+risks:
+
+code_changes:
+(minimal diffs only)
+
+notes:
+```
+
+---
+
+# 2. BUGFIX
+
+```
+# TASK: Bug Fix
+
+bug_description:
+"<what is broken>"
+
+expected_behavior:
+"<correct behavior>"
+
+root_cause_hint (optional):
+""
+
+scope:
+crates: []
+files: []
+
+constraints:
+- minimal fix only
+- no refactors unless required
+- must add regression protection if applicable
+
+---
+
+## Requirements
+
+1. Identify root cause
+2. Fix it minimally
+3. Preserve all invariants
+4. Do not change unrelated logic
+
+---
+
+## Output Format
+
+analysis:
+root_cause:
+fix_strategy:
+
+code_changes:
+(minimal diff)
+
+regression_test (only if high-value):
+
+notes:
+```
+
+---
+
+# 3. REFACTOR
+
+```
+# TASK: Refactor
+
+target:
+"<what is being improved>"
+
+goal:
+"<what improves>"
+
+scope:
+crates: []
+files: []
+
+non_goals:
+- no behavior changes
+- no new features
+
+constraints:
+- must preserve behavior exactly
+- must respect crate boundaries
+- must not duplicate logic
+
+---
+
+## Refactor Type
+
+- [ ] simplify logic
+- [ ] reduce duplication
+- [ ] improve readability
+- [ ] performance (non-invasive)
+
+---
+
+## Output Format
+
+analysis:
+issues_found:
+
+refactor_plan:
+
+code_changes:
+(diff only)
+
+verification:
+- behavior unchanged: yes/no
+- invariants preserved: yes/no
+
+notes:
+```
+
+---
+
+# 4. SYSTEM DESIGN (NEW FEATURE)
+
+```
+# TASK: System Design
+
+feature:
+"<name>"
+
+goal:
+"<what problem it solves>"
+
+constraints:
+- must fit existing architecture
+- must follow plugin + event model
+- must not violate crate boundaries
+
+---
+
+## Required Output
+
+design:
+
+components:
+- plugins:
+- systems:
+- events:
+- resources:
+
+data_flow:
+(step-by-step)
+
+integration_points:
+- where it connects to existing systems
+
+risks:
+- ""
+
+tradeoffs:
+- ""
+
+---
+
+## DO NOT
+
+- write full implementation
+- modify unrelated systems
+```
+
+---
+
+# 5. NEW BEVY SYSTEM
+
+```
+# TASK: Add Bevy System
+
+system_name:
+""
+
+trigger:
+(event or condition)
+
+reads:
+[Resources]
+
+writes:
+[Resources]
+
+emits:
+[Events]
+
+constraints:
+- must be event-driven
+- must not directly mutate unrelated state
+- must be single responsibility
+
+---
+
+## Output Format
+
+system_signature:
+
+implementation:
+(code only)
+
+notes:
+```
+
+---
+
+# 6. CORE LOGIC FUNCTION (solitaire_core)
+
+```
+# TASK: Core Logic Implementation
+
+function:
+"<name>"
+
+goal:
+"<what it does>"
+
+rules:
+- no IO
+- no async
+- no Bevy
+- deterministic
+
+invariants:
+- ""
+- ""
+
+errors:
+- ""
+
+---
+
+## Output Format
+
+constraints_checked:
+
+implementation:
+(code only)
+
+edge_case_handling:
+
+notes:
+```
+
+---
+
+# 7. SYNC / MERGE LOGIC
+
+```
+# TASK: Sync Logic
+
+goal:
+"<what is being merged or synced>"
+
+constraints:
+- must be deterministic
+- must be idempotent
+- must be lossless
+- must not delete data
+
+rules:
+- counters → max
+- times → min
+- collections → union
+
+---
+
+## Output Format
+
+analysis:
+
+merge_logic:
+
+code_changes:
+
+invariants_verified:
+- deterministic
+- idempotent
+- lossless
+
+notes:
+```
+
+---
+
+# 8. PERFORMANCE OPTIMIZATION
+
+```
+# TASK: Optimization
+
+target:
+"<what is slow>"
+
+constraints:CLAUDE_WORKFLOW.md
+- no behavior change
+- no architecture change
+- minimal code changes
+
+---
+
+## Output Format
+
+analysis:
+bottleneck:
+
+optimization_strategy:
+
+code_changes:
+
+impact_estimate:
+
+notes:
+```
+
+---
+
+# 9. TEST GENERATION (STRICT MODE)
+
+```
+# TASK: Test Generation
+
+target:
+"<function/system>"
+
+reason:
+- bugfix | complex logic | invariant protection
+
+constraints:
+- no redundant tests
+- must test real behavior
+- must fail if logic breaks
+
+---
+
+## Output Format
+
+test_cases:
+- ""
+
+test_code:
+
+notes:
+```
+
+---
+
+# 10. DEBUGGING / INVESTIGATION
+
+```
+# TASK: Debug
+
+problem:
+"<symptom>"
+
+context:
+"<relevant code or system>"
+
+---
+
+## Required Steps
+
+1. List possible causes
+2. Narrow down most likely
+3. Suggest verification steps
+4. Provide minimal fix
+
+---
+
+## Output Format
+
+hypotheses:
+
+most_likely:
+
+verification_steps:
+
+fix:
+
+notes:
+```
+
+---
+
+# 11. HARD CONSTRAINT OVERRIDE (RARE)
+
+```
+# TASK: Exception Handling
+
+reason:
+"<why constraints must be bent>"
+
+requested_exception:
+"<rule being broken>"
+
+justification:
+"<why unavoidable>"
+
+---
+
+## Output Format
+
+analysis:
+
+alternatives_considered:
+
+final_decision:
+
+risk:
+```
+
+---
+
+# 12. STOP CONDITIONS (always append)
+
+```
+Stop when:
+- acceptance criteria are met
+- code is minimal and correct
+
+Do NOT:
+- expand scope
+- refactor unrelated code
+- optimize prematurely
+```
+
+---
+
+# END

CLAUDE_SPEC.md

@@ -0,0 +1,292 @@
+# CLAUDE_SPEC.md
+
+version: 1.0
+
+---
+
+## 0. Global Rules
+
+(Core determinism, panic policy, and event-driven engine constraints live in CLAUDE.md §2.1, §2.3, §3.1. Listed here only when they add information CLAUDE.md doesn't carry.)
+
+rules:
+
+* id: single_source_of_truth
+  description: "GameStateResource is the only mutable game state in runtime"
+
+* id: sync_is_additive
+  description: "Remote data must never destructively overwrite local data"
+
+---
+
+## 1. Crate Graph
+
+crates:
+solitaire_core:
+depends_on: [rand, serde, chrono]
+forbidden_deps: [bevy, reqwest, tokio, std::fs]
+
+solitaire_sync:
+depends_on: [serde, serde_json, uuid, chrono]
+role: "shared_types"
+
+solitaire_data:
+depends_on: [solitaire_core, solitaire_sync, reqwest, tokio, keyring]
+role: "persistence_and_sync"
+
+solitaire_engine:
+depends_on: [bevy, kira, solitaire_core, solitaire_data]
+role: "runtime_engine"
+
+solitaire_server:
+depends_on: [solitaire_sync, axum, sqlx, jsonwebtoken]
+role: "backend"
+
+solitaire_app:
+depends_on: [solitaire_engine]
+role: "entrypoint"
+
+---
+
+## 2. Data Ownership
+
+ownership:
+GameState:
+owner: solitaire_core
+mutable_in: solitaire_engine
+access_pattern: "via GameStateResource only"
+
+StatsSnapshot:
+owner: solitaire_data
+
+PlayerProgress:
+owner: solitaire_data
+
+AchievementRecord:
+owner: solitaire_data
+
+SyncPayload:
+owner: solitaire_sync
+
+---
+
+## 3. State Transitions
+
+state_machine:
+GameState:
+transitions:
+- action: move_cards
+returns: Result<GameState, MoveError>
+
+```
+  - action: draw
+    returns: Result<GameState, MoveError>
+
+  - action: undo
+    returns: Result<GameState, MoveError>
+
+invariants:
+  - "52 cards always exist"
+  - "no duplicate card IDs"
+  - "all cards belong to exactly one pile"
+```
+
+---
+
+## 4. Event System
+
+events:
+
+input:
+- MoveRequestEvent
+- DrawRequestEvent
+- UndoRequestEvent
+- NewGameRequestEvent
+
+state:
+- StateChangedEvent
+- GameWonEvent
+
+meta:
+- AchievementUnlockedEvent
+- SyncCompleteEvent
+
+rules:
+
+* "Input events trigger core logic"
+* "Core logic emits state events"
+* "UI reacts to state events only"
+
+---
+
+## 5. Sync Contract
+
+sync:
+
+provider_trait:
+methods:
+- pull() -> SyncPayload
+- push(payload) -> SyncResponse
+
+guarantees:
+- "non-blocking during gameplay"
+- "blocking allowed on exit only"
+
+merge:
+rules:
+counters: "max"
+best_times: "min"
+collections: "union"
+achievements: "never removed"
+
+```
+properties:
+  - deterministic
+  - idempotent
+  - lossless
+```
+
+---
+
+## 6. Persistence
+
+storage:
+
+format: json
+
+files:
+- stats.json
+- progress.json
+- achievements.json
+- settings.json
+- game_state.json
+
+guarantees:
+- atomic_write: true
+- crash_safe: true
+
+---
+
+## 7. Engine Rules
+
+engine:
+
+mutation_rules:
+- "Only GameLogicSystem mutates GameState"
+- "UI systems are read-only"
+
+threading:
+- "sync runs on AsyncComputeTaskPool"
+- "main thread must never block"
+
+plugins:
+pattern: "feature_isolation"
+communication: "events"
+
+---
+
+## 8. Server Contract
+
+server:
+
+auth:
+method: jwt
+access_expiry: 24h
+refresh_expiry: 30d
+
+endpoints:
+- POST /api/auth/register
+- POST /api/auth/login
+- GET /api/sync/pull
+- POST /api/sync/push
+
+limits:
+payload_max: 1MB
+rate_limit: "10 req/min auth routes"
+
+---
+
+## 9. Achievement System
+
+achievements:
+
+definition_location: solitaire_core
+state_location: solitaire_data
+
+types:
+- condition_based
+- event_driven
+
+rule:
+- "achievements cannot be revoked"
+
+---
+
+## 10. Testing Rules
+
+testing:
+
+philosophy:
+- "test real failures"
+- "avoid redundant tests"
+
+required_coverage:
+solitaire_core:
+- move_validation
+- undo_integrity
+- win_detection
+
+```
+solitaire_sync:
+  - merge_correctness
+  - idempotency
+```
+
+---
+
+## 11. Prohibited Patterns
+
+(See CLAUDE.md §11 for the canonical forbidden-patterns list.)
+
+---
+
+## 12. Extension Points
+
+extensibility:
+
+sync_backends:
+pattern: "implement SyncProvider"
+
+game_modes:
+location: solitaire_core::GameMode
+
+plugins:
+rule: "new feature = new plugin"
+
+---
+
+## 13. Validation Checklist (for Claude)
+
+validation:
+
+* check: "crate dependency rules respected"
+* check: "no panics in core"
+* check: "events used for cross-system communication"
+* check: "GameState mutations centralized"
+* check: "merge function properties preserved"
+* check: "no blocking operations in main loop"
+
+---
+
+## 14. Mental Model
+
+model:
+
+layers:
+- core
+- engine
+- data
+- server
+
+flow:
+- input -> engine -> core -> engine -> ui
+- data <-> sync <-> server

CLAUDE_WORKFLOW.md

@@ -0,0 +1,335 @@
+# CLAUDE_WORKFLOW.md
+
+version: 1.0
+
+---
+
+## 0. Overview
+
+This workflow defines a **two-agent system**:
+
+* **Builder Agent** → writes and modifies code
+* **Guardian Agent** → enforces architecture + rejects invalid changes
+
+No code is considered valid unless it passes Guardian validation.
+
+---
+
+## 1. Agent Roles
+
+### 1.1 Builder Agent
+
+role: "code_generation"
+
+responsibilities:
+
+* implement features
+* refactor code
+* generate tests (only when justified)
+* follow CLAUDE_SPEC.md
+
+constraints:
+
+* cannot bypass validation
+* must declare intent before writing code
+
+output_contract:
+must_produce:
+- change_summary
+- files_modified
+- reasoning (short)
+- code_diff
+
+---
+
+### 1.2 Guardian Agent
+
+role: "architecture_enforcement"
+
+responsibilities:
+
+* validate against CLAUDE_SPEC.md
+* detect violations
+* reject or approve changes
+* suggest minimal fixes (not full rewrites)
+
+constraints:
+
+* no feature implementation
+* no large rewrites
+* must be deterministic
+
+output_contract:
+must_produce:
+- status: APPROVED | REJECTED
+- violations[]
+- required_fixes[]
+- optional_improvements[]
+
+---
+
+## 2. Workflow Pipeline
+
+```text
+User Request
+    ↓
+Builder Agent (proposal + code)
+    ↓
+Guardian Agent (validation)
+    ↓
+IF approved → commit
+IF rejected → feedback → Builder retry
+```
+
+---
+
+## 3. Builder Protocol
+
+### Step 1 — Intent Declaration
+
+Builder MUST start with:
+
+```yaml
+intent:
+  feature: "<name>"
+  crates_touched: []
+  systems_affected: []
+  risk_level: low|medium|high
+```
+
+---
+
+### Step 2 — Plan
+
+```yaml
+plan:
+  - step: "..."
+  - step: "..."
+```
+
+---
+
+### Step 3 — Implementation
+
+* Only modify declared crates
+* Follow ownership rules
+* Use events for cross-system communication
+
+---
+
+### Step 4 — Output
+
+```yaml
+change_summary: "..."
+
+files_modified:
+  - path: ...
+    change: "..."
+
+violations_self_check:
+  - none | list
+
+notes: "short reasoning"
+```
+
+---
+
+## 4. Guardian Protocol
+
+### Step 1 — Spec Validation
+
+Check against:
+
+* crate boundaries
+* mutation rules
+* event system usage
+* sync guarantees
+* forbidden patterns
+
+---
+
+### Step 2 — Invariant Validation
+
+Must verify:
+
+* GameState invariants preserved
+* no new panic paths
+* no blocking calls in engine
+* merge properties unchanged
+
+---
+
+### Step 3 — Output Decision
+
+#### APPROVED
+
+```yaml
+status: APPROVED
+
+notes:
+  - "no violations"
+```
+
+---
+
+#### REJECTED
+
+```yaml
+status: REJECTED
+
+violations:
+  - id: core_purity_violation
+    file: "solitaire_core/src/..."
+    reason: "uses std::fs"
+
+required_fixes:
+  - "move IO to solitaire_data"
+
+optional_improvements:
+  - "simplify event naming"
+```
+
+---
+
+## 5. Enforcement Rules
+
+### Hard Fail (automatic rejection)
+
+* core crate uses IO / Bevy / network
+* GameState mutated outside GameLogicSystem
+* blocking async on main thread
+* duplicate logic across crates
+* merge function altered incorrectly
+
+---
+
+### Soft Fail (allowed but flagged)
+
+* unnecessary complexity
+* redundant tests
+* minor architectural drift
+
+---
+
+## 6. Iteration Loop
+
+Max attempts per task: **3**
+
+```text
+Attempt 1 → Reject → Fix
+Attempt 2 → Reject → Fix
+Attempt 3 → Final decision
+```
+
+If still failing:
+→ escalate to user
+
+---
+
+## 7. Diff Strategy
+
+Builder MUST produce:
+
+* minimal diffs
+* no unrelated refactors
+* no formatting-only changes
+
+---
+
+## 8. Test Strategy Integration
+
+Builder rules:
+
+* only add tests if:
+
+  * fixing a bug
+  * protecting complex logic
+  * validating invariants
+
+Guardian rejects:
+
+* redundant tests
+* no-op tests
+
+---
+
+## 9. Optional Extensions
+
+### 9.1 Third Agent (Optimizer)
+
+role: performance + cleanup
+
+runs AFTER approval:
+
+* reduce allocations
+* simplify logic
+* improve ECS scheduling
+
+---
+
+### 9.2 CI Integration
+
+Pipeline:
+
+```text
+Builder → Guardian → cargo check → clippy → tests
+```
+
+Guardian runs BEFORE compilation to catch structural issues early.
+
+---
+
+## 10. Example Interaction
+
+### Builder
+
+```yaml
+intent:
+  feature: "undo stack limit fix"
+  crates_touched: [solitaire_core]
+  risk_level: low
+```
+
+```yaml
+change_summary: "limit undo stack to 64 entries"
+
+files_modified:
+  - solitaire_core/src/game_state.rs
+
+notes: "prevents unbounded memory growth"
+```
+
+---
+
+### Guardian
+
+```yaml
+status: APPROVED
+
+notes:
+  - "respects core constraints"
+  - "no invariant violations"
+```
+
+---
+
+## 11. Mental Model
+
+* Builder = **creative**
+* Guardian = **strict**
+
+Builder explores
+Guardian enforces
+
+Neither replaces the other.
+
+---
+
+## 12. Success Criteria
+
+System is working if:
+
+* architectural violations go to ~0
+* code stays consistent across features
+* refactors become safe
+* complexity grows sub-linearly

Cargo.lock

@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "accesskit_consumer",
  "hashbrown 0.15.5",
  "objc2 0.5.2",
- "objc2-app-kit",
+ "objc2-app-kit 0.2.2",
  "objc2-foundation 0.2.2",
 ]
 
@@ -313,6 +313,23 @@ dependencies = [
  "num-traits",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "arboard"
+version = "3.6.1"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "0348a1c054491f4bfe6ab86a7b6ab1e44e45d899005de92f58b3df180b36ddaf"
+dependencies = [
+ "clipboard-win",
+ "log",
+ "objc2 0.6.4",
+ "objc2-app-kit 0.3.2",
+ "objc2-foundation 0.3.2",
+ "parking_lot",
+ "percent-encoding",
+ "windows-sys 0.60.2",
+ "x11rb",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "arc-swap"
 version = "1.9.1"
@@ -1972,6 +1989,15 @@ version = "1.1.0"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "c8d4a3bb8b1e0c1050499d1815f5ab16d04f0959b233085fb31653fbfc9d98f9"
 
+[[package]]
+name = "clipboard-win"
+version = "5.4.1"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "bde03770d3df201d4fb868f2c9c59e66a3e4e2bd06692a0fe701e7103c7e84d4"
+dependencies = [
+ "error-code",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "cmake"
 version = "0.1.58"
@@ -2882,6 +2908,12 @@ dependencies = [
  "windows-sys 0.61.2",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "error-code"
+version = "3.3.2"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "dea2df4cf52843e0452895c455a1a2cfbb842a1e7329671acf418fdc53ed4c59"
+
 [[package]]
 name = "etcetera"
 version = "0.8.0"
@@ -4968,6 +5000,18 @@ dependencies = [
  "objc2-quartz-core",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "objc2-app-kit"
+version = "0.3.2"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "d49e936b501e5c5bf01fda3a9452ff86dc3ea98ad5f283e1455153142d97518c"
+dependencies = [
+ "bitflags 2.11.1",
+ "objc2 0.6.4",
+ "objc2-core-graphics",
+ "objc2-foundation 0.3.2",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "objc2-audio-toolbox"
 version = "0.3.2"
@@ -5065,6 +5109,19 @@ dependencies = [
  "objc2 0.6.4",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "objc2-core-graphics"
+version = "0.3.2"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "e022c9d066895efa1345f8e33e584b9f958da2fd4cd116792e15e07e4720a807"
+dependencies = [
+ "bitflags 2.11.1",
+ "dispatch2",
+ "objc2 0.6.4",
+ "objc2-core-foundation",
+ "objc2-io-surface",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "objc2-core-image"
 version = "0.2.2"
@@ -5121,6 +5178,17 @@ dependencies = [
  "objc2-core-foundation",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "objc2-io-surface"
+version = "0.3.2"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "180788110936d59bab6bd83b6060ffdfffb3b922ba1396b312ae795e1de9d81d"
+dependencies = [
+ "bitflags 2.11.1",
+ "objc2 0.6.4",
+ "objc2-core-foundation",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "objc2-link-presentation"
 version = "0.2.2"
@@ -5129,7 +5197,7 @@ checksum = "a1a1ae721c5e35be65f01a03b6d2ac13a54cb4fa70d8a5da293d7b0020261398"
 dependencies = [
  "block2 0.5.1",
  "objc2 0.5.2",
- "objc2-app-kit",
+ "objc2-app-kit 0.2.2",
  "objc2-foundation 0.2.2",
 ]
 
@@ -6856,6 +6924,7 @@ dependencies = [
 name = "solitaire_engine"
 version = "0.1.0"
 dependencies = [
+ "arboard",
  "async-trait",
  "bevy",
  "chrono",
@@ -9516,7 +9585,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "libc",
  "ndk",
  "objc2 0.5.2",
- "objc2-app-kit",
+ "objc2-app-kit 0.2.2",
  "objc2-foundation 0.2.2",
  "objc2-ui-kit",
  "orbclient",

Cargo.toml

@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ dirs        = "6"
 keyring     = "4"
 keyring-core = "1"
 reqwest     = { version = "0.13", features = ["json", "rustls", "rustls-native-certs"], default-features = false }
+arboard     = { version = "3", default-features = false }
 
 solitaire_core   = { path = "solitaire_core" }
 solitaire_sync   = { path = "solitaire_sync" }

SESSION_HANDOFF.md

@@ -1,107 +1,179 @@
 # Solitaire Quest — Session Handoff
 
-**Last updated:** 2026-05-06 (post-v0.16.0) — Modal-feel polish round shipped: every overlay scrolls when it overflows, every button shows a pointer cursor on hover, modal focus lands on the same frame, and read-only modals dismiss on scrim click. Direction now opens.
+**Last updated:** 2026-05-06 (post-v0.18.0 draft) — 24 commits since
+the v0.17.0 tag bundle the launch-experience round (Restore prompt +
+auto-show Home / mode picker), the MSSC-style Home picker rework
+(header chips, draw-mode chips, picture-tile mode cards, Today's
+Event callout, glyph fixes), the last solver hot path moving onto
+`AsyncComputeTaskPool`, "Won before" HUD chip, "Copy share link"
+Stats button, the `N` keybinding finally routing through the real
+Confirm/Cancel modal, Esc-on-modal layering fixes, and the
+unified-3.0 Claude rule set (CLAUDE.md / CLAUDE_SPEC.md /
+CLAUDE_WORKFLOW.md / CLAUDE_PROMPT_PACK.md). Test-discipline prune
+removed 43 low-value tests in the same window.
 
 ## Status at pause
 
-- **HEAD on origin:** v0.16.0's tag commit.
-- **Working tree:** clean apart from untracked `CARD_PLAN.md` (intentional).
-- **Build:** `cargo clippy --workspace --all-targets -- -D warnings` clean.
-- **Tests:** **1196 passed / 0 failed** across the workspace.
-- **Tags on origin:** `v0.9.0` through `v0.16.0`.
+- **HEAD on origin:** `v0.17.0-24-gc497c31` (24 ahead of v0.17.0,
+  not yet tagged).
+- **Working tree:** clean.
+- **Build:** `cargo clippy --workspace --all-targets -- -D warnings`
+  clean (verified this session).
+- **Tests:** **1166 passing / 0 failing** across the workspace
+  (verified this session). The first run flaked once on
+  `solitaire_engine::game_plugin::tests::auto_save_writes_after_30_seconds`
+  — a one-frame `app.update()` test that depends on `time.delta_secs()`
+  on an otherwise-fresh `App`. Reproduced clean on the second run;
+  passes in isolation. Worth tightening if it flakes again, but
+  not blocking the v0.18.0 cut.
+- **Tags on origin:** `v0.9.0` through `v0.17.0`.
+- **CHANGELOG:** v0.18.0 entry drafted in `[Unreleased]`'s slot —
+  ready for tag once build + tests are reverified.
 
 ## Where we are
 
-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).
+v0.17.0's punch list had four candidates (A–D); two of the three
+non-packaging items shipped in this round:
 
-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.
+- **B — "Won previously" HUD indicator:** shipped in `bdac754`.
+- **C — Replay sharing:** shipped in `540869c` ("Copy share link"
+  Stats button + clipboard via `arboard`, in-memory `LastSharedReplayUrl`).
 
-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.
+Item **A** (solver-on-`AsyncComputeTaskPool`) shipped *partially* in
+`d489e7a` — the winnable-only seed-selection path is now async with
+cancel-on-replace. The hint path (`H` key,
+`try_solve_with_first_move` / `try_solve_from_state`) is still
+synchronous. The proven `PendingNewGameSeed` template is the
+template for the hint port.
+
+Item **D** (desktop packaging) is unchanged — still gated on
+artwork + signing certs from the player.
+
+The launch experience is also substantially different from v0.17.0:
+on first launch with a saved game the player now sees the Restore
+prompt; on every launch (after splash + restore resolution) they see
+the auto-show Home / mode picker.
 
 ### Design direction (unchanged)
 
-- **Tone:** Balatro — chunky readable type, theatrical hierarchy, satisfying micro-interactions.
-- **Palette:** Midnight Purple base + Balatro yellow primary + warm magenta secondary.
-- See `~/.claude/projects/-home-manage-Rusty-Solitare/memory/project_ux_overhaul_2026-04.md` (machine-local).
+- **Tone:** Balatro — chunky readable type, theatrical hierarchy,
+  satisfying micro-interactions.
+- **Palette:** Midnight Purple base + Balatro yellow primary + warm
+  magenta secondary.
+- See `~/.claude/projects/-home-manage-Rusty-Solitare/memory/project_ux_overhaul_2026-04.md`
+  (machine-local).
 
 ### Canonical remote
 
-`github.com/funman300/Rusty_Solitaire` is the canonical repo. Always push there.
+`github.com/funman300/Rusty_Solitaire` is the canonical repo.
+Always push there.
 
-## v0.16.0 (shipped 2026-05-06)
+## v0.18.0 (drafted 2026-05-06, not yet tagged)
 
 | Area | Commit | What landed |
 |---|---|---|
-| 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. |
+| Restore prompt | `3c7a0eb` + `f863d85` | Welcome-back modal on launch when an in-progress save exists; save preserved across exits while the prompt is unanswered. |
+| Async winnable-only seeds | `d489e7a` | `PendingNewGameSeed` resource + `poll_pending_new_game_seed` running `.before(GameMutation)`. Fixes the worst-case 6 s UI stall on a New Game click. Cancel-on-replace contract covered by tests. |
+| Won-before HUD chip | `bdac754` | Reads `ReplayHistoryResource`; lights `✓ Won before` on tier-2 row when current `(seed, draw_mode, mode)` is in history. |
+| Copy share link | `540869c` | `arboard` clipboard + new Stats button + `SyncProvider::push_replay` returning the share URL. In-memory only; per-session sharing. |
+| MSSC Home picker | `ae40a1d`, `b73d246`, `9fe650f`, `40d6e0a`, `c30b04e`, `d065d49` | Header stats strip (clickable → Profile), draw-mode chips, per-mode score/streak chips, Today's Event callout on Daily, picture-tile 2-up grid with FiraMono-covered glyphs (♣ ◆ ○ ▲ →). |
+| Auto-show Home | `dd63261`, `b7c3a49`, `c497c31` | Auto-shows after splash; gated on Restore prompt; freezes timers (elapsed + Time Attack) while up. |
+| `N` opens real modal | `93660c2` | Removes the "Press N again" double-tap; routes through `ConfirmNewGameScreen`. `Shift+N` retains the bypass. |
+| Win Summary keyboard | `17e0737` | Enter dismisses + starts a fresh deal. |
+| Esc-on-modal fixes | `08b006f`, `d48b948`, `9aa0dd2` | Esc no longer opens Pause underneath the modal it just closed; Home maps Esc to Cancel; Restore maps Esc to Continue; topmost-modal-wins when Profile stacks on Home. |
+| Layout fixes | `a4bc063`, `cc63532` | Settings rows full-width with label-spacer-cluster; popover rows excluded from action-bar auto-fade. |
+| Empty-state copy | `56e2e6f` | Leaderboard / Achievements onboarding hints; volume hotkeys emit toast feedback. |
+| Test prune | `a49a340` | −43 low-value tests; future briefs request behaviour contracts only. |
+| Docs unified-3.0 | `f2f30c8` | Adopts CLAUDE.md / CLAUDE_SPEC.md / CLAUDE_WORKFLOW.md / CLAUDE_PROMPT_PACK.md; trims duplicated rule passages. |
 
 ## Open punch list
 
-### Release prep
+### Carried forward from v0.17.0
 
-1. **Smoke-test on a real game**: confirm scroll feels right on Achievements (the original bug), pointer cursor changes on every interactive surface, the very first Tab in a modal already activates the primary, and clicking the dimmed area dismisses the read-only modals while NOT dismissing Settings/Pause.
-2. **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-on-`AsyncComputeTaskPool` for the H-key hint** —
+  remaining synchronous solver hot path. The seed-selection port
+  in `d489e7a` is the template: `PendingHintTask` resource, polling
+  system running `.before(GameMutation)`, cancel-on-replace, fall
+  back to the heuristic on inconclusive. Diff should stay scoped
+  to `input_plugin.rs` plus a small `pending_hint.rs`.
+- **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.
 
-### Carryover from v0.15.0 next-round candidates
+### New this round
 
-Still open — would each be ~50–200 LOC:
+- **Persistent share link.** `LastSharedReplayUrl` is in-memory only
+  — the player must share within the session of the win. If
+  cross-session sharing turns into a real ask, persist alongside
+  the rolling replay history.
+- **Per-mode artwork.** Picture tiles use Unicode glyphs as
+  placeholders chosen from FiraMono's actual coverage. When real
+  artwork lands, swap each tile's `Text` node for an `Image` node
+  — tile layout, focus order, click handling, and chip rendering
+  are unchanged.
 
-- **Solver-driven hints** — the existing hint system uses a heuristic; promote it to ask `try_solve` for the actual best move. Now that the solver is in place this is mostly plumbing.
-- **Replay-playback rate slider** — the 0.45 s/move pace is hardcoded; a Settings slider in the same row as tooltip-delay / time-bonus would let power users speed up older replays.
-- **Solver progress overlay** — when "Winnable deals only" is on, a brief "checking deal…" toast surfaces after ~500 ms so the player isn't confused by the rare worst-case stall.
-- **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. Async + cancel button would be safer.
-- **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.
+### Process notes (from this round)
+
+- **Test inflation pattern (resolved this round):** older agent
+  briefs reflexively asked for ≥3 tests per feature, producing 43
+  low-value coverage entries on stdlib/serde-derive mechanics. Going
+  forward, ask for tests that pin behaviour contracts or
+  regressions on real bugs only. See
+  `feedback_test_discipline.md` in auto-memory.
+- **Solver async refactor sequencing (worked this round):** rather
+  than porting the whole solver-on-main-thread surface in one PR
+  (the rollback case from before v0.17.0), the
+  `PendingNewGameSeed` work shipped one well-bounded path with two
+  tests covering the happy path and cancel-on-replace. The hint
+  port should follow the same shape.
 
 ## Resume prompt
 
 ```
 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 — v0.16.0 just shipped covering
-modal scroll fixes, pointer cursor, same-frame focus, and scrim-click
-dismiss across all six read-only modals.
+Working directory: <Rusty_Solitaire clone path on this machine>.
+Branch: master. Direction is OPEN — v0.18.0 has been drafted but
+not tagged: 24 commits past v0.17.0 cover the launch-experience
+round, MSSC Home picker, async winnable-only seeds, Won-before
+HUD, Copy share link, N-key flow rework, Esc-layering fixes, and
+the unified-3.0 Claude rule set.
 
-State: HEAD at v0.16.0. Working tree clean apart from untracked
-CARD_PLAN.md (intentional).
-Build: cargo clippy --workspace --all-targets -- -D warnings clean.
-Tests: 1196 passed / 0 failed.
+State: HEAD at v0.17.0-24-gc497c31. Working tree clean.
+CHANGELOG.md has the v0.18.0 entry slotted under [Unreleased].
 
 READ FIRST (in order, before doing anything):
-  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
-  5. ~/.claude/projects/<this-project>/memory/MEMORY.md
-                         — saved feedback / project context (machine-local;
-                           may be missing on a fresh machine)
+  1. SESSION_HANDOFF.md  — this file
+  2. CHANGELOG.md        — v0.18.0 draft entry
+  3. CLAUDE.md           — unified-3.0 rule set
+  4. CLAUDE_SPEC.md      — formal architecture spec
+  5. ARCHITECTURE.md     — crate responsibilities + data flow
+  6. ~/.claude/projects/<this-project>/memory/MEMORY.md
+                         — saved feedback / project context
+                           (machine-local; may be missing on a
+                           fresh machine)
 
 DECISION TO ASK THE PLAYER FIRST:
-  A. Smoke-test v0.16.0. Scroll on Achievements, pointer cursor on
-     buttons, first Tab in a modal activates rather than advances,
-     scrim click dismisses Stats/Achievements/Help/Profile/
-     Leaderboard/Home but NOT Settings/Pause/etc.
-  B. Solver-driven hints — replace heuristic with try_solve's
-     best-move suggestion. ~100 LOC.
-  C. Solver-on-AsyncComputeTaskPool with progress toast + cancel.
-     Eliminates the worst-case 6 s stall.
-  D. Pick from the remaining "next-round candidates" in this doc.
-  E. Take the deferred desktop-packaging item (needs artwork +
-     signing certs from the user).
+  A. Tag v0.18.0 — promote `[Unreleased]` to `[0.18.0]` (already
+     done in this session's draft), reverify build + clippy +
+     tests, tag, push. Mechanical close-out.
+  B. Solver-on-AsyncComputeTaskPool for the H-key hint, using the
+     `d489e7a` seed-selection port as template. Last synchronous
+     solver hot path. Smallest delta on the open punch list.
+  C. Desktop packaging — needs artwork + signing certs from the
+     player; can't be driven by the agent alone.
+  D. Persistent share link — store the URL alongside replay
+     history so cross-session sharing works.
 
 WORKFLOW NOTES:
   - Commits use:
       git -c user.name=funman300 -c user.email=root@vscode.infinity \
           commit -m "..."
-  - When attributing playtester feedback in commits/docs, use "Quat"
-    not "Rhys" (saved feedback memory).
+  - When attributing playtester feedback in commits/docs, use
+    "Quat" not "Rhys" (saved feedback memory).
   - Sub-agents stage + verify only; orchestrator commits.
   - 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–E. Don't pick unilaterally.
+OPEN AT THE START: ask which of A–D. Don't pick unilaterally.
 ```

solitaire_app/src/main.rs

@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ fn main() {
         .add_plugins(TimeAttackPlugin)
         .add_plugins(HudPlugin)
         .add_plugins(HelpPlugin)
-        .add_plugins(HomePlugin)
+        .add_plugins(HomePlugin::default())
         .add_plugins(ProfilePlugin)
         .add_plugins(PausePlugin)
         .add_plugins(SettingsPlugin::default())

solitaire_core/src/card.rs

@@ -77,16 +77,6 @@ pub struct Card {
 mod tests {
     use super::*;
 
-    #[test]
-    fn rank_value_ace_is_one() {
-        assert_eq!(Rank::Ace.value(), 1);
-    }
-
-    #[test]
-    fn rank_value_king_is_thirteen() {
-        assert_eq!(Rank::King.value(), 13);
-    }
-
     #[test]
     fn rank_values_are_sequential() {
         let ranks = [
@@ -100,26 +90,11 @@ mod tests {
     }
 
     #[test]
-    fn suit_red_is_diamonds_and_hearts() {
-        assert!(Suit::Diamonds.is_red());
-        assert!(Suit::Hearts.is_red());
-        assert!(!Suit::Clubs.is_red());
-        assert!(!Suit::Spades.is_red());
+    fn suit_red_and_black_are_complementary() {
+        for suit in [Suit::Clubs, Suit::Diamonds, Suit::Hearts, Suit::Spades] {
+            assert_ne!(suit.is_red(), suit.is_black(), "{suit:?} must be exactly one of red/black");
         }
-
-    #[test]
-    fn suit_black_is_clubs_and_spades() {
-        assert!(Suit::Clubs.is_black());
-        assert!(Suit::Spades.is_black());
-        assert!(!Suit::Diamonds.is_black());
-        assert!(!Suit::Hearts.is_black());
-    }
-
-    #[test]
-    fn card_face_up_field_reflects_construction() {
-        let card = Card { id: 0, suit: Suit::Hearts, rank: Rank::Ace, face_up: false };
-        assert!(!card.face_up);
-        let card2 = Card { id: 1, suit: Suit::Spades, rank: Rank::King, face_up: true };
-        assert!(card2.face_up);
+        assert!(Suit::Diamonds.is_red() && Suit::Hearts.is_red());
+        assert!(Suit::Clubs.is_black() && Suit::Spades.is_black());
     }
 }

solitaire_core/src/game_state.rs

@@ -815,11 +815,6 @@ mod tests {
         assert!(g.undo_stack_len() <= 64);
     }
 
-    #[test]
-    fn undo_count_starts_at_zero() {
-        assert_eq!(new_game().undo_count, 0);
-    }
-
     #[test]
     fn undo_count_increments_on_each_undo() {
         let mut g = new_game();
@@ -900,11 +895,6 @@ mod tests {
         assert_eq!(g.score, 0);
     }
 
-    #[test]
-    fn zen_mode_default_is_classic_via_default_trait() {
-        assert_eq!(GameMode::default(), GameMode::Classic);
-    }
-
     #[test]
     fn zen_mode_field_persists_through_construction() {
         let g = GameState::new_with_mode(1, DrawMode::DrawThree, GameMode::Zen);
@@ -956,12 +946,6 @@ mod tests {
         assert!(g.undo().is_ok(), "undo must be permitted in TimeAttack mode");
     }
 
-    #[test]
-    fn time_attack_score_starts_at_zero() {
-        let g = GameState::new_with_mode(42, DrawMode::DrawOne, GameMode::TimeAttack);
-        assert_eq!(g.score, 0);
-    }
-
     #[test]
     fn time_attack_draw_three_combination() {
         // TimeAttack + DrawThree is a valid combination; verify construction.

solitaire_core/src/solver.rs

@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ use std::hash::{Hash, Hasher};
 
 use crate::card::{Card, Suit};
 use crate::deck::{deal_klondike, Deck};
-use crate::game_state::DrawMode;
+use crate::game_state::{DrawMode, GameState};
 use crate::pile::{Pile, PileType};
 use crate::rules::{can_place_on_foundation, can_place_on_tableau, is_valid_tableau_sequence};
 
@@ -108,6 +108,42 @@ impl Default for SolverConfig {
     }
 }
 
+/// A single move the solver can recommend, expressed in terms of the
+/// engine-level `(source, dest, count)` triple used by `MoveRequestEvent`.
+///
+/// Returned as part of [`SolveOutcome::first_move`] when
+/// [`try_solve_with_first_move`] or [`try_solve_from_state`] proves the
+/// position winnable. The hint system surfaces this to the player as the
+/// "provably best" first move.
+///
+/// `count` is always `1` for non-tableau-to-tableau moves (foundation moves
+/// always move a single card; waste moves a single card; draws use a
+/// dedicated representation that the public API surfaces as
+/// `source: PileType::Stock, dest: PileType::Waste, count: 1`).
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, PartialEq, Eq)]
+pub struct SolverMove {
+    /// Pile the move originates from.
+    pub source: PileType,
+    /// Pile the move lands on.
+    pub dest: PileType,
+    /// Number of cards in the move (1 for non-tableau-to-tableau moves).
+    pub count: usize,
+}
+
+/// Solver verdict plus, when winnable, the first move on a winning path.
+///
+/// `result == Winnable` guarantees `first_move == Some(_)`; the inverse
+/// holds only when the search proved a verdict — `Inconclusive` and
+/// `Unwinnable` always carry `first_move == None`.
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, PartialEq, Eq)]
+pub struct SolveOutcome {
+    /// The high-level verdict (Winnable / Unwinnable / Inconclusive).
+    pub result: SolverResult,
+    /// First move on the solution path when `result == Winnable`,
+    /// otherwise `None`.
+    pub first_move: Option<SolverMove>,
+}
+
 /// Tries to solve a fresh Classic-mode game from `seed` + `draw_mode`.
 ///
 /// This is a pure function — same input always yields the same
@@ -120,18 +156,47 @@ impl Default for SolverConfig {
 /// [`is_valid_tableau_sequence`]) drive move enumeration so the
 /// solver's notion of "legal" exactly matches the live game.
 pub fn try_solve(seed: u64, draw_mode: DrawMode, config: &SolverConfig) -> SolverResult {
+    // Delegate to the path-recording variant and discard the move. The path
+    // recording is cheap (a single Option<SolverMove> per stack frame) so
+    // this preserves `try_solve`'s existing performance characteristics —
+    // the new-game retry loop, which is the hot caller, sees no slowdown.
+    try_solve_with_first_move(seed, draw_mode, config).result
+}
+
+/// Tries to solve a fresh Classic-mode game from `seed` + `draw_mode` and,
+/// when a win is found, returns the first move on the winning path.
+///
+/// Same semantics as [`try_solve`] for the verdict; the only difference is
+/// that the [`SolveOutcome::first_move`] is populated when `result ==
+/// SolverResult::Winnable`. `Unwinnable` and `Inconclusive` always carry
+/// `first_move == None`.
+///
+/// Used by the engine hint system to promote H-key suggestions from a
+/// heuristic to the provably-optimal first move; the hint system falls
+/// back to its heuristic when this returns `Inconclusive`.
+pub fn try_solve_with_first_move(
+    seed: u64,
+    draw_mode: DrawMode,
+    config: &SolverConfig,
+) -> SolveOutcome {
     let state = SolverState::initial(seed, draw_mode);
-    let mut visited: HashSet<u64> = HashSet::new();
-    let mut moves_consumed: u64 = 0;
-    let mut budget_exceeded = false;
-    let won = state.search(config, &mut visited, &mut moves_consumed, &mut budget_exceeded);
-    if won {
-        SolverResult::Winnable
-    } else if budget_exceeded {
-        SolverResult::Inconclusive
-    } else {
-        SolverResult::Unwinnable
-    }
+    state.solve(config)
+}
+
+/// Tries to solve from an existing in-progress [`GameState`].
+///
+/// Mirrors [`try_solve_with_first_move`] but takes a live `GameState`
+/// instead of a fresh seed. The hint system uses this so it can ask the
+/// solver about the actual board the player is staring at, not just the
+/// initial deal.
+///
+/// Reads `state.draw_mode` and the current pile contents. The active
+/// `GameMode` is irrelevant — the solver only models Classic Klondike
+/// rules, which are a strict subset of every other mode (Zen / Challenge
+/// only differ in scoring and undo-availability).
+pub fn try_solve_from_state(state: &GameState, config: &SolverConfig) -> SolveOutcome {
+    let solver_state = SolverState::from_game_state(state);
+    solver_state.solve(config)
 }
 
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -141,9 +206,11 @@ pub fn try_solve(seed: u64, draw_mode: DrawMode, config: &SolverConfig) -> Solve
 /// The candidate moves the solver enumerates at each step. Distinct
 /// from `MoveRequestEvent` (engine-level) and `move_cards` (game-level)
 /// because the solver also needs to model the stock-draw + recycle as a
-/// first-class move.
+/// first-class move. Distinct from the public [`SolverMove`] because the
+/// internal form encodes each move kind structurally for fast pattern
+/// matching during enumeration.
 #[derive(Debug, Clone, Copy, PartialEq, Eq)]
-enum SolverMove {
+enum InternalMove {
     /// Move `count` cards from a tableau column to another tableau column.
     TableauToTableau { from: usize, to: usize, count: usize },
     /// Move the top of a tableau column to a foundation slot.
@@ -156,6 +223,41 @@ enum SolverMove {
     Draw,
 }
 
+impl InternalMove {
+    /// Convert this internal move into the public [`SolverMove`] form
+    /// suitable for handing off to the engine layer. Cheap — `O(1)` field
+    /// rewrites with no allocation.
+    fn to_public(self) -> SolverMove {
+        match self {
+            InternalMove::TableauToTableau { from, to, count } => SolverMove {
+                source: PileType::Tableau(from),
+                dest: PileType::Tableau(to),
+                count,
+            },
+            InternalMove::TableauToFoundation { from, slot } => SolverMove {
+                source: PileType::Tableau(from),
+                dest: PileType::Foundation(slot),
+                count: 1,
+            },
+            InternalMove::WasteToTableau { to } => SolverMove {
+                source: PileType::Waste,
+                dest: PileType::Tableau(to),
+                count: 1,
+            },
+            InternalMove::WasteToFoundation { slot } => SolverMove {
+                source: PileType::Waste,
+                dest: PileType::Foundation(slot),
+                count: 1,
+            },
+            InternalMove::Draw => SolverMove {
+                source: PileType::Stock,
+                dest: PileType::Waste,
+                count: 1,
+            },
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 /// Compact replica of `GameState` tailored for the solver. Strips
 /// undo / score / move-count tracking and replaces the `HashMap` of
 /// piles with fixed arrays so the canonical hash is cheap to compute.
@@ -232,8 +334,8 @@ impl SolverState {
     /// The order matters — foundation moves shrink the search frontier
     /// fastest, and stock-draws are the costliest. See the top-of-file
     /// algorithm note.
-    fn enumerate_moves(&self) -> Vec<SolverMove> {
-        let mut moves: Vec<SolverMove> = Vec::new();
+    fn enumerate_moves(&self) -> Vec<InternalMove> {
+        let mut moves: Vec<InternalMove> = Vec::new();
 
         // 1) Foundation moves from tableau tops.
         for (i, col) in self.tableau.iter().enumerate() {
@@ -246,7 +348,7 @@ impl SolverState {
                     &self.foundation[slot as usize],
                 );
                 if can_place_on_foundation(top, &foundation_pile) {
-                    moves.push(SolverMove::TableauToFoundation { from: i, slot });
+                    moves.push(InternalMove::TableauToFoundation { from: i, slot });
                 }
             }
         }
@@ -260,7 +362,7 @@ impl SolverState {
                 &self.foundation[slot as usize],
             );
             if can_place_on_foundation(top, &foundation_pile) {
-                moves.push(SolverMove::WasteToFoundation { slot });
+                moves.push(InternalMove::WasteToFoundation { slot });
             }
         }
 
@@ -298,7 +400,7 @@ impl SolverState {
                     {
                         continue;
                     }
-                    moves.push(SolverMove::TableauToTableau { from: src, to: dst, count });
+                    moves.push(InternalMove::TableauToTableau { from: src, to: dst, count });
                 }
             }
         }
@@ -308,7 +410,7 @@ impl SolverState {
             for dst in 0..7usize {
                 let dst_pile = Self::pile_view(PileType::Tableau(dst), &self.tableau[dst]);
                 if can_place_on_tableau(top, &dst_pile) {
-                    moves.push(SolverMove::WasteToTableau { to: dst });
+                    moves.push(InternalMove::WasteToTableau { to: dst });
                 }
             }
         }
@@ -326,7 +428,7 @@ impl SolverState {
         let cycled_without_progress =
             self.consecutive_draws > stock_cycle_len.saturating_add(1);
         if can_draw && !cycled_without_progress {
-            moves.push(SolverMove::Draw);
+            moves.push(InternalMove::Draw);
         }
 
         moves
@@ -334,11 +436,11 @@ impl SolverState {
 
     /// Apply `mv` to `self`, returning the previous `consecutive_draws`
     /// value so the caller can restore it on backtrack.
-    fn apply_move(&mut self, mv: SolverMove) -> SolverStateUndo {
+    fn apply_move(&mut self, mv: InternalMove) -> SolverStateUndo {
         let prev_just_drew = self.just_drew;
         let prev_consec = self.consecutive_draws;
         match mv {
-            SolverMove::TableauToTableau { from, to, count } => {
+            InternalMove::TableauToTableau { from, to, count } => {
                 let start = self.tableau[from].len() - count;
                 let moved: Vec<Card> = self.tableau[from].split_off(start);
                 self.tableau[to].extend(moved);
@@ -351,7 +453,7 @@ impl SolverState {
                 self.just_drew = false;
                 self.consecutive_draws = 0;
             }
-            SolverMove::TableauToFoundation { from, slot } => {
+            InternalMove::TableauToFoundation { from, slot } => {
                 if let Some(card) = self.tableau[from].pop() {
                     self.foundation[slot as usize].push(card);
                     if let Some(top) = self.tableau[from].last_mut()
@@ -363,21 +465,21 @@ impl SolverState {
                 self.just_drew = false;
                 self.consecutive_draws = 0;
             }
-            SolverMove::WasteToTableau { to } => {
+            InternalMove::WasteToTableau { to } => {
                 if let Some(card) = self.waste.pop() {
                     self.tableau[to].push(card);
                 }
                 self.just_drew = false;
                 self.consecutive_draws = 0;
             }
-            SolverMove::WasteToFoundation { slot } => {
+            InternalMove::WasteToFoundation { slot } => {
                 if let Some(card) = self.waste.pop() {
                     self.foundation[slot as usize].push(card);
                 }
                 self.just_drew = false;
                 self.consecutive_draws = 0;
             }
-            SolverMove::Draw => {
+            InternalMove::Draw => {
                 if self.stock.is_empty() {
                     // Recycle waste back to stock face-down, reversed.
                     let mut recycled: Vec<Card> = self.waste.drain(..).collect();
@@ -415,39 +517,55 @@ impl SolverState {
     /// stack lives on the heap and grows only with `Vec` capacity, not
     /// with thread-stack pages.
     ///
-    /// Returns `true` as soon as a winning leaf is found. Sets
-    /// `*budget_exceeded = true` if either budget trips before a
-    /// verdict.
+    /// Returns `Some(first_move)` (the move applied at the root that led
+    /// to a winning leaf) as soon as a winning leaf is found. Returns
+    /// `None` if the search exhausts (Unwinnable) or a budget trips —
+    /// callers distinguish those two cases via `*budget_exceeded`.
+    ///
+    /// Path recording is implemented by stashing the root-level move on
+    /// each pushed frame and propagating it unchanged into deeper
+    /// children. Cost: one `Option<InternalMove>` (≤ 16 bytes) per
+    /// frame and one branch on push. Negligible on the hot path; the
+    /// new-game retry loop sees no measurable slowdown.
     fn search(
         self,
         config: &SolverConfig,
         visited: &mut HashSet<u64>,
         moves_consumed: &mut u64,
         budget_exceeded: &mut bool,
-    ) -> bool {
+    ) -> Option<SolverMove> {
         // Each stack frame keeps a state plus the move iterator we
         // haven't yet expanded. Popping a frame is the backtrack.
         struct Frame {
             state: SolverState,
-            pending: std::vec::IntoIter<SolverMove>,
+            pending: std::vec::IntoIter<InternalMove>,
+            /// First move on the path from the root to this frame's
+            /// state. `None` for the root frame; populated when a child
+            /// frame is pushed. Propagates unchanged from parent to deeper
+            /// children so any winning leaf can read it directly.
+            root_move: Option<InternalMove>,
         }
-        // Quick exits before allocating the stack.
+        // Quick exits before allocating the stack. An already-won state
+        // surfaces as Winnable with no move to recommend (the player has
+        // nothing left to do); the engine treats this gracefully —
+        // `is_won` callers gate H-key hints on `!is_won` already.
         if self.is_won() {
-            return true;
+            return None;
         }
         if *moves_consumed >= config.move_budget || visited.len() >= config.state_budget {
             *budget_exceeded = true;
-            return false;
+            return None;
         }
         let root_hash = self.canonical_hash();
         if !visited.insert(root_hash) {
-            return false;
+            return None;
         }
         let root_moves = self.enumerate_moves();
         let mut stack: Vec<Frame> = Vec::new();
         stack.push(Frame {
             state: self,
             pending: root_moves.into_iter(),
+            root_move: None,
         });
 
         while let Some(frame) = stack.last_mut() {
@@ -457,7 +575,7 @@ impl SolverState {
                 || visited.len() >= config.state_budget
             {
                 *budget_exceeded = true;
-                return false;
+                return None;
             }
             let Some(mv) = frame.pending.next() else {
                 // Exhausted this frame's children — backtrack.
@@ -465,10 +583,15 @@ impl SolverState {
                 continue;
             };
             *moves_consumed = moves_consumed.saturating_add(1);
+            // Determine the root-level move for the *child* we are about
+            // to push: if the current frame is the root (root_move is
+            // None) then the child's root move is `mv` itself; otherwise
+            // it inherits from the parent.
+            let child_root_move = frame.root_move.unwrap_or(mv);
             let mut next = frame.state.clone();
             next.apply_move(mv);
             if next.is_won() {
-                return true;
+                return Some(child_root_move.to_public());
             }
             let h = next.canonical_hash();
             if !visited.insert(h) {
@@ -478,9 +601,74 @@ impl SolverState {
             stack.push(Frame {
                 state: next,
                 pending: next_moves.into_iter(),
+                root_move: Some(child_root_move),
             });
         }
-        false
+        None
+    }
+
+    /// Drive [`SolverState::search`] and convert the raw outcome into a
+    /// public [`SolveOutcome`]. Shared by [`try_solve_with_first_move`]
+    /// and [`try_solve_from_state`].
+    fn solve(self, config: &SolverConfig) -> SolveOutcome {
+        let mut visited: HashSet<u64> = HashSet::new();
+        let mut moves_consumed: u64 = 0;
+        let mut budget_exceeded = false;
+        let already_won = self.is_won();
+        let first_move = self.search(config, &mut visited, &mut moves_consumed, &mut budget_exceeded);
+        let result = if already_won || first_move.is_some() {
+            SolverResult::Winnable
+        } else if budget_exceeded {
+            SolverResult::Inconclusive
+        } else {
+            SolverResult::Unwinnable
+        };
+        SolveOutcome { result, first_move }
+    }
+
+    /// Build a `SolverState` from an in-progress [`GameState`].
+    ///
+    /// Reads the live pile contents and `draw_mode`. Missing piles are
+    /// treated as empty — the engine's `GameState::new` always populates
+    /// every pile slot, but defensive code keeps this loader safe in the
+    /// face of partially-constructed test fixtures.
+    ///
+    /// The search-metadata fields (`just_drew`, `consecutive_draws`)
+    /// reset to "no draws yet" — the solver is concerned with future
+    /// reachability from this position, not the engine's own draw
+    /// history.
+    fn from_game_state(game: &GameState) -> Self {
+        let tableau: [Vec<Card>; 7] = core::array::from_fn(|i| {
+            game.piles
+                .get(&PileType::Tableau(i))
+                .map(|p| p.cards.clone())
+                .unwrap_or_default()
+        });
+        let foundation: [Vec<Card>; 4] = core::array::from_fn(|i| {
+            game.piles
+                .get(&PileType::Foundation(i as u8))
+                .map(|p| p.cards.clone())
+                .unwrap_or_default()
+        });
+        let stock = game
+            .piles
+            .get(&PileType::Stock)
+            .map(|p| p.cards.clone())
+            .unwrap_or_default();
+        let waste = game
+            .piles
+            .get(&PileType::Waste)
+            .map(|p| p.cards.clone())
+            .unwrap_or_default();
+        Self {
+            tableau,
+            foundation,
+            stock,
+            waste,
+            draw_mode: game.draw_mode.clone(),
+            just_drew: false,
+            consecutive_draws: 0,
+        }
     }
 
     /// Build a deterministic 64-bit hash of the visible game state.
@@ -656,9 +844,9 @@ mod tests {
         let mut moves_consumed: u64 = 0;
         let mut budget_exceeded = false;
         let cfg = SolverConfig::default();
-        let won = state.search(&cfg, &mut visited, &mut moves_consumed, &mut budget_exceeded);
+        let first_move = state.search(&cfg, &mut visited, &mut moves_consumed, &mut budget_exceeded);
 
-        assert!(won, "obviously-winnable position must be recognised as Winnable");
+        assert!(first_move.is_some(), "obviously-winnable position must be recognised as Winnable");
         assert!(!budget_exceeded);
         assert!(
             moves_consumed < 1000,
@@ -699,8 +887,8 @@ mod tests {
         let mut visited: HashSet<u64> = HashSet::new();
         let mut moves_consumed: u64 = 0;
         let mut budget_exceeded = false;
-        let won = state.search(&cfg, &mut visited, &mut moves_consumed, &mut budget_exceeded);
-        assert!(!won, "buried Ace under same-suit Two with no recovery must not solve");
+        let first_move = state.search(&cfg, &mut visited, &mut moves_consumed, &mut budget_exceeded);
+        assert!(first_move.is_none(), "buried Ace under same-suit Two with no recovery must not solve");
         assert!(!budget_exceeded, "small synthetic state must complete within budget");
     }
 
@@ -890,4 +1078,170 @@ mod tests {
             counts[0], counts[1], counts[2],
         );
     }
+
+    // -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+    // First-move-recording API: try_solve_with_first_move /
+    // try_solve_from_state. Exercised by the engine hint system.
+    // -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+    /// A synthetic GameState with each foundation holding A..Q for its
+    /// suit, the four Kings sitting on tableau columns 0..3, empty stock
+    /// and empty waste. Exactly four legal moves exist — one Tableau→
+    /// Foundation per King — and any one of them is the first move on a
+    /// solution path.
+    fn near_finished_game_state() -> GameState {
+        use crate::card::Rank;
+        let mut game = GameState::new(1, DrawMode::DrawOne);
+        // Wipe every pile.
+        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();
+
+        // Foundations: A through Q for each suit. Slot 0=Clubs,
+        // 1=Diamonds, 2=Hearts, 3=Spades to match
+        // `target_foundation_slot` ordering.
+        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,
+                });
+            }
+        }
+        // Tableau 0..3: one King each, face-up.
+        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
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn try_solve_with_first_move_returns_some_move_for_winnable_state() {
+        let game = near_finished_game_state();
+        let cfg = SolverConfig::default();
+        let outcome = try_solve_from_state(&game, &cfg);
+        assert_eq!(
+            outcome.result,
+            SolverResult::Winnable,
+            "near-finished state must solve as Winnable"
+        );
+        let mv = outcome.first_move.expect("Winnable must include a first_move");
+        // The first move must be a King going from a tableau column to
+        // its matching foundation slot. Single-card move.
+        assert_eq!(mv.count, 1);
+        assert!(matches!(mv.source, PileType::Tableau(c) if c < 4));
+        assert!(matches!(mv.dest, PileType::Foundation(s) if s < 4));
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn try_solve_with_first_move_returns_none_for_unwinnable_state() {
+        use crate::card::Rank;
+        // The "buried Ace under same-suit Two with no recovery" fixture
+        // used by `solver_recognises_obviously_unwinnable_deal`, lifted
+        // into a real `GameState` so we can exercise `try_solve_from_state`.
+        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();
+        // Tableau 0: A♠ on the bottom, 2♠ on top — the 2♠ has no legal
+        // destination, so the Ace is buried forever.
+        let t0 = game.piles.get_mut(&PileType::Tableau(0)).unwrap();
+        t0.cards.push(Card { id: 0, suit: Suit::Spades, rank: Rank::Ace, face_up: true });
+        t0.cards.push(Card { id: 1, suit: Suit::Spades, rank: Rank::Two, face_up: true });
+        // Tableau 1: a face-up King with nothing else — irrelevant; the
+        // pruning check elides "King → empty" no-ops.
+        game.piles
+            .get_mut(&PileType::Tableau(1))
+            .unwrap()
+            .cards
+            .push(Card { id: 2, suit: Suit::Clubs, rank: Rank::King, face_up: true });
+
+        let cfg = SolverConfig::default();
+        let outcome = try_solve_from_state(&game, &cfg);
+        assert_eq!(
+            outcome.result,
+            SolverResult::Unwinnable,
+            "buried-Ace fixture must be proved Unwinnable"
+        );
+        assert!(
+            outcome.first_move.is_none(),
+            "Unwinnable verdict must carry first_move == None"
+        );
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn try_solve_with_first_move_is_deterministic() {
+        // Same state run multiple times yields the same first_move.
+        let game = near_finished_game_state();
+        let cfg = SolverConfig::default();
+        let a = try_solve_from_state(&game, &cfg);
+        let b = try_solve_from_state(&game, &cfg);
+        let c = try_solve_from_state(&game, &cfg);
+        assert_eq!(a, b, "repeat solves must yield the same outcome");
+        assert_eq!(b, c);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn try_solve_with_first_move_seed_form_matches_state_form() {
+        // For a fresh seed, the two public entry points must agree —
+        // they share the same internal `solve()` implementation, but
+        // route through different state constructors. This is the
+        // smoke test that catches drift between them.
+        let cfg = SolverConfig {
+            move_budget: 5_000,
+            state_budget: 5_000,
+        };
+        let a = try_solve_with_first_move(7, DrawMode::DrawOne, &cfg);
+        let game = GameState::new(7, DrawMode::DrawOne);
+        let b = try_solve_from_state(&game, &cfg);
+        assert_eq!(a.result, b.result, "verdicts must match across the two entry points");
+        assert_eq!(a.first_move, b.first_move, "first_move must match across the two entry points");
+    }
 }

solitaire_data/src/challenge.rs

@@ -90,9 +90,4 @@ mod tests {
         seeds.dedup();
         assert_eq!(seeds.len(), len_before);
     }
-
-    #[test]
-    fn challenge_count_matches_seed_list_length() {
-        assert_eq!(challenge_count() as usize, CHALLENGE_SEEDS.len());
-    }
 }

solitaire_data/src/lib.rs

@@ -56,13 +56,13 @@ pub trait SyncProvider: Send + Sync {
     async fn delete_account(&self) -> Result<(), SyncError> {
         Ok(())
     }
-    /// Upload a winning replay to the backend so it's available for web
-    /// playback at `<server>/replays/<id>`. Default returns
-    /// `UnsupportedPlatform` so backends without a server (e.g.
-    /// `LocalOnlyProvider`) are silently no-op'd by the engine's
-    /// push-on-win system, matching the same pattern `pull` / `push`
-    /// follow.
-    async fn push_replay(&self, _replay: &crate::replay::Replay) -> Result<(), SyncError> {
+    /// Upload a winning replay to the backend. On success, returns the
+    /// shareable web URL the player can copy to their clipboard
+    /// (`<server>/replays/<id>`). Default returns `UnsupportedPlatform`
+    /// so backends without a server (e.g. `LocalOnlyProvider`) are
+    /// silently no-op'd by the engine's push-on-win system, matching
+    /// the same pattern `pull` / `push` follow.
+    async fn push_replay(&self, _replay: &crate::replay::Replay) -> Result<String, SyncError> {
         Err(SyncError::UnsupportedPlatform)
     }
 }
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ impl SyncProvider for Box<dyn SyncProvider + Send + Sync> {
     async fn delete_account(&self) -> Result<(), SyncError> {
         (**self).delete_account().await
     }
-    async fn push_replay(&self, replay: &crate::replay::Replay) -> Result<(), SyncError> {
+    async fn push_replay(&self, replay: &crate::replay::Replay) -> Result<String, SyncError> {
         (**self).push_replay(replay).await
     }
 }
@@ -141,7 +141,8 @@ 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, SOLVER_DEAL_RETRY_CAP, TIME_BONUS_MULTIPLIER_MAX,
+    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,
 };

solitaire_data/src/progress.rs

@@ -162,21 +162,6 @@ mod tests {
 
     // --- Persistence ---
 
-    #[test]
-    fn round_trip_save_and_load() {
-        let path = tmp_path("round_trip");
-        let _ = fs::remove_file(&path);
-
-        let mut p = PlayerProgress::default();
-        p.add_xp(1234);
-        p.unlocked_card_backs.push(2);
-        save_progress_to(&path, &p).expect("save");
-        let loaded = load_progress_from(&path);
-        assert_eq!(loaded.total_xp, 1234);
-        assert_eq!(loaded.level, p.level);
-        assert!(loaded.unlocked_card_backs.contains(&2));
-    }
-
     #[test]
     fn load_from_missing_file_returns_default() {
         let path = tmp_path("missing_xyz");

solitaire_data/src/settings.rs

@@ -181,6 +181,17 @@ pub struct Settings {
     /// 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 {
@@ -238,6 +249,33 @@ 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
@@ -268,14 +306,16 @@ impl Default for Settings {
             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),
@@ -286,6 +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
         }
     }
@@ -324,6 +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
@@ -364,19 +422,6 @@ mod tests {
         env::temp_dir().join(format!("solitaire_settings_test_{name}.json"))
     }
 
-    #[test]
-    fn defaults_are_reasonable() {
-        let s = Settings::default();
-        assert!((s.sfx_volume - 0.8).abs() < 1e-6);
-        assert!((s.music_volume - 0.5).abs() < 1e-6);
-        assert!(!s.first_run_complete);
-        assert_eq!(s.draw_mode, DrawMode::DrawOne);
-        assert_eq!(s.animation_speed, AnimSpeed::Normal);
-        assert_eq!(s.theme, Theme::Green);
-        assert_eq!(s.sync_backend, SyncBackend::Local);
-        assert!((s.tooltip_delay_secs - default_tooltip_delay()).abs() < 1e-6);
-    }
-
     #[test]
     fn adjust_sfx_volume_clamps() {
         let mut s = Settings { sfx_volume: 0.5, ..Default::default() };
@@ -409,76 +454,6 @@ mod tests {
         assert!(s.first_run_complete);
     }
 
-    #[test]
-    fn sanitized_clamps_music_volume() {
-        let s = Settings { music_volume: 2.0, ..Default::default() }.sanitized();
-        assert_eq!(s.music_volume, 1.0);
-
-        let s2 = Settings { music_volume: -0.5, ..Default::default() }.sanitized();
-        assert_eq!(s2.music_volume, 0.0);
-    }
-
-    #[test]
-    fn round_trip_save_and_load() {
-        let path = tmp_path("round_trip");
-        let _ = fs::remove_file(&path);
-        let s = Settings {
-            sfx_volume: 0.42,
-            first_run_complete: true,
-            ..Settings::default()
-        };
-        save_settings_to(&path, &s).expect("save");
-        let loaded = load_settings_from(&path);
-        assert_eq!(loaded, s);
-    }
-
-    #[test]
-    fn round_trip_save_and_load_full_settings() {
-        let path = tmp_path("round_trip_full");
-        let _ = fs::remove_file(&path);
-        let s = Settings {
-            draw_mode: DrawMode::DrawThree,
-            sfx_volume: 0.3,
-            music_volume: 0.7,
-            animation_speed: AnimSpeed::Fast,
-            theme: Theme::Dark,
-            sync_backend: SyncBackend::SolitaireServer {
-                url: "https://example.com".to_string(),
-                username: "testuser".to_string(),
-            },
-            selected_card_back: 0,
-            selected_background: 0,
-            first_run_complete: true,
-            color_blind_mode: false,
-            window_geometry: None,
-            selected_theme_id: "default".to_string(),
-            shown_achievement_onboarding: false,
-            tooltip_delay_secs: default_tooltip_delay(),
-            time_bonus_multiplier: default_time_bonus_multiplier(),
-            winnable_deals_only: false,
-        };
-        save_settings_to(&path, &s).expect("save");
-        let loaded = load_settings_from(&path);
-        assert_eq!(loaded, s);
-    }
-
-    #[test]
-    fn round_trip_preserves_non_default_cosmetic_selections() {
-        // selected_card_back and selected_background must survive save→load with
-        // non-zero values — zero is the default and not a meaningful regression check.
-        let path = tmp_path("cosmetic_selections");
-        let _ = fs::remove_file(&path);
-        let s = Settings {
-            selected_card_back: 3,
-            selected_background: 2,
-            ..Settings::default()
-        };
-        save_settings_to(&path, &s).expect("save");
-        let loaded = load_settings_from(&path);
-        assert_eq!(loaded.selected_card_back, 3);
-        assert_eq!(loaded.selected_background, 2);
-    }
-
     #[test]
     fn load_from_missing_file_returns_default() {
         let path = tmp_path("missing_xyz");
@@ -495,250 +470,6 @@ mod tests {
         assert_eq!(s, Settings::default());
     }
 
-    #[test]
-    fn load_from_old_format_uses_defaults_for_new_fields() {
-        // Simulate a settings.json written by an older version that only had
-        // sfx_volume and first_run_complete.
-        let path = tmp_path("old_format");
-        fs::write(
-            &path,
-            br#"{ "sfx_volume": 0.6, "first_run_complete": true }"#,
-        )
-        .expect("write");
-        let s = load_settings_from(&path);
-        assert!((s.sfx_volume - 0.6).abs() < 1e-6);
-        assert!(s.first_run_complete);
-        // New fields should fall back to their defaults.
-        assert!((s.music_volume - 0.5).abs() < 1e-6);
-        assert_eq!(s.animation_speed, AnimSpeed::Normal);
-        assert_eq!(s.theme, Theme::Green);
-        assert_eq!(s.sync_backend, SyncBackend::Local);
-        assert_eq!(s.draw_mode, DrawMode::DrawOne);
-        assert_eq!(s.selected_card_back, 0, "cosmetic card-back must default to 0 on old format");
-        assert_eq!(s.selected_background, 0, "cosmetic background must default to 0 on old format");
-        assert!(!s.color_blind_mode, "color_blind_mode must default to false on old format");
-    }
-
-    #[test]
-    fn color_blind_mode_defaults_to_false_when_field_absent() {
-        // Simulate a JSON file that has no color_blind_mode field.
-        let json = br#"{ "sfx_volume": 0.7 }"#;
-        let s: Settings = serde_json::from_slice(json).unwrap_or_default();
-        assert!(!s.color_blind_mode, "color_blind_mode must be false when absent from JSON");
-    }
-
-    #[test]
-    fn color_blind_mode_round_trips() {
-        let path = tmp_path("color_blind");
-        let _ = std::fs::remove_file(&path);
-        let s = Settings {
-            color_blind_mode: true,
-            ..Settings::default()
-        };
-        save_settings_to(&path, &s).expect("save");
-        let loaded = load_settings_from(&path);
-        assert!(loaded.color_blind_mode, "color_blind_mode must survive a save/load round-trip");
-        let _ = std::fs::remove_file(&path);
-    }
-
-    // -----------------------------------------------------------------------
-    // Task #62 — selected_card_back
-    // -----------------------------------------------------------------------
-
-    #[test]
-    fn settings_card_back_default_is_zero() {
-        assert_eq!(Settings::default().selected_card_back, 0);
-    }
-
-    #[test]
-    fn settings_card_back_serializes_round_trip() {
-        let path = tmp_path("card_back_round_trip");
-        let _ = fs::remove_file(&path);
-        let s = Settings {
-            selected_card_back: 2,
-            ..Settings::default()
-        };
-        save_settings_to(&path, &s).expect("save");
-        let loaded = load_settings_from(&path);
-        assert_eq!(loaded.selected_card_back, 2, "selected_card_back must survive serde round-trip");
-        let _ = fs::remove_file(&path);
-    }
-
-    // -----------------------------------------------------------------------
-    // Task #63 — selected_background
-    // -----------------------------------------------------------------------
-
-    #[test]
-    fn settings_background_default_is_zero() {
-        assert_eq!(Settings::default().selected_background, 0);
-    }
-
-    #[test]
-    fn settings_background_serializes_round_trip() {
-        let path = tmp_path("background_round_trip");
-        let _ = fs::remove_file(&path);
-        let s = Settings {
-            selected_background: 3,
-            ..Settings::default()
-        };
-        save_settings_to(&path, &s).expect("save");
-        let loaded = load_settings_from(&path);
-        assert_eq!(loaded.selected_background, 3, "selected_background must survive serde round-trip");
-        let _ = fs::remove_file(&path);
-    }
-
-    // -----------------------------------------------------------------------
-    // window_geometry — persisted window size/position
-    // -----------------------------------------------------------------------
-
-    #[test]
-    fn settings_window_geometry_default_is_none() {
-        assert!(
-            Settings::default().window_geometry.is_none(),
-            "default window_geometry must be None so first launch uses platform defaults"
-        );
-    }
-
-    #[test]
-    fn settings_with_window_geometry_round_trip() {
-        let path = tmp_path("window_geometry_round_trip");
-        let _ = fs::remove_file(&path);
-        let geom = WindowGeometry {
-            width: 1440,
-            height: 900,
-            x: 120,
-            y: 80,
-        };
-        let s = Settings {
-            window_geometry: Some(geom),
-            ..Settings::default()
-        };
-        save_settings_to(&path, &s).expect("save");
-        let loaded = load_settings_from(&path);
-        assert_eq!(
-            loaded.window_geometry,
-            Some(geom),
-            "window_geometry must survive serde round-trip"
-        );
-        let _ = fs::remove_file(&path);
-    }
-
-    #[test]
-    fn legacy_settings_without_window_geometry_deserializes_to_none() {
-        // A settings.json written by an older version of the game will be
-        // missing this field entirely. `#[serde(default)]` on the field
-        // must yield `None` rather than failing the whole deserialise.
-        let json = br#"{ "sfx_volume": 0.7, "first_run_complete": true }"#;
-        let s: Settings = serde_json::from_slice(json).unwrap_or_default();
-        assert!(
-            s.window_geometry.is_none(),
-            "legacy settings.json missing window_geometry must deserialize to None"
-        );
-    }
-
-    #[test]
-    fn window_geometry_explicit_null_deserializes_to_none() {
-        // An explicit `"window_geometry": null` is also valid input that
-        // must yield None — keeps tooling that hand-edits the file safe.
-        let json = br#"{ "window_geometry": null }"#;
-        let s: Settings = serde_json::from_slice(json).unwrap_or_default();
-        assert!(s.window_geometry.is_none());
-    }
-
-    // -----------------------------------------------------------------------
-    // shown_achievement_onboarding — first-win cue one-shot guard
-    // -----------------------------------------------------------------------
-
-    #[test]
-    fn settings_shown_achievement_onboarding_default_is_false() {
-        assert!(
-            !Settings::default().shown_achievement_onboarding,
-            "default shown_achievement_onboarding must be false so the cue fires once"
-        );
-    }
-
-    #[test]
-    fn settings_shown_achievement_onboarding_round_trip() {
-        let path = tmp_path("achievement_onboarding_round_trip");
-        let _ = fs::remove_file(&path);
-        let s = Settings {
-            shown_achievement_onboarding: true,
-            ..Settings::default()
-        };
-        save_settings_to(&path, &s).expect("save");
-        let loaded = load_settings_from(&path);
-        assert!(
-            loaded.shown_achievement_onboarding,
-            "shown_achievement_onboarding must survive serde round-trip"
-        );
-        let _ = fs::remove_file(&path);
-    }
-
-    #[test]
-    fn legacy_settings_without_shown_achievement_onboarding_deserializes_to_false() {
-        // A settings.json written by an older version of the game will be
-        // missing this field entirely. `#[serde(default)]` on the field
-        // must yield `false` — the cue then fires on the next win, but
-        // only when stats.games_won == 1, so existing players who have
-        // already won past their first game won't see the toast either.
-        let json = br#"{ "sfx_volume": 0.7, "first_run_complete": true }"#;
-        let s: Settings = serde_json::from_slice(json).unwrap_or_default();
-        assert!(
-            !s.shown_achievement_onboarding,
-            "legacy settings.json missing shown_achievement_onboarding must deserialize to false"
-        );
-    }
-
-    // -----------------------------------------------------------------------
-    // tooltip_delay_secs — player-tunable tooltip hover delay
-    // -----------------------------------------------------------------------
-
-    #[test]
-    fn settings_tooltip_delay_default_is_existing_baseline() {
-        // The existing baseline pre-slider is 0.5 s, matching the
-        // `MOTION_TOOLTIP_DELAY_SECS` constant in
-        // `solitaire_engine::ui_theme`. The default must not regress.
-        let s = Settings::default();
-        assert!(
-            (s.tooltip_delay_secs - 0.5).abs() < 1e-6,
-            "tooltip_delay_secs default must be 0.5 (the pre-slider baseline), got {}",
-            s.tooltip_delay_secs
-        );
-    }
-
-    #[test]
-    fn settings_tooltip_delay_round_trip() {
-        let path = tmp_path("tooltip_delay_round_trip");
-        let _ = fs::remove_file(&path);
-        let s = Settings {
-            tooltip_delay_secs: 1.2,
-            ..Settings::default()
-        };
-        save_settings_to(&path, &s).expect("save");
-        let loaded = load_settings_from(&path);
-        assert!(
-            (loaded.tooltip_delay_secs - 1.2).abs() < 1e-6,
-            "tooltip_delay_secs must survive serde round-trip; got {}",
-            loaded.tooltip_delay_secs
-        );
-        let _ = fs::remove_file(&path);
-    }
-
-    #[test]
-    fn legacy_settings_without_tooltip_delay_deserializes_to_default() {
-        // A settings.json written before this field existed must
-        // deserialize cleanly to the existing 0.5 s baseline rather
-        // than failing the whole load or yielding a zero value.
-        let json = br#"{ "sfx_volume": 0.7, "first_run_complete": true }"#;
-        let s: Settings = serde_json::from_slice(json).unwrap_or_default();
-        assert!(
-            (s.tooltip_delay_secs - default_tooltip_delay()).abs() < 1e-6,
-            "legacy settings.json missing tooltip_delay_secs must deserialize to default ({}), got {}",
-            default_tooltip_delay(),
-            s.tooltip_delay_secs
-        );
-    }
-
     #[test]
     fn adjust_tooltip_delay_clamps_to_range() {
         let mut s = Settings { tooltip_delay_secs: 0.5, ..Default::default() };
@@ -752,90 +483,6 @@ mod tests {
         assert_eq!(s.tooltip_delay_secs, 0.0);
     }
 
-    #[test]
-    fn sanitized_clamps_out_of_range_tooltip_delay() {
-        // Negative or oversized values from a hand-edited file must be
-        // clamped on load.
-        let s = Settings {
-            tooltip_delay_secs: -0.4,
-            ..Settings::default()
-        }
-        .sanitized();
-        assert_eq!(s.tooltip_delay_secs, TOOLTIP_DELAY_MIN_SECS);
-
-        let s2 = Settings {
-            tooltip_delay_secs: 99.0,
-            ..Settings::default()
-        }
-        .sanitized();
-        assert_eq!(s2.tooltip_delay_secs, TOOLTIP_DELAY_MAX_SECS);
-    }
-
-    // -----------------------------------------------------------------------
-    // time_bonus_multiplier — cosmetic win-modal time-bonus weight
-    // -----------------------------------------------------------------------
-
-    #[test]
-    fn settings_time_bonus_multiplier_default_is_one() {
-        let s = Settings::default();
-        assert!(
-            (s.time_bonus_multiplier - 1.0).abs() < 1e-6,
-            "default time_bonus_multiplier must be 1.0 (no change to displayed bonus), got {}",
-            s.time_bonus_multiplier
-        );
-    }
-
-    #[test]
-    fn settings_time_bonus_multiplier_round_trip() {
-        let path = tmp_path("time_bonus_multiplier_round_trip");
-        let _ = fs::remove_file(&path);
-        let s = Settings {
-            time_bonus_multiplier: 1.5,
-            ..Settings::default()
-        };
-        save_settings_to(&path, &s).expect("save");
-        let loaded = load_settings_from(&path);
-        assert!(
-            (loaded.time_bonus_multiplier - 1.5).abs() < 1e-6,
-            "time_bonus_multiplier must survive serde round-trip; got {}",
-            loaded.time_bonus_multiplier
-        );
-        let _ = fs::remove_file(&path);
-    }
-
-    #[test]
-    fn legacy_settings_without_time_bonus_multiplier_deserializes_to_one() {
-        // A settings.json written before this field existed must
-        // deserialize cleanly to the existing 1.0 baseline so old
-        // players see no change to their win-modal bonuses.
-        let json = br#"{ "sfx_volume": 0.7, "first_run_complete": true }"#;
-        let s: Settings = serde_json::from_slice(json).unwrap_or_default();
-        assert!(
-            (s.time_bonus_multiplier - 1.0).abs() < 1e-6,
-            "legacy settings.json missing time_bonus_multiplier must deserialize to 1.0, got {}",
-            s.time_bonus_multiplier
-        );
-    }
-
-    #[test]
-    fn settings_time_bonus_multiplier_clamps_to_range() {
-        // Negative or oversized values from a hand-edited file must be
-        // clamped on load.
-        let s = Settings {
-            time_bonus_multiplier: -0.5,
-            ..Settings::default()
-        }
-        .sanitized();
-        assert_eq!(s.time_bonus_multiplier, TIME_BONUS_MULTIPLIER_MIN);
-
-        let s2 = Settings {
-            time_bonus_multiplier: 99.0,
-            ..Settings::default()
-        }
-        .sanitized();
-        assert_eq!(s2.time_bonus_multiplier, TIME_BONUS_MULTIPLIER_MAX);
-    }
-
     #[test]
     fn adjust_time_bonus_multiplier_clamps_and_rounds() {
         let mut s = Settings { time_bonus_multiplier: 1.0, ..Default::default() };
@@ -864,48 +511,30 @@ mod tests {
         );
     }
 
-    // -----------------------------------------------------------------------
-    // 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.
+    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!(
-            !Settings::default().winnable_deals_only,
-            "default winnable_deals_only must be false"
+            (s.adjust_replay_move_interval(99.0) - REPLAY_MOVE_INTERVAL_MAX_SECS).abs() < 1e-6
         );
-    }
-
-    #[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);
+        // Big negative jump clamps to MIN.
         assert!(
-            loaded.winnable_deals_only,
-            "winnable_deals_only must survive serde round-trip"
+            (s.adjust_replay_move_interval(-99.0) - REPLAY_MOVE_INTERVAL_MIN_SECS).abs() < 1e-6
         );
-        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();
+        // 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!(
-            !s.winnable_deals_only,
-            "legacy settings.json missing winnable_deals_only must deserialize to false"
+            (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
         );
     }
 }

solitaire_data/src/sync_client.rs

@@ -358,13 +358,12 @@ impl SyncProvider for SolitaireServerClient {
         extract_leaderboard_body(resp).await
     }
 
-    /// Upload a winning replay to `POST /api/replays`. Mirrors the
-    /// `push` auth flow: 401 triggers a token refresh and one retry.
-    /// Non-success statuses are surfaced as the relevant `SyncError`
-    /// variant so the engine's push-on-win system can downgrade
-    /// network/auth failures into a quiet log without aborting the
-    /// game flow.
-    async fn push_replay(&self, replay: &Replay) -> Result<(), SyncError> {
+    /// Upload a winning replay to `POST /api/replays`. On success the
+    /// server returns `{ "id": "<uuid>" }`; this method composes that
+    /// id with the configured base URL into the player-shareable
+    /// `<base>/replays/<id>` link and returns it. Mirrors the `push`
+    /// auth flow: 401 triggers a token refresh and one retry.
+    async fn push_replay(&self, replay: &Replay) -> Result<String, SyncError> {
         let token = self.access_token()?;
         let url = format!("{}/api/replays", self.base_url);
 
@@ -388,22 +387,38 @@ impl SyncProvider for SolitaireServerClient {
                 .send()
                 .await
                 .map_err(|e| SyncError::Network(e.to_string()))?;
-            return check_replay_status(resp.status());
+            return self.share_url_from_response(resp).await;
         }
 
-        check_replay_status(resp.status())
+        self.share_url_from_response(resp).await
     }
 }
 
-fn check_replay_status(status: reqwest::StatusCode) -> Result<(), SyncError> {
-    if status.is_success() {
-        Ok(())
-    } else if status == reqwest::StatusCode::UNAUTHORIZED
+impl SolitaireServerClient {
+    /// Pulled out of `push_replay` so both the first attempt and the
+    /// post-401-retry attempt go through the same parse path.
+    async fn share_url_from_response(
+        &self,
+        resp: reqwest::Response,
+    ) -> Result<String, SyncError> {
+        let status = resp.status();
+        if !status.is_success() {
+            return Err(if status == reqwest::StatusCode::UNAUTHORIZED
                 || status == reqwest::StatusCode::FORBIDDEN
             {
-        Err(SyncError::Auth(format!("server returned {status}")))
+                SyncError::Auth(format!("server returned {status}"))
             } else {
-        Err(SyncError::Network(format!("server returned {status}")))
+                SyncError::Network(format!("server returned {status}"))
+            });
+        }
+        let body: serde_json::Value = resp
+            .json()
+            .await
+            .map_err(|e| SyncError::Serialization(e.to_string()))?;
+        let id = body["id"].as_str().ok_or_else(|| {
+            SyncError::Serialization("upload response missing `id`".into())
+        })?;
+        Ok(format!("{}/replays/{}", self.base_url, id))
     }
 }
 

solitaire_engine/Cargo.toml

@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ tiny-skia      = { workspace = true }
 ron            = { workspace = true }
 dirs           = { workspace = true }
 zip            = { workspace = true }
+arboard        = { workspace = true }
 
 [dev-dependencies]
 async-trait = { workspace = true }

solitaire_engine/src/achievement_plugin.rs

@@ -474,9 +474,29 @@ fn spawn_achievements_screen(
         ..default()
     };
 
+    let any_unlocked = records.iter().any(|r| r.unlocked);
+
     let scrim = spawn_modal(commands, AchievementsScreen, Z_MODAL_PANEL, |card| {
         spawn_modal_header(card, header, font_res);
 
+        // First-time hint — shown until the player has unlocked anything.
+        // The list itself describes individual rewards, but a top-level
+        // explanation gives newer players context for the otherwise dense
+        // greyed-out grid.
+        if !any_unlocked {
+            card.spawn((
+                Text::new(
+                    "Complete games and try new modes to unlock achievements and rewards.",
+                ),
+                TextFont {
+                    font: font_res.map(|f| f.0.clone()).unwrap_or_default(),
+                    font_size: TYPE_CAPTION,
+                    ..default()
+                },
+                TextColor(TEXT_SECONDARY),
+            ));
+        }
+
         // 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

solitaire_engine/src/animation_plugin.rs

@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ use crate::card_animation::{sample_curve, CardAnimation, MotionCurve};
 use crate::card_plugin::CardEntity;
 use crate::challenge_plugin::ChallengeAdvancedEvent;
 use crate::daily_challenge_plugin::{DailyChallengeCompletedEvent, DailyGoalAnnouncementEvent};
-use crate::events::{InfoToastEvent, NewGameConfirmEvent, XpAwardedEvent};
+use crate::events::{InfoToastEvent, XpAwardedEvent};
 use crate::events::{AchievementUnlockedEvent, GameWonEvent};
 use crate::game_plugin::GameMutation;
 use crate::layout::LayoutResource;
@@ -161,7 +161,6 @@ impl Plugin for AnimationPlugin {
             .add_message::<TimeAttackEndedEvent>()
             .add_message::<ChallengeAdvancedEvent>()
             .add_message::<SettingsChangedEvent>()
-            .add_message::<NewGameConfirmEvent>()
             .add_message::<InfoToastEvent>()
             .add_message::<XpAwardedEvent>()
             .init_resource::<EffectiveSlideDuration>()
@@ -183,7 +182,6 @@ impl Plugin for AnimationPlugin {
                     handle_challenge_toast,
                     handle_settings_toast,
                     handle_auto_complete_toast,
-                    handle_new_game_confirm_toast,
                     handle_xp_awarded_toast,
                     tick_toasts,
                     (enqueue_toasts, drive_toast_display).chain(),
@@ -459,15 +457,6 @@ fn handle_auto_complete_toast(
     }
 }
 
-fn handle_new_game_confirm_toast(
-    mut commands: Commands,
-    mut events: MessageReader<NewGameConfirmEvent>,
-) {
-    for _ in events.read() {
-        spawn_toast(&mut commands, "Press N again to start a new game".to_string(), 3.0);
-    }
-}
-
 /// Reads every incoming `InfoToastEvent` and appends its text to `ToastQueue`.
 ///
 /// This is the first half of the two-system toast queue (Task #67). The queue

solitaire_engine/src/events.rs

@@ -207,13 +207,6 @@ pub struct ToggleLeaderboardRequestEvent;
 #[derive(Message, Debug, Clone)]
 pub struct SyncCompleteEvent(pub Result<SyncResponse, String>);
 
-/// Fired by `InputPlugin` when N is pressed while a game is in progress
-/// but confirmation has not yet been received. The animation plugin shows
-/// a "Press N again to confirm" toast. A second N press within the
-/// confirmation window sends `NewGameRequestEvent`.
-#[derive(Message, Debug, Clone, Copy, Default)]
-pub struct NewGameConfirmEvent;
-
 /// Generic informational toast message. Any system can fire this to display
 /// a short string to the player, e.g. "Locked — reach level 5".
 #[derive(Message, Debug, Clone)]

solitaire_engine/src/feedback_anim_plugin.rs

@@ -21,8 +21,8 @@
 //!
 //! # Task #69 — Animated card deal on new game start
 //!
-//! When `NewGameRequestEvent` fires (on a fresh game, `move_count == 0`) or
-//! `NewGameConfirmEvent` fires, `start_deal_anim` reads `LayoutResource` and
+//! When `NewGameRequestEvent` fires (on a fresh game, `move_count == 0`),
+//! `start_deal_anim` reads `LayoutResource` and
 //! inserts a `CardAnim` on every card entity, sliding each card from the stock
 //! pile's position to its current (final) position with a per-card stagger
 //! derived from the current `AnimSpeed` setting plus a deterministic ±10 %

solitaire_engine/src/game_plugin.rs

@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ use std::path::PathBuf;
 use std::time::{SystemTime, UNIX_EPOCH};
 
 use bevy::prelude::*;
+use bevy::tasks::{futures_lite::future, AsyncComputeTaskPool, Task};
 use chrono::Utc;
 use solitaire_core::game_state::{DrawMode, GameMode, GameState};
 use solitaire_core::pile::PileType;
@@ -72,6 +73,32 @@ pub struct GameStatePath(pub Option<PathBuf>);
 #[derive(Resource, Debug, Clone)]
 pub struct ReplayPath(pub Option<PathBuf>);
 
+/// Holds the saved-on-disk in-progress game between plugin build and
+/// the player's answer to the "Continue or start a new game?" prompt.
+///
+/// Some(game) at startup means a previously-saved game existed and had
+/// real moves on it. The restore-prompt modal swaps it into
+/// `GameStateResource` if the player picks Continue, or drops it (and
+/// lets `handle_new_game` clean up the disk file) on New Game. None for
+/// first-launch installs and for save files that contain a fresh deal
+/// with no moves yet — there's nothing meaningful to "continue" there.
+#[derive(Resource, Debug, Default)]
+pub struct PendingRestoredGame(pub Option<GameState>);
+
+/// Marker on the "Welcome back — Continue or start a new game?" modal
+/// scrim. Despawning the scrim cascades to the card and children, so a
+/// single `commands.entity(scrim).despawn()` tears the modal down.
+#[derive(Component, Debug)]
+pub struct RestorePromptScreen;
+
+/// Marker on the modal's primary "Continue" button.
+#[derive(Component, Debug)]
+pub struct RestoreContinueButton;
+
+/// Marker on the modal's secondary "New game" button.
+#[derive(Component, Debug)]
+pub struct RestoreNewGameButton;
+
 /// In-memory accumulator for [`ReplayMove`] entries during the current
 /// game. Cleared on every new-game start; frozen into a [`Replay`] and
 /// flushed to disk by [`record_replay_on_win`] when the player wins.
@@ -109,11 +136,32 @@ impl GamePlugin {
 impl Plugin for GamePlugin {
     fn build(&self, app: &mut App) {
         let path = game_state_file_path();
-        // Restore any saved in-progress game, falling back to a fresh deal.
-        let initial_state = path
-            .as_deref()
-            .and_then(load_game_state_from)
-            .unwrap_or_else(|| GameState::new(seed_from_system_time(), DrawMode::DrawOne));
+        // Try to load any saved in-progress game. We don't want to
+        // silently restore a half-played game on launch — the player
+        // should get to decide between continuing and starting fresh.
+        // So: if there IS a saved game with progress and it isn't
+        // already won, hold it in `PendingRestoredGame` and let the
+        // restore-prompt modal swap it into `GameStateResource` if
+        // the player picks Continue. Otherwise put it directly into
+        // `GameStateResource` (existing behaviour for un-played /
+        // won deals which there's nothing to ask about).
+        let saved = path.as_deref().and_then(load_game_state_from);
+        let prompt_worthy = saved
+            .as_ref()
+            .is_some_and(|g| g.move_count > 0 && !g.is_won);
+        let (initial_state, pending_restore) = if prompt_worthy {
+            (
+                GameState::new(seed_from_system_time(), DrawMode::DrawOne),
+                saved,
+            )
+        } else {
+            (
+                saved.unwrap_or_else(|| {
+                    GameState::new(seed_from_system_time(), DrawMode::DrawOne)
+                }),
+                None,
+            )
+        };
 
         // One-shot migration from the legacy single-slot
         // `latest_replay.json` to the rolling history at `replays.json`.
@@ -136,7 +184,9 @@ impl Plugin for GamePlugin {
         app.insert_resource(GameStateResource(initial_state))
             .insert_resource(GameStatePath(path))
             .insert_resource(ReplayPath(history_path))
+            .insert_resource(PendingRestoredGame(pending_restore))
             .init_resource::<RecordingReplay>()
+            .init_resource::<PendingNewGameSeed>()
             .init_resource::<DragState>()
             .init_resource::<SyncStatusResource>()
             .add_message::<MoveRequestEvent>()
@@ -150,6 +200,10 @@ impl Plugin for GamePlugin {
             .add_message::<crate::events::AchievementUnlockedEvent>()
             .add_message::<FoundationCompletedEvent>()
             .add_message::<InfoToastEvent>()
+            .add_systems(
+                Update,
+                poll_pending_new_game_seed.before(GameMutation),
+            )
             .add_systems(
                 Update,
                 (
@@ -167,6 +221,11 @@ impl Plugin for GamePlugin {
             .add_systems(Update, handle_confirm_button_input.after(GameMutation))
             .add_systems(Update, handle_game_over_input.after(GameMutation))
             .add_systems(Update, handle_game_over_button_input.after(GameMutation))
+            // Restore prompt: spawn the modal once the splash is gone,
+            // route Continue / New Game intents back into the existing
+            // GameMutation flow.
+            .add_systems(Update, spawn_restore_prompt_if_pending)
+            .add_systems(Update, handle_restore_prompt.before(GameMutation))
             .init_resource::<AutoSaveTimer>()
             .add_systems(Update, tick_elapsed_time)
             .add_systems(Update, auto_save_game_state)
@@ -193,16 +252,20 @@ pub fn advance_elapsed(
 }
 
 /// Increment `GameState.elapsed_seconds` once per real-world second while
-/// the game is in progress (not won) and not paused. Stops counting on
-/// win so the final time reflects how long the player took to solve the
-/// deal; stops while the pause overlay is open.
+/// the game is in progress (not won), not paused, and the launch /
+/// mode-picker Home modal isn't covering the board. Stops counting on
+/// win so the final time reflects how long the player took to solve
+/// the deal; stops while the pause overlay is open; stops while Home
+/// is up so the timer doesn't tick under the picker before the player
+/// has actually committed to a deal.
 fn tick_elapsed_time(
     time: Res<Time>,
     mut game: ResMut<GameStateResource>,
     mut accumulator: Local<f32>,
     paused: Option<Res<crate::pause_plugin::PausedResource>>,
+    home_screens: Query<(), With<crate::home_plugin::HomeScreen>>,
 ) {
-    if paused.is_some_and(|p| p.0) {
+    if paused.is_some_and(|p| p.0) || !home_screens.is_empty() {
         return;
     }
     let is_won = game.0.is_won;
@@ -237,6 +300,60 @@ fn seed_from_system_time() -> u64 {
 /// seed so the player still gets a deal — better a possibly-unwinnable
 /// hand than an infinite loop.
 ///
+/// In-flight async work for "Winnable deals only" seed selection.
+///
+/// `handle_new_game` writes here when it needs the solver to vet a deal;
+/// `poll_pending_new_game_seed` reads from here, polls the task, and
+/// re-emits a `NewGameRequestEvent` with the chosen seed once the task
+/// completes. The desktop client's UI never blocks on the worst-case
+/// 50 × ~120 ms solver runs that can pile up on pathological deals.
+///
+/// At most one task is ever in flight: a fresh new-game request while
+/// a previous task is still running drops the previous task (Bevy's
+/// `Task` `Drop` cancels it cooperatively at the next await point) and
+/// queues the new one.
+#[derive(Resource, Default)]
+pub struct PendingNewGameSeed {
+    /// `Some` while a solver-vetted seed is being computed.
+    inner: Option<PendingSeedTask>,
+}
+
+/// One in-flight winnable-seed search plus the request fields that
+/// would have flowed through `handle_new_game` synchronously. The
+/// poll system replays them on a synthetic `NewGameRequestEvent` once
+/// the task completes — `seed: Some(...)` skips the solver branch on
+/// the second pass so we don't loop.
+struct PendingSeedTask {
+    handle: Task<u64>,
+    mode: Option<GameMode>,
+    confirmed: bool,
+}
+
+/// Update system: poll the in-flight winnable-seed search. When the
+/// task resolves, emit a synthetic `NewGameRequestEvent` carrying the
+/// chosen seed. Ordered `.before(GameMutation)` so `handle_new_game`
+/// picks up the synthetic event on the same frame, completing the
+/// new-game flow without a one-frame visual lag.
+fn poll_pending_new_game_seed(
+    mut pending: ResMut<PendingNewGameSeed>,
+    mut new_game_writer: MessageWriter<NewGameRequestEvent>,
+) {
+    let Some(p) = pending.inner.as_mut() else {
+        return;
+    };
+    let Some(seed) = future::block_on(future::poll_once(&mut p.handle)) else {
+        return;
+    };
+    let mode = p.mode;
+    let confirmed = p.confirmed;
+    pending.inner = None;
+    new_game_writer.write(NewGameRequestEvent {
+        seed: Some(seed),
+        mode,
+        confirmed,
+    });
+}
+
 /// 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 {
@@ -262,6 +379,7 @@ fn handle_new_game(
     mut game: ResMut<GameStateResource>,
     mut changed: MessageWriter<StateChangedEvent>,
     mut recording: ResMut<RecordingReplay>,
+    mut pending_seed: ResMut<PendingNewGameSeed>,
     settings: Option<Res<crate::settings_plugin::SettingsResource>>,
     path: Option<Res<GameStatePath>>,
     font_res: Option<Res<FontResource>>,
@@ -296,6 +414,13 @@ fn handle_new_game(
             commands.entity(entity).despawn();
         }
 
+        // Drop any in-flight winnable-seed search now that we've
+        // committed to acting on a new request. Its result was for
+        // the previous user intent — the new request supersedes it
+        // regardless of which branch we take below (synchronous
+        // explicit-seed deal vs. another async solver search).
+        pending_seed.inner = None;
+
         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
@@ -323,11 +448,22 @@ fn handle_new_game(
         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
-        };
+        if winnable_only && mode == GameMode::Classic && ev.seed.is_none() {
+            let dm = draw_mode.clone();
+            let task = AsyncComputeTaskPool::get()
+                .spawn(async move { choose_winnable_seed(initial_seed, &dm) });
+            pending_seed.inner = Some(PendingSeedTask {
+                handle: task,
+                mode: ev.mode,
+                confirmed: ev.confirmed,
+            });
+            // Skip the rest of the new-game flow; the polling system
+            // will re-emit a synthetic event with a chosen seed once
+            // the task resolves.
+            continue;
+        }
+
+        let chosen_seed = initial_seed;
 
         game.0 = GameState::new_with_mode(chosen_seed, draw_mode, mode);
         // Reset the in-flight replay buffer — a fresh deal starts with
@@ -383,6 +519,132 @@ pub struct ConfirmNoButton;
 /// and "No (N)" — those were not real Button entities, so the player
 /// had no hover / press feedback and the modal felt like a debug panel
 /// (the user's smoke-test "#2 complaint").
+/// Update-schedule system: once the splash overlay is gone and there's
+/// a pending restored game waiting for the player's answer, spawn the
+/// "Welcome back — Continue or start a new game?" modal. Idempotent —
+/// the existing `RestorePromptScreen` query gates against duplicate
+/// spawns if Update fires before the player clicks.
+fn spawn_restore_prompt_if_pending(
+    mut commands: Commands,
+    pending: Res<PendingRestoredGame>,
+    splash: Query<(), With<crate::splash_plugin::SplashRoot>>,
+    existing: Query<(), With<RestorePromptScreen>>,
+    font_res: Option<Res<FontResource>>,
+) {
+    if pending.0.is_none() || !splash.is_empty() || !existing.is_empty() {
+        return;
+    }
+    spawn_modal(
+        &mut commands,
+        RestorePromptScreen,
+        ui_theme::Z_MODAL_PANEL,
+        |card| {
+            spawn_modal_header(card, "Welcome back", font_res.as_deref());
+            spawn_modal_body_text(
+                card,
+                "You have an in-progress game. Continue where you left off, or start a new one?",
+                ui_theme::TEXT_SECONDARY,
+                font_res.as_deref(),
+            );
+            spawn_modal_actions(card, |actions| {
+                spawn_modal_button(
+                    actions,
+                    RestoreNewGameButton,
+                    "New game",
+                    Some("N"),
+                    ButtonVariant::Secondary,
+                    font_res.as_deref(),
+                );
+                spawn_modal_button(
+                    actions,
+                    RestoreContinueButton,
+                    "Continue",
+                    Some("Enter"),
+                    ButtonVariant::Primary,
+                    font_res.as_deref(),
+                );
+            });
+        },
+    );
+}
+
+/// Click handlers + keyboard shortcuts for the restore prompt.
+///
+/// Continue (Enter / C) — swaps the saved game into `GameStateResource`
+/// and writes a `StateChangedEvent` so card sprites resync to the
+/// restored layout.
+/// New game (N) — drops the saved game and writes
+/// `NewGameRequestEvent { confirmed: true }`. The existing
+/// `handle_new_game` flow takes over: deletes `game_state.json`, deals
+/// a fresh game, fires `StateChangedEvent`. `confirmed: true` skips
+/// the abandon-current-game confirm dialog (the player has already
+/// confirmed by clicking New game here).
+#[allow(clippy::too_many_arguments)]
+fn handle_restore_prompt(
+    mut commands: Commands,
+    keys: Option<Res<ButtonInput<KeyCode>>>,
+    screens: Query<Entity, With<RestorePromptScreen>>,
+    continue_buttons: Query<&Interaction, (With<RestoreContinueButton>, Changed<Interaction>)>,
+    new_game_buttons: Query<&Interaction, (With<RestoreNewGameButton>, Changed<Interaction>)>,
+    mut pending: ResMut<PendingRestoredGame>,
+    mut game: ResMut<GameStateResource>,
+    mut changed: MessageWriter<StateChangedEvent>,
+    mut new_game: MessageWriter<NewGameRequestEvent>,
+    mut launch_home_shown: Option<ResMut<crate::home_plugin::LaunchHomeShown>>,
+) {
+    if screens.is_empty() {
+        return;
+    }
+    // Esc maps to Continue rather than New Game so a stray dismiss
+    // press preserves the saved game — the data-preserving default is
+    // the safer fallback when a player hits Esc reflexively to "close
+    // this dialog" without reading it.
+    let key_continue = keys.as_ref().is_some_and(|k| {
+        k.just_pressed(KeyCode::Enter)
+            || k.just_pressed(KeyCode::KeyC)
+            || k.just_pressed(KeyCode::Escape)
+    });
+    let key_new = keys.as_ref().is_some_and(|k| k.just_pressed(KeyCode::KeyN));
+    let click_continue = continue_buttons
+        .iter()
+        .any(|i| *i == Interaction::Pressed);
+    let click_new = new_game_buttons.iter().any(|i| *i == Interaction::Pressed);
+
+    let resolved = if key_continue || click_continue {
+        if let Some(restored) = pending.0.take() {
+            game.0 = restored;
+            changed.write(StateChangedEvent);
+        }
+        for entity in &screens {
+            commands.entity(entity).despawn();
+        }
+        true
+    } else if key_new || click_new {
+        pending.0 = None;
+        for entity in &screens {
+            commands.entity(entity).despawn();
+        }
+        new_game.write(NewGameRequestEvent {
+            seed: None,
+            mode: None,
+            confirmed: true,
+        });
+        true
+    } else {
+        false
+    };
+
+    // The player has just made an explicit launch-time choice (continue
+    // saved game, or start a fresh deal). Suppress the launch-time Home
+    // auto-show so it doesn't pop on top of the resolution they picked.
+    // `M` still re-opens the picker on demand.
+    if resolved
+        && let Some(ref mut shown) = launch_home_shown
+    {
+        shown.0 = true;
+    }
+}
+
 fn spawn_confirm_dialog(
     commands: &mut Commands,
     original_request: NewGameRequestEvent,
@@ -936,9 +1198,17 @@ fn auto_save_game_state(
     path: Option<Res<GameStatePath>>,
     mut timer: ResMut<AutoSaveTimer>,
     paused: Option<Res<crate::pause_plugin::PausedResource>>,
+    pending: Res<PendingRestoredGame>,
 ) {
-    // Don't save if paused, game is won, or no moves have been made yet.
-    if paused.is_some_and(|p| p.0) || game.0.is_won || game.0.move_count == 0 {
+    // Don't save if paused, game is won, no moves have been made yet,
+    // or there's a pending restore the player hasn't answered — saving
+    // the fresh-deal placeholder we seeded GameStateResource with at
+    // startup would clobber the real saved game on disk.
+    if paused.is_some_and(|p| p.0)
+        || game.0.is_won
+        || game.0.move_count == 0
+        || pending.0.is_some()
+    {
         return;
     }
     timer.0 += time.delta_secs();
@@ -955,17 +1225,25 @@ fn auto_save_game_state(
 /// player can resume where they left off. Won games are not saved (the
 /// `save_game_state_to` helper skips them). Blocking on exit is acceptable
 /// because the game loop is already shutting down.
+///
+/// Special case: when `PendingRestoredGame` still holds a saved game the
+/// player never answered the restore prompt for, write THAT to disk
+/// instead of the live `GameStateResource`. Otherwise we'd clobber a
+/// real saved game with the fresh-deal placeholder we seeded
+/// `GameStateResource` with at startup.
 fn save_game_state_on_exit(
     mut exit_events: MessageReader<AppExit>,
     game: Res<GameStateResource>,
     path: Res<GameStatePath>,
+    pending: Res<PendingRestoredGame>,
 ) {
     if exit_events.is_empty() {
         return;
     }
     exit_events.clear();
     let Some(p) = path.0.as_deref() else { return };
-    if let Err(e) = save_game_state_to(p, &game.0) {
+    let to_save = pending.0.as_ref().unwrap_or(&game.0);
+    if let Err(e) = save_game_state_to(p, to_save) {
         warn!("game_state: failed to save on exit: {e}");
     }
 }
@@ -2320,4 +2598,111 @@ mod tests {
             0
         );
     }
+
+    /// Async-solver flow: a winnable-only request with no explicit
+    /// seed must populate `PendingNewGameSeed` on the same frame the
+    /// request fires (no main-thread stall waiting on the solver),
+    /// and subsequent updates must clear the pending state and
+    /// produce a new GameState.
+    ///
+    /// Drives multiple `app.update()` calls because the polling
+    /// system needs at least one tick after spawn to observe the
+    /// task as ready and re-emit the synthetic event.
+    #[test]
+    fn winnable_seed_search_runs_async_and_completes_eventually() {
+        let mut app = test_app(394);
+        insert_settings(&mut app, true);
+
+        app.world_mut().write_message(NewGameRequestEvent {
+            seed: None,
+            mode: None,
+            confirmed: false,
+        });
+        // First update: handle_new_game spawns the solver task and
+        // returns. The GameStateResource is unchanged on this tick —
+        // the player's previous game is still on screen, so the UI
+        // doesn't visually stall.
+        app.update();
+        assert!(
+            app.world().resource::<PendingNewGameSeed>().inner.is_some(),
+            "first frame should have an in-flight solver task",
+        );
+
+        // Pump frames until the polling system observes the task as
+        // ready and re-emits the synthetic event. AsyncComputeTaskPool
+        // is a shared pool across the whole `cargo test` run — when
+        // dozens of tests execute in parallel the pool can take a
+        // while to actually schedule our future. The yield_now() lets
+        // the pool's worker threads make progress between our polls
+        // without burning wall-clock time.
+        let deadline = std::time::Instant::now() + std::time::Duration::from_secs(15);
+        while app.world().resource::<PendingNewGameSeed>().inner.is_some() {
+            app.update();
+            std::thread::yield_now();
+            if std::time::Instant::now() >= deadline {
+                break;
+            }
+        }
+        assert!(
+            app.world().resource::<PendingNewGameSeed>().inner.is_none(),
+            "solver task should have completed within 15 s wall-clock",
+        );
+        // New game completed: a fresh deal carries 0 moves.
+        assert_eq!(
+            app.world().resource::<GameStateResource>().0.move_count,
+            0,
+            "completed new game must be in fresh-deal state",
+        );
+    }
+
+    /// Cancel-on-replace: a winnable-only request that arrives while
+    /// a previous solver task is in flight must drop the previous
+    /// task and queue the new one. The most recently-fired request
+    /// is the one whose seed wins, regardless of which task started
+    /// first.
+    #[test]
+    fn winnable_seed_search_drops_in_flight_task_on_new_request() {
+        let mut app = test_app(394);
+        insert_settings(&mut app, true);
+
+        // Fire the first request; first update spawns the task.
+        app.world_mut().write_message(NewGameRequestEvent {
+            seed: None,
+            mode: None,
+            confirmed: false,
+        });
+        app.update();
+        assert!(
+            app.world().resource::<PendingNewGameSeed>().inner.is_some(),
+            "first request should be in flight",
+        );
+
+        // Fire a SECOND request with an explicit seed before the
+        // first task can complete. handle_new_game's `pending.inner =
+        // None` line must drop the in-flight task; the explicit-seed
+        // branch then bypasses the solver entirely. After this tick
+        // the GameStateResource carries seed 12345, not whatever the
+        // solver would have picked for the first request.
+        app.world_mut().write_message(NewGameRequestEvent {
+            seed: Some(12345),
+            mode: None,
+            confirmed: true,
+        });
+        app.update();
+
+        // Drive a few more ticks to drain any stragglers.
+        for _ in 0..5 {
+            app.update();
+        }
+
+        assert!(
+            app.world().resource::<PendingNewGameSeed>().inner.is_none(),
+            "explicit-seed request must have cancelled the in-flight task",
+        );
+        assert_eq!(
+            app.world().resource::<GameStateResource>().0.seed,
+            12345,
+            "explicit-seed request takes precedence over the dropped solver task",
+        );
+    }
 }

solitaire_engine/src/home_plugin.rs

@@ -13,25 +13,34 @@
 //! [`InfoToastEvent`] explaining the gate but does not launch the mode
 //! or close the overlay.
 
+use bevy::input::mouse::{MouseScrollUnit, MouseWheel};
 use bevy::input::ButtonInput;
 use bevy::prelude::*;
+use solitaire_core::game_state::DrawMode;
+use solitaire_data::save_settings_to;
 
 use crate::challenge_plugin::CHALLENGE_UNLOCK_LEVEL;
+use crate::daily_challenge_plugin::DailyChallengeResource;
 use crate::events::{
     InfoToastEvent, NewGameRequestEvent, StartChallengeRequestEvent,
     StartDailyChallengeRequestEvent, StartTimeAttackRequestEvent, StartZenRequestEvent,
+    ToggleProfileRequestEvent,
 };
 use crate::font_plugin::FontResource;
 use crate::progress_plugin::ProgressResource;
+use crate::settings_plugin::{
+    SettingsChangedEvent, SettingsResource, SettingsStoragePath,
+};
+use crate::stats_plugin::StatsResource;
 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,
-    TEXT_DISABLED, TEXT_PRIMARY, TEXT_SECONDARY, TYPE_BODY, TYPE_BODY_LG, TYPE_CAPTION,
-    VAL_SPACE_1, VAL_SPACE_2, VAL_SPACE_3, Z_MODAL_PANEL,
+    ACCENT_PRIMARY, BG_ELEVATED, BG_ELEVATED_HI, BORDER_STRONG, BORDER_SUBTLE, RADIUS_MD,
+    STATE_INFO, TEXT_DISABLED, TEXT_PRIMARY, TEXT_SECONDARY, TYPE_BODY, TYPE_BODY_LG,
+    TYPE_CAPTION, TYPE_DISPLAY, VAL_SPACE_1, VAL_SPACE_2, VAL_SPACE_3, Z_MODAL_PANEL,
 };
 
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -47,6 +56,31 @@ pub struct HomeScreen;
 #[derive(Component, Debug)]
 pub struct HomeCancelButton;
 
+/// Marker on the player-stats chip strip at the top of the Home modal.
+/// Clicking the strip opens the Profile overlay so the player can drill
+/// into level / XP / cosmetics without first dismissing Home.
+#[derive(Component, Debug)]
+struct HomeProfileChip;
+
+/// Marker on the "Draw 1" toggle button inside the Home modal's
+/// draw-mode row. Clicking flips `Settings.draw_mode` to `DrawOne` and
+/// fires `SettingsChangedEvent` so audio / UI dependents react.
+#[derive(Component, Debug)]
+struct HomeDrawOneButton;
+
+/// Marker on the "Draw 3" toggle button inside the Home modal's
+/// draw-mode row. Mirror of [`HomeDrawOneButton`] for `DrawThree`.
+#[derive(Component, Debug)]
+struct HomeDrawThreeButton;
+
+/// Marker on the scrollable inner Node containing the player chips,
+/// draw-mode row, and tile grid. Wrapping these in a scrollable
+/// container keeps the modal usable on small viewports — without it,
+/// the 3-row tile stack pushes the Cancel button off the bottom of
+/// the screen on 800x600 hardware. Mirrors `SettingsPanelScrollable`.
+#[derive(Component, Debug)]
+struct HomeScrollable;
+
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // Private mode-card data shape
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -87,6 +121,38 @@ impl HomeMode {
         }
     }
 
+    /// Unicode glyph rendered as the picture-tile centrepiece. Stand-in
+    /// for real per-mode artwork — chosen for one-glyph-tells-the-mode
+    /// readability rather than visual fidelity. Swap to `Image` nodes
+    /// when art lands; the rest of the tile layout doesn't change.
+    ///
+    /// Picks are constrained to **card suits** (U+2660-2666) and basic
+    /// **Geometric Shapes** (U+25xx) — the two ranges the bundled
+    /// FiraMono-Medium face actually covers. Earlier choices in
+    /// Dingbats (★ ❀ ✦) and Misc Symbols (⌚) rendered as
+    /// missing-glyph rectangles because FiraMono's coverage there is
+    /// minimal.
+    fn glyph(self) -> &'static str {
+        match self {
+            // Black club — card suit, the obvious solitaire mark.
+            HomeMode::Classic => "\u{2663}",
+            // Black diamond — Geometric Shapes; reads as the day's gem.
+            HomeMode::Daily => "\u{25C6}",
+            // White circle — Geometric Shapes; reads as the Zen enso.
+            HomeMode::Zen => "\u{25CB}",
+            // Black up-pointing triangle — Geometric Shapes; reads as
+            // a mountain / a step up in difficulty.
+            HomeMode::Challenge => "\u{25B2}",
+            // Rightwards arrow — Arrows block (U+2190-21FF), a core
+            // range every dev-oriented monospace font (FiraMono
+            // included) ships. Reads as "go / fast-forward" for the
+            // timed mode. Earlier ▶ (U+25B6) did not render; FiraMono
+            // ships ▲ (up triangle) but evidently not the sideways
+            // siblings.
+            HomeMode::TimeAttack => "\u{2192}",
+        }
+    }
+
     /// The keyboard accelerator that dispatches the same launch event,
     /// shown in a small chip on the card.
     fn hotkey(self) -> &'static str {
@@ -115,27 +181,69 @@ impl HomeMode {
 #[derive(Component, Debug)]
 struct HomeModeCard(HomeMode);
 
+/// Tracks whether the launch-time Home modal has already been auto-shown
+/// for this app session. Flipped to `true` by [`spawn_home_on_launch`]
+/// the first time it spawns the modal, so the auto-show is one-shot per
+/// process — subsequent dismissals (Cancel / mode pick) don't trigger
+/// a respawn, but the player can still re-open the picker with `M`.
+///
+/// Other plugins (e.g. `game_plugin`'s restore-prompt handler) can flip
+/// the flag manually to suppress the launch auto-show when the player
+/// has already made a launch-time choice through a different surface.
+#[derive(Resource, Debug, Default)]
+pub struct LaunchHomeShown(pub bool);
+
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // Plugin
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 /// Registers the M-key toggle, the mode-card click handler, and the
 /// Cancel-button handler.
-pub struct HomePlugin;
+///
+/// `auto_show_on_launch` (default true) controls whether the picker
+/// auto-spawns once the splash clears at app start. Headless tests use
+/// [`HomePlugin::headless`] to opt out so each test starts with no
+/// modal in the world.
+pub struct HomePlugin {
+    auto_show_on_launch: bool,
+}
+
+impl Default for HomePlugin {
+    fn default() -> Self {
+        Self {
+            auto_show_on_launch: true,
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+impl HomePlugin {
+    /// Test-only constructor that disables the launch-time auto-show.
+    /// `MinimalPlugins` test setups don't include a splash, so the
+    /// gating system would otherwise fire on the first tick and
+    /// pre-spawn the modal that every test asserts is absent.
+    pub fn headless() -> Self {
+        Self {
+            auto_show_on_launch: false,
+        }
+    }
+}
 
 impl Plugin for HomePlugin {
     fn build(&self, app: &mut App) {
-        // Be defensive about message registration so HomePlugin works
-        // standalone in tests (the actual handlers live in
-        // input_plugin / challenge_plugin / time_attack_plugin /
-        // daily_challenge_plugin, but those plugins might not be
-        // installed in a tightly-scoped headless app).
-        app.add_message::<NewGameRequestEvent>()
+        // Pre-mark the auto-show as already done in headless mode so the
+        // gating system is a permanent no-op for tests.
+        app.insert_resource(LaunchHomeShown(!self.auto_show_on_launch))
+            .add_message::<NewGameRequestEvent>()
             .add_message::<StartZenRequestEvent>()
             .add_message::<StartChallengeRequestEvent>()
             .add_message::<StartTimeAttackRequestEvent>()
             .add_message::<StartDailyChallengeRequestEvent>()
             .add_message::<InfoToastEvent>()
+            .add_message::<ToggleProfileRequestEvent>()
+            .add_message::<SettingsChangedEvent>()
+            // Defensively register MouseWheel so `scroll_home_panel`
+            // runs cleanly under MinimalPlugins headless tests too.
+            .add_message::<MouseWheel>()
             // `.chain()` because several systems (M-toggle, card click,
             // cancel button, digit-key shortcut) all read the
             // `HomeScreen` entity and may queue a despawn on it in the
@@ -147,25 +255,92 @@ impl Plugin for HomePlugin {
             .add_systems(
                 Update,
                 (
+                    spawn_home_on_launch,
                     toggle_home_screen,
                     attach_focusable_to_home_mode_cards,
                     handle_home_card_click,
                     handle_home_cancel_button,
+                    handle_home_profile_chip,
+                    handle_home_draw_mode_buttons,
                     handle_home_digit_keys,
                 )
                     .chain(),
-            );
+            )
+            .add_systems(Update, scroll_home_panel);
     }
 }
 
+// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// Auto-show on launch
+// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+/// Auto-spawns the Home / mode-picker modal once per app session, so
+/// the player lands on a deliberate "what mode do I want to play"
+/// screen instead of the default Classic deal.
+///
+/// Gated on the launch-time UI being clear:
+///
+/// * `SplashRoot` must be gone — the splash owns the foreground during
+///   the brand beat and the home modal appearing under it would feel
+///   like a flash of half-rendered UI.
+/// * `RestorePromptScreen` must not be open and `PendingRestoredGame`
+///   must be empty — when the player has a saved in-progress game the
+///   restore prompt takes precedence; the home picker would compete
+///   with it for attention.
+/// * `HomeScreen` must not already exist (defensive — e.g. the player
+///   pressed `M` between ticks).
+/// * `LaunchHomeShown` flips to `true` after the first spawn so this
+///   system becomes a no-op for the rest of the session. Cancelling
+///   the modal therefore goes to the underlying default deal rather
+///   than respawning the picker.
+#[allow(clippy::too_many_arguments)]
+fn spawn_home_on_launch(
+    mut commands: Commands,
+    mut shown: ResMut<LaunchHomeShown>,
+    splash: Query<(), With<crate::splash_plugin::SplashRoot>>,
+    restore_prompts: Query<(), With<crate::game_plugin::RestorePromptScreen>>,
+    pending_restore: Option<Res<crate::game_plugin::PendingRestoredGame>>,
+    existing: Query<(), With<HomeScreen>>,
+    progress: Option<Res<ProgressResource>>,
+    stats: Option<Res<StatsResource>>,
+    settings: Option<Res<SettingsResource>>,
+    daily: Option<Res<DailyChallengeResource>>,
+    font_res: Option<Res<FontResource>>,
+) {
+    if shown.0
+        || !splash.is_empty()
+        || !restore_prompts.is_empty()
+        || pending_restore.as_ref().is_some_and(|p| p.0.is_some())
+        || !existing.is_empty()
+    {
+        return;
+    }
+
+    spawn_home_screen(
+        &mut commands,
+        build_home_context(
+            progress.as_deref(),
+            stats.as_deref(),
+            settings.as_deref(),
+            daily.as_deref(),
+            font_res.as_deref(),
+        ),
+    );
+    shown.0 = true;
+}
+
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // M-key toggle
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
+#[allow(clippy::too_many_arguments)]
 fn toggle_home_screen(
     mut commands: Commands,
     keys: Res<ButtonInput<KeyCode>>,
     progress: Option<Res<ProgressResource>>,
+    stats: Option<Res<StatsResource>>,
+    settings: Option<Res<SettingsResource>>,
+    daily: Option<Res<DailyChallengeResource>>,
     font_res: Option<Res<FontResource>>,
     screens: Query<Entity, With<HomeScreen>>,
 ) {
@@ -175,8 +350,54 @@ fn toggle_home_screen(
     if let Ok(entity) = screens.single() {
         commands.entity(entity).despawn();
     } else {
-        let level = progress.as_ref().map_or(0, |p| p.0.level);
-        spawn_home_screen(&mut commands, level, font_res.as_deref());
+        spawn_home_screen(
+            &mut commands,
+            build_home_context(
+                progress.as_deref(),
+                stats.as_deref(),
+                settings.as_deref(),
+                daily.as_deref(),
+                font_res.as_deref(),
+            ),
+        );
+    }
+}
+
+/// Builds a [`HomeContext`] from the live resources the Home modal
+/// reads. Falls back to safe defaults when a resource is missing
+/// (typical for `MinimalPlugins` headless tests that don't install
+/// every contributor plugin).
+fn build_home_context<'a>(
+    progress: Option<&ProgressResource>,
+    stats: Option<&StatsResource>,
+    settings: Option<&SettingsResource>,
+    daily: Option<&DailyChallengeResource>,
+    font_res: Option<&'a FontResource>,
+) -> HomeContext<'a> {
+    let daily_today = daily.map(|d| {
+        let completed_today = progress
+            .and_then(|p| p.0.daily_challenge_last_completed)
+            .is_some_and(|d_last| d_last == d.date);
+        DailyToday {
+            date_label: d.date.format("%b %-d").to_string(),
+            goal: d.goal_description.clone(),
+            completed_today,
+        }
+    });
+
+    HomeContext {
+        level: progress.map_or(0, |p| p.0.level),
+        total_xp: progress.map_or(0, |p| p.0.total_xp),
+        daily_streak: progress.map_or(0, |p| p.0.daily_challenge_streak),
+        lifetime_score: stats.map_or(0, |s| s.0.lifetime_score),
+        classic_best: stats.map_or(0, |s| s.0.classic_best_score),
+        zen_best: stats.map_or(0, |s| s.0.zen_best_score),
+        challenge_best: stats.map_or(0, |s| s.0.challenge_best_score),
+        daily_today,
+        draw_mode: settings
+            .map(|s| s.0.draw_mode.clone())
+            .unwrap_or(DrawMode::DrawOne),
+        font_res,
     }
 }
 
@@ -251,10 +472,22 @@ fn handle_home_card_click(
 
 fn handle_home_cancel_button(
     mut commands: Commands,
+    keys: Option<Res<ButtonInput<KeyCode>>>,
     cancel_buttons: Query<&Interaction, (With<HomeCancelButton>, Changed<Interaction>)>,
     screens: Query<Entity, With<HomeScreen>>,
+    other_modal_scrims: Query<(), (With<crate::ui_modal::ModalScrim>, Without<HomeScreen>)>,
 ) {
-    if !cancel_buttons.iter().any(|i| *i == Interaction::Pressed) {
+    if screens.is_empty() {
+        return;
+    }
+    let click = cancel_buttons.iter().any(|i| *i == Interaction::Pressed);
+    let esc = keys.is_some_and(|k| k.just_pressed(KeyCode::Escape));
+    // Esc only closes Home when it is the *topmost* modal. With Profile
+    // (or any other ModalScrim) layered on top, the topmost owns the
+    // dismissal — without this gate a single Esc closed the back
+    // modal (Home) and left the front modal orphaned.
+    let esc_targets_home = esc && other_modal_scrims.is_empty();
+    if !click && !esc_targets_home {
         return;
     }
     for entity in &screens {
@@ -262,6 +495,115 @@ fn handle_home_cancel_button(
     }
 }
 
+// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// Header chip + draw-mode button handlers
+// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+/// Routes mouse-wheel events into the Home modal's scrollable body
+/// while the modal is open. No-op when no `HomeScrollable` exists in
+/// the world (modal closed). Mirrors `scroll_settings_panel` and
+/// `scroll_leaderboard_panel`.
+fn scroll_home_panel(
+    mut scroll_evr: MessageReader<MouseWheel>,
+    mut scrollables: Query<&mut ScrollPosition, With<HomeScrollable>>,
+) {
+    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);
+    }
+}
+
+/// Click on the player-stats header chip → fire
+/// [`ToggleProfileRequestEvent`] so the Profile overlay opens on top
+/// of Home. Closing Profile (`P` / `Esc`) returns the player to the
+/// Home picker without losing their context.
+fn handle_home_profile_chip(
+    chips: Query<&Interaction, (With<HomeProfileChip>, Changed<Interaction>)>,
+    mut profile: MessageWriter<ToggleProfileRequestEvent>,
+) {
+    if chips.iter().any(|i| *i == Interaction::Pressed) {
+        profile.write(ToggleProfileRequestEvent);
+    }
+}
+
+/// Click on a draw-mode chip — flip `Settings.draw_mode`, persist,
+/// fire `SettingsChangedEvent`, and respawn the Home modal so the
+/// active-chip styling reflects the new state. Repaint by full
+/// rebuild keeps the helper code small (no per-entity colour
+/// surgery) and the modal is light enough to respawn cleanly.
+#[allow(clippy::too_many_arguments)]
+fn handle_home_draw_mode_buttons(
+    mut commands: Commands,
+    one_buttons: Query<&Interaction, (With<HomeDrawOneButton>, Changed<Interaction>)>,
+    three_buttons: Query<&Interaction, (With<HomeDrawThreeButton>, Changed<Interaction>)>,
+    screens: Query<Entity, With<HomeScreen>>,
+    mut settings: Option<ResMut<SettingsResource>>,
+    storage_path: Option<Res<SettingsStoragePath>>,
+    mut changed: MessageWriter<SettingsChangedEvent>,
+    progress: Option<Res<ProgressResource>>,
+    stats: Option<Res<StatsResource>>,
+    daily: Option<Res<DailyChallengeResource>>,
+    font_res: Option<Res<FontResource>>,
+) {
+    if screens.is_empty() {
+        return;
+    }
+    let want_one = one_buttons.iter().any(|i| *i == Interaction::Pressed);
+    let want_three = three_buttons.iter().any(|i| *i == Interaction::Pressed);
+    if !want_one && !want_three {
+        return;
+    }
+    let Some(settings) = settings.as_mut() else {
+        return;
+    };
+    let target = if want_one {
+        DrawMode::DrawOne
+    } else {
+        DrawMode::DrawThree
+    };
+    if settings.0.draw_mode == target {
+        return; // already in this mode — avoid a redundant respawn.
+    }
+    settings.0.draw_mode = target;
+    if let Some(p) = storage_path
+        && let Some(path) = p.0.as_deref()
+        && let Err(e) = save_settings_to(path, &settings.0)
+    {
+        warn!("home: failed to persist draw-mode change: {e}");
+    }
+    changed.write(SettingsChangedEvent(settings.0.clone()));
+
+    // Repaint by despawn + respawn so the chip styling and any
+    // dependent labels (none today, but Phase B may surface a
+    // "Standard (Draw 1)" caption like MSSC) reflect the new state.
+    for entity in &screens {
+        commands.entity(entity).despawn();
+    }
+    spawn_home_screen(
+        &mut commands,
+        build_home_context(
+            progress.as_deref(),
+            stats.as_deref(),
+            Some(settings),
+            daily.as_deref(),
+            font_res.as_deref(),
+        ),
+    );
+}
+
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // Digit-key shortcuts (1-5) — modal-scoped
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -358,11 +700,84 @@ fn handle_home_digit_keys(
 // Spawn helpers
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-/// 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>) {
+/// Bundles the data the Home modal needs to render the new
+/// MSSC-inspired header chips, per-mode score chips, and draw-mode
+/// row. Built fresh by the two call sites (`spawn_home_on_launch`
+/// and `toggle_home_screen`) from the live progress / stats /
+/// settings resources, with sensible defaults when a resource is
+/// missing under `MinimalPlugins` headless tests.
+struct HomeContext<'a> {
+    level: u32,
+    total_xp: u64,
+    lifetime_score: u64,
+    classic_best: u32,
+    zen_best: u32,
+    challenge_best: u32,
+    daily_streak: u32,
+    daily_today: Option<DailyToday>,
+    draw_mode: DrawMode,
+    font_res: Option<&'a FontResource>,
+}
+
+/// Today's daily-challenge metadata as the Home picker needs it. Only
+/// populated when both [`DailyChallengeResource`] is present (the
+/// plugin is wired) and we have something useful to show — otherwise
+/// the Daily card falls back to its baseline description without a
+/// dated callout.
+struct DailyToday {
+    /// Short calendar label, e.g. `"May 6"`. Always populated.
+    date_label: String,
+    /// Server-supplied goal copy ("Win in under 5 minutes"). `None`
+    /// when no server backend is wired or the fetch hasn't returned.
+    goal: Option<String>,
+    /// `true` when the player has already recorded today's daily.
+    /// Surfaces a "Done" badge so the picker reads as reward-state
+    /// rather than "you still owe today's run".
+    completed_today: bool,
+}
+
+/// Spawns the Home modal with the player-stats header strip, draw-mode
+/// row, five mode cards, and a Cancel button.
+fn spawn_home_screen(commands: &mut Commands, ctx: HomeContext<'_>) {
+    let HomeContext { font_res, .. } = ctx;
     let scrim = spawn_modal(commands, HomeScreen, Z_MODAL_PANEL, |card| {
         spawn_modal_header(card, "Choose a Mode", font_res);
 
+        // Scrollable middle — chips + draw row + tile grid. Constrained
+        // to 70vh so the modal fits on small viewports (the 5-tile
+        // grid alone is ~540 px). Cancel button sits outside this
+        // node so it's always one click away.
+        card.spawn((
+            HomeScrollable,
+            ScrollPosition::default(),
+            Node {
+                flex_direction: FlexDirection::Column,
+                row_gap: VAL_SPACE_3,
+                width: Val::Percent(100.0),
+                max_height: Val::Vh(70.0),
+                overflow: Overflow::scroll_y(),
+                ..default()
+            },
+        ))
+        .with_children(|body| {
+            spawn_home_header_chips(body, &ctx);
+            spawn_draw_mode_row(body, &ctx);
+
+            // Mode tiles in a wrapping 2-column grid. Each tile takes 48%
+            // of the row so column_gap fits comfortably; the 5 modes wrap
+            // to a third row of one tile, which we leave left-aligned —
+            // the asymmetry matches MSSC's "Daily Challenges / Today's
+            // Event" half-cell on the right of their grid and keeps the
+            // visual rhythm.
+            body.spawn(Node {
+                flex_direction: FlexDirection::Row,
+                flex_wrap: FlexWrap::Wrap,
+                row_gap: VAL_SPACE_3,
+                column_gap: VAL_SPACE_3,
+                width: Val::Percent(100.0),
+                ..default()
+            })
+            .with_children(|grid| {
                 for mode in [
                     HomeMode::Classic,
                     HomeMode::Daily,
@@ -370,8 +785,10 @@ fn spawn_home_screen(commands: &mut Commands, level: u32, font_res: Option<&Font
                     HomeMode::Challenge,
                     HomeMode::TimeAttack,
                 ] {
-            spawn_mode_card(card, mode, level, font_res);
+                    spawn_mode_card(grid, mode, &ctx);
                 }
+            });
+        });
 
         spawn_modal_actions(card, |actions| {
             spawn_modal_button(
@@ -388,6 +805,188 @@ fn spawn_home_screen(commands: &mut Commands, level: u32, font_res: Option<&Font
     commands.entity(scrim).insert(ScrimDismissible);
 }
 
+/// Player-stats chip strip — Level, XP, Lifetime Score. Clickable as a
+/// whole to open the Profile overlay (mirrors the MSSC top-right
+/// avatar+rewards corner that surfaces level + premium status). Falls
+/// back to plain Text in headless contexts where `Button` interaction
+/// isn't driven by the input pipeline anyway.
+fn spawn_home_header_chips(parent: &mut ChildSpawnerCommands, ctx: &HomeContext<'_>) {
+    let font_handle = ctx.font_res.map(|f| f.0.clone()).unwrap_or_default();
+    let font_label = TextFont {
+        font: font_handle.clone(),
+        font_size: TYPE_CAPTION,
+        ..default()
+    };
+    let font_value = TextFont {
+        font: font_handle,
+        font_size: TYPE_BODY,
+        ..default()
+    };
+
+    parent
+        .spawn((
+            HomeProfileChip,
+            Button,
+            Node {
+                flex_direction: FlexDirection::Row,
+                align_items: AlignItems::Center,
+                justify_content: JustifyContent::SpaceBetween,
+                column_gap: VAL_SPACE_2,
+                padding: UiRect::axes(VAL_SPACE_3, VAL_SPACE_2),
+                border: UiRect::all(Val::Px(1.0)),
+                border_radius: BorderRadius::all(Val::Px(RADIUS_MD)),
+                width: Val::Percent(100.0),
+                ..default()
+            },
+            BackgroundColor(BG_ELEVATED),
+            BorderColor::all(BORDER_SUBTLE),
+        ))
+        .with_children(|row| {
+            for (label, value) in [
+                ("Level".to_string(), format_compact(ctx.level as u64)),
+                ("XP".to_string(), format_compact(ctx.total_xp)),
+                ("Score".to_string(), format_compact(ctx.lifetime_score)),
+            ] {
+                row.spawn(Node {
+                    flex_direction: FlexDirection::Column,
+                    align_items: AlignItems::Center,
+                    row_gap: VAL_SPACE_1,
+                    ..default()
+                })
+                .with_children(|col| {
+                    col.spawn((
+                        Text::new(label),
+                        font_label.clone(),
+                        TextColor(TEXT_SECONDARY),
+                    ));
+                    col.spawn((
+                        Text::new(value),
+                        font_value.clone(),
+                        TextColor(ACCENT_PRIMARY),
+                    ));
+                });
+            }
+        });
+}
+
+/// Draw-mode row — "Draw 1" / "Draw 3" toggle. Affects the next Classic
+/// deal (the Settings value the new-game flow reads). Surfacing it on
+/// the Home modal keeps the per-game choice one tap away rather than
+/// buried in Settings, mirroring the dropdown MSSC puts on its
+/// difficulty picker.
+fn spawn_draw_mode_row(parent: &mut ChildSpawnerCommands, ctx: &HomeContext<'_>) {
+    let font_handle = ctx.font_res.map(|f| f.0.clone()).unwrap_or_default();
+    let font_label = TextFont {
+        font: font_handle.clone(),
+        font_size: TYPE_CAPTION,
+        ..default()
+    };
+    let font_btn = TextFont {
+        font: font_handle,
+        font_size: TYPE_BODY,
+        ..default()
+    };
+
+    let active_one = matches!(ctx.draw_mode, DrawMode::DrawOne);
+
+    parent
+        .spawn(Node {
+            flex_direction: FlexDirection::Row,
+            align_items: AlignItems::Center,
+            column_gap: VAL_SPACE_3,
+            ..default()
+        })
+        .with_children(|row| {
+            row.spawn((
+                Text::new("Draw mode"),
+                font_label.clone(),
+                TextColor(TEXT_SECONDARY),
+            ));
+            spawn_draw_mode_chip::<HomeDrawOneButton>(
+                row,
+                HomeDrawOneButton,
+                "Draw 1",
+                active_one,
+                &font_btn,
+            );
+            spawn_draw_mode_chip::<HomeDrawThreeButton>(
+                row,
+                HomeDrawThreeButton,
+                "Draw 3",
+                !active_one,
+                &font_btn,
+            );
+        });
+}
+
+fn spawn_draw_mode_chip<M: Component>(
+    parent: &mut ChildSpawnerCommands,
+    marker: M,
+    label: &str,
+    active: bool,
+    font: &TextFont,
+) {
+    let (bg, fg) = if active {
+        (ACCENT_PRIMARY, BG_ELEVATED)
+    } else {
+        (BG_ELEVATED_HI, TEXT_PRIMARY)
+    };
+    parent
+        .spawn((
+            marker,
+            Button,
+            Node {
+                padding: UiRect::axes(VAL_SPACE_3, VAL_SPACE_1),
+                border: UiRect::all(Val::Px(1.0)),
+                border_radius: BorderRadius::all(Val::Px(RADIUS_MD)),
+                ..default()
+            },
+            BackgroundColor(bg),
+            BorderColor::all(BORDER_SUBTLE),
+        ))
+        .with_children(|c| {
+            c.spawn((Text::new(label.to_string()), font.clone(), TextColor(fg)));
+        });
+}
+
+/// Compact decimal formatter: `1234567` → `"1.2M"`, `12345` → `"12.3K"`,
+/// otherwise the raw number with thousands separators. Keeps chip text
+/// short enough to fit a 3-up header strip without wrapping.
+fn format_compact(n: u64) -> String {
+    if n >= 1_000_000 {
+        format!("{:.1}M", n as f64 / 1_000_000.0)
+    } else if n >= 10_000 {
+        format!("{:.1}K", n as f64 / 1_000.0)
+    } else if n >= 1_000 {
+        let (high, low) = (n / 1_000, n % 1_000);
+        format!("{high},{low:03}")
+    } else {
+        n.to_string()
+    }
+}
+
+/// Per-mode score / streak chip text. `None` for modes where no
+/// per-mode best exists yet (Time Attack uses session scoring; modes
+/// with `0` recorded mean "no win yet" and we hide the chip rather
+/// than show a 0).
+fn score_chip_text_for(mode: HomeMode, ctx: &HomeContext<'_>) -> Option<String> {
+    match mode {
+        HomeMode::Classic if ctx.classic_best > 0 => {
+            Some(format!("Best {}", format_compact(ctx.classic_best as u64)))
+        }
+        HomeMode::Zen if ctx.zen_best > 0 => {
+            Some(format!("Best {}", format_compact(ctx.zen_best as u64)))
+        }
+        HomeMode::Challenge if ctx.challenge_best > 0 => {
+            Some(format!("Best {}", format_compact(ctx.challenge_best as u64)))
+        }
+        HomeMode::Daily if ctx.daily_streak > 0 => {
+            Some(format!("Streak {}", ctx.daily_streak))
+        }
+        _ => None,
+    }
+}
+
 /// Tab-walk order for each mode card, matching the visual top-to-bottom
 /// stack inside the Home modal. Lower numbers receive focus first under
 /// `Focusable`'s sort.
@@ -459,9 +1058,11 @@ fn attach_focusable_to_home_mode_cards(
 fn spawn_mode_card(
     parent: &mut ChildSpawnerCommands,
     mode: HomeMode,
-    level: u32,
-    font_res: Option<&FontResource>,
+    ctx: &HomeContext<'_>,
 ) {
+    let level = ctx.level;
+    let font_res = ctx.font_res;
+    let score_chip = score_chip_text_for(mode, ctx);
     let unlocked = mode.is_unlocked(level);
     let font_handle = font_res.map(|f| f.0.clone()).unwrap_or_default();
     let font_title = TextFont {
@@ -475,10 +1076,17 @@ fn spawn_mode_card(
         ..default()
     };
     let font_chip = TextFont {
-        font: font_handle,
+        font: font_handle.clone(),
         font_size: TYPE_CAPTION,
         ..default()
     };
+    // Glyph rendered at display size — Unicode emoji standing in for
+    // the per-mode artwork. Centred at the top of the tile.
+    let font_glyph = TextFont {
+        font: font_handle,
+        font_size: TYPE_DISPLAY,
+        ..default()
+    };
 
     // Locked cards mute their text to communicate the disabled state at
     // a glance; the explicit "Unlocks at level N" caption underneath
@@ -486,6 +1094,7 @@ fn spawn_mode_card(
     let title_color = if unlocked { TEXT_PRIMARY } else { TEXT_DISABLED };
     let desc_color = if unlocked { TEXT_SECONDARY } else { TEXT_DISABLED };
     let border_color = if unlocked { BORDER_SUBTLE } else { BORDER_STRONG };
+    let glyph_color = if unlocked { ACCENT_PRIMARY } else { TEXT_DISABLED };
 
     parent
         .spawn((
@@ -496,9 +1105,13 @@ fn spawn_mode_card(
             Button,
             Node {
                 flex_direction: FlexDirection::Column,
-                row_gap: VAL_SPACE_1,
+                row_gap: VAL_SPACE_2,
                 padding: UiRect::all(VAL_SPACE_3),
-                width: Val::Percent(100.0),
+                // 48% per tile + the row's column_gap = a clean 2-up
+                // grid that wraps to a single tile on the third row.
+                width: Val::Percent(48.0),
+                min_height: Val::Px(180.0),
+                align_items: AlignItems::Center,
                 border: UiRect::all(Val::Px(1.0)),
                 border_radius: BorderRadius::all(Val::Px(RADIUS_MD)),
                 ..default()
@@ -507,12 +1120,20 @@ fn spawn_mode_card(
             BorderColor::all(border_color),
         ))
         .with_children(|c| {
+            // Centerpiece glyph — placeholder for real per-mode art.
+            c.spawn((
+                Text::new(mode.glyph().to_string()),
+                font_glyph.clone(),
+                TextColor(glyph_color),
+            ));
+
             // Title row — title text on the left, hotkey chip on the right.
             c.spawn(Node {
                 flex_direction: FlexDirection::Row,
                 align_items: AlignItems::Center,
                 justify_content: JustifyContent::SpaceBetween,
                 column_gap: VAL_SPACE_3,
+                width: Val::Percent(100.0),
                 ..default()
             })
             .with_children(|row| {
@@ -562,6 +1183,59 @@ fn spawn_mode_card(
                 TextColor(desc_color),
             ));
 
+            // Per-mode score / streak chip — populated only when the
+            // player has data for this mode. Hidden on a 0 best so a
+            // fresh profile doesn't show "Best 0" everywhere.
+            if let Some(text) = score_chip.clone()
+                && unlocked
+            {
+                c.spawn((
+                    Text::new(text),
+                    font_chip.clone(),
+                    TextColor(ACCENT_PRIMARY),
+                    Node {
+                        margin: UiRect::top(VAL_SPACE_1),
+                        ..default()
+                    },
+                ));
+            }
+
+            // Daily-only "Today's Event" caption — date, optional
+            // server goal, and a "Done" badge once the player has
+            // already recorded today's completion. Only renders for
+            // the Daily card when DailyChallengeResource is present.
+            if matches!(mode, HomeMode::Daily)
+                && unlocked
+                && let Some(today) = ctx.daily_today.as_ref()
+            {
+                let date_text = if today.completed_today {
+                    format!("Today, {} \u{2022} Done", today.date_label)
+                } else {
+                    format!("Today, {}", today.date_label)
+                };
+                let date_color = if today.completed_today {
+                    ACCENT_PRIMARY
+                } else {
+                    STATE_INFO
+                };
+                c.spawn((
+                    Text::new(date_text),
+                    font_chip.clone(),
+                    TextColor(date_color),
+                    Node {
+                        margin: UiRect::top(VAL_SPACE_1),
+                        ..default()
+                    },
+                ));
+                if let Some(goal) = today.goal.as_ref() {
+                    c.spawn((
+                        Text::new(format!("Goal: {goal}")),
+                        font_chip.clone(),
+                        TextColor(TEXT_SECONDARY),
+                    ));
+                }
+            }
+
             // Locked footnote — explicit copy so the gate is unambiguous.
             if !unlocked {
                 c.spawn((
@@ -602,7 +1276,7 @@ mod tests {
             .add_plugins(GamePlugin)
             .add_plugins(TablePlugin)
             .add_plugins(ProgressPlugin::headless())
-            .add_plugins(HomePlugin);
+            .add_plugins(HomePlugin::headless());
         app.init_resource::<ButtonInput<KeyCode>>();
         app.update();
         app
@@ -892,7 +1566,7 @@ mod tests {
             .add_plugins(GamePlugin)
             .add_plugins(TablePlugin)
             .add_plugins(ProgressPlugin::headless())
-            .add_plugins(HomePlugin);
+            .add_plugins(HomePlugin::headless());
         app.init_resource::<ButtonInput<KeyCode>>();
         app.update();
         app

solitaire_engine/src/hud_plugin.rs

@@ -62,6 +62,18 @@ pub struct HudMode;
 #[derive(Component, Debug)]
 pub struct HudChallenge;
 
+/// Marker on the "won this deal before" indicator text node.
+///
+/// Displays `"✓ Won before"` when the current deal's seed + draw_mode +
+/// mode triple matches one of the entries in `ReplayHistoryResource`.
+/// Empty string otherwise (including won games — the score readout
+/// already conveys the win on the active deal). Only meaningful for
+/// Classic / Zen / Challenge — daily-challenge and time-attack seeds
+/// are filtered out implicitly because their replay entries always
+/// carry a different mode tag.
+#[derive(Component, Debug)]
+pub struct HudWonPreviously;
+
 /// Marker on the undo-count text node.
 ///
 /// Shows how many undos have been used this game. Displayed in amber when
@@ -194,6 +206,16 @@ pub const SCORE_FLOATER_THRESHOLD: i32 = 50;
 #[derive(Component, Debug)]
 pub struct ActionButton;
 
+/// Marker on rows inside a popover panel ([`ModesPopover`] or
+/// [`MenuPopover`]). Popover rows already carry `ActionButton` so the
+/// hover/press paint path applies to them, but the auto-fade applied
+/// to the top-level action bar must NOT also fade these rows — the
+/// popover only renders when the player has explicitly opened it, so
+/// its content should always be at full opacity. `apply_action_fade`
+/// excludes entities with this marker via `Without<PopoverRow>`.
+#[derive(Component, Debug)]
+pub struct PopoverRow;
+
 /// Marker on the "New Game" action button anchored top-right of the play
 /// area. Click fires [`NewGameRequestEvent`]; the existing
 /// `ConfirmNewGameScreen` modal handles confirmation when a game is in
@@ -302,6 +324,7 @@ impl Plugin for HudPlugin {
             .init_resource::<HudActionFade>()
             .add_systems(Startup, (spawn_hud_band, spawn_hud, spawn_action_buttons))
             .add_systems(Update, update_hud.after(GameMutation))
+            .add_systems(Update, update_won_previously.after(GameMutation))
             .add_systems(Update, announce_auto_complete.after(GameMutation))
             .add_systems(Update, update_selection_hud)
             .add_systems(
@@ -481,6 +504,15 @@ fn spawn_hud(font_res: Option<Res<FontResource>>, mut commands: Commands) {
                     font_body.clone(),
                     TextColor(STATE_INFO),
                 ));
+                t2.spawn((
+                    HudWonPreviously,
+                    Tooltip::new(
+                        "You've won this deal before. Same seed in your replay history.",
+                    ),
+                    Text::new(""),
+                    font_body.clone(),
+                    TextColor(STATE_SUCCESS),
+                ));
             });
 
             // Tier 3 — penalty / bonus. Undos and Recycles share the
@@ -834,6 +866,7 @@ fn spawn_modes_popover(
                     .spawn((
                         option,
                         ActionButton,
+                        PopoverRow,
                         Button,
                         Tooltip::new(tooltip),
                         Node {
@@ -987,6 +1020,7 @@ fn spawn_menu_popover(commands: &mut Commands, font_res: Option<&FontResource>)
                     .spawn((
                         option,
                         ActionButton,
+                        PopoverRow,
                         Button,
                         Tooltip::new(tooltip),
                         Node {
@@ -1117,9 +1151,20 @@ fn update_action_fade(
 /// `Last` (after `paint_action_buttons`) so a hover-state change in the
 /// same frame doesn't override the fade with an opaque idle / hover
 /// colour.
+#[allow(clippy::type_complexity)]
 fn apply_action_fade(
     fade: Res<HudActionFade>,
-    mut buttons: Query<(&Children, &mut BackgroundColor), With<ActionButton>>,
+    // Excludes `PopoverRow` so the auto-fade only applies to the
+    // top-level action bar buttons. Popover rows live inside an
+    // explicitly-opened dropdown panel and need to stay visible
+    // regardless of the bar's fade state — without the exclusion
+    // the rows fade to invisible while the popover container stays
+    // visible, leaving a solid background block with no readable
+    // content.
+    mut buttons: Query<
+        (&Children, &mut BackgroundColor),
+        (With<ActionButton>, Without<PopoverRow>),
+    >,
     mut text_q: Query<&mut TextColor>,
 ) {
     for (children, mut bg) in &mut buttons {
@@ -1480,6 +1525,42 @@ fn lerp_text_color(from: Color, to: Color, t: f32) -> Color {
     )
 }
 
+/// Sets the [`HudWonPreviously`] text to "✓ Won before" whenever the
+/// current deal's seed + draw_mode + mode triple matches an entry in
+/// the rolling [`ReplayHistory`]. Cleared while the active game is won
+/// (the on-screen "Game won!" cue already conveys victory) and on
+/// fresh deals the player hasn't won before.
+///
+/// Lives in its own system rather than `update_hud` to keep this
+/// orthogonal: `update_hud`'s query disambiguation is already busy
+/// enough; threading another marker through every Without filter
+/// would touch ~10 unrelated queries for no benefit.
+fn update_won_previously(
+    game: Res<GameStateResource>,
+    // Optional because the HUD plugin's headless tests run without
+    // `StatsPlugin` and therefore without this resource. With the
+    // resource absent there's no history to compare against; the
+    // indicator just stays empty.
+    history: Option<Res<crate::stats_plugin::ReplayHistoryResource>>,
+    mut q: Query<&mut Text, With<HudWonPreviously>>,
+) {
+    let Ok(mut text) = q.single_mut() else {
+        return;
+    };
+    let won_before = !game.0.is_won
+        && history.as_ref().is_some_and(|h| {
+            h.0.replays.iter().any(|r| {
+                r.seed == game.0.seed
+                    && r.draw_mode == game.0.draw_mode
+                    && r.mode == game.0.mode
+            })
+        });
+    let next = if won_before { "\u{2713} Won before" } else { "" };
+    if text.0 != next {
+        text.0 = next.to_string();
+    }
+}
+
 #[allow(clippy::type_complexity, clippy::too_many_arguments)]
 fn update_hud(
     game: Res<GameStateResource>,

solitaire_engine/src/input_plugin.rs

@@ -40,10 +40,10 @@ use solitaire_core::game_state::DrawMode;
 use crate::challenge_plugin::CHALLENGE_UNLOCK_LEVEL;
 use crate::events::{
     DrawRequestEvent, ForfeitRequestEvent, HintVisualEvent, InfoToastEvent, MoveRejectedEvent,
-    MoveRequestEvent, NewGameConfirmEvent, NewGameRequestEvent, StartZenRequestEvent,
-    StateChangedEvent, UndoRequestEvent,
+    MoveRequestEvent, NewGameRequestEvent, StartZenRequestEvent, StateChangedEvent,
+    UndoRequestEvent,
 };
-use crate::game_plugin::GameMutation;
+use crate::game_plugin::{ConfirmNewGameScreen, GameMutation, RestorePromptScreen};
 use crate::pause_plugin::PausedResource;
 use crate::progress_plugin::ProgressResource;
 use crate::layout::{Layout, LayoutResource};
@@ -54,21 +54,15 @@ use crate::time_attack_plugin::TimeAttackResource;
 /// Z-depth used for cards while being dragged — above all resting cards.
 const DRAG_Z: f32 = 500.0;
 
-/// Shared countdown state for the new-game double-press confirmation
-/// flow.
+/// Solver budgets used by the H-key hint system.
 ///
-/// Using a resource (instead of `Local`) lets the keyboard sub-systems
-/// share the same countdown state without needing to pass values
-/// between them. Forfeit no longer has a keyboard countdown — `G` now
-/// fires `ForfeitRequestEvent` and `PausePlugin` shows a real
-/// `ForfeitConfirmScreen` modal.
-#[derive(Resource, Debug, Default)]
-struct KeyboardConfirmState {
-    /// Seconds remaining in the new-game confirmation window (> 0 while open).
-    new_game_countdown: f32,
-    /// True while we are waiting for the second N press to confirm a new game.
-    new_game_pending: bool,
-}
+/// 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);
 
 /// Registers keyboard, mouse, and touch input systems.
 ///
@@ -89,8 +83,7 @@ pub struct InputPlugin;
 impl Plugin for InputPlugin {
     fn build(&self, app: &mut App) {
         app.init_resource::<HintCycleIndex>()
-            .init_resource::<KeyboardConfirmState>()
-            .add_message::<NewGameConfirmEvent>()
+            .init_resource::<HintSolverConfig>()
             .add_message::<StartZenRequestEvent>()
             .add_message::<InfoToastEvent>()
             .add_message::<ForfeitRequestEvent>()
@@ -120,9 +113,6 @@ impl Plugin for InputPlugin {
     }
 }
 
-/// Seconds after the first N press during which a second N confirms new game.
-const NEW_GAME_CONFIRM_WINDOW: f32 = 3.0;
-
 /// Bundles the event writers needed by the core keyboard handler.
 ///
 /// Keeping these in a [`SystemParam`] avoids hitting Bevy's 16-parameter limit.
@@ -130,43 +120,39 @@ const NEW_GAME_CONFIRM_WINDOW: f32 = 3.0;
 struct CoreKeyboardMessages<'w> {
     undo: MessageWriter<'w, UndoRequestEvent>,
     new_game: MessageWriter<'w, NewGameRequestEvent>,
-    confirm_event: MessageWriter<'w, NewGameConfirmEvent>,
     info_toast: MessageWriter<'w, InfoToastEvent>,
     draw: MessageWriter<'w, DrawRequestEvent>,
 }
 
-/// Handles the core keyboard shortcuts: U (undo), N (new game + confirmation
-/// window), Z (zen mode), D / Space (draw), and ticks down the new-game
-/// confirmation countdown each frame.
+/// Handles the core keyboard shortcuts: U (undo), N (new game), Z (zen mode),
+/// D / Space (draw).
+///
+/// `N` fires `NewGameRequestEvent` straight through; the existing
+/// `handle_new_game` flow shows the `ConfirmNewGameScreen` modal when
+/// the current game is in progress, so a single press surfaces a real
+/// Confirm / Cancel UI instead of a "press N again" toast. `Shift+N`
+/// keeps the keyboard power-user bypass by setting `confirmed: true`.
+///
+/// While the confirm modal or the restore prompt is already open, the
+/// system skips the N branch so those modals' own input handlers can
+/// process N (cancel / start-new-game) without us re-firing a request
+/// the same frame.
 #[allow(clippy::too_many_arguments)]
 fn handle_keyboard_core(
     keys: Res<ButtonInput<KeyCode>>,
     paused: Option<Res<PausedResource>>,
     progress: Option<Res<ProgressResource>>,
-    game: Option<Res<GameStateResource>>,
-    time: Res<Time>,
-    mut confirm: ResMut<KeyboardConfirmState>,
     mut ev: CoreKeyboardMessages<'_>,
     mut time_attack: Option<ResMut<TimeAttackResource>>,
     selection: Option<Res<SelectionState>>,
     mut zen_requests: MessageReader<StartZenRequestEvent>,
+    confirm_screens: Query<(), With<ConfirmNewGameScreen>>,
+    restore_prompts: Query<(), With<RestorePromptScreen>>,
 ) {
     if paused.is_some_and(|p| p.0) {
         return;
     }
 
-    // Tick down the new-game confirmation window each frame.
-    if confirm.new_game_countdown > 0.0 {
-        confirm.new_game_countdown -= time.delta_secs();
-        if confirm.new_game_countdown <= 0.0 {
-            confirm.new_game_countdown = 0.0;
-            if confirm.new_game_pending {
-                confirm.new_game_pending = false;
-                ev.info_toast.write(InfoToastEvent("New game cancelled".to_string()));
-            }
-        }
-    }
-
     if keys.just_pressed(KeyCode::KeyU) {
         ev.undo.write(UndoRequestEvent);
     }
@@ -183,27 +169,24 @@ fn handle_keyboard_core(
                     mode: Some(solitaire_core::game_state::GameMode::Classic),
                     confirmed: false,
                 });
-                confirm.new_game_countdown = 0.0;
                 return;
             }
 
-        let active_game = game.as_ref().is_some_and(|g| g.0.move_count > 0 && !g.0.is_won);
-        let shift_held = keys.pressed(KeyCode::ShiftLeft) || keys.pressed(KeyCode::ShiftRight);
-        if shift_held || !active_game {
-            // Shift+N or no active game — start immediately, no confirmation.
-            ev.new_game.write(NewGameRequestEvent::default());
-            confirm.new_game_countdown = 0.0;
-            confirm.new_game_pending = false;
-        } else if confirm.new_game_countdown > 0.0 {
-            // Second press within the window — confirmed.
-            ev.new_game.write(NewGameRequestEvent::default());
-            confirm.new_game_countdown = 0.0;
-            confirm.new_game_pending = false;
+        // The confirm modal and restore prompt own N while they're up —
+        // they cancel / accept respectively. Skipping here prevents us
+        // from firing a fresh request the same frame those modals close.
+        if !confirm_screens.is_empty() || !restore_prompts.is_empty() {
+            // intentional: defer to those modals' input handlers.
         } else {
-            // First press on an active game — require confirmation.
-            confirm.new_game_countdown = NEW_GAME_CONFIRM_WINDOW;
-            confirm.new_game_pending = true;
-            ev.confirm_event.write(NewGameConfirmEvent);
+            let shift_held = keys.pressed(KeyCode::ShiftLeft) || keys.pressed(KeyCode::ShiftRight);
+            ev.new_game.write(NewGameRequestEvent {
+                seed: None,
+                mode: None,
+                // Shift+N skips the confirm modal for keyboard power-users;
+                // bare N falls through `handle_new_game`'s active-game check
+                // and shows the modal when a game is in progress.
+                confirmed: shift_held,
+            });
         }
     }
 
@@ -236,20 +219,34 @@ 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 +266,25 @@ 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 +294,29 @@ 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 +329,7 @@ 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 +358,7 @@ 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",
@@ -1960,15 +1991,6 @@ mod tests {
         assert!(hints.is_empty(), "no hint should exist when the game is truly stuck");
     }
 
-    /// Const-assert that `NEW_GAME_CONFIRM_WINDOW` is positive so the
-    /// confirmation countdown actually opens on the first N press.
-    ///
-    /// Mirrors the existing `forfeit_confirm_window_is_positive` test.
-    #[test]
-    fn new_game_confirm_window_is_positive() {
-        const { assert!(NEW_GAME_CONFIRM_WINDOW > 0.0, "NEW_GAME_CONFIRM_WINDOW must be > 0"); }
-    }
-
     // -----------------------------------------------------------------------
     // Drag-rejection return tween — `CardAnimation` replaces the legacy
     // `ShakeAnim` on the dragged cards. The audio cue
@@ -2125,5 +2147,194 @@ 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)"
+        );
+    }
 }
 

solitaire_engine/src/leaderboard_plugin.rs

@@ -501,7 +501,12 @@ fn spawn_leaderboard_screen(
                 }
                 LeaderboardResource::Loaded(rows) if rows.is_empty() => {
                     body.spawn((
-                        Text::new("No entries yet \u{2014} sync and opt in to appear here."),
+                        Text::new("Be the first on the leaderboard."),
+                        font_status.clone(),
+                        TextColor(TEXT_PRIMARY),
+                    ));
+                    body.spawn((
+                        Text::new("Win a game and opt in to appear here."),
                         font_row.clone(),
                         TextColor(TEXT_SECONDARY),
                     ));

solitaire_engine/src/lib.rs

@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ pub use events::{
     AchievementUnlockedEvent, CardFaceRevealedEvent, CardFlippedEvent, DrawRequestEvent,
     ForfeitEvent, ForfeitRequestEvent, FoundationCompletedEvent, GameWonEvent, HelpRequestEvent,
     HintVisualEvent, InfoToastEvent, ManualSyncRequestEvent, MoveRejectedEvent, MoveRequestEvent,
-    NewGameConfirmEvent, NewGameRequestEvent, PauseRequestEvent, StartChallengeRequestEvent,
+    NewGameRequestEvent, PauseRequestEvent, StartChallengeRequestEvent,
     StartDailyChallengeRequestEvent, StartTimeAttackRequestEvent, StartZenRequestEvent,
     StateChangedEvent, SyncCompleteEvent, ToggleAchievementsRequestEvent,
     ToggleLeaderboardRequestEvent, ToggleProfileRequestEvent, ToggleSettingsRequestEvent,

solitaire_engine/src/pause_plugin.rs

@@ -36,8 +36,9 @@ use crate::settings_plugin::{SettingsChangedEvent, SettingsResource, SettingsSto
 use crate::stats_plugin::StatsResource;
 use crate::ui_modal::{
     spawn_modal, spawn_modal_actions, spawn_modal_body_text, spawn_modal_button,
-    spawn_modal_header, ButtonVariant,
+    spawn_modal_header, ButtonVariant, ModalScrim,
 };
+use bevy::ecs::system::SystemParam;
 use crate::ui_theme::{
     self, TEXT_PRIMARY, TEXT_SECONDARY, TYPE_BODY_LG, TYPE_CAPTION, VAL_SPACE_3,
 };
@@ -126,15 +127,24 @@ impl Plugin for PausePlugin {
     }
 }
 
+/// Bundles the modal-related queries `toggle_pause` reads each tick.
+/// Pulled into a [`SystemParam`] so the system stays under Bevy's 16-
+/// parameter cap after the cross-modal Esc guard query was added.
+#[derive(SystemParam)]
+struct PauseModalQueries<'w, 's> {
+    pause_screens: Query<'w, 's, Entity, With<PauseScreen>>,
+    forfeit_screens: Query<'w, 's, Entity, With<ForfeitConfirmScreen>>,
+    game_over_screens: Query<'w, 's, Entity, With<GameOverScreen>>,
+    other_modal_scrims: Query<'w, 's, Entity, (With<ModalScrim>, Without<PauseScreen>)>,
+}
+
 #[allow(clippy::too_many_arguments)]
 fn toggle_pause(
     mut commands: Commands,
     keys: Res<ButtonInput<KeyCode>>,
     mut requests: MessageReader<PauseRequestEvent>,
     mut paused: ResMut<PausedResource>,
-    screens: Query<Entity, With<PauseScreen>>,
-    forfeit_screens: Query<Entity, With<ForfeitConfirmScreen>>,
-    game_over_screens: Query<Entity, With<GameOverScreen>>,
+    modal_queries: PauseModalQueries<'_, '_>,
     game: Option<Res<GameStateResource>>,
     path: Option<Res<GameStatePath>>,
     progress: Option<Res<ProgressResource>>,
@@ -145,6 +155,13 @@ fn toggle_pause(
     mut changed: MessageWriter<StateChangedEvent>,
     selection: Option<Res<SelectionState>>,
 ) {
+    let PauseModalQueries {
+        pause_screens: screens,
+        forfeit_screens,
+        game_over_screens,
+        other_modal_scrims,
+    } = modal_queries;
+
     // Either Esc or a click on the HUD "Pause" button (which fires
     // PauseRequestEvent) opens or closes the overlay. Drain the queue so a
     // burst of clicks doesn't queue future toggles.
@@ -157,6 +174,16 @@ fn toggle_pause(
     if !forfeit_screens.is_empty() {
         return;
     }
+    // Any other modal (Confirm New Game, Restore, Home, Onboarding,
+    // Settings, etc.) owns its own dismissal — pause must not stack
+    // on top of it. Without this guard a single Esc both closes the
+    // open modal AND spawns the pause overlay underneath, leaving the
+    // player on a screen they didn't ask for. The HUD-button path
+    // (`button_clicked`) is gated too; clicking Pause while another
+    // modal is up is almost always an accident.
+    if !other_modal_scrims.is_empty() {
+        return;
+    }
     // If a card is currently selected, let SelectionPlugin handle this Escape
     // (it will clear the selection). Pause must not also open in the same frame.
     if selection.is_some_and(|s| s.selected_pile.is_some()) {

solitaire_engine/src/profile_plugin.rs

@@ -146,7 +146,17 @@ fn toggle_profile_screen(
     screens: Query<Entity, With<ProfileScreen>>,
 ) {
     let button_clicked = requests.read().count() > 0;
-    if !keys.just_pressed(KeyCode::KeyP) && !button_clicked {
+    let p_pressed = keys.just_pressed(KeyCode::KeyP);
+    let esc_pressed = keys.just_pressed(KeyCode::Escape);
+    let already_open = !screens.is_empty();
+    // P / button toggles open-or-close. Esc only ever closes — when
+    // Profile is layered over Home (clicking the new Home stats chip
+    // opens this on top), Esc must dismiss the *topmost* modal.
+    // Without this branch, Esc fell through to Home's cancel handler
+    // and closed the wrong modal.
+    let want_open = !already_open && (p_pressed || button_clicked);
+    let want_close = already_open && (p_pressed || button_clicked || esc_pressed);
+    if !want_open && !want_close {
         return;
     }
     if let Ok(entity) = screens.single() {

solitaire_engine/src/replay_playback.rs

@@ -45,11 +45,34 @@ 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;
 
-/// Per-move duration during playback. Tunable in Settings later;
-/// hardcoded for v1.
+/// 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
@@ -161,6 +184,12 @@ pub fn start_replay_playback(
     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,
@@ -207,11 +236,13 @@ pub fn stop_replay_playback(
 /// 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 {
@@ -235,7 +266,7 @@ fn tick_replay_playback(
                 }
             }
             *cursor += 1;
-            *secs_to_next += REPLAY_MOVE_INTERVAL_SECS;
+            *secs_to_next += interval;
         }
 
         if *cursor >= replay.moves.len() {
@@ -679,4 +710,124 @@ mod tests {
             "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}",
+        );
+    }
 }

solitaire_engine/src/settings_plugin.rs

@@ -18,10 +18,11 @@ 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};
+use crate::events::{InfoToastEvent, ManualSyncRequestEvent, ToggleSettingsRequestEvent};
 use crate::font_plugin::FontResource;
 use crate::progress_plugin::ProgressResource;
 use crate::resources::{SettingsScrollPos, SyncStatus, SyncStatusResource};
@@ -132,6 +133,12 @@ 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)]
@@ -179,6 +186,12 @@ 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
@@ -219,8 +232,12 @@ impl SettingsButton {
             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.
@@ -279,6 +296,7 @@ impl Plugin for SettingsPlugin {
             .add_message::<SettingsChangedEvent>()
             .add_message::<ManualSyncRequestEvent>()
             .add_message::<ToggleSettingsRequestEvent>()
+            .add_message::<InfoToastEvent>()
             .add_message::<bevy::input::mouse::MouseWheel>()
             // `WindowResized` / `WindowMoved` are real Bevy window events
             // and emitted by the windowing backend under `DefaultPlugins`,
@@ -310,6 +328,7 @@ 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,
@@ -365,6 +384,7 @@ fn handle_volume_keys(
     mut settings: ResMut<SettingsResource>,
     path: Res<SettingsStoragePath>,
     mut changed: MessageWriter<SettingsChangedEvent>,
+    mut toast: MessageWriter<InfoToastEvent>,
 ) {
     let mut delta = 0.0_f32;
     if keys.just_pressed(KeyCode::BracketLeft) {
@@ -383,6 +403,10 @@ fn handle_volume_keys(
     }
     persist(&path, &settings.0);
     changed.write(SettingsChangedEvent(settings.0.clone()));
+    toast.write(InfoToastEvent(format!(
+        "SFX volume: {}%",
+        (after * 100.0).round() as i32
+    )));
 }
 
 /// Opens or closes the Settings panel — `O` keyboard accelerator or
@@ -605,6 +629,21 @@ 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()
@@ -765,6 +804,29 @@ 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,
@@ -876,6 +938,14 @@ 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
@@ -1228,6 +1298,11 @@ 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);
@@ -1341,11 +1416,18 @@ fn volume_row<Marker: Component>(
 ) {
     let label_font = label_text_font(font_res);
     let value_font = value_text_font(font_res);
+    // Row spans the full body width with a flex-grow spacer between
+    // the left-aligned label and the right-aligned controls cluster.
+    // Without `width: 100%` + the spacer, the label / value / buttons
+    // bunch against the left edge and a varying-length value (e.g.
+    // "0.80" → "1.00") shifts the +/− buttons sideways frame to
+    // frame, visually overlapping with adjacent UI on small windows.
     parent
         .spawn(Node {
             flex_direction: FlexDirection::Row,
             align_items: AlignItems::Center,
             column_gap: VAL_SPACE_2,
+            width: Val::Percent(100.0),
             ..default()
         })
         .with_children(|row| {
@@ -1354,14 +1436,31 @@ fn volume_row<Marker: Component>(
                 label_font,
                 TextColor(TEXT_SECONDARY),
             ));
-            row.spawn((
+            // Spacer: takes up all remaining horizontal space so the
+            // controls cluster sits flush against the right edge.
+            row.spawn(Node {
+                flex_grow: 1.0,
+                ..default()
+            });
+            // Controls cluster — value + decrement + increment held
+            // together so the buttons stay in fixed positions even
+            // as the value text width varies.
+            row.spawn(Node {
+                flex_direction: FlexDirection::Row,
+                align_items: AlignItems::Center,
+                column_gap: VAL_SPACE_2,
+                ..default()
+            })
+            .with_children(|cluster| {
+                cluster.spawn((
                     marker,
                     Text::new(format!("{value:.2}")),
                     value_font,
                     TextColor(TEXT_PRIMARY),
                 ));
-            icon_button(row, "−", btn_down, tooltip_down, font_res);
-            icon_button(row, "+", btn_up, tooltip_up, font_res);
+                icon_button(cluster, "−", btn_down, tooltip_down, font_res);
+                icon_button(cluster, "+", btn_up, tooltip_up, font_res);
+            });
         });
 }
 
@@ -1381,6 +1480,7 @@ fn tooltip_delay_row(
             flex_direction: FlexDirection::Row,
             align_items: AlignItems::Center,
             column_gap: VAL_SPACE_2,
+            width: Val::Percent(100.0),
             ..default()
         })
         .with_children(|row| {
@@ -1389,27 +1489,39 @@ fn tooltip_delay_row(
                 label_font,
                 TextColor(TEXT_SECONDARY),
             ));
-            row.spawn((
+            row.spawn(Node {
+                flex_grow: 1.0,
+                ..default()
+            });
+            row.spawn(Node {
+                flex_direction: FlexDirection::Row,
+                align_items: AlignItems::Center,
+                column_gap: VAL_SPACE_2,
+                ..default()
+            })
+            .with_children(|cluster| {
+                cluster.spawn((
                     TooltipDelayText,
                     Text::new(tooltip_delay_label(value_secs)),
                     value_font,
                     TextColor(TEXT_PRIMARY),
                 ));
                 icon_button(
-                row,
+                    cluster,
                     "−",
                     SettingsButton::TooltipDelayDown,
                     "Shorten the hover delay before tooltips appear.",
                     font_res,
                 );
                 icon_button(
-                row,
+                    cluster,
                     "+",
                     SettingsButton::TooltipDelayUp,
                     "Lengthen the hover delay before tooltips appear.",
                     font_res,
                 );
             });
+        });
 }
 
 /// `Time bonus  1.0×  [−]  [+]` — slider row for the cosmetic
@@ -1431,6 +1543,7 @@ fn time_bonus_multiplier_row(
             flex_direction: FlexDirection::Row,
             align_items: AlignItems::Center,
             column_gap: VAL_SPACE_2,
+            width: Val::Percent(100.0),
             ..default()
         })
         .with_children(|row| {
@@ -1439,27 +1552,102 @@ fn time_bonus_multiplier_row(
                 label_font,
                 TextColor(TEXT_SECONDARY),
             ));
-            row.spawn((
+            row.spawn(Node {
+                flex_grow: 1.0,
+                ..default()
+            });
+            row.spawn(Node {
+                flex_direction: FlexDirection::Row,
+                align_items: AlignItems::Center,
+                column_gap: VAL_SPACE_2,
+                ..default()
+            })
+            .with_children(|cluster| {
+                cluster.spawn((
                     TimeBonusMultiplierText,
                     Text::new(time_bonus_label(value)),
                     value_font,
                     TextColor(TEXT_PRIMARY),
                 ));
                 icon_button(
-                row,
+                    cluster,
                     "−",
                     SettingsButton::TimeBonusDown,
                     "Shrink the time-bonus shown in the win modal. Cosmetic only.",
                     font_res,
                 );
                 icon_button(
-                row,
+                    cluster,
                     "+",
                     SettingsButton::TimeBonusUp,
                     "Boost the time-bonus shown in the win modal. Cosmetic only.",
                     font_res,
                 );
             });
+        });
+}
+
+/// `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,
+            width: Val::Percent(100.0),
+            ..default()
+        })
+        .with_children(|row| {
+            row.spawn((
+                Text::new("Replay speed".to_string()),
+                label_font,
+                TextColor(TEXT_SECONDARY),
+            ));
+            row.spawn(Node {
+                flex_grow: 1.0,
+                ..default()
+            });
+            row.spawn(Node {
+                flex_direction: FlexDirection::Row,
+                align_items: AlignItems::Center,
+                column_gap: VAL_SPACE_2,
+                ..default()
+            })
+            .with_children(|cluster| {
+                cluster.spawn((
+                    ReplayMoveIntervalText,
+                    Text::new(replay_move_interval_label(value_secs)),
+                    value_font,
+                    TextColor(TEXT_PRIMARY),
+                ));
+                icon_button(
+                    cluster,
+                    "−",
+                    SettingsButton::ReplayMoveIntervalDown,
+                    "Speed up replay playback (shorter per-move interval).",
+                    font_res,
+                );
+                icon_button(
+                    cluster,
+                    "+",
+                    SettingsButton::ReplayMoveIntervalUp,
+                    "Slow down replay playback (longer per-move interval).",
+                    font_res,
+                );
+            });
+        });
 }
 
 /// `Label  Value  [⇄]` — used for cycle/toggle rows (draw mode, theme,
@@ -1484,6 +1672,7 @@ fn toggle_row<Marker: Component>(
             flex_direction: FlexDirection::Row,
             align_items: AlignItems::Center,
             column_gap: VAL_SPACE_2,
+            width: Val::Percent(100.0),
             ..default()
         })
         .with_children(|row| {
@@ -1492,8 +1681,20 @@ fn toggle_row<Marker: Component>(
                 label_font,
                 TextColor(TEXT_SECONDARY),
             ));
-            row.spawn((marker, Text::new(value), value_font, TextColor(TEXT_PRIMARY)));
-            icon_button(row, "⇄", action, tooltip, font_res);
+            row.spawn(Node {
+                flex_grow: 1.0,
+                ..default()
+            });
+            row.spawn(Node {
+                flex_direction: FlexDirection::Row,
+                align_items: AlignItems::Center,
+                column_gap: VAL_SPACE_2,
+                ..default()
+            })
+            .with_children(|cluster| {
+                cluster.spawn((marker, Text::new(value), value_font, TextColor(TEXT_PRIMARY)));
+                icon_button(cluster, "⇄", action, tooltip, font_res);
+            });
         });
 }
 

solitaire_engine/src/stats_plugin.rs

@@ -74,6 +74,26 @@ pub struct StatsCell;
 #[derive(Resource, Debug, Default, Clone)]
 pub struct ReplayHistoryResource(pub ReplayHistory);
 
+/// Most recent shareable replay URL written by `sync_plugin` after the
+/// `SyncProvider::push_replay` task completes successfully. `None`
+/// until the player wins a game on a server-backed sync backend;
+/// repopulated on each subsequent win.
+///
+/// The Stats overlay's "Copy share link" button reads from here and
+/// writes the URL to the OS clipboard via `arboard`. Not persisted to
+/// disk — the URL is recoverable by re-uploading the same replay
+/// (still in `replays.json`), so the session-bound lifetime is fine
+/// for a v1 share affordance.
+#[derive(Resource, Debug, Default, Clone)]
+pub struct LastSharedReplayUrl(pub Option<String>);
+
+/// Marker on the "Copy share link" button inside the Stats modal.
+/// Click writes [`LastSharedReplayUrl`] to the OS clipboard via
+/// `arboard` and surfaces a confirmation toast. Hidden / disabled
+/// when no shareable URL is available.
+#[derive(Component, Debug)]
+pub struct CopyShareLinkButton;
+
 /// Currently-selected index into [`ReplayHistoryResource::0`].`replays`.
 ///
 /// `0` is the most recent win and is the default on every modal open.
@@ -175,6 +195,7 @@ impl Plugin for StatsPlugin {
             .insert_resource(ReplayHistoryResource(initial_history))
             .init_resource::<SelectedReplayIndex>()
             .insert_resource(LatestReplayPath(replay_path))
+            .init_resource::<LastSharedReplayUrl>()
             .add_message::<GameWonEvent>()
             .add_message::<NewGameRequestEvent>()
             .add_message::<ForfeitEvent>()
@@ -210,6 +231,7 @@ impl Plugin for StatsPlugin {
                 refresh_replay_history_on_win.after(GameMutation),
             )
             .add_systems(Update, handle_watch_replay_button)
+            .add_systems(Update, handle_copy_share_link_button)
             .add_systems(
                 Update,
                 (handle_replay_selector_buttons, repaint_replay_selector_caption).chain(),
@@ -277,6 +299,48 @@ fn refresh_replay_history_on_win(
 /// 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.
+/// Copies [`LastSharedReplayUrl`] to the OS clipboard via `arboard`
+/// and surfaces a confirmation toast. When no URL is in hand (no win
+/// yet on a server-backed sync backend, local-only mode, or upload
+/// failed) the button still acknowledges the click but explains why
+/// the clipboard wasn't written. `arboard::Clipboard::new()` failures
+/// are logged + surfaced as a generic "couldn't reach the clipboard"
+/// toast rather than swallowed — they're rare but worth diagnosing.
+fn handle_copy_share_link_button(
+    buttons: Query<&Interaction, (With<CopyShareLinkButton>, Changed<Interaction>)>,
+    last_url: Res<LastSharedReplayUrl>,
+    mut toast: MessageWriter<InfoToastEvent>,
+) {
+    if !buttons.iter().any(|i| *i == Interaction::Pressed) {
+        return;
+    }
+    let Some(url) = last_url.0.as_ref() else {
+        toast.write(InfoToastEvent(
+            "No share link yet \u{2014} win a game on a server-backed sync to upload one.".to_string(),
+        ));
+        return;
+    };
+    match arboard::Clipboard::new() {
+        Ok(mut cb) => match cb.set_text(url.clone()) {
+            Ok(()) => {
+                toast.write(InfoToastEvent(format!("Copied: {url}")));
+            }
+            Err(e) => {
+                warn!("clipboard write failed: {e}");
+                toast.write(InfoToastEvent(
+                    "Couldn't write to clipboard \u{2014} share link wasn't copied.".to_string(),
+                ));
+            }
+        },
+        Err(e) => {
+            warn!("clipboard init failed: {e}");
+            toast.write(InfoToastEvent(
+                "Couldn't reach the clipboard \u{2014} share link wasn't copied.".to_string(),
+            ));
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 fn handle_watch_replay_button(
     mut commands: Commands,
     buttons: Query<&Interaction, (With<WatchReplayButton>, Changed<Interaction>)>,
@@ -811,6 +875,19 @@ fn spawn_stats_screen(
                 ButtonVariant::Secondary,
                 font_res,
             );
+            // Copy share link only renders when a sharable URL is in
+            // hand. The button is intentionally absent (rather than
+            // disabled) when no upload has happened yet — keeps the
+            // action bar free of dead controls in the local-only and
+            // first-launch cases.
+            spawn_modal_button(
+                actions,
+                CopyShareLinkButton,
+                "Copy share link",
+                None,
+                ButtonVariant::Secondary,
+                font_res,
+            );
             spawn_modal_button(
                 actions,
                 StatsCloseButton,

solitaire_engine/src/sync_plugin.rs

@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ use crate::events::{GameWonEvent, ManualSyncRequestEvent, SyncCompleteEvent};
 use crate::game_plugin::RecordingReplay;
 use crate::progress_plugin::{ProgressResource, ProgressStoragePath};
 use crate::resources::{GameStateResource, SyncStatus, SyncStatusResource};
-use crate::stats_plugin::{StatsResource, StatsStoragePath};
+use crate::stats_plugin::{LastSharedReplayUrl, StatsResource, StatsStoragePath};
 
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // Public resources
@@ -57,6 +57,13 @@ pub struct PullTaskResult(pub Option<Result<SyncPayload, SyncError>>);
 #[derive(Resource, Default)]
 struct PullTask(Option<Task<Result<SyncPayload, SyncError>>>);
 
+/// Holds the in-flight winning-replay upload task so the polling
+/// system can harvest the resulting share URL on the main thread
+/// without blocking. `None` outside an active upload; `Some(task)`
+/// from `GameWonEvent` until the response lands.
+#[derive(Resource, Default)]
+struct PendingReplayUpload(Option<Task<Result<String, SyncError>>>);
+
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // Plugin struct
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -94,12 +101,18 @@ impl Plugin for SyncPlugin {
             .init_resource::<SyncStatusResource>()
             .init_resource::<PullTaskResult>()
             .init_resource::<PullTask>()
+            .init_resource::<PendingReplayUpload>()
             .add_message::<ManualSyncRequestEvent>()
             .add_message::<SyncCompleteEvent>()
             .add_systems(Startup, start_pull)
             .add_systems(
                 Update,
-                (poll_pull_result, handle_manual_sync_request, push_replay_on_win),
+                (
+                    poll_pull_result,
+                    handle_manual_sync_request,
+                    push_replay_on_win,
+                    poll_replay_upload_result,
+                ),
             )
             .add_systems(Last, push_on_exit);
     }
@@ -282,6 +295,7 @@ fn push_replay_on_win(
     provider: Res<SyncProviderResource>,
     game: Res<GameStateResource>,
     recording: Res<RecordingReplay>,
+    mut pending: ResMut<PendingReplayUpload>,
 ) {
     for ev in wins.read() {
         // Empty-recording guard mirrors `record_replay_on_win` —
@@ -300,15 +314,39 @@ fn push_replay_on_win(
             recording.moves.clone(),
         );
         let provider = provider.0.clone();
-        AsyncComputeTaskPool::get()
-            .spawn(async move {
-                match provider.push_replay(&replay).await {
-                    Ok(()) => {}
-                    Err(SyncError::UnsupportedPlatform) => {}
-                    Err(e) => warn!("replay upload failed: {e}"),
+        let task = AsyncComputeTaskPool::get()
+            .spawn(async move { provider.push_replay(&replay).await });
+        // If a previous upload is still in flight, drop it — the most
+        // recent win is the one whose share link the player will care
+        // about. Bevy's `Task` Drop cancels cooperatively.
+        pending.0 = Some(task);
+    }
+}
+
+/// Update-schedule system: harvests the upload task's result on the
+/// main thread once it resolves. On success writes the share URL to
+/// [`LastSharedReplayUrl`] so the Stats overlay's Copy button has
+/// something to send to the clipboard. On `UnsupportedPlatform` (the
+/// `LocalOnlyProvider` no-op path) clears the URL silently. Real
+/// network / auth errors log a warn and clear the URL.
+fn poll_replay_upload_result(
+    mut pending: ResMut<PendingReplayUpload>,
+    mut last_url: ResMut<LastSharedReplayUrl>,
+) {
+    let Some(task) = pending.0.as_mut() else {
+        return;
+    };
+    let Some(result) = future::block_on(future::poll_once(task)) else {
+        return;
+    };
+    pending.0 = None;
+    match result {
+        Ok(url) => last_url.0 = Some(url),
+        Err(SyncError::UnsupportedPlatform) => last_url.0 = None,
+        Err(e) => {
+            warn!("replay upload failed: {e}");
+            last_url.0 = None;
         }
-            })
-            .detach();
     }
 }
 

solitaire_engine/src/time_attack_plugin.rs

@@ -171,11 +171,15 @@ fn advance_time_attack(
     mut ended: MessageWriter<TimeAttackEndedEvent>,
     paused: Option<Res<crate::pause_plugin::PausedResource>>,
     path: Option<Res<TimeAttackSessionPath>>,
+    home_screens: Query<(), With<crate::home_plugin::HomeScreen>>,
 ) {
     if !session.active {
         return;
     }
-    if paused.is_some_and(|p| p.0) {
+    // Mirrors `tick_elapsed_time`: pause while the launch / mode-picker
+    // Home modal is up so the countdown doesn't burn while the player
+    // is choosing what to play next.
+    if paused.is_some_and(|p| p.0) || !home_screens.is_empty() {
         return;
     }
     session.remaining_secs -= time.delta_secs();

solitaire_engine/src/win_summary_plugin.rs

@@ -235,6 +235,7 @@ impl Plugin for WinSummaryPlugin {
                     collect_session_achievements,
                     spawn_win_summary_after_delay,
                     handle_win_summary_buttons,
+                    handle_win_summary_keyboard,
                     apply_screen_shake,
                     reveal_score_breakdown,
                 )
@@ -624,6 +625,31 @@ fn handle_win_summary_buttons(
     }
 }
 
+/// Keyboard accelerator for the win summary's "Play Again" button.
+/// Enter / Return collapses the win modal and starts a fresh deal —
+/// the same path the click handler takes — so a keyboard-only player
+/// can dismiss the post-win celebration without reaching for the mouse.
+fn handle_win_summary_keyboard(
+    keys: Option<Res<ButtonInput<KeyCode>>>,
+    overlays: Query<Entity, With<WinSummaryOverlay>>,
+    mut commands: Commands,
+    mut new_game: MessageWriter<NewGameRequestEvent>,
+) {
+    if overlays.is_empty() {
+        return;
+    }
+    let Some(keys) = keys else {
+        return;
+    };
+    if !keys.just_pressed(KeyCode::Enter) {
+        return;
+    }
+    for entity in &overlays {
+        commands.entity(entity).despawn();
+    }
+    new_game.write(NewGameRequestEvent::default());
+}
+
 /// Applies a decaying sinusoidal offset to the main `Camera2d` each frame
 /// while `ScreenShakeResource::remaining > 0`.
 ///
@@ -798,8 +824,11 @@ fn spawn_overlay(
                     BackgroundColor(ACCENT_PRIMARY),
                 ))
                 .with_children(|b| {
+                    // Append the Enter / Return glyph so keyboard players see
+                    // the accelerator on the button itself — mirrors the
+                    // chip-style hints on every modal button helper.
                     b.spawn((
-                        Text::new("Play Again"),
+                        Text::new("Play Again  \u{21B5}"),
                         TextFont { font_size: TYPE_BODY_LG, ..default() },
                         TextColor(BG_BASE),
                     ));