docs: cut v0.21.4 — replay-scrubbing accessibility

Patch release for the three post-v0.21.3 commits on the B-2 replay screen-takeover redesign arc. One through-line: the replay overlay gains scrubbing affordances. The player can see at a glance where the winning move sits (WIN MOVE marker on the scrub bar) and stop on any move to inspect the board (pause / resume / step controls plus a Space keyboard accelerator). Also adds the data foundation that makes the marker possible: `Replay::win_move_index: Option<usize>`, an additive serde-default field that doesn't bump `REPLAY_SCHEMA_VERSION` because legacy on-disk replays load with `None` and simply don't get a marker. Remaining B-2 work — screen-takeover layout, move-log scroller, mini-tableau preview — shares a layout-reflow prerequisite the banner-only overlay can't carry, so it's deferred to a future cycle that can take it as a single multi-session arc. Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.7 <noreply@anthropic.com>
docs(handoff): record playback controls; B's next step is takeover layout
2026-05-08 15:26:54 -07:00 · 2026-05-08 15:21:48 -07:00 · 2026-05-08 15:20:45 -07:00 · 2026-05-08 14:54:44 -07:00 · 2026-05-08 14:53:40 -07:00 · 2026-05-08 14:45:59 -07:00
21 changed files with 1983 additions and 178 deletions
@@ -6,9 +6,355 @@ project follows [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/).

 ## [Unreleased]

-No threads in flight. v0.21.1 cut on 2026-05-08; CHANGELOG accumulates
+No threads in flight. v0.21.4 cut on 2026-05-08; CHANGELOG accumulates
 the next cycle here.

+## [0.21.4] — 2026-05-08
+
+Patch release for the post-v0.21.3 work. One through-line:
+**replay-scrubbing accessibility**. The replay overlay used to be
+pure-passive — the player started a replay, watched it execute,
+and waited for it to end. v0.21.4 adds the scaffolding for
+*navigating within* a replay: a WIN MOVE marker on the scrub bar
+so the player can see at a glance where the winning move sits,
+and pause / resume / step controls so they can stop on any move
+and inspect the board.
+
+The work is also the first three commits on the B-2 replay
+screen-takeover redesign arc. The remaining pieces (screen-
+takeover layout, move-log scroller, mini-tableau preview) are
+deferred to a future cycle because they need a layout reflow
+that the existing banner-only overlay can't carry.
+
+### Added
+
+- **`Replay::win_move_index: Option<usize>` data field**
+  (`ab857bb`). Additive optional field on the persisted
+  `Replay` shape. `#[serde(default)]` keeps older
+  `latest_replay.json` / `replays.json` files loadable without
+  bumping `REPLAY_SCHEMA_VERSION` — this is purely additive.
+  Populated at the live recording site
+  (`game_plugin::handle_game_won`) via a new builder-style
+  setter `Replay::with_win_move_index`. For fresh recordings
+  the value is always `Some(moves.len() - 1)` because recording
+  freezes on win, but storing it explicitly lets the playback
+  UI read the WIN MOVE position directly without re-deriving
+  on every render.
+- **WIN MOVE scrub-bar marker** (`52befa6`). New
+  `ReplayOverlayWinMoveMarker` component spawned as a sibling
+  to `ReplayOverlayScrubFill` under the 1px scrub track,
+  absolute-positioned at `replay.win_move_index / total %` of
+  the bar. Painted in `STATE_SUCCESS` (green) so the marker
+  reads as "this is where the win lives." Pure helper
+  `win_move_marker_pct` returns `None` for any state where the
+  marker shouldn't draw (Inactive, Completed, replay missing
+  the field, empty move list); percentage clamps to `[0, 100]`
+  defensively. Spawn-time only — the position never changes
+  during a single playback because the underlying `Replay` is
+  immutable while `Playing`.
+- **Pause / Resume / Step playback controls** (`fbe48ac`). New
+  `paused: bool` field on `ReplayPlaybackState::Playing`.
+  `tick_replay_playback` skips the `secs_to_next` decrement
+  entirely while paused so cursor and timer freeze together;
+  resuming starts the next move from a full interval. New
+  public API: `toggle_pause_replay_playback` and
+  `step_replay_playback` (the latter hard-gated to `Playing {
+  paused: true }` via the destructure pattern itself, so
+  manual stepping can't race the tick loop). On-screen Pause
+  and Step buttons sit alongside the existing Stop button;
+  `Space` keyboard accelerator toggles pause / resume.
+- **`Replay::with_win_move_index` builder** (`ab857bb`).
+  Chainable setter so the recording site can write
+  `Replay::new(...).with_win_move_index(idx)`. Keeps
+  `Replay::new`'s signature stable across the 13+ existing
+  test-fixture call sites that don't care about the field.
+
+### Changed
+
+- **`Replay::new` writes `win_move_index: None`** (`ab857bb`).
+  Existing canonical constructor stays signature-compatible
+  with all existing callers. The field is opt-in via the
+  builder.
+- **`game_plugin::handle_game_won` populates the new field**
+  (`ab857bb`). The recording site computes
+  `recording.moves.len().checked_sub(1)` as the win-move
+  index. `checked_sub` rather than direct subtraction guards
+  the unreachable empty-recording branch (which is also
+  guarded earlier in the function).
+- **`tick_replay_playback` honors the new `paused` flag**
+  (`fbe48ac`). Skipping the timer decrement is the only
+  behavior change; the loop body and Completed-detection are
+  unchanged. Stepping fires moves directly via
+  `step_replay_playback`, bypassing the tick path entirely.
+- **Pause / Resume button label is reactive** (`fbe48ac`).
+  `update_pause_button_label` walks `Children` from the
+  marked button to its inner `Text` and repaints the label
+  whenever `ReplayPlaybackState` changes. Pure helper
+  `pause_button_label` covers all four state arms (running,
+  paused, inactive, completed).
+- **25 existing `Playing { ... }` construction sites gained
+  `paused: false`** (`fbe48ac`). Mechanical edit across
+  `replay_overlay`, `achievement_plugin`, and
+  `replay_playback` tests to satisfy the new field
+  requirement. No behavioral change.
+
+### Documentation
+
+- `SESSION_HANDOFF.md` refreshed three times this cycle —
+  once after each post-cut feature commit. The B-2 entry in
+  the Visual-identity follow-ups list now points at the
+  remaining sub-pieces (screen-takeover layout, move-log
+  scroller, mini-tableau preview) as a single multi-session
+  arc rather than three independent ones, since they share a
+  layout-reflow prerequisite.
+
+### Stats
+
+- **1228 passing tests / 0 failing** across the workspace
+  (net +21 from v0.21.3's 1207 baseline):
+  - 5 from `ab857bb`'s `win_move_index` coverage: default
+    constructor, builder set / set-None, on-disk round-trip,
+    legacy-JSON-loads-with-None backward-compat. The last
+    test pins the no-schema-bump claim — if a future refactor
+    drops the `#[serde(default)]`, that test catches it.
+  - 8 from `52befa6`'s WIN MOVE marker: pure-helper truth
+    table (Inactive / Completed / no-field / correct-position
+    / clamp) + spawn-presence-with-field /
+    spawn-absence-without / despawn-with-overlay observables.
+  - 8 from `fbe48ac`'s playback controls: label truth table,
+    label repaint on state change, click-toggles-paused,
+    step advances cursor by exactly one with paused
+    preserved, step-while-running no-op, Space toggles
+    paused.
+- Zero clippy warnings under `cargo clippy --workspace
+  --all-targets -- -D warnings`.
+- `cargo test --workspace` clean.
+
+## [0.21.3] — 2026-05-08
+
+Patch release for the post-v0.21.2 work. One through-line:
+**accessibility arc closure**. v0.21.2 explicitly carved out
+"dynamic-paint sites" (HUD action buttons, modal buttons, radial
+menu rim) on the assumption that their existing paint cycles would
+race the central `update_high_contrast_borders` system. v0.21.3
+walks the actual code, finds the carve-out was over-cautious, and
+closes it. Bonus: the first real consumer of `ToastVariant::Warning`
+also lands here, making the `ToastVariant` enum fully load-bearing
+(every variant has at least one driver).
+
+### Added
+
+- **`WarningToastEvent(String)` — first `ToastVariant::Warning`
+  consumer** (`279e23d`). Generic carrier message that any system
+  can fire to spawn a 4 s amber-bordered fire-and-forget toast.
+  Mirrors the v0.21.2 `MoveRejectedEvent` → `Error` toast wiring:
+  domain message crosses the plugin boundary, the animation
+  plugin's `handle_warning_toast` system reads it and spawns. Not
+  queued (Warning is alert-shaped, not info-shaped — should never
+  block on a queue).
+- **Daily-challenge-expiry warning** (`279e23d`). First in-engine
+  driver of `WarningToastEvent`. New
+  `daily_challenge_plugin::check_daily_expiry_warning` system
+  fires at most once per `DailyChallengeResource::date` when the
+  player is within 30 min of UTC midnight reset and today's
+  challenge isn't yet complete. Suppression decided by a pure
+  helper (`compute_expiry_warning_minutes`) covering: already-
+  completed-today, already-shown-for-this-date, outside the
+  threshold window, post-midnight rollover. Pure-helper-plus-
+  thin-system shape because `Utc::now()` can't be pinned without
+  injecting a clock resource — overkill for one consumer.
+- **`radial_rim_outline` pure helper** (`c153363`). Decision
+  logic for the radial-menu rim outline colour. Resting outlines
+  always carry `BORDER_SUBTLE`; focused outlines carry
+  `BORDER_STRONG` normally and `BORDER_SUBTLE_HC` under HC. Naive
+  marker substitution would invert the focused-vs-resting
+  hierarchy because `BORDER_SUBTLE_HC` (`#a0a0a0`) is *lighter*
+  than `BORDER_STRONG` (`#505050`); folding the choice in here
+  keeps the focused rim more visible under HC, not less.
+
+### Changed
+
+- **HC marker pattern extended to HUD action buttons + modal
+  buttons** (`c153363`). Re-reading the code revealed both sites'
+  paint systems (`paint_action_buttons`, `paint_modal_buttons`)
+  only mutate `BackgroundColor` — `BorderColor` is set once at
+  spawn and never touched. So the existing
+  `HighContrastBorder::with_default(BORDER_SUBTLE)` marker
+  pattern works cleanly for both, no race. v0.21.2's carve-out
+  comment was based on assumed-but-not-actual race risk; this
+  cycle treats it as the doc-vs-implementation drift pattern in
+  the wild and verifies before trusting.
+- **Radial menu rim folds HC into per-frame respawn**
+  (`c153363`). The rim is the only true dynamic-painter of the
+  three carved-out sites — `radial_redraw_overlay` despawns and
+  respawns all rim sprites every frame the radial is `Active`.
+  The `HighContrastBorder` marker can't apply (entities don't
+  persist across frames) so HC is read directly in the system
+  via `Option<Res<SettingsResource>>` and routed through
+  `radial_rim_outline`. The `Option<Res<...>>` shape preserves
+  test compatibility under `MinimalPlugins`.
+- **Animation plugin registers `WarningToastEvent`** (`279e23d`).
+  Joins `InfoToastEvent`, `MoveRejectedEvent` etc. in
+  `AnimationPlugin::build`. Daily-challenge plugin also
+  registers it (idempotent) so the message exists when running
+  the daily plugin under `MinimalPlugins` without the animation
+  plugin attached.
+
+### Documentation
+
+- `SESSION_HANDOFF.md` refreshed twice this cycle — once after
+  the Toast Warning wiring (menu trimmed 5 → 4 options), and
+  again after the HC dynamic-paint rollout (menu trimmed 4 → 3,
+  with all remaining options now flagged as multi-session). The
+  `High-contrast accessibility mode` entry in the Visual-identity
+  follow-ups list is updated to reflect that no "un-tagged
+  because race-risk" surfaces remain.
+
+### Stats
+
+- **1207 passing tests / 0 failing** across the workspace
+  (net +12 from v0.21.2's 1195 baseline):
+  - 7 tests for `compute_expiry_warning_minutes` (`279e23d`)
+    covering each suppression rule + the inclusive boundary at
+    exactly 30 min remaining.
+  - 1 in-Bevy test (`check_system_fires_warning_event_only_once_per_day`)
+    pinning `DailyExpiryWarningShown`'s once-per-date
+    suppression and the symmetric "already-completed-today"
+    suppression.
+  - 4 truth-table tests for `radial_rim_outline` (`c153363`):
+    focused × HC. The "resting stays subtle under HC" test
+    explicitly documents *why* — it's the hierarchy-preservation
+    invariant a future refactor might be tempted to break.
+- Zero clippy warnings under `cargo clippy --workspace
+  --all-targets -- -D warnings`.
+- `cargo test --workspace` clean.
+
+## [0.21.2] — 2026-05-08
+
+Patch release for the post-v0.21.1 polish work. Three through-
+lines: **accessibility extensions** (reduce-motion gating for
+splash animations, full HC chrome rollout across 8 surfaces),
+**replay polish** (floating MOVE chip above the focused card
+during playback), and the **first real consumer of
+`ToastVariant::Error`** (invalid-move feedback as the third leg
+of the existing audio + visual rejection-feedback stool).
+
+The accessibility extensions close two threads v0.21.1 left
+explicitly open: reduce-motion was previously gated only on card
+slide_secs, and HC borders had `BORDER_SUBTLE_HC` defined but no
+consumers. v0.21.2 finishes both — non-essential motion in the
+splash boot screen now respects reduce-motion, and every static-
+border chrome surface (modal scaffold, tooltip, help / stats /
+home / settings panels) boosts to the HC variant under high-
+contrast mode. Dynamic-paint sites (HUD action buttons, modal
+buttons, radial menu rim) intentionally stay un-tagged because
+their existing paint cycles would race the HC system; they
+remain open for a future iteration that needs a different shape.
+
+### Added
+
+- **`sync_pile_marker_visibility` system precursor was v0.21.1's;
+  this cycle adds**: `update_high_contrast_borders` system in
+  `settings_plugin` (`c9af1ea`). Walks all entities tagged with
+  `HighContrastBorder` each Update tick, swaps `BorderColor` to
+  `BORDER_SUBTLE_HC` when high-contrast mode is on. Compares
+  current colour and only mutates when different so Bevy's
+  change-detection doesn't trigger repaints every frame. New
+  `HighContrastBorder { default_color: Color }` component carries
+  the off-state colour at each tagged site so the system can
+  revert correctly.
+- **HC chrome rollout — 8 tagged surfaces** (`c9af1ea` modal
+  scaffold; `d87761d` tooltip + onboarding key chips + help
+  panel key chips + stats panel cells; `ec804d5` home Level/XP/
+  Score row + home mode-selector buttons + home mode-hotkey
+  chips + 4 settings panel surfaces). Each tagging is one line
+  on the spawn tuple. The marker-component architecture pays
+  back proportionally to the number of consumers — the per-
+  commit cost dropped from ~75 lines (foundation + first
+  surface) to ~13 lines (4 surfaces) to ~9 lines (7 surfaces).
+- **Floating MOVE chip during replay** (`2fb2d63`). New
+  `ReplayFloatingProgressChip` marker on a `Text2d` entity
+  rendered in 2D world space above the destination pile of the
+  most-recently-applied move. Sibling of the banner overlay (not
+  a child) because it lives in world-space coordinates, not the
+  UI tree. Lifecycle matches the banner: `spawn_overlay` spawns
+  the chip alongside the banner when a replay starts;
+  `react_to_state_change` despawns it when the replay ends.
+  World-space placement (rather than UI-space + camera projection)
+  uses the same `LayoutResource` pile coordinates that drive
+  every other piece of pile geometry — stays correctly positioned
+  through window resizes for free. Hidden when cursor=0 (no
+  moves applied yet) or when the last applied move was a
+  `StockClick` (no destination pile to follow).
+- **`handle_move_rejected_toast` system + first real
+  `ToastVariant::Error` consumer** (`68d50b5`). When
+  `MoveRejectedEvent` fires (illegal placement attempt), spawns
+  a 2-second pink-bordered "Invalid move" toast. Joins the
+  existing `card_invalid.wav` (audio cue) and destination-pile
+  shake (visual cue) as the accessibility-focused readable text
+  channel — covers deaf players (no audio reliance) and
+  reduce-motion players (no shake reliance) with a persistent
+  ~2 s text cue. Drops the `#[allow(dead_code)]` from
+  `ToastVariant::Error` and updates its doc to point at the new
+  consumer.
+
+### Changed
+
+- **Splash scanline overlay skipped under reduce-motion**
+  (`ed152e2`). `spawn_splash` reads `Settings::reduce_motion_mode`
+  and skips the scanline texture / overlay node entirely when
+  on. Without the scanlines the boot screen still reads as
+  terminal-themed (foreground content, borders, palette swatches
+  unchanged); the scanlines are decorative.
+- **Splash cursor pulse held under reduce-motion** (`ed152e2`).
+  `pulse_splash_cursor` reads `Settings::reduce_motion_mode` and
+  skips the per-frame sine-pulse multiplier when on — the cursor
+  still fades in / out with the global splash alpha (essential
+  timing) but doesn't blink. Spec calls out non-essential motion
+  as the reduce-motion target; the global fade is essential
+  (otherwise the splash would hard-cut on/off, which is
+  jarring), and the cursor blink is decorative.
+- **`AnimationPlugin::build` registers
+  `MoveRejectedEvent`** (`68d50b5`). Bevy's `add_message` is
+  idempotent, so the duplicate registration with
+  `feedback_anim_plugin` (which already registered the message)
+  coexists cleanly. Required for the new
+  `handle_move_rejected_toast` system to run under
+  MinimalPlugins (tests).
+
+### Documentation
+
+- `docs/ui-mockups/design-system.md` and `SESSION_HANDOFF.md`
+  refreshed in lockstep with the rollouts. The handoff's
+  Resume-prompt menu trimmed twice this cycle as Options A and F
+  closed in v0.21.1, then this commit cycle's accessibility
+  extensions implicitly closed the "future scope" footnotes
+  v0.21.1 left on F's documentation.
+
+### Stats
+
+- **1195 passing tests / 0 failing** across the workspace
+  (net +3 from v0.21.1's 1192 baseline). New tests added by
+  this cycle:
+  - `splash_skips_scanline_overlay_under_reduce_motion`
+    (`ed152e2`) pins the reduce-motion gate on the splash
+    scanline overlay. Discovered an asset-fixture bootstrapping
+    detail along the way: under `MinimalPlugins`,
+    `Assets<Image>` isn't auto-inserted; the test had to add
+    `bevy::asset::AssetPlugin::default()` and
+    `init_asset::<bevy::image::Image>()`. Pattern flagged for
+    future asset-using tests.
+  - `floating_chip_spawns_and_despawns_with_overlay`
+    (`2fb2d63`) pins the floating MOVE chip's lifecycle:
+    absent on Inactive, exactly one on Playing, absent again
+    on return to Inactive.
+  - `move_rejected_event_spawns_error_toast` (`68d50b5`) pins
+    the new toast wiring: firing a `MoveRejectedEvent` spawns
+    exactly one `ToastOverlay` on the next tick.
+- Zero clippy warnings under `cargo clippy --workspace
+  --all-targets -- -D warnings`.
+- `cargo test --workspace` clean.
+
 ## [0.21.1] — 2026-05-08

 Patch release for the post-v0.21.0 work — closes Resume-prompt
@@ -1,75 +1,91 @@
 # Solitaire Quest — Session Handoff

-**Last updated:** 2026-05-08 — **v0.21.0 cut and tagged at `04f9bf9`**,
-working tree clean, all post-tag work pushed to origin.
+**Last updated:** 2026-05-08 — **v0.21.3 cut and tagged at
+`3d92a91`**, working tree clean, all post-tag work pushed to
+origin.

-v0.21.0 closes the visual-identity arc opened in v0.20.0. Three
-through-lines landed in this cycle: the **card-face / suit /
-card-back artwork migration** that v0.20.0 deliberately deferred
-(both rendering paths in lockstep — `assets/cards/*.png` fallback
-plus the bundled-default theme SVGs at
-`solitaire_engine/assets/themes/default/*.svg` that
-`include_bytes!()`-embed into the binary), the **splash boot-
-screen + replay-overlay polish** that closed Resume-prompt
-Options B and C, and a late-cycle **`ACCENT_PRIMARY` palette
-swap** from cyan `#6fc2ef` to brick red `#a54242` after a quick
-stakeholder review of the shipped art.
+v0.21.3 is a patch release with one through-line: **accessibility
+arc closure**. v0.21.2 explicitly carved out "dynamic-paint sites"
+(HUD action buttons, modal buttons, radial menu rim) on the
+assumption that their existing paint cycles would race the
+central `update_high_contrast_borders` system. v0.21.3 walks the
+actual code, finds the carve-out was over-cautious, and closes
+it. Bonus: the first real consumer of `ToastVariant::Warning`
+also lands here, making the `ToastVariant` enum fully load-bearing
+(every variant has at least one driver).

-Full v0.21.0 detail lives in `CHANGELOG.md` § [0.21.0]. This
+Full v0.21.3 detail lives in `CHANGELOG.md` § [0.21.3]. This
 file from here on focuses on what's *open* post-cut and how to
 resume.

 ## Status at pause

 - **HEAD locally:** see `git rev-parse HEAD`. The cut commit is
-  `04f9bf9`; any post-cut docs edits ride on top of that.
- **HEAD on origin:** matches local. v0.21.0 is fully on origin.
+  `3d92a91`; post-cut work on B-2 (`ab857bb` data field +
+  `52befa6` WIN MOVE marker UI + `fbe48ac` playback controls)
+  rides on top of that.
+- **HEAD on origin:** matches local. v0.21.3 is fully on origin.
 - **Working tree:** clean. No WIP outstanding.
 - **`artwork/` directory:** still untracked. Intentional.
 - **Build:** `cargo clippy --workspace --all-targets -- -D warnings`
  clean.
- **Tests:** **1184 passing / 0 failing** across the workspace
-  (net +8 from v0.20.0's 1176 baseline). Detail in
-  `CHANGELOG.md` § [0.21.0] § Stats.
- **Tags on origin:** `v0.9.0` through `v0.21.0`. v0.21.0 is on
-  `04f9bf9`; v0.20.0 stays on `41a009a`.
+- **Tests:** **1228 passing / 0 failing** across the workspace
+  (1207 from v0.21.3's stats + 5 from `ab857bb`'s
+  `win_move_index` coverage + 8 from `52befa6`'s WIN MOVE marker
+  pure-helper truth-table + spawn lifecycle + 8 from `fbe48ac`'s
+  pause / step / keyboard accelerator coverage).
+- **Tags on origin:** `v0.9.0` through `v0.21.3`. v0.21.3 is on
+  `3d92a91`; v0.21.2 stays on `f23df3b`; v0.21.1 stays on
+  `daa655a`; v0.21.0 stays on `04f9bf9`; v0.20.0 stays on
+  `41a009a`.

-## Since the v0.21.0 cut
+## Since the v0.21.3 cut

-Two Resume-prompt options closed post-tag (2026-05-08):
-
- **Option A — App icon round** (`3eb3a26` + `716a025`). 9-size
-  PNG hierarchy in `assets/icon/` (16/24/32/48/64/128/256/512/
-  1024 px), generated by a new `icon_generator` example from a
-  shared `icon_svg` builder (Terminal `▌RS` mark on dark
-  `#151515` with brick-red accent). Runtime `Window::icon`
-  wired via `WinitWindows` on desktop only (Android draws its
-  launcher icon from the APK manifest). The follow-up fix
-  `716a025` wraps `NonSend<WinitWindows>` in `Option<...>`
-  to satisfy Bevy 0.18's stricter system-param validation —
-  the resource doesn't exist on the first few frames before
-  winit's `Resumed` event fires. New deps (target-gated
-  non-Android): direct `winit = "0.30"` for `Icon`
-  construction, direct `tiny-skia` for PNG → RGBA decode.
-  Pin test `icon_svg_pin` guards future rasteriser drift.
- **Option F — Accessibility modes** (`c5787c6` + `07e0357`).
-  High-contrast and reduce-motion settings flags wired through
-  the engine and surfaced as Settings panel toggles. HC boosts
-  `RED_SUIT_COLOUR` to `#ff8aa0` and `BLACK_SUIT_COLOUR` to
-  `#f5f5f5` for card text rendering; reduce-motion forces
-  `effective_slide_secs` to 0 regardless of `AnimSpeed`. CBM
-  and HC compose: lime CBM wins on red when both are on; HC
-  still applies to black suits when both are on. Six new
-  tests pin the truth tables. UI toggles sit alongside the
-  Color-blind row in Settings → Cosmetic; tab-walk visits
-  all three accessibility flags in one vertical run.
-
-Three Resume-prompt options remain live: B (APK launch
-verification), C (replay-overlay extensions), D (Toast
-Warning/Error wiring), E (Phase 8 sync). The visible-payoff
-pieces of the post-v0.21.0 menu have shipped; what's left is
-Android runtime work, replay-overlay polish, sync infrastructure,
-and toast-event sourcing.
+- **`ab857bb` — `Replay::win_move_index` data field landed.**
+  First finite step toward the B-2 replay screen-takeover
+  redesign. Additive optional `Option<usize>` on `Replay` with
+  `#[serde(default)]` so older `latest_replay.json` /
+  `replays.json` files load unchanged (no schema bump). Populated
+  at the live recording site via a new `with_win_move_index`
+  builder; for fresh recordings the value is always
+  `Some(moves.len() - 1)` because recording freezes on win, but
+  storing it explicitly lets the playback UI read the WIN MOVE
+  position directly without re-deriving on every render. 5 new
+  tests (1207 → 1212): default, builder set / set-None, on-disk
+  round-trip, legacy-JSON-loads-with-None backward-compat.
+- **`52befa6` — WIN MOVE marker on the scrub bar.** Second
+  commit on B-2 — the UI that consumes the data field. New
+  `ReplayOverlayWinMoveMarker` component spawned as a sibling
+  to `ReplayOverlayScrubFill` under the 1px scrub track,
+  absolute-positioned at `replay.win_move_index / total` along
+  the bar. Painted in `STATE_SUCCESS` (green) so the marker
+  reads as "this is where the win lives." Pure helper
+  `win_move_marker_pct` returns `None` for any state where the
+  marker shouldn't draw (Inactive, Completed, replay missing
+  the field, empty move list); percentage clamps to `[0, 100]`
+  defensively. Lifecycle is spawn-time only — the marker is
+  immutable during a single playback because the underlying
+  `Replay` doesn't change while `Playing`. Despawned with the
+  overlay tree on transition back to `Inactive`. 8 new tests
+  (1212 → 1220): pure-helper truth table + spawn-presence /
+  spawn-absence / despawn-lifecycle observables.
+- **`fbe48ac` — playback controls (pause / resume / step).**
+  Third commit on B-2. New `paused: bool` field on
+  `ReplayPlaybackState::Playing`; `tick_replay_playback` skips
+  the `secs_to_next` decrement entirely while paused so cursor
+  and timer freeze together. New public API:
+  `toggle_pause_replay_playback` and `step_replay_playback`
+  (the latter hard-gated to `Playing { paused: true }` so
+  manual stepping can't race the tick loop). UI: Pause /
+  Resume button (label repaints reactively via
+  `update_pause_button_label` which walks `Children` from
+  marker to inner `Text`) + Step button + Space keyboard
+  accelerator. Existing 25 `Playing { ... }` construction
+  sites across tests gained `paused: false` mechanically.
+  8 new tests (1220 → 1228): label truth table, label repaint
+  on state change, click-toggles-paused, step advances exactly
+  one cursor with paused preserved, step-while-running no-op,
+  Space toggles paused.

 ## Open punch list

@@ -106,29 +122,54 @@ palette refresh all shipped in v0.20.0 + v0.21.0. What stays open:
  mini-tableau preview, playback controls, move-log scroll, and
  a WIN MOVE marker on the scrub bar. Banner-local pieces all
  shipped in v0.21.0 (`c84d9f4` + `6204db8` + `54005d5` +
-  `e080b49`); the screen-takeover is a multi-session redesign
-  with data-layer impact (move-log scroller; WIN MOVE needs a
-  `win_move_index` field on `Replay` that doesn't yet exist).
- **Floating `MOVE N/M` chip above the focused card during
-  playback.** Cross-plugin work — `update_progress_text` writes
-  the banner chip but the card-position lookup belongs in
-  `card_plugin`. Smaller scope than the screen-takeover.
- **Toast Warning / Error variants.** `ToastVariant` has slots
-  for `Warning` (gold) and `Error` (pink) but no in-engine
-  event uses them yet. Wire when a warning- or error-flavoured
-  toast event materialises.
+  `e080b49`); the floating MOVE chip above the focused card
+  shipped in v0.21.2 (`2fb2d63`). The WIN MOVE scrub-bar marker
+  shipped post-v0.21.3 in `ab857bb` (data field) + `52befa6`
+  (UI). Playback controls (pause / resume / step + Space
+  accelerator) shipped post-v0.21.3 in `fbe48ac`. What still
+  needs to land: a move-log scroller and a mini-tableau
+  preview — both screen-takeover-only pieces that need a
+  larger layout reflow than the existing banner can carry.
+  Multi-session.
+- *Floating `MOVE N/M` chip above the focused card during
+  playback — closed 2026-05-08 by `2fb2d63`.* World-space
+  `Text2d` entity sibling to the banner overlay; uses the same
+  `LayoutResource` pile coordinates so it survives window
+  resizes without UI/camera math.
+- *Toast Warning variant wiring — closed 2026-05-08 by `279e23d`.*
+  Daily-challenge-expiry toast fires once per `daily.date` when
+  within 30 min of UTC midnight reset and today is incomplete.
+  `ToastVariant` is now fully load-bearing (every variant has at
+  least one real driver). Future Warning drivers can either reuse
+  the generic `WarningToastEvent(String)` carrier or add their
+  own domain message + `animation_plugin` handler.
+- *Toast Error variant wiring — closed 2026-05-08 by `68d50b5`.*
+  `MoveRejectedEvent` now fires a 2-second pink-bordered
+  "Invalid move" toast as the third leg of the
+  audio + visual + text rejection-feedback stool.
 - *High-contrast accessibility mode — closed 2026-05-08 by
-  `c5787c6` + `07e0357`.* Card text rendering picks up
-  `TEXT_PRIMARY_HC` (`#f5f5f5`) and `RED_SUIT_COLOUR_HC`
-  (`#ff8aa0`); Settings panel has a toggle. Future scope:
-  extend HC through chrome borders (`BORDER_SUBTLE_HC` already
-  defined, not yet consumed), buttons, popover edges.
- *Reduced-motion mode — closed 2026-05-08 by the same pair.*
-  `effective_slide_secs` forces 0 when on, regardless of the
-  `AnimSpeed` setting. Future scope: gate splash scanline
-  overlay + cursor pulse animation on the same flag, gate
-  warning-chip pulse, gate any future card-lift z-bump
-  animation.
+  `c5787c6` + `07e0357` (engine + UI) + v0.21.2's HC chrome
+  rollout (`c9af1ea` + `d87761d` + `ec804d5`) + post-cut
+  dynamic-paint rollout (`c153363`).* Card text rendering plus
+  8 static-border chrome surfaces (modal scaffold, tooltip,
+  onboarding key chips, help panel key chips, stats panel
+  cells, home Level/XP/Score row, home mode buttons, home
+  mode-hotkey chips, 4 settings panel surfaces) all boost
+  borders to `BORDER_SUBTLE_HC` under HC via the
+  `HighContrastBorder` marker. The previously-carved-out
+  dynamic-paint sites are now also covered: HUD action buttons
+  and modal buttons take the same marker (their paint cycles
+  only mutate `BackgroundColor`, so no race); the radial menu
+  rim folds HC into its per-frame spawn via
+  `radial_rim_outline` so the focused rim boosts to
+  `BORDER_SUBTLE_HC` under HC (preserving focused-vs-resting
+  hierarchy that naive marker substitution would invert).
+- *Reduced-motion mode — closed 2026-05-08 by `c5787c6` +
+  v0.21.2's `ed152e2`.* `effective_slide_secs` forces 0 on
+  card animations; `pulse_splash_cursor` skips the per-frame
+  pulse multiplier; `spawn_splash` skips the scanline overlay
+  entirely. Future scope: gate any future card-lift z-bump
+  animation, warning-chip pulse (when one materialises).

 ### Carried forward from v0.19.0

@@ -232,20 +273,20 @@ into a v0.21.1 / v0.22.0 cut.
 ```
 You are a senior Rust + Bevy developer working on Solitaire Quest.
 Working directory: <Rusty_Solitaire clone path on this machine>.
-Branch: master. v0.21.0 is tagged at 04f9bf9 (cut 2026-05-08).
-Working tree clean. v0.21.0 closed the visual-identity arc that
-v0.20.0 deferred — full Terminal cards on both rendering paths
-(asset PNGs + bundled-default theme SVGs), splash boot screen,
-replay-overlay banner enrichments, and a project-wide ACCENT_PRIMARY
-swap from cyan to brick red `#a54242`. See CHANGELOG.md § [0.21.0]
-for full detail.
+Branch: master. v0.21.3 is tagged at 3d92a91 (cut 2026-05-08, a
+patch release rolling up the accessibility-arc closure: HC reaches
+the previously-carved-out dynamic-paint sites, and the first real
+consumer of `ToastVariant::Warning` lands as the daily-challenge
+expiry toast). v0.21.2 stays at f23df3b, v0.21.1 at daa655a,
+v0.21.0 at 04f9bf9. Working tree clean. See CHANGELOG.md §
+[0.21.3] for full detail.

 State: HEAD locally — see `git rev-parse HEAD`. All workspace tests
-pass (1184+; check with `cargo test --workspace`), clippy clean.
+pass (1207+; check with `cargo test --workspace`), clippy clean.

 READ FIRST (in order, before doing anything):
  1. SESSION_HANDOFF.md  — this file
-  2. CHANGELOG.md        — [0.21.0] section is the most recent cut
+  2. CHANGELOG.md        — [0.21.3] section is the most recent cut
  3. CLAUDE.md           — unified-3.0 rule set
  4. CLAUDE_SPEC.md      — formal architecture spec
  5. ARCHITECTURE.md     — crate responsibilities + data flow
@@ -260,38 +301,28 @@ READ FIRST (in order, before doing anything):
                           fresh machine)

 DECISION TO ASK THE PLAYER FIRST:
-  A. *Closed 2026-05-08 by `3eb3a26` + `716a025`.* App icon
-     round — runtime `Window::icon` wired plus a 9-size PNG
-     hierarchy at `assets/icon/`. `.ico` / `.icns` bundle
-     formats stay open if the project later ships as a
-     packaged macOS / Windows app.
-  B. APK launch verification on AVD / device — `adb install` +
+  A. APK launch verification on AVD / device — `adb install` +
     `adb logcat` to shake out runtime bugs the build / unit
     tests can't catch. Likely surfaces JNI ClipboardManager
     and Android Keystore stubs that need real bridges. Larger
     scope; needs an Android device or emulator running.
-  C. Replay-overlay extensions — either the floating `MOVE N/M`
-     chip above the focused card (smaller, cross-plugin; needs
-     cursor → card-position plumbing in `card_plugin`) or the
-     full screen-takeover redesign (multi-session: move-log
-     scroll, mini tableau preview, WIN MOVE marker, data-layer
-     impact for `Replay::win_move_index`).
-  D. Toast Warning / Error variant wiring. UI infrastructure
-     exists in `ToastVariant`; no in-engine event uses Warning
-     (gold) or Error (pink) yet. Wire when a real warning- or
-     error-flavoured event materialises.
-  E. Phase 8 (sync) — local storage scaffolding, self-hosted
+  B. Replay-overlay screen-takeover redesign — multi-session
+     work. Three sub-pieces shipped post-v0.21.3: WIN MOVE
+     marker (`ab857bb` data field + `52befa6` UI), playback
+     controls (`fbe48ac` pause/resume/step + Space). What
+     still needs to land: a move-log scroller and a
+     mini-tableau preview — both layout-heavy pieces that need
+     more vertical real estate than the current banner-only
+     overlay carries, so the natural next finite step is the
+     screen-takeover layout itself (mockup at
+     `docs/ui-mockups/replay-overlay-mobile.html`). The
+     smaller floating-MOVE-chip piece shipped in v0.21.2
+     (`2fb2d63`).
+  C. Phase 8 (sync) — local storage scaffolding, self-hosted
     Axum server, `SolitaireServerClient` impl, GPGS stub
     wired into Settings. The biggest open arc by scope; rolls
     up several Phase Android dependencies (Keystore,
     ClipboardManager).
-  F. *Closed 2026-05-08 by `c5787c6` + `07e0357`.* High-contrast
-     and reduced-motion accessibility modes — Settings flags
-     + UI toggles + engine wiring. Card text rendering uses
-     HC variants when on; card slide_secs forces to 0 when
-     reduce-motion is on. Future scope: extend HC through
-     chrome borders, buttons; gate splash + warning-chip
-     animations on reduce-motion.

 WORKFLOW NOTES:
  - Use the system git config (already correct).
@@ -308,6 +339,16 @@ WORKFLOW NOTES:
    migration walked past this" follow-ups that all matched
    this shape — codified here so future similar work can
    pattern-match instead of rediscovering.
+  - Doc-vs-implementation drift pattern: v0.21.1's pile-marker
+    visibility fix (`4d48cad`) implemented an invariant that
+    had been declared in a module doc comment but was never
+    enforced in code. When future work touches a module with
+    a "this does X" doc comment, verify the code actually does
+    X and add a test if not. Two layers, two checks.

-OPEN AT THE START: ask which of A–F. Don't pick unilaterally.
+OPEN AT THE START: ask which of A–C. Don't pick unilaterally.
+Note: every remaining option is multi-session by nature (A is
+gated on Android tooling, B and C are explicitly multi-session
+arcs). A fresh session is a better fit for any of them than the
+tail of a long working stretch.
 ```
@@ -147,12 +147,38 @@ pub struct Replay {
    /// [`REPLAY_SCHEMA_VERSION`].
    #[serde(default)]
    pub share_url: Option<String>,
+    /// Index into [`moves`](Self::moves) of the move that triggered
+    /// the win condition (i.e. completed the last foundation pile).
+    ///
+    /// For replays recorded by the live engine this is always
+    /// `Some(moves.len() - 1)` because recording freezes on win — but
+    /// the field is stored explicitly so the playback UI can read it
+    /// directly without re-deriving "the last move was the win" each
+    /// time, and to leave room for future recording semantics that
+    /// might capture post-win state.
+    ///
+    /// `None` for replays loaded from disk that pre-date this field.
+    /// `#[serde(default)]` keeps older `latest_replay.json` /
+    /// `replays.json` files loadable without bumping
+    /// [`REPLAY_SCHEMA_VERSION`] — this is an additive optional
+    /// field, not a schema-breaking change.
+    ///
+    /// Surfaced by the replay-overlay scrub bar's WIN MOVE marker
+    /// (B-2 screen-takeover redesign) when present.
+    #[serde(default)]
+    pub win_move_index: Option<usize>,
 }

 impl Replay {
    /// Construct a fresh replay with the current schema version. The
    /// caller fills in the recorded fields; this is the canonical
    /// constructor used by the engine on win.
+    ///
+    /// [`win_move_index`](Self::win_move_index) and
+    /// [`share_url`](Self::share_url) default to `None` — the engine
+    /// uses [`with_win_move_index`](Self::with_win_move_index) at the
+    /// recording site to set the former, and `sync_plugin` writes the
+    /// latter directly when the upload task resolves.
    pub fn new(
        seed: u64,
        draw_mode: DrawMode,
@@ -172,8 +198,24 @@ impl Replay {
            recorded_at,
            moves,
            share_url: None,
+            win_move_index: None,
        }
    }
+
+    /// Builder-style setter for [`win_move_index`](Self::win_move_index).
+    /// Returns `self` so the recording site can chain it onto
+    /// [`Replay::new`]:
+    ///
+    /// ```ignore
+    /// let replay = Replay::new(...).with_win_move_index(Some(recording.moves.len() - 1));
+    /// ```
+    ///
+    /// `None` is a valid input — useful for tests that don't care about
+    /// the WIN MOVE marker's scrub-bar position.
+    pub fn with_win_move_index(mut self, idx: Option<usize>) -> Self {
+        self.win_move_index = idx;
+        self
+    }
 }

 /// Rolling history of the player's most recent winning replays.
@@ -737,4 +779,71 @@ mod tests {

        let _ = fs::remove_file(&path);
    }
+
+    // -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+    // win_move_index — additive optional field for the WIN MOVE marker
+    // -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+    #[test]
+    fn replay_new_defaults_win_move_index_to_none() {
+        let r = sample_replay();
+        assert_eq!(r.win_move_index, None);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn with_win_move_index_sets_value() {
+        let r = sample_replay().with_win_move_index(Some(3));
+        assert_eq!(r.win_move_index, Some(3));
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn with_win_move_index_accepts_none() {
+        // Passing None through the builder is a valid no-op — useful for
+        // tests / synthetic replays that don't care about the marker.
+        let r = sample_replay().with_win_move_index(None);
+        assert_eq!(r.win_move_index, None);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn replay_with_win_move_index_round_trips_on_disk() {
+        let path = tmp_path("win_move_index_round_trip");
+        let _ = fs::remove_file(&path);
+
+        let original = sample_replay().with_win_move_index(Some(3));
+        save_latest_replay_to(&path, &original).expect("save");
+        let loaded = load_latest_replay_from(&path).expect("load");
+        assert_eq!(loaded.win_move_index, Some(3));
+        assert_eq!(loaded, original);
+
+        let _ = fs::remove_file(&path);
+    }
+
+    /// Older replay files written before this field was added must still
+    /// load — `#[serde(default)]` keeps `win_move_index` optional and
+    /// defaults missing fields to `None`. This is the contract that lets
+    /// us add the field without bumping `REPLAY_SCHEMA_VERSION`.
+    #[test]
+    fn replay_without_win_move_index_loads_with_none() {
+        let path = tmp_path("legacy_no_win_move_index");
+        let _ = fs::remove_file(&path);
+
+        // Hand-rolled minimal v2 replay JSON with no win_move_index field.
+        let v2_no_field = r#"{
+            "schema_version": 2,
+            "seed": 1,
+            "draw_mode": "DrawOne",
+            "mode": "Classic",
+            "time_seconds": 60,
+            "final_score": 100,
+            "recorded_at": "2026-05-02",
+            "moves": []
+        }"#;
+        fs::write(&path, v2_no_field).expect("write fixture");
+
+        let loaded = load_latest_replay_from(&path).expect("load");
+        assert_eq!(loaded.win_move_index, None);
+        assert_eq!(loaded.schema_version, REPLAY_SCHEMA_VERSION);
+
+        let _ = fs::remove_file(&path);
+    }
 }
@@ -1445,6 +1445,7 @@ mod tests {
                replay: dummy_replay(),
                cursor: 0,
                secs_to_next: 0.0,
+                paused: false,
            };
        app.update();
        assert!(
@@ -1480,6 +1481,7 @@ mod tests {
                replay: dummy_replay(),
                cursor: 0,
                secs_to_next: 0.0,
+                paused: false,
            };
        app.update();

@@ -1512,6 +1514,7 @@ mod tests {
                replay: dummy_replay(),
                cursor: 0,
                secs_to_next: 0.0,
+                paused: false,
            };
        app.update();
        *app.world_mut().resource_mut::<ReplayPlaybackState>() =
@@ -1534,6 +1537,7 @@ mod tests {
                replay: dummy_replay(),
                cursor: 0,
                secs_to_next: 0.0,
+                paused: false,
            };
        app.update();
        *app.world_mut().resource_mut::<ReplayPlaybackState>() =
@@ -1559,6 +1563,7 @@ mod tests {
                replay: dummy_replay(),
                cursor: 0,
                secs_to_next: 0.0,
+                paused: false,
            };
        app.update();
        *app.world_mut().resource_mut::<ReplayPlaybackState>() =
@@ -21,8 +21,10 @@ 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, XpAwardedEvent};
-use crate::events::{AchievementUnlockedEvent, GameWonEvent};
+use crate::events::{
+    AchievementUnlockedEvent, GameWonEvent, InfoToastEvent, MoveRejectedEvent, WarningToastEvent,
+    XpAwardedEvent,
+};
 use crate::game_plugin::GameMutation;
 use crate::layout::LayoutResource;
 use crate::pause_plugin::PausedResource;
@@ -162,6 +164,8 @@ impl Plugin for AnimationPlugin {
            .add_message::<ChallengeAdvancedEvent>()
            .add_message::<SettingsChangedEvent>()
            .add_message::<InfoToastEvent>()
+            .add_message::<MoveRejectedEvent>()
+            .add_message::<WarningToastEvent>()
            .add_message::<XpAwardedEvent>()
            .init_resource::<EffectiveSlideDuration>()
            .init_resource::<ToastQueue>()
@@ -183,6 +187,8 @@ impl Plugin for AnimationPlugin {
                    handle_settings_toast,
                    handle_auto_complete_toast,
                    handle_xp_awarded_toast,
+                    handle_move_rejected_toast,
+                    handle_warning_toast,
                    tick_toasts,
                    (enqueue_toasts, drive_toast_display).chain(),
                )
@@ -565,9 +571,11 @@ pub enum ToastVariant {
    /// event; kept so future warning-flavoured toasts have a slot.
    #[allow(dead_code)]
    Warning,
-    /// Failure / rejected action — pink border. Currently unused; kept so
-    /// future error-flavoured toasts have a slot.
-    #[allow(dead_code)]
+    /// Failure / rejected action — pink border. Used by
+    /// [`handle_move_rejected_toast`] for illegal-placement
+    /// feedback; the third leg of the rejection-feedback stool
+    /// alongside `card_invalid.wav` (audio) and the destination-
+    /// pile shake (visual).
    Error,
    /// Reward / milestone — lavender border. Used for XP awards,
    /// achievement unlocks, level-ups, daily/weekly/challenge completions.
@@ -622,6 +630,47 @@ fn handle_xp_awarded_toast(mut commands: Commands, mut events: MessageReader<XpA
    }
 }

+/// Spawns a 2-second pink-bordered Error toast when the player tries an
+/// illegal placement (`MoveRejectedEvent`). Adds a third leg to the
+/// existing rejection feedback stool — `card_invalid.wav` already plays
+/// (audio cue) and `feedback_anim_plugin::queue_shake_for_rejected_move`
+/// fires the destination-pile shake (visual cue). The toast is the
+/// accessibility-focused leg: persistent ~2 s text that's readable for
+/// deaf players and impossible to miss for players who blink during the
+/// shake. First in-engine consumer of `ToastVariant::Error` — exercises
+/// the variant's pink border accent and the design-system "rejected
+/// action" semantic.
+fn handle_move_rejected_toast(
+    mut commands: Commands,
+    mut events: MessageReader<MoveRejectedEvent>,
+) {
+    for _ev in events.read() {
+        spawn_toast(
+            &mut commands,
+            "Invalid move".to_string(),
+            2.0,
+            ToastVariant::Error,
+        );
+    }
+}
+
+/// Spawns a 4-second amber-bordered Warning toast for every incoming
+/// [`WarningToastEvent`]. First in-engine consumer of
+/// [`ToastVariant::Warning`] — exercises the variant's amber accent and
+/// the design-system "act soon" semantic.
+///
+/// Mirrors [`handle_move_rejected_toast`] but reads a generic carrier
+/// event (not a domain-specific one) because Warning has multiple
+/// candidate drivers and the call-site knows the message wording.
+fn handle_warning_toast(
+    mut commands: Commands,
+    mut events: MessageReader<WarningToastEvent>,
+) {
+    for ev in events.read() {
+        spawn_toast(&mut commands, ev.0.clone(), 4.0, ToastVariant::Warning);
+    }
+}
+
 /// Ticks down `ToastTimer` on each toast and despawns it when the timer expires.
 ///
 /// Skipped while the game is paused so toast countdowns freeze along with the
@@ -966,6 +1015,44 @@ mod tests {
        let _ = count;
    }

+    #[test]
+    fn move_rejected_event_spawns_error_toast() {
+        // The first in-engine consumer of `ToastVariant::Error`. Firing
+        // a `MoveRejectedEvent` (illegal placement) must spawn exactly
+        // one `ToastOverlay` carrying the rejection-feedback message.
+        // Pairs the existing audio (`card_invalid.wav`) and visual
+        // (`feedback_anim_plugin::queue_shake_for_rejected_move`) feedback
+        // with an accessibility-focused readable text cue.
+        use solitaire_core::pile::PileType;
+        let mut app = App::new();
+        app.add_plugins(MinimalPlugins).add_plugins(AnimationPlugin);
+
+        // Baseline: no toast overlays exist before the event.
+        let before = app
+            .world_mut()
+            .query::<&ToastOverlay>()
+            .iter(app.world())
+            .count();
+
+        app.world_mut().write_message(MoveRejectedEvent {
+            from: PileType::Tableau(0),
+            to: PileType::Tableau(1),
+            count: 1,
+        });
+        app.update();
+
+        let after = app
+            .world_mut()
+            .query::<&ToastOverlay>()
+            .iter(app.world())
+            .count();
+        assert_eq!(
+            after,
+            before + 1,
+            "MoveRejectedEvent must spawn exactly one error toast",
+        );
+    }
+
    // -----------------------------------------------------------------------
    // Task #67 — Toast queue pure-function tests
    // -----------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -14,13 +14,13 @@
 use bevy::input::ButtonInput;
 use bevy::prelude::*;
 use bevy::tasks::{futures_lite::future, AsyncComputeTaskPool, Task};
-use chrono::{Local, NaiveDate};
+use chrono::{DateTime, Duration, Local, NaiveDate, Utc};
 use solitaire_data::{daily_seed_for, save_progress_to};
 use solitaire_sync::ChallengeGoal;

 use crate::events::{
    GameWonEvent, InfoToastEvent, NewGameRequestEvent, StartDailyChallengeRequestEvent,
-    XpAwardedEvent,
+    WarningToastEvent, XpAwardedEvent,
 };
 use crate::game_plugin::GameMutation;
 use crate::progress_plugin::{ProgressResource, ProgressStoragePath, ProgressUpdate};
@@ -30,6 +30,11 @@ use crate::sync_plugin::SyncProviderResource;
 /// Bonus XP awarded for completing today's daily challenge.
 pub const DAILY_BONUS_XP: u64 = 100;

+/// Minutes before UTC midnight at which the daily-challenge expiry warning
+/// fires. The reset is global (UTC), so the warning is global too — local
+/// midnight may be hours away or already past.
+pub const DAILY_EXPIRY_WARNING_MINUTES: i64 = 30;
+
 /// The active daily challenge — date + RNG seed for that date's deal,
 /// plus optional goal metadata fetched from the server.
 #[derive(Resource, Debug, Clone)]
@@ -74,6 +79,16 @@ pub struct DailyChallengeCompletedEvent {
 #[derive(Resource, Default)]
 struct DailyChallengeTask(Option<Task<Option<ChallengeGoal>>>);

+/// Tracks which `DailyChallengeResource::date` the expiry-warning toast has
+/// already fired for, so the toast spawns at most once per day.
+///
+/// `None` until the first warning fires; thereafter holds the date the
+/// warning was shown for. When `daily.date` advances (a new local day rolls
+/// over while the app stays open), this becomes stale and the next warning
+/// can fire.
+#[derive(Resource, Default, Debug)]
+struct DailyExpiryWarningShown(Option<NaiveDate>);
+
 /// Fetches today's daily challenge seed and goal from the sync server on startup and tracks completion.
 /// Fires `DailyChallengeCompletedEvent` when the player wins a matching game.
 pub struct DailyChallengePlugin;
@@ -82,18 +97,21 @@ impl Plugin for DailyChallengePlugin {
    fn build(&self, app: &mut App) {
        app.insert_resource(DailyChallengeResource::for_today())
            .init_resource::<DailyChallengeTask>()
+            .init_resource::<DailyExpiryWarningShown>()
            .add_message::<DailyChallengeCompletedEvent>()
            .add_message::<DailyGoalAnnouncementEvent>()
            .add_message::<GameWonEvent>()
            .add_message::<NewGameRequestEvent>()
            .add_message::<StartDailyChallengeRequestEvent>()
+            .add_message::<WarningToastEvent>()
            .add_message::<XpAwardedEvent>()
            .add_systems(Startup, fetch_server_challenge)
            .add_systems(Update, poll_server_challenge)
            // record/award after the base ProgressUpdate so we don't fight
            // ProgressPlugin's add_xp on the same frame.
            .add_systems(Update, handle_daily_completion.after(ProgressUpdate))
-            .add_systems(Update, handle_start_daily_request.before(GameMutation));
+            .add_systems(Update, handle_start_daily_request.before(GameMutation))
+            .add_systems(Update, check_daily_expiry_warning);
    }
 }

@@ -215,6 +233,71 @@ fn handle_start_daily_request(
    announce.write(DailyGoalAnnouncementEvent(desc));
 }

+/// Pure decision logic for the daily-challenge expiry warning. Returns the
+/// integer minutes-until-UTC-midnight if a warning toast should fire on this
+/// frame, or `None` if any suppression condition holds.
+///
+/// Suppression rules (in order):
+/// 1. Player has already completed today's daily challenge.
+/// 2. The warning has already fired for `daily_date`.
+/// 3. UTC midnight is more than [`DAILY_EXPIRY_WARNING_MINUTES`] away.
+/// 4. UTC midnight has already passed for the current calendar day (the
+///    minutes-remaining is negative — happens for at most one frame at the
+///    rollover boundary).
+///
+/// Factored out so the threshold/clock behavior is unit-testable without an
+/// `App`.
+fn compute_expiry_warning_minutes(
+    daily_date: NaiveDate,
+    last_completed: Option<NaiveDate>,
+    last_shown: Option<NaiveDate>,
+    now_utc: DateTime<Utc>,
+    threshold_mins: i64,
+) -> Option<i64> {
+    if last_completed == Some(daily_date) {
+        return None;
+    }
+    if last_shown == Some(daily_date) {
+        return None;
+    }
+    let next_midnight = (now_utc.date_naive() + Duration::days(1))
+        .and_hms_opt(0, 0, 0)?
+        .and_utc();
+    let mins_remaining = (next_midnight - now_utc).num_minutes();
+    if !(0..=threshold_mins).contains(&mins_remaining) {
+        return None;
+    }
+    Some(mins_remaining)
+}
+
+/// Each-frame check for the daily-challenge expiry warning. Fires a single
+/// [`WarningToastEvent`] when the player is within
+/// [`DAILY_EXPIRY_WARNING_MINUTES`] of UTC midnight reset and hasn't yet
+/// completed today's challenge.
+///
+/// Idempotent — `DailyExpiryWarningShown` ensures the toast spawns at most
+/// once per `daily.date`.
+fn check_daily_expiry_warning(
+    daily: Res<DailyChallengeResource>,
+    progress: Res<ProgressResource>,
+    mut shown: ResMut<DailyExpiryWarningShown>,
+    mut warning: MessageWriter<WarningToastEvent>,
+) {
+    let Some(mins) = compute_expiry_warning_minutes(
+        daily.date,
+        progress.0.daily_challenge_last_completed,
+        shown.0,
+        Utc::now(),
+        DAILY_EXPIRY_WARNING_MINUTES,
+    ) else {
+        return;
+    };
+    shown.0 = Some(daily.date);
+    warning.write(WarningToastEvent(format!(
+        "Daily challenge expires in {mins} min"
+    )));
+}
+
 #[cfg(test)]
 mod tests {
    use super::*;
@@ -385,4 +468,141 @@ mod tests {
        assert_eq!(r.target_score, Some(1_000));
        assert_eq!(r.max_time_secs, Some(300));
    }
+
+    // -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+    // Daily-expiry warning toast (compute_expiry_warning_minutes + system)
+    // -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+    fn ymd(y: i32, m: u32, d: u32) -> NaiveDate {
+        NaiveDate::from_ymd_opt(y, m, d).unwrap()
+    }
+
+    /// Construct a UTC `DateTime` at the given calendar position. Used to
+    /// drive the pure helper through every threshold edge.
+    fn utc_at(y: i32, m: u32, d: u32, h: u32, min: u32) -> DateTime<Utc> {
+        ymd(y, m, d).and_hms_opt(h, min, 0).unwrap().and_utc()
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn warning_fires_inside_threshold_when_incomplete_and_unseen() {
+        // 23:50 UTC, 10 min until reset, < 30 min threshold.
+        let now = utc_at(2026, 5, 8, 23, 50);
+        let mins = compute_expiry_warning_minutes(ymd(2026, 5, 8), None, None, now, 30);
+        assert_eq!(mins, Some(10));
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn warning_fires_at_exact_threshold_boundary() {
+        // 23:30 UTC, exactly 30 min remaining — the inclusive boundary.
+        let now = utc_at(2026, 5, 8, 23, 30);
+        let mins = compute_expiry_warning_minutes(ymd(2026, 5, 8), None, None, now, 30);
+        assert_eq!(mins, Some(30));
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn warning_suppressed_outside_threshold() {
+        // 23:00 UTC, 60 min remaining — outside the 30 min window.
+        let now = utc_at(2026, 5, 8, 23, 0);
+        let mins = compute_expiry_warning_minutes(ymd(2026, 5, 8), None, None, now, 30);
+        assert_eq!(mins, None);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn warning_suppressed_when_already_completed_today() {
+        // 23:50 UTC inside threshold, but today is already done.
+        let now = utc_at(2026, 5, 8, 23, 50);
+        let mins = compute_expiry_warning_minutes(
+            ymd(2026, 5, 8),
+            Some(ymd(2026, 5, 8)),
+            None,
+            now,
+            30,
+        );
+        assert_eq!(mins, None);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn warning_suppressed_when_yesterdays_completion_is_stale() {
+        // Yesterday's completion is irrelevant — we want to warn about today.
+        let now = utc_at(2026, 5, 8, 23, 50);
+        let mins = compute_expiry_warning_minutes(
+            ymd(2026, 5, 8),
+            Some(ymd(2026, 5, 7)),
+            None,
+            now,
+            30,
+        );
+        assert_eq!(mins, Some(10));
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn warning_suppressed_when_already_shown_for_this_date() {
+        let now = utc_at(2026, 5, 8, 23, 50);
+        let mins = compute_expiry_warning_minutes(
+            ymd(2026, 5, 8),
+            None,
+            Some(ymd(2026, 5, 8)),
+            now,
+            30,
+        );
+        assert_eq!(mins, None);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn warning_fires_when_last_shown_was_yesterday() {
+        // Player kept the app open across a midnight rollover. Stale
+        // "shown" date doesn't suppress today's warning.
+        let now = utc_at(2026, 5, 8, 23, 50);
+        let mins = compute_expiry_warning_minutes(
+            ymd(2026, 5, 8),
+            None,
+            Some(ymd(2026, 5, 7)),
+            now,
+            30,
+        );
+        assert_eq!(mins, Some(10));
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn check_system_fires_warning_event_only_once_per_day() {
+        // The pure helper is exhaustively tested above. This test verifies
+        // the system that consumes it correctly stores the "shown" date so
+        // the WarningToastEvent fires at most once per `daily.date`, even
+        // when the system runs many frames in a row inside the threshold.
+        //
+        // The system reads `Utc::now()` directly, so we can't pin the clock.
+        // Instead, we simulate the post-warning state by pre-populating
+        // `DailyExpiryWarningShown` with `daily.date` and asserting nothing
+        // fires; then we verify the symmetric "completed today" suppression.
+        let mut app = headless_app();
+        let today = app.world().resource::<DailyChallengeResource>().date;
+
+        // Pre-mark warning as already shown for today.
+        app.world_mut()
+            .resource_mut::<DailyExpiryWarningShown>()
+            .0 = Some(today);
+        app.update();
+        let events = app.world().resource::<Messages<WarningToastEvent>>();
+        let mut cursor = events.get_cursor();
+        assert!(
+            cursor.read(events).next().is_none(),
+            "no warning fires when DailyExpiryWarningShown already covers today"
+        );
+
+        // Reset shown, mark today as completed.
+        app.world_mut()
+            .resource_mut::<DailyExpiryWarningShown>()
+            .0 = None;
+        app.world_mut()
+            .resource_mut::<ProgressResource>()
+            .0
+            .daily_challenge_last_completed = Some(today);
+        app.update();
+        let events = app.world().resource::<Messages<WarningToastEvent>>();
+        let mut cursor = events.get_cursor();
+        assert!(
+            cursor.read(events).next().is_none(),
+            "no warning fires when today is already completed"
+        );
+    }
 }
@@ -212,6 +212,21 @@ pub struct SyncCompleteEvent(pub Result<SyncResponse, String>);
 #[derive(Message, Debug, Clone)]
 pub struct InfoToastEvent(pub String);

+/// Generic warning toast message. Spawns a fire-and-forget
+/// [`ToastVariant::Warning`](crate::animation_plugin::ToastVariant) toast.
+///
+/// Distinct from [`InfoToastEvent`] in two ways:
+/// 1. **Variant.** Warning carries the design-system warning border accent,
+///    not the neutral info accent — so the player can distinguish "you might
+///    want to act" from "here's some neutral information".
+/// 2. **No queue.** Warnings are alerts, not a stream. Each event spawns its
+///    own toast immediately rather than waiting for the info queue to drain.
+///
+/// First in-engine driver: daily-challenge expiry warning fired by
+/// `daily_challenge_plugin` when < 30 min from UTC midnight reset.
+#[derive(Message, Debug, Clone)]
+pub struct WarningToastEvent(pub String);
+
 /// Fired by `ProgressPlugin` immediately after awarding XP for a win so the
 /// animation layer can display a "+N XP" toast alongside the win cascade.
 #[derive(Message, Debug, Clone, Copy)]
@@ -936,6 +936,11 @@ pub fn record_replay_on_win(
        if recording.moves.is_empty() {
            continue;
        }
+        // Recording freezes on win, so the move that triggered the
+        // win condition is the last one in the list. Storing the
+        // index explicitly lets the playback UI read the WIN MOVE
+        // position directly instead of re-deriving it on every render.
+        let win_move_index = recording.moves.len().checked_sub(1);
        let replay = Replay::new(
            game.0.seed,
            game.0.draw_mode.clone(),
@@ -944,7 +949,8 @@ pub fn record_replay_on_win(
            ev.score,
            Utc::now().date_naive(),
            recording.moves.clone(),
-        );
+        )
+        .with_win_move_index(win_move_index);
        let Some(p) = path.as_ref().and_then(|r| r.0.as_deref()) else {
            // No persistence path configured (e.g. tests / minimal Linux
            // containers without dirs::data_dir). The in-memory replay
@@ -14,8 +14,8 @@ use crate::ui_modal::{
    ScrimDismissible,
 };
 use crate::ui_theme::{
-    Z_MODAL_PANEL, BORDER_SUBTLE, RADIUS_SM, SPACE_2, TEXT_PRIMARY, TEXT_SECONDARY, TYPE_BODY,
-    TYPE_CAPTION, VAL_SPACE_1, VAL_SPACE_2, VAL_SPACE_3,
+    BORDER_SUBTLE, HighContrastBorder, RADIUS_SM, SPACE_2, TEXT_PRIMARY, TEXT_SECONDARY, TYPE_BODY,
+    TYPE_CAPTION, VAL_SPACE_1, VAL_SPACE_2, VAL_SPACE_3, Z_MODAL_PANEL,
 };

 /// Marker on the help overlay root node.
@@ -263,6 +263,7 @@ fn spawn_help_screen(commands: &mut Commands, font_res: Option<&FontResource>) {
                                ..default()
                            },
                            BorderColor::all(BORDER_SUBTLE),
+                            HighContrastBorder::with_default(BORDER_SUBTLE),
                        ))
                        .with_children(|chip| {
                            chip.spawn((
@@ -38,8 +38,8 @@ use crate::ui_modal::{
    ScrimDismissible,
 };
 use crate::ui_theme::{
-    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,
+    ACCENT_PRIMARY, BG_ELEVATED, BG_ELEVATED_HI, BORDER_STRONG, BORDER_SUBTLE, HighContrastBorder,
+    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,
 };

@@ -840,6 +840,7 @@ fn spawn_home_header_chips(parent: &mut ChildSpawnerCommands, ctx: &HomeContext<
            },
            BackgroundColor(BG_ELEVATED),
            BorderColor::all(BORDER_SUBTLE),
+            HighContrastBorder::with_default(BORDER_SUBTLE),
        ))
        .with_children(|row| {
            for (label, value) in [
@@ -943,6 +944,7 @@ fn spawn_draw_mode_chip<M: Component>(
            },
            BackgroundColor(bg),
            BorderColor::all(BORDER_SUBTLE),
+            HighContrastBorder::with_default(BORDER_SUBTLE),
        ))
        .with_children(|c| {
            c.spawn((Text::new(label.to_string()), font.clone(), TextColor(fg)));
@@ -1156,6 +1158,7 @@ fn spawn_mode_card(
                            ..default()
                        },
                        BorderColor::all(BORDER_SUBTLE),
+                        HighContrastBorder::with_default(BORDER_SUBTLE),
                    ))
                    .with_children(|chip| {
                        chip.spawn((
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ use crate::settings_plugin::SettingsResource;
 use crate::layout::HUD_BAND_HEIGHT;
 use crate::ui_theme::{
    scaled_duration, ACCENT_PRIMARY, ACCENT_SECONDARY, BG_ELEVATED, BG_ELEVATED_HI,
-    BG_ELEVATED_PRESSED, BG_HUD_BAND, BORDER_SUBTLE, MOTION_SCORE_PULSE_SECS,
+    BG_ELEVATED_PRESSED, BG_HUD_BAND, BORDER_SUBTLE, HighContrastBorder, MOTION_SCORE_PULSE_SECS,
    MOTION_STREAK_FLOURISH_SECS, RADIUS_MD, RADIUS_SM, STATE_DANGER, STATE_INFO, STATE_SUCCESS,
    STATE_WARNING, STREAK_FLOURISH_PEAK_SCALE, TEXT_PRIMARY, TEXT_SECONDARY, TYPE_BODY,
    TYPE_BODY_LG, TYPE_CAPTION, TYPE_HEADLINE, VAL_SPACE_1, VAL_SPACE_2, VAL_SPACE_3,
@@ -715,6 +715,7 @@ fn spawn_action_button<M: Component>(
        },
        BackgroundColor(ACTION_BTN_IDLE),
        BorderColor::all(BORDER_SUBTLE),
+        HighContrastBorder::with_default(BORDER_SUBTLE),
    ))
    .with_children(|b| {
        b.spawn((Text::new(label), font.clone(), TextColor(TEXT_PRIMARY)));
@@ -32,8 +32,8 @@ use crate::ui_modal::{
    spawn_modal_header, ButtonVariant,
 };
 use crate::ui_theme::{
-    BORDER_SUBTLE, RADIUS_SM, TEXT_PRIMARY, TEXT_SECONDARY, TYPE_CAPTION, TYPE_BODY, VAL_SPACE_1,
-    VAL_SPACE_2, VAL_SPACE_3, Z_ONBOARDING,
+    BORDER_SUBTLE, HighContrastBorder, RADIUS_SM, TEXT_PRIMARY, TEXT_SECONDARY, TYPE_BODY,
+    TYPE_CAPTION, VAL_SPACE_1, VAL_SPACE_2, VAL_SPACE_3, Z_ONBOARDING,
 };

 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -386,6 +386,7 @@ fn spawn_slide_hotkeys(commands: &mut Commands, font_res: Option<&FontResource>)
                        ..default()
                    },
                    BorderColor::all(BORDER_SUBTLE),
+                    HighContrastBorder::with_default(BORDER_SUBTLE),
                ))
                .with_children(|chip| {
                    chip.spawn((
@@ -56,7 +56,8 @@ use crate::events::MoveRequestEvent;
 use crate::layout::{Layout, LayoutResource};
 use crate::pause_plugin::PausedResource;
 use crate::resources::{DragState, GameStateResource};
-use crate::ui_theme::{ACCENT_PRIMARY, BORDER_STRONG, BORDER_SUBTLE, STATE_SUCCESS};
+use crate::settings_plugin::SettingsResource;
+use crate::ui_theme::{ACCENT_PRIMARY, BORDER_STRONG, BORDER_SUBTLE, BORDER_SUBTLE_HC, STATE_SUCCESS};

 /// Sprite-space `Transform.z` for radial-menu overlay sprites.
 ///
@@ -533,8 +534,17 @@ fn radial_handle_release_or_cancel(

 /// Despawns and respawns the radial overlay sprites every frame the
 /// state is `Active`; despawns them when the state returns to `Idle`.
+///
+/// Reads [`SettingsResource`] so the focused-icon outline can boost to
+/// [`BORDER_SUBTLE_HC`] under high-contrast mode. Per-frame respawn is
+/// the simplest place to fold HC in: this is the only system that
+/// owns the rim sprite, so there's no parallel paint path to fight.
+/// ([`HighContrastBorder`](crate::ui_theme::HighContrastBorder) doesn't
+/// apply because the rim is a `Sprite`, not a UI node with
+/// `BorderColor`, and the entities don't persist across frames.)
 fn radial_redraw_overlay(
    state: Res<RightClickRadialState>,
+    settings: Option<Res<SettingsResource>>,
    mut commands: Commands,
    existing_icons: Query<Entity, With<RadialIcon>>,
    existing_centres: Query<Entity, With<RadialCentre>>,
@@ -569,13 +579,12 @@ fn radial_redraw_overlay(
        Transform::from_xyz(centre.x, centre.y, Z_RADIAL_MENU + 0.01),
    ));

+    let high_contrast = settings.as_ref().is_some_and(|s| s.0.high_contrast_mode);
    for (i, (_pile, anchor)) in legal_destinations.iter().enumerate() {
        let focused = *hovered_index == Some(i);
        let scale = if focused { RADIAL_HOVER_SCALE } else { 1.0 };
        let fill = if focused { STATE_SUCCESS } else { ACCENT_PRIMARY };
-        // Hovered icon gets a strong yellow rim; resting icons get a
-        // muted purple rim so the focused one reads as the obvious target.
-        let outline = if focused { BORDER_STRONG } else { BORDER_SUBTLE };
+        let outline = radial_rim_outline(focused, high_contrast);

        commands
            .spawn((
@@ -606,6 +615,27 @@ fn radial_redraw_overlay(
    }
 }

+/// Pure decision logic for the radial-icon rim outline colour.
+///
+/// Resting icons always carry [`BORDER_SUBTLE`] so the focused icon
+/// reads as the obvious target. Under high-contrast mode the focused
+/// rim boosts to [`BORDER_SUBTLE_HC`] (`#a0a0a0`) instead of
+/// [`BORDER_STRONG`] (`#505050`) — naive marker substitution via
+/// [`HighContrastBorder`](crate::ui_theme::HighContrastBorder) would
+/// invert the hierarchy because the resting colour
+/// (`#353535`) is darker than `BORDER_STRONG`. This shape keeps the
+/// focused rim *more* visible under HC, not less.
+///
+/// Factored out as a pure function so the truth-table is unit-testable
+/// without spinning up the per-frame respawn system.
+fn radial_rim_outline(focused: bool, high_contrast: bool) -> Color {
+    match (focused, high_contrast) {
+        (true, true) => BORDER_SUBTLE_HC,
+        (true, false) => BORDER_STRONG,
+        (false, _) => BORDER_SUBTLE,
+    }
+}
+
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // Tests
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -940,4 +970,33 @@ mod tests {
            "face-down cards must not open the radial"
        );
    }
+
+    // -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+    // radial_rim_outline — accessibility / high-contrast truth table
+    // -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+    #[test]
+    fn rim_resting_uses_subtle_outline_without_hc() {
+        assert_eq!(radial_rim_outline(false, false), BORDER_SUBTLE);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn rim_focused_uses_strong_outline_without_hc() {
+        assert_eq!(radial_rim_outline(true, false), BORDER_STRONG);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn rim_focused_boosts_to_subtle_hc_under_hc() {
+        assert_eq!(radial_rim_outline(true, true), BORDER_SUBTLE_HC);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn rim_resting_stays_subtle_under_hc_to_preserve_hierarchy() {
+        // Naive marker substitution would also flip the resting outline
+        // to BORDER_SUBTLE_HC, which is *lighter* than BORDER_STRONG —
+        // that would invert the focused/resting hierarchy. Holding the
+        // resting colour at BORDER_SUBTLE keeps the focused icon the
+        // obvious target under HC.
+        assert_eq!(radial_rim_outline(false, true), BORDER_SUBTLE);
+    }
 }
@@ -27,11 +27,16 @@ use bevy::prelude::*;
 use chrono::Datelike;

 use crate::font_plugin::FontResource;
-use crate::replay_playback::{stop_replay_playback, ReplayPlaybackState};
+use crate::layout::LayoutResource;
+use crate::events::{DrawRequestEvent, MoveRequestEvent};
+use crate::replay_playback::{
+    step_replay_playback, stop_replay_playback, toggle_pause_replay_playback, ReplayPlaybackState,
+};
+use solitaire_data::ReplayMove;
 use crate::ui_modal::{spawn_modal_button, ButtonVariant};
 use crate::ui_theme::{
-    ACCENT_PRIMARY, BG_ELEVATED_HI, BORDER_SUBTLE, TEXT_PRIMARY, TEXT_SECONDARY, TYPE_BODY,
-    TYPE_CAPTION, TYPE_HEADLINE, VAL_SPACE_1, VAL_SPACE_2, VAL_SPACE_4, Z_DROP_OVERLAY,
+    ACCENT_PRIMARY, BG_ELEVATED_HI, BORDER_SUBTLE, STATE_SUCCESS, TEXT_PRIMARY, TEXT_SECONDARY,
+    TYPE_BODY, TYPE_CAPTION, TYPE_HEADLINE, VAL_SPACE_1, VAL_SPACE_2, VAL_SPACE_4, Z_DROP_OVERLAY,
 };

 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -88,12 +93,45 @@ pub struct ReplayOverlayBannerText;
 #[derive(Component, Debug)]
 pub struct ReplayOverlayProgressText;

+/// Marker on the **floating** progress chip — a 2D world-space text
+/// entity rendered above the destination pile of the most-recently-
+/// applied move. Sits independently of the banner overlay (which
+/// lives in the UI tree and never moves) so the player can see
+/// progress without breaking eye contact with the focal card.
+///
+/// Lifecycle matches the banner overlay: spawned by `spawn_overlay`
+/// when a replay starts, despawned by `react_to_state_change` when
+/// it ends. Position updated each frame by
+/// `update_floating_progress_chip`. Hidden when cursor=0 (no moves
+/// applied yet) or the last applied move was a `StockClick` (no
+/// destination pile to follow).
+#[derive(Component, Debug)]
+pub struct ReplayFloatingProgressChip;
+
 /// Marker on the right-hand "Stop" button. Click handler queries for this
 /// and calls [`stop_replay_playback`] when an `Interaction::Pressed`
 /// transition is seen.
 #[derive(Component, Debug)]
 pub struct ReplayStopButton;

+/// Marker on the Pause / Resume button. Click handler queries for this
+/// and calls [`toggle_pause_replay_playback`] on each press. The
+/// button's label text is repainted in lockstep by
+/// `update_pause_button_label` so it always reflects the action the
+/// next click will perform ("Pause" while running, "Resume" while
+/// paused).
+#[derive(Component, Debug)]
+pub struct ReplayPauseButton;
+
+/// Marker on the Step button. Click handler queries for this and
+/// calls [`step_replay_playback`] — only meaningful when paused
+/// (clicks while running are no-ops because the tick loop would race
+/// the manual advance). The button stays visually present but
+/// unresponsive while the playback is running so the player has a
+/// stable layout to scan.
+#[derive(Component, Debug)]
+pub struct ReplayStepButton;
+
 /// Marker on the small caption sitting below the "▌ replay"
 /// headline. Carries `GAME #YYYY-DDD` (year + chrono ordinal) while a
 /// replay is playing — a compact, monotonically-increasing identifier
@@ -118,6 +156,23 @@ pub struct ReplayOverlayGameCaption;
 #[derive(Component, Debug)]
 pub struct ReplayOverlayScrubFill;

+/// Marker for the WIN MOVE tick on the scrub bar — a small absolute-
+/// positioned `Node` anchored at `replay.win_move_index / total` along
+/// the track. Painted in [`STATE_SUCCESS`] so the player can see at a
+/// glance where the winning move sits relative to the playback cursor.
+///
+/// Static — the position is set at spawn time and never changes during
+/// playback (the underlying replay's `win_move_index` is immutable
+/// while `Playing`). Despawned with the rest of the overlay tree when
+/// the replay state transitions back to `Inactive`.
+///
+/// Spawned only when the active replay carries
+/// [`Replay::win_move_index`](solitaire_data::Replay::win_move_index)
+/// `= Some(_)` — older replays loaded from disk pre-date the field
+/// and have no win index to surface.
+#[derive(Component, Debug)]
+pub struct ReplayOverlayWinMoveMarker;
+
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // Plugin
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -143,13 +198,26 @@ impl Plugin for ReplayOverlayPlugin {
        // Putting Stop last means a click in frame N is observed by
        // `react_to_state_change` in frame N+1, which then despawns the
        // overlay in response — a clean state-driven loop.
-        app.add_systems(
+        // Step-button handler dispatches into the same canonical move
+        // / draw events that the tick loop fires. Register them
+        // defensively here so this plugin can run under
+        // `MinimalPlugins` without the playback plugin attached;
+        // `add_message` is idempotent so the duplicate registration
+        // in production (alongside `replay_playback`) is harmless.
+        app.add_message::<MoveRequestEvent>()
+            .add_message::<DrawRequestEvent>()
+            .add_systems(
                Update,
                (
                    react_to_state_change,
                    update_banner_label,
                    update_progress_text,
+                    update_floating_progress_chip,
                    update_scrub_fill,
+                    update_pause_button_label,
+                    handle_pause_button,
+                    handle_step_button,
+                    handle_pause_keyboard,
                    handle_stop_button,
                )
                    .chain(),
@@ -170,6 +238,7 @@ fn react_to_state_change(
    mut commands: Commands,
    state: Res<ReplayPlaybackState>,
    existing: Query<Entity, With<ReplayOverlayRoot>>,
+    floating_chips: Query<Entity, With<ReplayFloatingProgressChip>>,
    font_res: Option<Res<FontResource>>,
 ) {
    if !state.is_changed() {
@@ -185,6 +254,13 @@ fn react_to_state_change(
        for entity in &existing {
            commands.entity(entity).despawn();
        }
+        // Floating chip lives outside the UI tree (world-space
+        // entity), so the banner-root despawn doesn't reach it.
+        // Despawn separately on the same state transition so both
+        // disappear together when the replay ends.
+        for entity in &floating_chips {
+            commands.entity(entity).despawn();
+        }
    }
    // The `should_be_visible && already_spawned` branch is a no-op here —
    // the per-frame text update systems below repaint the banner label
@@ -200,6 +276,11 @@ fn spawn_overlay(
    state: &ReplayPlaybackState,
 ) {
    let font_handle = font_res.map(|f| f.0.clone()).unwrap_or_default();
+    // Clone for the floating chip spawn that runs *after* the
+    // banner's `.with_children(|banner| { ... })` closure consumes
+    // the original `font_handle`. Cheap — Bevy's `Handle<Font>` is
+    // `Arc`-backed, the clone bumps a refcount.
+    let font_handle_for_floating = font_handle.clone();

    let banner_label = if state.is_completed() {
        "\u{258C} replay complete" // ▌ — cursor-block prefix; matches the splash boot-screen convention.
@@ -326,6 +407,27 @@ fn spawn_overlay(
                        ..default()
                    })
                    .with_children(|wrap| {
+                        // Pause / Resume label is set from the current
+                        // state so a freshly-spawned overlay (which
+                        // currently always starts unpaused) reads
+                        // "Pause". `update_pause_button_label`
+                        // repaints it whenever the state changes.
+                        spawn_modal_button(
+                            wrap,
+                            ReplayPauseButton,
+                            pause_button_label(state),
+                            None,
+                            ButtonVariant::Tertiary,
+                            font_res,
+                        );
+                        spawn_modal_button(
+                            wrap,
+                            ReplayStepButton,
+                            "Step",
+                            None,
+                            ButtonVariant::Tertiary,
+                            font_res,
+                        );
                        spawn_modal_button(
                            wrap,
                            ReplayStopButton,
@@ -344,6 +446,7 @@ fn spawn_overlay(
            // first-frame paint already reflects state instead of
            // popping from 0 → cursor on the first tick.
            let initial_scrub_pct = scrub_pct(state);
+            let win_pct = win_move_marker_pct(state);
            banner
                .spawn((
                    Node {
@@ -363,8 +466,53 @@ fn spawn_overlay(
                        },
                        BackgroundColor(ACCENT_PRIMARY),
                    ));
+                    // WIN MOVE marker — small green tick anchored at
+                    // `win_move_index / total`. Spawned only when the
+                    // active replay carries the field; older replays
+                    // pre-dating `win_move_index` simply don't get a
+                    // marker. Centered vertically on the 1px track via
+                    // a 3px-tall node offset 1px above the track top so
+                    // 1px sits above and 1px below the track line.
+                    if let Some(pct) = win_pct {
+                        track.spawn((
+                            ReplayOverlayWinMoveMarker,
+                            Node {
+                                position_type: PositionType::Absolute,
+                                left: Val::Percent(pct),
+                                top: Val::Px(-1.0),
+                                width: Val::Px(2.0),
+                                height: Val::Px(3.0),
+                                ..default()
+                            },
+                            BackgroundColor(STATE_SUCCESS),
+                        ));
+                    }
                });
        });
+
+    // Floating progress chip — a 2D world-space `Text2d` rendered
+    // above the destination pile of the most-recently-applied move.
+    // Sibling of (not child of) the banner overlay because it lives
+    // in world-space coordinates, not the UI tree. Spawned hidden;
+    // `update_floating_progress_chip` shows + positions it on the
+    // first frame the cursor advances past 0. Lifecycle matches
+    // the banner overlay — `react_to_state_change` despawns both
+    // when the replay state transitions back to `Inactive`.
+    commands.spawn((
+        ReplayFloatingProgressChip,
+        Text2d::new(format_progress(state)),
+        TextFont {
+            font: font_handle_for_floating,
+            font_size: TYPE_BODY,
+            ..default()
+        },
+        TextColor(TEXT_PRIMARY),
+        // High Z keeps the chip above every card stack
+        // (Z_DROP_OVERLAY = 50, Z_STOCK_BADGE = 30, regular cards
+        // stack to the low double digits at most).
+        Transform::from_xyz(0.0, 0.0, 100.0),
+        Visibility::Hidden,
+    ));
 }

 /// Pure helper — returns the scrub-fill width as a percentage of the
@@ -383,6 +531,33 @@ fn scrub_pct(state: &ReplayPlaybackState) -> f32 {
    }
 }

+/// Pure helper — returns the WIN MOVE marker's left-edge position as
+/// a percentage of the scrub track, or `None` when no marker should
+/// be drawn.
+///
+/// `None` is returned in any of these cases:
+/// - The state isn't `Playing` (no replay attached).
+/// - The replay's `win_move_index` is `None` (older replay loaded
+///   from disk pre-dating the field).
+/// - The replay's move list is empty (shouldn't happen for real wins,
+///   but guards the divide-by-zero).
+///
+/// The percentage clamps to `[0, 100]` so a malformed
+/// `win_move_index >= total` (defensive — shouldn't happen) doesn't
+/// position the marker outside the track.
+fn win_move_marker_pct(state: &ReplayPlaybackState) -> Option<f32> {
+    let ReplayPlaybackState::Playing { replay, .. } = state else {
+        return None;
+    };
+    let idx = replay.win_move_index?;
+    let total = replay.moves.len();
+    if total == 0 {
+        return None;
+    }
+    let frac = (idx as f32 / total as f32).clamp(0.0, 1.0);
+    Some(frac * 100.0)
+}
+
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // Per-frame text updates
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -425,6 +600,78 @@ fn update_progress_text(
    }
 }

+/// Repositions the floating progress chip above the destination
+/// pile of the most-recently-applied move and repaints its text.
+///
+/// The chip is hidden when:
+/// - the cursor is at 0 (no moves applied yet — chip would have
+///   nowhere meaningful to land), OR
+/// - the most-recently-applied move was a `StockClick` (no
+///   destination pile — stock-click feedback already lives at
+///   the stock pile and we don't want the chip to jitter back
+///   to the stock pile every cycle).
+///
+/// When visible, the chip's world-space `Transform.translation`
+/// is set to the destination pile's centre plus a fixed upward
+/// offset (`card_size.y * 0.6`) so the chip floats just above
+/// the top edge of the card. World-space placement (rather than
+/// UI-space + camera projection) keeps the math trivial and means
+/// the chip stays correctly positioned through window resizes
+/// without any extra wiring — `LayoutResource` already drives
+/// every other piece of pile geometry.
+fn update_floating_progress_chip(
+    state: Res<ReplayPlaybackState>,
+    layout: Option<Res<LayoutResource>>,
+    mut chips: Query<
+        (&mut Transform, &mut Visibility, &mut Text2d),
+        With<ReplayFloatingProgressChip>,
+    >,
+) {
+    let Some(layout) = layout else {
+        return;
+    };
+
+    // Resolve the destination pile of the last-applied move (if
+    // any). `cursor` is the index of the *next* move to apply, so
+    // the most-recently-applied move sits at `cursor - 1`.
+    let dest_pile = match state.as_ref() {
+        ReplayPlaybackState::Playing { replay, cursor, .. } if *cursor > 0 => {
+            match &replay.moves[cursor - 1] {
+                ReplayMove::Move { to, .. } => Some(to.clone()),
+                ReplayMove::StockClick => None,
+            }
+        }
+        _ => None,
+    };
+
+    let Some(world_pos) = dest_pile
+        .as_ref()
+        .and_then(|p| layout.0.pile_positions.get(p).copied())
+    else {
+        // Nothing to point at — hide every chip and exit.
+        for (_, mut visibility, _) in chips.iter_mut() {
+            *visibility = Visibility::Hidden;
+        }
+        return;
+    };
+
+    // Position above the destination pile by ~60 % of a card
+    // height. Half a card lifts above the centre, the extra 10 %
+    // is breathing room above the top edge so the chip doesn't
+    // visually clip the card.
+    let above = Vec2::new(0.0, layout.0.card_size.y * 0.6);
+    let target = (world_pos + above).extend(100.0);
+    let label = format_progress(&state);
+
+    for (mut transform, mut visibility, mut text2d) in chips.iter_mut() {
+        transform.translation = target;
+        *visibility = Visibility::Inherited;
+        if **text2d != label {
+            **text2d = label.clone();
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 /// Repaints the bottom-edge accent scrub fill to mirror cursor progress.
 /// Same change-detection guard as the text updaters — the overlay
 /// already early-exits when nothing moved, so an idle replay leaves the
@@ -477,9 +724,22 @@ fn format_progress(state: &ReplayPlaybackState) -> String {
 }

 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-// Stop button handler
+// Playback-control button handlers
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------

+/// Pure helper — returns the label the Pause / Resume button should
+/// carry for the given state. "Pause" while running, "Resume" while
+/// paused, empty otherwise (the button is despawned with the rest of
+/// the overlay tree on transitions to `Inactive` / `Completed`, so
+/// the empty branch only fires for one frame around state changes).
+fn pause_button_label(state: &ReplayPlaybackState) -> &'static str {
+    match state {
+        ReplayPlaybackState::Playing { paused: true, .. } => "Resume",
+        ReplayPlaybackState::Playing { paused: false, .. } => "Pause",
+        ReplayPlaybackState::Inactive | ReplayPlaybackState::Completed => "",
+    }
+}
+
 /// Watches the Stop button for `Interaction::Pressed` transitions. On a
 /// click, calls [`stop_replay_playback`] which resets the state to
 /// `Inactive`; the next frame's `react_to_state_change` then despawns
@@ -495,6 +755,82 @@ fn handle_stop_button(
    stop_replay_playback(&mut commands, &mut state);
 }

+/// Watches the Pause / Resume button for `Interaction::Pressed`
+/// transitions. On a click, toggles the `paused` flag via
+/// [`toggle_pause_replay_playback`]. The label repaint happens in
+/// [`update_pause_button_label`] on the same frame the state mutation
+/// flushes.
+fn handle_pause_button(
+    mut state: ResMut<ReplayPlaybackState>,
+    buttons: Query<&Interaction, (With<ReplayPauseButton>, Changed<Interaction>)>,
+) {
+    if !buttons.iter().any(|i| *i == Interaction::Pressed) {
+        return;
+    }
+    toggle_pause_replay_playback(&mut state);
+}
+
+/// Watches the Step button for `Interaction::Pressed` transitions. On
+/// a click, advances exactly one move via [`step_replay_playback`].
+/// No-op while playback is unpaused (would race the tick loop) — the
+/// guard lives inside `step_replay_playback`.
+fn handle_step_button(
+    mut state: ResMut<ReplayPlaybackState>,
+    mut moves_writer: MessageWriter<MoveRequestEvent>,
+    mut draws_writer: MessageWriter<DrawRequestEvent>,
+    buttons: Query<&Interaction, (With<ReplayStepButton>, Changed<Interaction>)>,
+) {
+    if !buttons.iter().any(|i| *i == Interaction::Pressed) {
+        return;
+    }
+    step_replay_playback(&mut state, &mut moves_writer, &mut draws_writer);
+}
+
+/// Repaints the Pause / Resume button's label whenever
+/// [`ReplayPlaybackState`] changes. Walks from the marked button
+/// entity to its single child [`Text`] so the spawn path doesn't need
+/// a second marker on the inner node.
+fn update_pause_button_label(
+    state: Res<ReplayPlaybackState>,
+    buttons: Query<&Children, With<ReplayPauseButton>>,
+    mut texts: Query<&mut Text>,
+) {
+    if !state.is_changed() {
+        return;
+    }
+    let label = pause_button_label(&state);
+    if label.is_empty() {
+        // Overlay is mid-teardown; the button entity will despawn
+        // this frame anyway. Skip the repaint to avoid touching a
+        // doomed entity.
+        return;
+    }
+    for children in &buttons {
+        for child in children.iter() {
+            if let Ok(mut text) = texts.get_mut(child) {
+                text.0 = label.to_string();
+                break;
+            }
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+/// Watches `Space` for the keyboard pause / resume accelerator.
+/// UI-first contract from CLAUDE.md §3.3 is satisfied by the on-
+/// screen Pause / Resume button; this is the optional accelerator.
+/// No-op when the playback isn't `Playing` (e.g. while a modal is
+/// open and the player is using `Space` for something else).
+fn handle_pause_keyboard(
+    keys: Option<Res<ButtonInput<KeyCode>>>,
+    mut state: ResMut<ReplayPlaybackState>,
+) {
+    let Some(keys) = keys else { return };
+    if !keys.just_pressed(KeyCode::Space) {
+        return;
+    }
+    toggle_pause_replay_playback(&mut state);
+}
+
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // Tests
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -595,6 +931,7 @@ mod tests {
                replay: synthetic_replay(10),
                cursor: 0,
                secs_to_next: 0.5,
+                paused: false,
            },
        );
        app.update();
@@ -618,6 +955,7 @@ mod tests {
                replay: synthetic_replay(10),
                cursor: 5,
                secs_to_next: 0.5,
+                paused: false,
            },
        );
        app.update();
@@ -638,6 +976,7 @@ mod tests {
                replay: synthetic_replay(10),
                cursor: 0,
                secs_to_next: 0.5,
+                paused: false,
            },
        );
        app.update();
@@ -668,6 +1007,57 @@ mod tests {
        );
    }

+    /// Lifecycle: the floating progress chip spawns alongside the
+    /// banner overlay when playback starts, and despawns when
+    /// playback ends. (Position correctness needs `LayoutResource`,
+    /// which isn't set up in this headless fixture; the lifecycle
+    /// test below is what's load-bearing for the spawn/despawn
+    /// pairing.)
+    #[test]
+    fn floating_chip_spawns_and_despawns_with_overlay() {
+        let mut app = headless_app();
+        // Inactive → no chip.
+        app.update();
+        assert_eq!(
+            app.world_mut()
+                .query::<&ReplayFloatingProgressChip>()
+                .iter(app.world())
+                .count(),
+            0,
+            "no floating chip while playback is Inactive",
+        );
+
+        set_state(
+            &mut app,
+            ReplayPlaybackState::Playing {
+                replay: synthetic_replay(5),
+                cursor: 0,
+                secs_to_next: 0.5,
+                paused: false,
+            },
+        );
+        app.update();
+        assert_eq!(
+            app.world_mut()
+                .query::<&ReplayFloatingProgressChip>()
+                .iter(app.world())
+                .count(),
+            1,
+            "floating chip must spawn when playback starts",
+        );
+
+        set_state(&mut app, ReplayPlaybackState::Inactive);
+        app.update();
+        assert_eq!(
+            app.world_mut()
+                .query::<&ReplayFloatingProgressChip>()
+                .iter(app.world())
+                .count(),
+            0,
+            "floating chip must despawn when playback ends",
+        );
+    }
+
    /// Manually flipping the resource back to `Inactive` (e.g. via the
    /// playback core's auto-clear after `Completed`) tears the overlay
    /// down without any further input.
@@ -680,6 +1070,7 @@ mod tests {
                replay: synthetic_replay(3),
                cursor: 1,
                secs_to_next: 0.5,
+                paused: false,
            },
        );
        app.update();
@@ -707,6 +1098,7 @@ mod tests {
                replay: synthetic_replay(7),
                cursor: 7,
                secs_to_next: 0.0,
+                paused: false,
            },
        );
        app.update();
@@ -760,6 +1152,7 @@ mod tests {
                replay: synthetic_replay(10),
                cursor: 0,
                secs_to_next: 0.5,
+                paused: false,
            }),
            0.0,
        );
@@ -768,6 +1161,7 @@ mod tests {
                replay: synthetic_replay(10),
                cursor: 5,
                secs_to_next: 0.5,
+                paused: false,
            }),
            50.0,
        );
@@ -776,6 +1170,7 @@ mod tests {
                replay: synthetic_replay(10),
                cursor: 10,
                secs_to_next: 0.5,
+                paused: false,
            }),
            100.0,
        );
@@ -810,6 +1205,7 @@ mod tests {
                replay: synthetic_replay(10),
                cursor: 5,
                secs_to_next: 0.5,
+                paused: false,
            }),
            Some("GAME #2026-122".to_string()),
        );
@@ -823,6 +1219,7 @@ mod tests {
                replay: early_january,
                cursor: 0,
                secs_to_next: 0.5,
+                paused: false,
            }),
            Some("GAME #2026-005".to_string()),
        );
@@ -840,6 +1237,7 @@ mod tests {
                replay: synthetic_replay(10),
                cursor: 0,
                secs_to_next: 0.5,
+                paused: false,
            },
        );
        app.update();
@@ -871,6 +1269,7 @@ mod tests {
                replay: synthetic_replay(8),
                cursor: 2,
                secs_to_next: 0.5,
+                paused: false,
            },
        );
        app.update();
@@ -886,6 +1285,7 @@ mod tests {
                replay: synthetic_replay(8),
                cursor: 6,
                secs_to_next: 0.5,
+                paused: false,
            },
        );
        app.update();
@@ -903,4 +1303,295 @@ mod tests {
            "Completed state must read as a fully-filled track",
        );
    }
+
+    // -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+    // win_move_marker_pct + ReplayOverlayWinMoveMarker spawn behaviour
+    // -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+    fn win_marker_count(app: &mut App) -> usize {
+        app.world_mut()
+            .query::<&ReplayOverlayWinMoveMarker>()
+            .iter(app.world())
+            .count()
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn win_move_marker_pct_is_none_for_inactive() {
+        assert_eq!(win_move_marker_pct(&ReplayPlaybackState::Inactive), None);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn win_move_marker_pct_is_none_for_completed() {
+        // `Completed` carries no replay so the marker has no data to
+        // anchor against — the overlay treats this as "no marker".
+        assert_eq!(win_move_marker_pct(&ReplayPlaybackState::Completed), None);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn win_move_marker_pct_is_none_when_replay_lacks_field() {
+        // Synthetic replay constructor leaves win_move_index as None
+        // (legacy / pre-`ab857bb` path).
+        let state = ReplayPlaybackState::Playing {
+            replay: synthetic_replay(10),
+            cursor: 0,
+            secs_to_next: 0.5,
+            paused: false,
+        };
+        assert_eq!(win_move_marker_pct(&state), None);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn win_move_marker_pct_is_some_at_correct_position() {
+        // 10 moves, win at index 9 → marker sits at 90 % of the track.
+        // Matches the recording semantic: cursor reaches the marker
+        // exactly when the about-to-apply move IS the win move.
+        let state = ReplayPlaybackState::Playing {
+            replay: synthetic_replay(10).with_win_move_index(Some(9)),
+            cursor: 0,
+            secs_to_next: 0.5,
+            paused: false,
+        };
+        assert_eq!(win_move_marker_pct(&state), Some(90.0));
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn win_move_marker_pct_clamps_to_track_bounds() {
+        // Defensive: if a malformed replay carried `win_move_index >=
+        // total`, the marker must still sit on the track, not past it.
+        let state = ReplayPlaybackState::Playing {
+            replay: synthetic_replay(5).with_win_move_index(Some(99)),
+            cursor: 0,
+            secs_to_next: 0.5,
+            paused: false,
+        };
+        assert_eq!(win_move_marker_pct(&state), Some(100.0));
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn marker_spawned_when_replay_has_win_move_index() {
+        let mut app = headless_app();
+        set_state(
+            &mut app,
+            ReplayPlaybackState::Playing {
+                replay: synthetic_replay(8).with_win_move_index(Some(7)),
+                cursor: 0,
+                secs_to_next: 0.5,
+                paused: false,
+            },
+        );
+        app.update();
+        assert_eq!(
+            win_marker_count(&mut app),
+            1,
+            "marker entity must spawn when replay carries Some(win_move_index)"
+        );
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn marker_not_spawned_when_replay_lacks_win_move_index() {
+        let mut app = headless_app();
+        // Default constructor → win_move_index: None (legacy replay).
+        set_state(
+            &mut app,
+            ReplayPlaybackState::Playing {
+                replay: synthetic_replay(8),
+                cursor: 0,
+                secs_to_next: 0.5,
+                paused: false,
+            },
+        );
+        app.update();
+        assert_eq!(
+            win_marker_count(&mut app),
+            0,
+            "no marker should spawn for a replay pre-dating the field"
+        );
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn marker_despawns_when_replay_state_returns_to_inactive() {
+        let mut app = headless_app();
+        set_state(
+            &mut app,
+            ReplayPlaybackState::Playing {
+                replay: synthetic_replay(8).with_win_move_index(Some(7)),
+                cursor: 0,
+                secs_to_next: 0.5,
+                paused: false,
+            },
+        );
+        app.update();
+        assert_eq!(win_marker_count(&mut app), 1);
+
+        set_state(&mut app, ReplayPlaybackState::Inactive);
+        app.update();
+        assert_eq!(
+            win_marker_count(&mut app),
+            0,
+            "marker must despawn with the rest of the overlay tree"
+        );
+    }
+
+    // -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+    // pause_button_label + pause / step click handlers + keyboard accelerator
+    // -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+    /// Read the current text content of the unique pause / resume button.
+    fn pause_button_text(app: &mut App) -> String {
+        let world = app.world_mut();
+        let mut button_q = world.query_filtered::<&Children, With<ReplayPauseButton>>();
+        let children: Vec<Entity> = button_q
+            .iter(world)
+            .next()
+            .map(|c| c.iter().collect())
+            .unwrap_or_default();
+        let mut text_q = world.query::<&Text>();
+        for child in children {
+            if let Ok(text) = text_q.get(world, child) {
+                return text.0.clone();
+            }
+        }
+        String::new()
+    }
+
+    /// Find the unique entity carrying the given button marker.
+    fn unique_button<M: Component>(app: &mut App) -> Entity {
+        let world = app.world_mut();
+        let mut q = world.query_filtered::<Entity, With<M>>();
+        q.iter(world).next().expect("button entity must exist")
+    }
+
+    fn pressed_paused_state(replay_len: usize, cursor: usize) -> ReplayPlaybackState {
+        ReplayPlaybackState::Playing {
+            replay: synthetic_replay(replay_len),
+            cursor,
+            secs_to_next: 0.5,
+            paused: true,
+        }
+    }
+
+    fn running_state(replay_len: usize, cursor: usize) -> ReplayPlaybackState {
+        ReplayPlaybackState::Playing {
+            replay: synthetic_replay(replay_len),
+            cursor,
+            secs_to_next: 0.5,
+            paused: false,
+        }
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn pause_button_label_reads_pause_when_running() {
+        assert_eq!(pause_button_label(&running_state(5, 0)), "Pause");
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn pause_button_label_reads_resume_when_paused() {
+        assert_eq!(pause_button_label(&pressed_paused_state(5, 0)), "Resume");
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn pause_button_label_is_empty_off_state() {
+        assert_eq!(pause_button_label(&ReplayPlaybackState::Inactive), "");
+        assert_eq!(pause_button_label(&ReplayPlaybackState::Completed), "");
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn pause_button_text_swaps_when_state_pauses() {
+        let mut app = headless_app();
+        set_state(&mut app, running_state(5, 0));
+        app.update();
+        assert_eq!(pause_button_text(&mut app), "Pause");
+
+        set_state(&mut app, pressed_paused_state(5, 0));
+        app.update();
+        assert_eq!(
+            pause_button_text(&mut app),
+            "Resume",
+            "label must repaint to Resume on the frame the state pauses"
+        );
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn pause_button_click_toggles_paused_flag() {
+        let mut app = headless_app();
+        set_state(&mut app, running_state(5, 0));
+        app.update();
+
+        let button = unique_button::<ReplayPauseButton>(&mut app);
+        app.world_mut()
+            .entity_mut(button)
+            .insert(Interaction::Pressed);
+        app.update();
+
+        match app.world().resource::<ReplayPlaybackState>() {
+            ReplayPlaybackState::Playing { paused, .. } => {
+                assert!(*paused, "click must flip running → paused");
+            }
+            other => panic!("expected Playing, got {other:?}"),
+        }
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn step_button_click_advances_cursor_while_paused() {
+        let mut app = headless_app();
+        set_state(&mut app, pressed_paused_state(5, 0));
+        app.update();
+
+        let button = unique_button::<ReplayStepButton>(&mut app);
+        app.world_mut()
+            .entity_mut(button)
+            .insert(Interaction::Pressed);
+        app.update();
+
+        match app.world().resource::<ReplayPlaybackState>() {
+            ReplayPlaybackState::Playing { cursor, paused, .. } => {
+                assert_eq!(*cursor, 1, "step must advance the cursor by exactly one");
+                assert!(*paused, "step must leave the paused flag untouched");
+            }
+            other => panic!("expected Playing, got {other:?}"),
+        }
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn step_button_click_is_noop_while_running() {
+        let mut app = headless_app();
+        set_state(&mut app, running_state(5, 0));
+        app.update();
+
+        let button = unique_button::<ReplayStepButton>(&mut app);
+        app.world_mut()
+            .entity_mut(button)
+            .insert(Interaction::Pressed);
+        app.update();
+
+        match app.world().resource::<ReplayPlaybackState>() {
+            ReplayPlaybackState::Playing { cursor, paused, .. } => {
+                assert_eq!(*cursor, 0, "running-step must not race the tick loop");
+                assert!(!*paused);
+            }
+            other => panic!("expected Playing, got {other:?}"),
+        }
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn space_keyboard_toggles_paused_flag() {
+        let mut app = headless_app();
+        // The keyboard handler reads `Option<Res<ButtonInput<KeyCode>>>`
+        // and no-ops when missing — provide it for this test.
+        app.init_resource::<ButtonInput<KeyCode>>();
+        set_state(&mut app, running_state(5, 0));
+        app.update();
+
+        app.world_mut()
+            .resource_mut::<ButtonInput<KeyCode>>()
+            .press(KeyCode::Space);
+        app.update();
+
+        match app.world().resource::<ReplayPlaybackState>() {
+            ReplayPlaybackState::Playing { paused, .. } => {
+                assert!(*paused, "Space must toggle running → paused");
+            }
+            other => panic!("expected Playing, got {other:?}"),
+        }
+    }
 }
@@ -119,6 +119,15 @@ pub enum ReplayPlaybackState {
        cursor: usize,
        /// Seconds remaining until the next move is dispatched.
        secs_to_next: f32,
+        /// `true` while playback is paused — `tick_replay_playback`
+        /// skips the `secs_to_next` decrement entirely while this is
+        /// set, so the cursor and the timer freeze together. The
+        /// overlay stays mounted (`is_playing()` still returns
+        /// `true`) so the player can see the paused state and the
+        /// Resume / Step controls. Stepping while paused fires the
+        /// next move directly via [`step_replay_playback`] and
+        /// leaves the paused flag untouched.
+        paused: bool,
    },
    /// The replay finished playing back. The overlay swaps the banner
    /// label to "Replay complete" until [`auto_clear_completed_replay`]
@@ -194,6 +203,7 @@ pub fn start_replay_playback(
        replay,
        cursor: 0,
        secs_to_next: REPLAY_MOVE_INTERVAL_SECS,
+        paused: false,
    };
 }

@@ -219,6 +229,61 @@ pub fn stop_replay_playback(
    **state = ReplayPlaybackState::Inactive;
 }

+/// Toggle the `paused` flag on the active playback. No-op when not
+/// `Playing` (i.e. `Inactive` or `Completed`) — pause has no meaning
+/// in those states. Returns the new paused value, or `None` if the
+/// state wasn't `Playing`.
+pub fn toggle_pause_replay_playback(state: &mut ResMut<ReplayPlaybackState>) -> Option<bool> {
+    if let ReplayPlaybackState::Playing { paused, .. } = state.as_mut() {
+        *paused = !*paused;
+        Some(*paused)
+    } else {
+        None
+    }
+}
+
+/// Advance playback by exactly one move. Only meaningful while paused
+/// — when called on an unpaused playback it would race the
+/// `tick_replay_playback` loop. Returns `true` when a move was fired,
+/// `false` when no-op (state isn't `Playing { paused: true }` or the
+/// cursor is already at the end of the move list).
+///
+/// Stepping the last move transitions the state to `Completed` on
+/// the next `tick_replay_playback` frame — same end-of-list path the
+/// normal advance loop takes.
+pub fn step_replay_playback(
+    state: &mut ResMut<ReplayPlaybackState>,
+    moves_writer: &mut MessageWriter<MoveRequestEvent>,
+    draws_writer: &mut MessageWriter<DrawRequestEvent>,
+) -> bool {
+    let ReplayPlaybackState::Playing {
+        replay,
+        cursor,
+        paused: true,
+        ..
+    } = state.as_mut()
+    else {
+        return false;
+    };
+    if *cursor >= replay.moves.len() {
+        return false;
+    }
+    match &replay.moves[*cursor] {
+        ReplayMove::Move { from, to, count } => {
+            moves_writer.write(MoveRequestEvent {
+                from: from.clone(),
+                to: to.clone(),
+                count: *count,
+            });
+        }
+        ReplayMove::StockClick => {
+            draws_writer.write(DrawRequestEvent);
+        }
+    }
+    *cursor += 1;
+    true
+}
+
 /// Tick system. Runs every frame; only does work when
 /// [`ReplayPlaybackState::is_playing`].
 ///
@@ -249,8 +314,15 @@ fn tick_replay_playback(
        replay,
        cursor,
        secs_to_next,
+        paused,
    } = state.as_mut()
    {
+        // While paused, the cursor and the timer freeze together —
+        // skip the decrement entirely so resuming starts the next
+        // move from a full `secs_to_next` window. Stepping (handled
+        // separately) fires moves directly without touching this
+        // path.
+        if !*paused {
            *secs_to_next -= dt;
            while *secs_to_next <= 0.0 && *cursor < replay.moves.len() {
                match &replay.moves[*cursor] {
@@ -273,6 +345,7 @@ fn tick_replay_playback(
                transition_to_completed = true;
            }
        }
+    }

    if transition_to_completed {
        *state = ReplayPlaybackState::Completed;
@@ -34,9 +34,9 @@ use crate::ui_modal::{
 };
 use crate::ui_tooltip::Tooltip;
 use crate::ui_theme::{
-    BG_BASE, BG_ELEVATED, BG_ELEVATED_HI, BORDER_SUBTLE, RADIUS_SM, SPACE_2, STATE_SUCCESS,
-    TEXT_PRIMARY, TEXT_SECONDARY, TYPE_BODY, TYPE_BODY_LG, TYPE_CAPTION, VAL_SPACE_2, VAL_SPACE_3,
-    Z_MODAL_PANEL,
+    BG_BASE, BG_ELEVATED, BG_ELEVATED_HI, BORDER_SUBTLE, BORDER_SUBTLE_HC, HighContrastBorder,
+    RADIUS_SM, SPACE_2, STATE_SUCCESS, TEXT_PRIMARY, TEXT_SECONDARY, TYPE_BODY, TYPE_BODY_LG,
+    TYPE_CAPTION, VAL_SPACE_2, VAL_SPACE_3, Z_MODAL_PANEL,
 };

 /// Side length of a swatch button in the card-back / background pickers.
@@ -364,6 +364,7 @@ impl Plugin for SettingsPlugin {
                    update_anim_speed_text,
                    update_color_blind_text,
                    update_high_contrast_text,
+                    update_high_contrast_borders,
                    update_reduce_motion_text,
                    update_tooltip_delay_text,
                    update_time_bonus_multiplier_text,
@@ -637,6 +638,42 @@ fn update_high_contrast_text(
    }
 }

+/// Repaints `BorderColor` on every entity tagged with
+/// [`HighContrastBorder`] based on `Settings::high_contrast_mode`.
+/// Off → the marker's `default_color`; on → `BORDER_SUBTLE_HC`
+/// (`#a0a0a0`). Compares against the current border colour and
+/// only mutates when different so Bevy's change-detection
+/// doesn't trigger repaints every frame.
+///
+/// Spec at `design-system.md` §Accessibility (#2): under HC,
+/// outlines boost from `#505050` (BORDER_STRONG) to `#a0a0a0` so
+/// modal panels, popover edges, and focus-ring carriers stay
+/// legible on low-quality displays / for low-vision users.
+///
+/// Tagged sites in v0.21.x: the modal scaffold's card border
+/// (`ui_modal::spawn_modal`). More sites can be tagged in
+/// follow-ups by adding `HighContrastBorder::with_default(...)`
+/// to their spawn tuple.
+fn update_high_contrast_borders(
+    settings: Res<SettingsResource>,
+    mut borders: Query<(&HighContrastBorder, &mut BorderColor)>,
+) {
+    let high_contrast = settings.0.high_contrast_mode;
+    for (marker, mut border) in borders.iter_mut() {
+        let target = if high_contrast {
+            BORDER_SUBTLE_HC
+        } else {
+            marker.default_color
+        };
+        // Only mutate when actually different — avoids per-frame
+        // change-detection churn. `border.left` is representative
+        // because every tagged site uses `BorderColor::all(...)`.
+        if border.left != target {
+            *border = BorderColor::all(target);
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 fn update_reduce_motion_text(
    settings: Res<SettingsResource>,
    mut text_nodes: Query<&mut Text, With<ReduceMotionText>>,
@@ -1913,6 +1950,7 @@ fn picker_row(
                    },
                    BackgroundColor(bg),
                    BorderColor::all(BORDER_SUBTLE),
+                    HighContrastBorder::with_default(BORDER_SUBTLE),
                ))
                .with_children(|b| {
                    let text_color = if is_selected { BG_BASE } else { TEXT_PRIMARY };
@@ -2054,6 +2092,7 @@ fn theme_picker_row(
                    },
                    BackgroundColor(bg),
                    BorderColor::all(BORDER_SUBTLE),
+                    HighContrastBorder::with_default(BORDER_SUBTLE),
                ))
                .with_children(|b| {
                    spawn_thumbnail_pair(b, entry.thumbnails.as_ref());
@@ -2175,6 +2214,7 @@ fn sync_row(parent: &mut ChildSpawnerCommands, status_text: &str, font_res: Opti
                },
                BackgroundColor(BG_ELEVATED_HI),
                BorderColor::all(BORDER_SUBTLE),
+                HighContrastBorder::with_default(BORDER_SUBTLE),
            ))
            .with_children(|b| {
                b.spawn((
@@ -2235,6 +2275,7 @@ fn icon_button(
            },
            BackgroundColor(BG_ELEVATED_HI),
            BorderColor::all(BORDER_SUBTLE),
+            HighContrastBorder::with_default(BORDER_SUBTLE),
        ))
        .with_children(|b| {
            b.spawn((Text::new(label.to_string()), glyph_font, TextColor(TEXT_PRIMARY)));
@@ -219,12 +219,27 @@ fn spawn_splash(

    let font_handle = font_res.map(|f| f.0.clone()).unwrap_or_default();

+    // Settings is borrowed twice — once for the first_run_complete
+    // gate above, once here for the reduce-motion gate. The borrow
+    // above already happened (and was let-go via the `settings.as_deref()`
+    // pattern's auto-drop), so this re-read is safe.
+    let reduce_motion = settings.is_some_and(|s| s.0.reduce_motion_mode);
+
    // Generate the scanline texture handle up-front (when the asset
    // store is available — always true in production; opt-out under
    // bare `MinimalPlugins` test fixtures so existing tests that
    // don't init `Assets<Image>` keep working with the rest of the
-    // splash content unchanged).
-    let scanline_handle = images.map(|mut images| images.add(build_scanline_image()));
+    // splash content unchanged). Also skipped when reduce-motion is
+    // on — the scanline overlay is the "CRT scanline effect" the
+    // design-system spec calls out as non-essential motion under
+    // reduce-motion (`design-system.md` §Accessibility #3). Without
+    // it the boot screen still reads as terminal-themed; the
+    // scanlines are decorative.
+    let scanline_handle = if reduce_motion {
+        None
+    } else {
+        images.map(|mut images| images.add(build_scanline_image()))
+    };

    commands
        .spawn((
@@ -712,15 +727,29 @@ fn cursor_pulse_factor(age: Duration, period: f32, min: f32) -> f32 {
 ///
 /// No-op when no `SplashRoot` exists (the splash has already
 /// despawned, or we're under a test fixture that doesn't spawn one).
+///
+/// Under `Settings::reduce_motion_mode`, the per-frame pulse
+/// multiplier is skipped — the cursor still fades in / out with
+/// the global splash alpha (essential timing) but doesn't blink
+/// (decorative motion). Spec at `design-system.md` §Accessibility
+/// (#3): reduce-motion suppresses non-essential motion only;
+/// fade-in / fade-out timelines stay intact because the splash
+/// itself would otherwise hard-cut on/off, which is jarring.
 fn pulse_splash_cursor(
    roots: Query<&SplashAge, With<SplashRoot>>,
+    settings: Option<Res<SettingsResource>>,
    mut pulses: Query<(&SplashFadableBg, &mut BackgroundColor), With<SplashCursorPulse>>,
 ) {
    let Some(age) = roots.iter().next() else {
        return;
    };
    let global = splash_alpha(age.0).unwrap_or(0.0);
-    let pulse = cursor_pulse_factor(age.0, MOTION_PULSE_PERIOD_SECS, PULSE_ALPHA_MIN);
+    let reduce_motion = settings.is_some_and(|s| s.0.reduce_motion_mode);
+    let pulse = if reduce_motion {
+        1.0
+    } else {
+        cursor_pulse_factor(age.0, MOTION_PULSE_PERIOD_SECS, PULSE_ALPHA_MIN)
+    };
    let combined = (global * pulse).clamp(0.0, 1.0);
    for (fadable, mut bg) in &mut pulses {
        let mut c = fadable.base_color;
@@ -954,6 +983,46 @@ mod tests {
        );
    }

+    #[test]
+    fn splash_skips_scanline_overlay_under_reduce_motion() {
+        // The CRT scanline overlay is decorative motion that
+        // `Settings::reduce_motion_mode` suppresses per the
+        // design-system spec (§Accessibility #3). The splash
+        // root itself still spawns — the cursor still fades in
+        // and out (essential timing), but the scanline overlay
+        // node is omitted entirely.
+        use solitaire_data::Settings;
+        let mut app = App::new();
+        app.add_plugins(MinimalPlugins)
+            .add_plugins(bevy::asset::AssetPlugin::default())
+            .init_asset::<bevy::image::Image>()
+            .add_plugins(SplashPlugin);
+        app.init_resource::<ButtonInput<KeyCode>>();
+        app.init_resource::<ButtonInput<MouseButton>>();
+        app.insert_resource(SettingsResource(Settings {
+            first_run_complete: false,
+            reduce_motion_mode: true,
+            ..Settings::default()
+        }));
+        app.update();
+        // The splash root spawns (essential motion intact)
+        assert_eq!(
+            count_splash_roots(&mut app),
+            1,
+            "splash should still spawn under reduce-motion — only the scanline + pulse are gated",
+        );
+        // The scanline overlay is gone
+        let scanline_count = app
+            .world_mut()
+            .query::<&SplashScanlineOverlay>()
+            .iter(app.world())
+            .count();
+        assert_eq!(
+            scanline_count, 0,
+            "scanline overlay must NOT spawn under reduce-motion",
+        );
+    }
+
    #[test]
    fn splash_despawns_after_total_duration() {
        let mut app = headless_app();
@@ -32,9 +32,9 @@ use crate::ui_modal::{
    ScrimDismissible,
 };
 use crate::ui_theme::{
-    ACCENT_PRIMARY, BORDER_SUBTLE, RADIUS_SM, STATE_INFO, STATE_WARNING, STREAK_MILESTONES,
-    TEXT_PRIMARY, TEXT_SECONDARY, TYPE_BODY, TYPE_BODY_LG, TYPE_CAPTION, TYPE_HEADLINE, VAL_SPACE_2,
-    VAL_SPACE_3, VAL_SPACE_4, Z_MODAL_PANEL,
+    ACCENT_PRIMARY, BORDER_SUBTLE, HighContrastBorder, RADIUS_SM, STATE_INFO, STATE_WARNING,
+    STREAK_MILESTONES, TEXT_PRIMARY, TEXT_SECONDARY, TYPE_BODY, TYPE_BODY_LG, TYPE_CAPTION,
+    TYPE_HEADLINE, VAL_SPACE_2, VAL_SPACE_3, VAL_SPACE_4, Z_MODAL_PANEL,
 };

 /// Bevy resource wrapping the current stats.
@@ -1017,6 +1017,7 @@ fn spawn_stat_cell(parent: &mut ChildSpawnerCommands, value: &str, label: &str)
                ..default()
            },
            BorderColor::all(BORDER_SUBTLE),
+            HighContrastBorder::with_default(BORDER_SUBTLE),
        ))
        .with_children(|cell| {
            // Large value label — accent yellow makes the number sing
@@ -58,8 +58,9 @@ use crate::settings_plugin::SettingsResource;
 use crate::ui_theme::{
    scaled_duration, ACCENT_PRIMARY, ACCENT_PRIMARY_HOVER, ACCENT_SECONDARY, BG_BASE, BG_ELEVATED,
    BG_ELEVATED_HI, BG_ELEVATED_PRESSED, BG_ELEVATED_TOP, BORDER_STRONG, BORDER_SUBTLE,
-    MOTION_MODAL_SECS, RADIUS_LG, RADIUS_MD, SCRIM, TEXT_PRIMARY, TEXT_SECONDARY, TYPE_BODY_LG,
-    TYPE_CAPTION, TYPE_HEADLINE, VAL_SPACE_2, VAL_SPACE_3, VAL_SPACE_4, VAL_SPACE_5,
+    HighContrastBorder, MOTION_MODAL_SECS, RADIUS_LG, RADIUS_MD, SCRIM, TEXT_PRIMARY,
+    TEXT_SECONDARY, TYPE_BODY_LG, TYPE_CAPTION, TYPE_HEADLINE, VAL_SPACE_2, VAL_SPACE_3,
+    VAL_SPACE_4, VAL_SPACE_5,
 };

 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -230,6 +231,13 @@ where
                Transform::from_scale(Vec3::splat(MODAL_ENTER_START_SCALE)),
                BackgroundColor(BG_ELEVATED),
                BorderColor::all(BORDER_STRONG),
+                // Honour `Settings::high_contrast_mode`: under HC the
+                // border boosts from `BORDER_STRONG` (#505050) to
+                // `BORDER_SUBTLE_HC` (#a0a0a0) so the modal panel
+                // edge stays clearly visible against the scrim and
+                // surface beneath. `update_high_contrast_borders` in
+                // `settings_plugin` does the per-frame swap.
+                HighContrastBorder::with_default(BORDER_STRONG),
            ))
            .with_children(build_card);
        })
@@ -364,6 +372,7 @@ pub fn spawn_modal_button<M: Component>(
            },
            BackgroundColor(idle_bg(variant)),
            BorderColor::all(BORDER_SUBTLE),
+            HighContrastBorder::with_default(BORDER_SUBTLE),
        ))
        .with_children(|b| {
            b.spawn((Text::new(label.into()), font_label, TextColor(label_color)));
@@ -226,6 +226,32 @@ pub const BORDER_SUBTLE: Color = Color::srgba(0.208, 0.208, 0.208, 1.0);
 /// vision users.
 pub const BORDER_SUBTLE_HC: Color = Color::srgba(0.627, 0.627, 0.627, 1.0);

+/// Marker for entities whose [`BorderColor`] should swap to
+/// [`BORDER_SUBTLE_HC`] when `Settings::high_contrast_mode` is on.
+/// Tag any UI node where border legibility is accessibility-critical
+/// — modal panels, popovers, settings rows, focus-ring carriers —
+/// then add the `apply_high_contrast_borders` system to react to
+/// settings changes.
+///
+/// `default_color` records the off-state colour the entity was
+/// spawned with so the system can revert when HC is toggled back
+/// off. Different sites use different defaults (`BORDER_SUBTLE` for
+/// idle popover edges, `BORDER_STRONG` for active modal cards) — the
+/// marker captures whichever one applies at this entity.
+#[derive(bevy::prelude::Component, Debug, Clone, Copy)]
+pub struct HighContrastBorder {
+    /// Border colour to use when high-contrast mode is *off* — the
+    /// site's normal idle / active-state colour.
+    pub default_color: bevy::prelude::Color,
+}
+
+impl HighContrastBorder {
+    /// Convenience constructor — `HighContrastBorder::with_default(BORDER_SUBTLE)`.
+    pub const fn with_default(default_color: bevy::prelude::Color) -> Self {
+        Self { default_color }
+    }
+}
+
 /// Strong border — hover outline, focused button, active popover.
 /// `outline` from the design system. `#505050`.
 pub const BORDER_STRONG: Color = Color::srgba(0.314, 0.314, 0.314, 1.0);
@@ -36,8 +36,8 @@ use bevy::ui::{ComputedNode, UiGlobalTransform};
 use crate::font_plugin::FontResource;
 use crate::settings_plugin::SettingsResource;
 use crate::ui_theme::{
-    BG_ELEVATED_HI, BORDER_SUBTLE, MOTION_TOOLTIP_DELAY_SECS, RADIUS_SM, TEXT_PRIMARY,
-    TYPE_CAPTION, VAL_SPACE_2, Z_TOOLTIP,
+    BG_ELEVATED_HI, BORDER_SUBTLE, HighContrastBorder, MOTION_TOOLTIP_DELAY_SECS, RADIUS_SM,
+    TEXT_PRIMARY, TYPE_CAPTION, VAL_SPACE_2, Z_TOOLTIP,
 };

 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -189,6 +189,7 @@ fn spawn_tooltip_overlay(
            },
            BackgroundColor(BG_ELEVATED_HI),
            BorderColor::all(BORDER_SUBTLE),
+            HighContrastBorder::with_default(BORDER_SUBTLE),
            Visibility::Hidden,
            // Pin above the focus ring so a tooltip on a focused element
            // is never occluded by the focus outline.