diff --git a/solitaire_data/src/settings.rs b/solitaire_data/src/settings.rs
index 1a31d9e..4f70e23 100644
--- a/solitaire_data/src/settings.rs
+++ b/solitaire_data/src/settings.rs
@@ -265,6 +265,16 @@ pub struct Settings {
     /// `#[serde(default)]`.
     #[serde(default)]
     pub last_seen_whats_new: String,
+    /// `true` once the one-shot "Stuck? Try a hint" contextual tip has
+    /// fired (or been suppressed as unnecessary). Phase I teach: fired
+    /// by the situation, shown once, like `shown_achievement_onboarding`.
+    #[serde(default)]
+    pub shown_stall_hint_tip: bool,
+    /// `true` once the one-shot radial-menu contextual tip has fired —
+    /// or the player has already opened the radial menu on their own,
+    /// which marks the tip as unnecessary without showing it.
+    #[serde(default)]
+    pub shown_radial_menu_tip: bool,
     /// Custom public name displayed on the leaderboard. When `None`, the
     /// player's server `username` is used instead. Trimmed to 32 characters
     /// before submission. Older `settings.json` files written before this
@@ -434,6 +444,8 @@ impl Default for Settings {
             last_difficulty: None,
             last_mode: GameMode::Classic,
             last_seen_whats_new: String::new(),
+            shown_stall_hint_tip: false,
+            shown_radial_menu_tip: false,
             leaderboard_display_name: None,
             leaderboard_opted_in: false,
             take_from_foundation: true,
diff --git a/solitaire_engine/src/contextual_tips_plugin.rs b/solitaire_engine/src/contextual_tips_plugin.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ddae327
--- /dev/null
+++ b/solitaire_engine/src/contextual_tips_plugin.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,309 @@
+//! Contextual one-time tips (Phase I of the 2026-07 UI redesign).
+//!
+//! Everything the first-run onboarding doesn't cover is invisible until
+//! stumbled upon: hint cycling, the radial quick-action menu. These
+//! tips fire **from the situation, not a tour** — each exactly once,
+//! recorded in `Settings` like `shown_achievement_onboarding`:
+//!
+//! - **Stall tip** — after [`STALL_TIP_SECS`] with no board change in an
+//!   active game, an info toast points at Hint. A player staring at a
+//!   stuck board is the one moment the tip is welcome.
+//! - **Radial tip** — once a game reaches [`RADIAL_TIP_MIN_MOVES`] moves
+//!   (an engaged player) and the radial menu has never been opened, an
+//!   info toast teaches the long-press / right-click gesture. Opening
+//!   the radial organically marks the tip as unnecessary — it is never
+//!   shown to someone who already knows.
+//!
+//! Tips render through the queued [`InfoToastEvent`] path, so they share
+//! the unified toast stack and never interrupt play.
+
+use bevy::prelude::*;
+
+use solitaire_data::save_settings_to;
+
+use crate::events::{InfoToastEvent, StateChangedEvent};
+use crate::game_plugin::GameMutation;
+use crate::pause_plugin::PausedResource;
+use crate::platform::SHOW_KEYBOARD_ACCELERATORS;
+use crate::radial_menu::RightClickRadialState;
+use crate::resources::GameStateResource;
+use crate::settings_plugin::{SettingsResource, SettingsStoragePath};
+use crate::ui_modal::ModalScrim;
+
+/// Seconds without any board change before the stall tip fires.
+/// Long enough that normal thinking never triggers it; short enough to
+/// reach a genuinely stuck player before they quit.
+const STALL_TIP_SECS: f32 = 45.0;
+
+/// Move count at which an engaged player earns the radial-menu teach.
+const RADIAL_TIP_MIN_MOVES: u32 = 15;
+
+/// Stall-tip copy per platform input vocabulary.
+const STALL_TIP: &str = if SHOW_KEYBOARD_ACCELERATORS {
+    "Stuck? Press H for a hint."
+} else {
+    "Stuck? Tap Hint in the bottom bar for a suggested move."
+};
+
+/// Radial-tip copy per platform input vocabulary.
+const RADIAL_TIP: &str = if SHOW_KEYBOARD_ACCELERATORS {
+    "Tip: right-click a card for quick actions."
+} else {
+    "Tip: long-press a card for quick actions."
+};
+
+/// Seconds of board inactivity, frozen while paused / a modal is open,
+/// reset by every [`StateChangedEvent`].
+#[derive(Resource, Debug, Default)]
+pub struct StallClock(pub f32);
+
+/// Registers the stall clock and the two tip triggers.
+pub struct ContextualTipsPlugin;
+
+impl Plugin for ContextualTipsPlugin {
+    fn build(&self, app: &mut App) {
+        app.init_resource::<StallClock>()
+            .add_message::<InfoToastEvent>()
+            .add_message::<StateChangedEvent>()
+            .add_systems(
+                Update,
+                (
+                    tick_stall_clock,
+                    fire_stall_hint_tip
+                        .in_set(crate::game_plugin::InfoToastWriters)
+                        .ambiguous_with(crate::game_plugin::InfoToastWriters),
+                    observe_radial_menu_use,
+                    fire_radial_menu_tip
+                        .in_set(crate::game_plugin::InfoToastWriters)
+                        .ambiguous_with(crate::game_plugin::InfoToastWriters),
+                )
+                    .chain()
+                    .after(GameMutation),
+            );
+    }
+}
+
+/// Advances the stall clock; resets on any board change; freezes while
+/// paused, while a modal owns the screen, or when the game is over.
+fn tick_stall_clock(
+    time: Res<Time>,
+    mut state_events: MessageReader<StateChangedEvent>,
+    paused: Option<Res<PausedResource>>,
+    scrims: Query<(), With<ModalScrim>>,
+    game: Option<Res<GameStateResource>>,
+    mut clock: ResMut<StallClock>,
+) {
+    if state_events.read().next().is_some() {
+        clock.0 = 0.0;
+        return;
+    }
+    if paused.is_some_and(|p| p.0)
+        || !scrims.is_empty()
+        || game.as_ref().is_none_or(|g| g.0.is_won())
+    {
+        // Frozen, not reset: backgrounding into a menu mid-stall
+        // shouldn't restart the wait.
+        return;
+    }
+    clock.0 += time.delta_secs();
+}
+
+/// Fires the one-shot stall tip once the clock passes the threshold in
+/// a game the player has actually started (at least one move).
+fn fire_stall_hint_tip(
+    clock: Res<StallClock>,
+    game: Option<Res<GameStateResource>>,
+    mut settings: Option<ResMut<SettingsResource>>,
+    storage_path: Option<Res<SettingsStoragePath>>,
+    mut toast: MessageWriter<InfoToastEvent>,
+) {
+    let Some(s) = settings.as_mut() else { return };
+    if s.0.shown_stall_hint_tip || clock.0 < STALL_TIP_SECS {
+        return;
+    }
+    if game
+        .as_ref()
+        .is_none_or(|g| g.0.move_count() == 0 || g.0.is_won())
+    {
+        return;
+    }
+    toast.write(InfoToastEvent(STALL_TIP.to_string()));
+    s.0.shown_stall_hint_tip = true;
+    persist(storage_path.as_deref(), &s.0);
+}
+
+/// A player who opens the radial menu on their own doesn't need the
+/// teach — mark the tip done silently.
+fn observe_radial_menu_use(
+    radial: Option<Res<RightClickRadialState>>,
+    mut settings: Option<ResMut<SettingsResource>>,
+    storage_path: Option<Res<SettingsStoragePath>>,
+) {
+    let Some(radial) = radial else { return };
+    if !radial.is_active() {
+        return;
+    }
+    let Some(s) = settings.as_mut() else { return };
+    if s.0.shown_radial_menu_tip {
+        return;
+    }
+    s.0.shown_radial_menu_tip = true;
+    persist(storage_path.as_deref(), &s.0);
+}
+
+/// Fires the one-shot radial teach for an engaged player who has never
+/// opened the menu themselves.
+fn fire_radial_menu_tip(
+    game: Option<Res<GameStateResource>>,
+    mut settings: Option<ResMut<SettingsResource>>,
+    storage_path: Option<Res<SettingsStoragePath>>,
+    mut toast: MessageWriter<InfoToastEvent>,
+) {
+    let Some(s) = settings.as_mut() else { return };
+    if s.0.shown_radial_menu_tip {
+        return;
+    }
+    if game
+        .as_ref()
+        .is_none_or(|g| g.0.move_count() < RADIAL_TIP_MIN_MOVES || g.0.is_won())
+    {
+        return;
+    }
+    toast.write(InfoToastEvent(RADIAL_TIP.to_string()));
+    s.0.shown_radial_menu_tip = true;
+    persist(storage_path.as_deref(), &s.0);
+}
+
+fn persist(storage_path: Option<&SettingsStoragePath>, settings: &solitaire_data::Settings) {
+    if let Some(p) = storage_path
+        && let Some(path) = p.0.as_deref()
+        && let Err(e) = save_settings_to(path, settings)
+    {
+        warn!("contextual tips: failed to persist tip flag: {e}");
+    }
+}
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod tests {
+    use super::*;
+    use bevy::ecs::message::Messages;
+    use solitaire_core::{DrawStockConfig, game_state::GameState};
+    use solitaire_data::Settings;
+
+    fn app_with(settings: Settings, game: GameState) -> App {
+        let mut app = App::new();
+        app.add_plugins(MinimalPlugins)
+            .add_plugins(ContextualTipsPlugin);
+        app.insert_resource(SettingsResource(settings));
+        app.insert_resource(GameStateResource(game));
+        app.update();
+        app
+    }
+
+    fn info_toast_count(app: &App) -> usize {
+        let events = app.world().resource::<Messages<InfoToastEvent>>();
+        let mut cursor = events.get_cursor();
+        cursor.read(events).count()
+    }
+
+    fn started_game() -> GameState {
+        let mut game = GameState::new(7, DrawStockConfig::DrawOne);
+        game.draw().expect("draw from fresh deal");
+        game
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn stall_tip_fires_once_past_threshold() {
+        let mut app = app_with(Settings::default(), started_game());
+        app.world_mut().resource_mut::<StallClock>().0 = STALL_TIP_SECS + 1.0;
+        app.update();
+
+        assert_eq!(info_toast_count(&app), 1, "stall tip must fire");
+        assert!(
+            app.world()
+                .resource::<SettingsResource>()
+                .0
+                .shown_stall_hint_tip,
+            "the tip flag must set so it never repeats"
+        );
+
+        app.world_mut().resource_mut::<StallClock>().0 = STALL_TIP_SECS + 30.0;
+        app.world_mut()
+            .resource_mut::<Messages<InfoToastEvent>>()
+            .clear();
+        app.update();
+        assert_eq!(info_toast_count(&app), 0, "the tip is one-shot");
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn stall_tip_needs_a_started_unwon_game() {
+        // Untouched deal: staring at the launch screen is not a stall.
+        let mut app = app_with(
+            Settings::default(),
+            GameState::new(7, DrawStockConfig::DrawOne),
+        );
+        app.world_mut().resource_mut::<StallClock>().0 = STALL_TIP_SECS + 1.0;
+        app.update();
+        assert_eq!(info_toast_count(&app), 0, "no tip on an untouched deal");
+
+        // Won game: nothing to hint at.
+        let mut won = started_game();
+        won.set_test_won(true);
+        let mut app = app_with(Settings::default(), won);
+        app.world_mut().resource_mut::<StallClock>().0 = STALL_TIP_SECS + 1.0;
+        app.update();
+        assert_eq!(info_toast_count(&app), 0, "no tip on a won game");
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn stall_clock_resets_on_state_change() {
+        let mut app = app_with(Settings::default(), started_game());
+        app.world_mut().resource_mut::<StallClock>().0 = 30.0;
+        app.world_mut().write_message(StateChangedEvent);
+        app.update();
+        assert_eq!(
+            app.world().resource::<StallClock>().0,
+            0.0,
+            "any board change must reset the stall clock"
+        );
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn radial_tip_fires_for_engaged_player() {
+        let mut game = started_game();
+        game.set_test_move_count(RADIAL_TIP_MIN_MOVES);
+        let mut app = app_with(Settings::default(), game);
+        app.update();
+
+        assert_eq!(
+            info_toast_count(&app),
+            1,
+            "radial tip must fire at the move threshold"
+        );
+        assert!(
+            app.world()
+                .resource::<SettingsResource>()
+                .0
+                .shown_radial_menu_tip
+        );
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn radial_tip_suppressed_after_organic_use() {
+        let mut game = started_game();
+        game.set_test_move_count(RADIAL_TIP_MIN_MOVES);
+        let mut app = app_with(
+            Settings {
+                shown_radial_menu_tip: true,
+                ..Settings::default()
+            },
+            game,
+        );
+        app.update();
+        assert_eq!(
+            info_toast_count(&app),
+            0,
+            "a player who used the radial menu never sees the teach"
+        );
+    }
+}
diff --git a/solitaire_engine/src/core_game_plugin.rs b/solitaire_engine/src/core_game_plugin.rs
index f15aad1..f4cf85c 100644
--- a/solitaire_engine/src/core_game_plugin.rs
+++ b/solitaire_engine/src/core_game_plugin.rs
@@ -14,14 +14,14 @@ use crate::platform::{
 };
 use crate::{
     AchievementPlugin, AnimationPlugin, AssetSourcesPlugin, AutoCompletePlugin,
-    CardAnimationPlugin, CardPlugin, ChallengePlugin, CursorPlugin, DailyChallengePlugin,
-    DiagnosticsHudPlugin, DifficultyPlugin, FeedbackAnimPlugin, FontPlugin, GamePlugin, HelpPlugin,
-    HomePlugin, HudPlugin, InputPlugin, OnboardingPlugin, PausePlugin, PlayBySeedPlugin,
-    ProfilePlugin, ProgressPlugin, RadialMenuPlugin, ReplayOverlayPlugin, ReplayPlaybackPlugin,
-    SafeAreaInsetsPlugin, SelectionPlugin, SettingsPlugin, SolutionPlaybackPlugin, SplashPlugin,
-    StatsPlugin, SyncProvider, TablePlugin, ThemePlugin, ThemeRegistryPlugin, TimeAttackPlugin,
-    TouchSelectionPlugin, UiFocusPlugin, UiModalPlugin, UiTooltipPlugin, WeeklyGoalsPlugin,
-    WhatsNewPlugin, WinSummaryPlugin,
+    CardAnimationPlugin, CardPlugin, ChallengePlugin, ContextualTipsPlugin, CursorPlugin,
+    DailyChallengePlugin, DiagnosticsHudPlugin, DifficultyPlugin, FeedbackAnimPlugin, FontPlugin,
+    GamePlugin, HelpPlugin, HomePlugin, HudPlugin, InputPlugin, OnboardingPlugin, PausePlugin,
+    PlayBySeedPlugin, ProfilePlugin, ProgressPlugin, RadialMenuPlugin, ReplayOverlayPlugin,
+    ReplayPlaybackPlugin, SafeAreaInsetsPlugin, SelectionPlugin, SettingsPlugin,
+    SolutionPlaybackPlugin, SplashPlugin, StatsPlugin, SyncProvider, TablePlugin, ThemePlugin,
+    ThemeRegistryPlugin, TimeAttackPlugin, TouchSelectionPlugin, UiFocusPlugin, UiModalPlugin,
+    UiTooltipPlugin, WeeklyGoalsPlugin, WhatsNewPlugin, WinSummaryPlugin,
 };
 #[cfg(not(target_arch = "wasm32"))]
 use crate::{
@@ -116,6 +116,7 @@ impl Plugin for CoreGamePlugin {
             .add_plugins(SettingsPlugin::default())
             .add_plugins(OnboardingPlugin)
             .add_plugins(WhatsNewPlugin)
+            .add_plugins(ContextualTipsPlugin)
             .add_plugins(WinSummaryPlugin)
             .add_plugins(UiModalPlugin)
             .add_plugins(UiFocusPlugin)
diff --git a/solitaire_engine/src/lib.rs b/solitaire_engine/src/lib.rs
index 65504a9..6e446c0 100644
--- a/solitaire_engine/src/lib.rs
+++ b/solitaire_engine/src/lib.rs
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ pub mod avatar_plugin;
 pub mod card_animation;
 pub mod card_plugin;
 pub mod challenge_plugin;
+pub mod contextual_tips_plugin;
 pub mod core_game_plugin;
 pub mod cursor_plugin;
 pub mod daily_challenge_plugin;
@@ -94,6 +95,7 @@ pub use card_plugin::{
 pub use challenge_plugin::{
     CHALLENGE_UNLOCK_LEVEL, ChallengeAdvancedEvent, ChallengePlugin, challenge_progress_label,
 };
+pub use contextual_tips_plugin::ContextualTipsPlugin;
 pub use core_game_plugin::CoreGamePlugin;
 pub use cursor_plugin::CursorPlugin;
 pub use daily_challenge_plugin::{