The tester's second pass: the rule as written, advice that follows the board, the fold, the story on the replay page, and one click to begin

- Help said "walk, then act"; the rules let moves and cards come in any
  order, and now the help does too.
- The council's advice is derived from the live view while its panel is
  open, so a Number just played for movement is no longer recommended.
  It rests when the turn is not yours; "ask again" had nothing to add.
- The landing puts the name and the ways in before the clip, and beside
  it on a desktop: at 1280x720 the play button and Create/Join are above
  the fold.
- The replay page opens with the same deed the share card promises, and
  "play free" stands beside the reel instead of after the history.
- In hotseat the "pass the device" scrim stood above the roll-off, so the
  first click on "begin" landed on the handoff card. The handoff waits
  for the dice.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Fable 5.1 <noreply@anthropic.com>
Claude-Session: https://claude.ai/code/session_01Jm2auWk6RP71CjaAb4FMoG

packages/server/src/index.ts

@@ -325,7 +325,10 @@ const httpServer = createServer((req, res) => {
         "cache-control": "public, max-age=60",
         "access-control-allow-origin": "*",
       });
-      res.end(JSON.stringify({ steps: data.steps, actor: data.actor, round: data.round, whole: data.whole === true }));
+      res.end(JSON.stringify({
+        steps: data.steps, actor: data.actor, round: data.round, whole: data.whole === true,
+        headline: data.whole ? null : headlineOf(data),
+      }));
       return;
     }
     const watch = url.match(/^\/watch\/([a-z0-9]{4,20})(\/og\.png)?$/);

packages/web/src/App.svelte

@@ -1388,12 +1388,17 @@
   }
 
   // The council of three: what each temperament would do from your seat.
-  let councilHints = $state<import("./hints").TableHint[] | null>(null);
+  // Its advice follows the board while the panel is open — a card just
+  // played is no longer recommended — and rests while it is not your turn.
+  let councilOpen = $state(false);
+  let hintsModule = $state<typeof import("./hints") | null>(null);
+  const councilHints = $derived(
+    councilOpen && isYourTurn && view && hintsModule ? hintsModule.tableHints(view) : null,
+  );
   async function askCouncil() {
     if (!view) return;
-    if (councilHints !== null) councilUnasked = false; // asked again: theirs to keep
-    const { tableHints } = await import("./hints");
-    councilHints = tableHints(view);
+    hintsModule ??= await import("./hints");
+    councilOpen = true;
   }
 
   /** "Play now": one tap from the landing to a game against a clockwork
@@ -1466,7 +1471,7 @@
   /** The unasked advice is for that one turn: it leaves when the turn does. */
   let councilUnasked = $state(false);
   $effect(() => {
-    if (!view || !isYourTurn || prefs.coached || view.turn.round !== 1 || counciled || councilHints !== null) return;
+    if (!view || !isYourTurn || prefs.coached || view.turn.round !== 1 || counciled || councilOpen) return;
     counciled = true;
     councilUnasked = true;
     void askCouncil();
@@ -1476,7 +1481,7 @@
     // touches it would leave this effect with nothing to wake it.
     const stillFirstTurn = isYourTurn && view?.turn.round === 1;
     if (!councilUnasked || stillFirstTurn) return;
-    councilHints = null;
+    councilOpen = false;
     councilUnasked = false;
   });
 
@@ -2235,7 +2240,7 @@
         <button class="hint-cancel setup-cancel" onclick={() => local.cancelSetup()}>never mind</button>
       </div>
     </div>
-  {:else if local.handoffTo}
+  {:else if local.handoffTo && !openingRolls}
     <div class="scrim-handoff" role="button" tabindex="0"
       onclick={() => local.takeSeat()} onkeydown={(e) => e.key === "Enter" && local.takeSeat()}>
       <div class="handoff-card">
@@ -2248,39 +2253,45 @@
 
   {#if !net.roomId && !local.active}
     <section class="boxlid">
-      <div class="boxlid-inner">
-        <div class="boxlid-title">Wiz-War</div>
-        <div class="boxlid-pitch">Steal treasure. Blast through walls. Outwit your friends.</div>
-        <div class="boxlid-tag">A turn-based wizard board game for two to six, free in your browser, with
-          friends or clockwork opponents. Carry home two treasures that aren't yours, or be the last wizard standing.</div>
-        <button class="about-link" onclick={() => { helpTab = "about"; showHelp = true; }}>
-          about this game — a labor of love
-        </button>
-        <a class="hero" href="/clips" aria-label="watch clips from the labyrinth">
-          <img src="/hero.jpg" alt="Through a wizard's eyes: an ambush watches its corridor through a wormhole" />
-        </a>
-        <a class="about-link clips-link" href="/clips">watch clips from the labyrinth</a>
-        <label class="field">
-          <span>Your wizard's name</span>
-          <input bind:value={name} maxlength="20" placeholder="e.g. Mordecai" />
-        </label>
-        <button class="stamp primary play-now" disabled={!name.trim() || playNowPending !== null} onclick={playNow}>
-          {playNowPending ? "Flipping the boards…" : "Play now against a clockwork wizard"}
-        </button>
-        <div class="boxlid-actions">
-          <button class="stamp" disabled={!name.trim()} onclick={() => { setPref("wizardName", name.trim()); net.create(name); }}>
-            Create a game
-          </button>
-          <span class="or">or join one</span>
-          <input class="code" bind:value={joinCode} maxlength="4" placeholder="CODE" />
-          <button class="stamp" disabled={!name.trim() || !joinCode.trim()} onclick={() => { setPref("wizardName", name.trim()); net.join(joinCode, name); }}>
-            Join
+      <div class="boxlid-inner landing">
+        <div class="lid-head">
+          <div class="boxlid-title">Wiz-War</div>
+          <div class="boxlid-pitch">Steal treasure. Blast through walls. Outwit your friends.</div>
+          <div class="boxlid-tag">A turn-based wizard board game for two to six, free in your browser, with
+            friends or clockwork opponents. Carry home two treasures that aren't yours, or be the last wizard standing.</div>
+          <button class="about-link" onclick={() => { helpTab = "about"; showHelp = true; }}>
+            about this game — a labor of love
           </button>
         </div>
-        <div class="gallery-row">
-          <button class="hint-cancel" disabled={!joinCode.trim()} onclick={() => net.watch(joinCode)}>
-            👁 …or just watch that game from the Peanut Gallery
+        <div class="lid-play">
+          <label class="field">
+            <span>Your wizard's name</span>
+            <input bind:value={name} maxlength="20" placeholder="e.g. Mordecai" />
+          </label>
+          <button class="stamp primary play-now" disabled={!name.trim() || playNowPending !== null} onclick={playNow}>
+            {playNowPending ? "Flipping the boards…" : "Play now against a clockwork wizard"}
           </button>
+          <div class="boxlid-actions">
+            <button class="stamp" disabled={!name.trim()} onclick={() => { setPref("wizardName", name.trim()); net.create(name); }}>
+              Create a game
+            </button>
+            <span class="or">or join one</span>
+            <input class="code" bind:value={joinCode} maxlength="4" placeholder="CODE" />
+            <button class="stamp" disabled={!name.trim() || !joinCode.trim()} onclick={() => { setPref("wizardName", name.trim()); net.join(joinCode, name); }}>
+              Join
+            </button>
+          </div>
+          <div class="gallery-row">
+            <button class="hint-cancel" disabled={!joinCode.trim()} onclick={() => net.watch(joinCode)}>
+              👁 …or just watch that game from the Peanut Gallery
+            </button>
+          </div>
+        </div>
+        <div class="lid-look">
+          <a class="hero" href="/clips" aria-label="watch clips from the labyrinth">
+            <img src="/hero.jpg" alt="Through a wizard's eyes: an ambush watches its corridor through a wormhole" />
+          </a>
+          <a class="about-link clips-link" href="/clips">watch clips from the labyrinth</a>
         </div>
 
         <details class="more-ways" open={local.hasSave()}>
@@ -2874,7 +2885,7 @@
         {#if councilHints}
           <div class="slip council">
             <div class="council-head">The council considers your position…
-              <button class="hint-cancel" onclick={() => (councilHints = null)}>enough</button>
+              <button class="hint-cancel" onclick={() => { councilOpen = false; councilUnasked = false; }}>enough</button>
             </div>
             {#if councilHints.length > 1 && councilHints.every((h) => h.advice === councilHints![0]!.advice)}
               <div class="council-row"><span class="council-name">The council agrees:</span> {councilHints[0]!.advice}</div>
@@ -2887,7 +2898,6 @@
                 </div>
               {/each}
             {/if}
-            <button class="stamp tiny" onclick={askCouncil}>ask again</button>
           </div>
         {/if}
         {#if isYourTurn && view.players.some((p) => p.alive && p.id !== view.you &&
@@ -3538,6 +3548,25 @@
   }
   .hero { display: block; margin: 0.6rem auto 0; max-width: 24rem; border-radius: 6px; overflow: hidden;
           border: 1.5px solid #43331f; box-shadow: 0 2px 8px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.35); }
+  /* The landing: the name and the ways in come before the clip on a
+   * phone, and stand beside it on a desktop, so the play button is never
+   * below the fold. */
+  .lid-look { margin-top: 1.2rem; }
+  @media (min-width: 901px) {
+    .boxlid-inner.landing {
+      max-width: min(54rem, 100%);
+      display: grid;
+      grid-template-columns: minmax(0, 1fr) minmax(0, 1fr);
+      grid-template-areas: "head head" "play look" "more more";
+      column-gap: 2.2rem;
+      padding-top: 1.8rem;
+    }
+    .lid-head { grid-area: head; }
+    .lid-play { grid-area: play; }
+    .lid-look { grid-area: look; margin-top: 0; }
+    .boxlid-inner.landing .more-ways { grid-area: more; }
+    .boxlid-inner.landing .hero { margin-top: 0; }
+  }
   .hero img { display: block; width: 100%; }
   .play-now { display: block; margin: 0.2rem auto 0.8rem; font-size: 0.95rem; padding: 0.6rem 1.2rem; }
   .more-ways { margin-top: 1.2rem; }

packages/web/src/SharePage.svelte

@@ -15,6 +15,8 @@
     actor: string;
     round: number;
     whole?: boolean;
+    /** The turn's deed in one line, as the share card says it. */
+    headline?: string | null;
   }
   let data = $state<ShareSteps | null>(null);
   let failed = $state(false);
@@ -32,7 +34,14 @@
     <a class="share-brand" href="/">WIZ-WAR</a>
     {#if data}
       <div class="share-title">
-        {#if data.whole}The whole tale{data.actor ? ` — ${data.actor} triumphant` : ""}{:else}Instant replay — {data.actor}'s turn{data.round ? ` (round ${data.round})` : ""}{/if}
+        {#if data.whole}
+          <span class="share-deed">The whole tale{data.actor ? ` — ${data.actor} triumphant` : ""}</span>
+        {:else if data.headline}
+          <span class="share-deed">{data.headline}</span>
+          <span class="share-sub">an instant replay of {data.actor}'s turn{data.round ? `, round ${data.round}` : ""}</span>
+        {:else}
+          <span class="share-deed">Instant replay — {data.actor}'s turn{data.round ? ` (round ${data.round})` : ""}</span>
+        {/if}
       </div>
     {/if}
   </header>
@@ -51,6 +60,9 @@
           onclose={() => (reelKey += 1)} />
       {/key}
     </div>
+    <div class="share-play">
+      <a class="share-cta" href="/">▶ play free — two to six wizards enter the maze</a>
+    </div>
   {/if}
 
   <footer class="share-foot">
@@ -61,7 +73,6 @@
       transcribed, every wall verified, replays rebuilt move by move from
       the game's own ledger.
     </p>
-    <a class="share-cta" href="/">▶ play free — two to six wizards enter the maze</a>
   </footer>
 </div>
 
@@ -79,6 +90,7 @@
   .share-head {
     display: flex;
     align-items: baseline;
+    flex-wrap: wrap;
     gap: 1rem;
     width: min(46rem, 100%);
     margin-bottom: 0.6rem;
@@ -97,6 +109,9 @@
     font-size: 0.85rem;
     color: #e9e1cb;
   }
+  .share-deed { display: block; }
+  .share-sub { display: block; text-transform: none; letter-spacing: 0.02em; color: #8d8672; font-size: 0.8rem; }
+  .share-play { width: min(46rem, 100%); margin-top: 0.8rem; text-align: center; }
   /* The reel is a modal everywhere else; here it stands in the page. */
   .share-stage { width: min(46rem, 100%); }
   .share-stage :global(.replay-scrim) {

packages/web/src/rules.ts

@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ export const HOW_TO_PLAY: RulesSection[] = [
     title: "Winning",
     body: [
       "Carry two treasures that aren't yours home — one at a time, to your home square, and drop them there — or be the last wizard standing. Lose both of your own treasures to enemy homes and you're out.",
-      "A turn is: walk, then act. Step up to three squares, select a card and choose its target, and End turn. The banner above the board keeps count of your moves and your treasures home.",
+      "Move and play cards in any order, then end your turn. You have three steps and one attack a turn — a step, a spell, two more steps is a fine turn. The banner above the board keeps count of your moves and your treasures home.",
     ],
   },
   {