diff --git a/index.html b/index.html
index a4dc2d2..e0e86f3 100644
--- a/index.html
+++ b/index.html
@@ -6,31 +6,31 @@
 <meta name="theme-color" content="#0a0305">
 <link rel="icon" href="data:image/svg+xml,<svg xmlns=%22http://www.w3.org/2000/svg%22 viewBox=%220 0 64 64%22><text y=%2252%22 x=%2250%22 text-anchor=%22middle%22 dominant-baseline=%22middle%22 font-size=%2252%22>🔪</text></svg>">
 <title>MEATSLICER</title>
-<link rel="stylesheet" href="css/style.css?v=38">
+<link rel="stylesheet" href="css/style.css?v=39">
 </head>
 <body>
 <div id="wrap">
   <canvas id="game" width="960" height="640"></canvas>
 </div>
-<script src="js/utils.js?v=38"></script>
-<script src="js/state.js?v=38"></script>
-<script src="js/input.js?v=38"></script>
-<script src="js/sfx.js?v=38"></script>
-<script src="js/sfxbank.js?v=38"></script>
-<script src="js/audio.js?v=38"></script>
-<script src="js/sprites.js?v=38"></script>
-<script src="js/particles.js?v=38"></script>
-<script src="js/weapons.js?v=38"></script>
-<script src="js/bullets.js?v=38"></script>
-<script src="js/pickups.js?v=38"></script>
-<script src="js/items.js?v=38"></script>
-<script src="js/perks.js?v=38"></script>
-<script src="js/enemies.js?v=38"></script>
-<script src="js/bosses.js?v=38"></script>
-<script src="js/rooms.js?v=38"></script>
-<script src="js/player.js?v=38"></script>
-<script src="js/hud.js?v=38"></script>
-<script src="js/help.js?v=38"></script>
-<script src="js/main.js?v=38"></script>
+<script src="js/utils.js?v=39"></script>
+<script src="js/state.js?v=39"></script>
+<script src="js/input.js?v=39"></script>
+<script src="js/sfx.js?v=39"></script>
+<script src="js/sfxbank.js?v=39"></script>
+<script src="js/audio.js?v=39"></script>
+<script src="js/sprites.js?v=39"></script>
+<script src="js/particles.js?v=39"></script>
+<script src="js/weapons.js?v=39"></script>
+<script src="js/bullets.js?v=39"></script>
+<script src="js/pickups.js?v=39"></script>
+<script src="js/items.js?v=39"></script>
+<script src="js/perks.js?v=39"></script>
+<script src="js/enemies.js?v=39"></script>
+<script src="js/bosses.js?v=39"></script>
+<script src="js/rooms.js?v=39"></script>
+<script src="js/player.js?v=39"></script>
+<script src="js/hud.js?v=39"></script>
+<script src="js/help.js?v=39"></script>
+<script src="js/main.js?v=39"></script>
 </body>
 </html>
diff --git a/js/help.js b/js/help.js
index 939ba9b..cc4326f 100644
--- a/js/help.js
+++ b/js/help.js
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ const HELP_BUTTON = { x: W - 104, y: 24, w: 80, h: 26 };
 
 // Implant pages are generated from the live ITEMS roster so the manual never
 // drifts from the game data; the count and page count are dynamic.
-const HELP_ITEM_PAGE_SIZE = 23;
+const HELP_ITEM_PAGE_SIZE = 20;
 const HELP_ITEM_PAGE_COUNT = Math.ceil(Object.keys(ITEMS).length / HELP_ITEM_PAGE_SIZE);
 const HELP_PAGES = [
   { title: 'CONTROLS' },
@@ -24,7 +24,9 @@ function hfont(px, bold) { return (bold ? 'bold ' : '') + Math.round(px * HELP_S
 function helpPanelX() { return (W - HELP_PANEL.w) / 2; }
 
 function helpTabRect(i) {
-  const tw = 108, gap = 6;
+  // tabs shrink to fit the panel width so a growing page count never overflows
+  const gap = 6;
+  const tw = Math.min(108, Math.floor((HELP_PANEL.w - 40 - (HELP_PAGES.length - 1) * gap) / HELP_PAGES.length));
   const total = HELP_PAGES.length * tw + (HELP_PAGES.length - 1) * gap;
   return { x: W / 2 - total / 2 + i * (tw + gap), y: HELP_PANEL.y + 96, w: tw, h: 32 };
 }
@@ -199,16 +201,16 @@ function drawHelpItemList(ctx, px, py, page) {
   const pageEntries = entries.slice(page * HELP_ITEM_PAGE_SIZE, page * HELP_ITEM_PAGE_SIZE + HELP_ITEM_PAGE_SIZE);
   const colW = (HELP_PANEL.w - 80) / 2;
   for (let i = 0; i < pageEntries.length; i++) {
-    const col = Math.floor(i / 12), r = i % 12;
-    const lx = x + col * colW, ly = ty + r * 20;
+    const col = Math.floor(i / 10), r = i % 10;
+    const lx = x + col * colW, ly = ty + r * 26;
     const [iid, item] = pageEntries[i];
     const rar = ITEM_RARITY[item.rarity];
     ctx.fillStyle = rar.color; ctx.font = hfont(8, true);
     ctx.fillText(item.name.toUpperCase(), lx, ly);
     ctx.fillStyle = '#5f4d4d'; ctx.font = hfont(7, true);
-    ctx.fillText(item.rarity.toUpperCase().slice(0, 3) + '·' + item.cap, lx, ly + 12);
+    ctx.fillText(item.rarity.toUpperCase().slice(0, 3) + '·' + item.cap, lx, ly + 13);
     ctx.fillStyle = '#a08d84'; ctx.font = hfont(8, false);
-    ctx.fillText(fit(item.desc.toUpperCase(), 34), lx + 52, ly + 12);
+    ctx.fillText(fit(item.desc.toUpperCase(), 30), lx + 56, ly + 13);
   }
 }
 
@@ -310,7 +312,7 @@ function drawPauseHelp(ctx) {
       color: active ? '#f1e4d5' : (hover ? '#cdbdb2' : '#7d6a68'),
       accent: active ? '#4a9cad' : '#3c2f38',
       fill: active ? 'rgba(24,15,22,0.95)' : 'rgba(12,7,11,0.85)',
-      font: hfont(8, true),
+      font: hfont(r.w < 100 ? 7 : 8, true),
     });
   }
 
diff --git a/js/sfxbank.js b/js/sfxbank.js
index 472d718..180280b 100644
--- a/js/sfxbank.js
+++ b/js/sfxbank.js
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ const SfxBank = {
     if (this.buffers.has(name) || this.pending.has(name) || this.failed.has(name)) return;
     const file = this.FILES[name];
     if (!file || !this.ctx || typeof fetch !== 'function') return;
-    const job = fetch('/assets/sfx/' + encodeURIComponent(file) + '?v=38')
+    const job = fetch('/assets/sfx/' + encodeURIComponent(file) + '?v=39')
       .then(r => { if (!r.ok) throw new Error('HTTP ' + r.status); return r.arrayBuffer(); })
       .then(bytes => this.ctx.decodeAudioData(bytes))
       .then(buffer => this.buffers.set(name, this.trim(buffer)))
diff --git a/js/sprites.js b/js/sprites.js
index 78c71f2..9933395 100644
--- a/js/sprites.js
+++ b/js/sprites.js
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ const Sprites = {
       const img = new Image();
       img.onload = () => { this.imgs[name] = img; if (--pending === 0) G.imagesLoaded = true; };
       img.onerror = () => { if (--pending === 0) G.imagesLoaded = true; };
-      img.src = 'assets/' + name + '.png?v=38';
+      img.src = 'assets/' + name + '.png?v=39';
     }
   },
 
diff --git a/test/smoke.js b/test/smoke.js
index e3cd6b6..dbf4dc9 100644
--- a/test/smoke.js
+++ b/test/smoke.js
@@ -1014,8 +1014,13 @@ console.log('== item stickiness ramps with owned count ==');
 
 console.log('== help manual grows with the implant roster ==');
 {
-  check('10 help pages (4 implant pages for 82 items)', ctx.HELP_PAGES.length === 10);
-  check('10 help renderers', ctx.HELP_RENDERERS.length === 10);
+  check('11 help pages (5 implant pages for 82 items)', ctx.HELP_PAGES.length === 11);
+  check('11 help renderers', ctx.HELP_RENDERERS.length === 11);
+  check('help tabs never overflow the panel', (() => {
+    const last = ctx.helpTabRect(ctx.HELP_PAGES.length - 1);
+    const first = ctx.helpTabRect(0);
+    return first.x >= 0 && last.x + last.w <= ctx.W;
+  })());
   ctx.G.player = ctx.G.player || {};
   const fctx = fakeCtx();
   let renderOK = true;