diff --git a/src/lib/components/SubmitVerse.svelte b/src/lib/components/SubmitVerse.svelte
index 1c4855e..9d81a94 100644
--- a/src/lib/components/SubmitVerse.svelte
+++ b/src/lib/components/SubmitVerse.svelte
@@ -258,12 +258,11 @@
 		const days = Math.floor(diff / (1000 * 60 * 60 * 24));
 		const hours = Math.floor((diff % (1000 * 60 * 60 * 24)) / (1000 * 60 * 60));
 		const minutes = Math.floor((diff % (1000 * 60 * 60)) / (1000 * 60));
-		const seconds = Math.floor((diff % (1000 * 60)) / 1000);
 		countdownText =
 			(days > 0 ? `${days}d ` : "") +
 			`${hours.toString().padStart(2, "0")}h ${minutes
 				.toString()
-				.padStart(2, "0")}m ${seconds.toString().padStart(2, "0")}s`;
+				.padStart(2, "0")}m`;
 	}
 
 	onMount(() => {
@@ -401,19 +400,22 @@
 			</form>
 		{/if}
 	{:else if onCooldown}
-		<!-- ── State 2: logged in, cooldown active — disabled + countdown ─── -->
+		<!-- ── State 2: logged in, cooldown active — disabled + countdown on button ─── -->
 		<button
 			type="button"
 			class="progress-btn w-full progress-btn-disabled"
 			disabled
 			aria-disabled="true"
 		>
-			<span>✨ Submit a verse</span>
-			<span class="lock-icon" aria-hidden="true">⏳</span>
+			<!-- <span>✨ Submit a verse</span> -->
+			{#if countdownText}
+				<span class="countdown-inline" aria-hidden="true"
+					>⏳ {countdownText}</span
+				>
+			{:else}
+				<span class="lock-icon" aria-hidden="true">⏳</span>
+			{/if}
 		</button>
-		{#if countdownText}
-			<p class="countdown-text">Next submission in {countdownText}</p>
-		{/if}
 	{:else}
 		<!-- ── State 3: logged in, can submit — selector + preview ────────── -->
 		<button
@@ -644,20 +646,12 @@
 		font-size: 1rem;
 	}
 
-	.countdown-text {
-		padding-top: 12px;
-		font-size: 0.8rem;
-		font-weight: 600;
-		color: #6b7280;
-		letter-spacing: 0.01em;
+	.countdown-inline {
+		font-size: 0.85rem;
+		font-weight: 700;
 		font-variant-numeric: tabular-nums;
-		text-align: center;
-		width: 100%;
-	}
-	@media (prefers-color-scheme: dark) {
-		.countdown-text {
-			color: #9ca3af;
-		}
+		letter-spacing: 0.01em;
+		opacity: 0.85;
 	}
 
 	.signin-text {