:root {
  --ink: #0d0f12;
  --ink-soft: #2a2f37;
  --muted: #5a626c;
  --line: #e5e3df;
  --paper: #faf8f4;
  --paper-card: #ffffff;
  --accent: #c7421a;
  --accent-ink: #ffffff;
  --serif: "Source Serif 4", "Iowan Old Style", Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;
  --sans: "Inter", system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;
  --maxw: 1120px;
  --maxw-narrow: 720px;
  --radius: 8px;
  --radius-lg: 14px;
}

*, *::before, *::after { box-sizing: border-box; }

html { -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; }

body {
  margin: 0;
  background: var(--paper);
  color: var(--ink);
  font-family: var(--sans);
  font-size: 17px;
  line-height: 1.55;
  -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased;
  text-rendering: optimizeLegibility;
}

img { max-width: 100%; display: block; }

a { color: var(--ink); text-decoration: underline; text-decoration-thickness: 1px; text-underline-offset: 3px; }
a:hover { color: var(--accent); }

.visually-hidden {
  position: absolute !important;
  width: 1px; height: 1px;
  padding: 0; margin: -1px;
  overflow: hidden; clip: rect(0,0,0,0); white-space: nowrap; border: 0;
}

/* ===== Top bar ===== */
.topbar {
  position: sticky; top: 0; z-index: 10;
  background: rgba(250, 248, 244, 0.92);
  backdrop-filter: saturate(140%) blur(8px);
  border-bottom: 1px solid var(--line);
  display: flex; align-items: center; justify-content: space-between;
  padding: 14px 24px;
}
.brand {
  font-family: var(--serif);
  font-weight: 600;
  font-size: 22px;
  text-decoration: none;
  letter-spacing: -0.01em;
}
.topnav { display: flex; align-items: center; gap: 20px; }
.topnav a { text-decoration: none; font-size: 15px; color: var(--ink-soft); }
.topnav a:hover { color: var(--accent); }
.topnav .topcta {
  background: var(--ink);
  color: #fff;
  padding: 8px 14px;
  border-radius: var(--radius);
  font-weight: 500;
}
.topnav .topcta:hover { background: var(--accent); color: #fff; }

/* ===== Buttons ===== */
.btn {
  display: inline-block;
  padding: 14px 22px;
  border-radius: var(--radius);
  font-weight: 600;
  font-size: 16px;
  line-height: 1;
  text-decoration: none;
  transition: transform 80ms ease, background 120ms ease, color 120ms ease;
  border: 1px solid transparent;
}
.btn-primary { background: var(--accent); color: var(--accent-ink); }
.btn-primary:hover { background: #a73615; color: #fff; transform: translateY(-1px); }
.btn-secondary { background: transparent; color: var(--ink); border-color: var(--ink); }
.btn-secondary:hover { background: var(--ink); color: #fff; }

/* ===== Section shell ===== */
.section-inner {
  max-width: var(--maxw);
  margin: 0 auto;
  padding: 80px 24px;
}
.section-inner.narrow { max-width: var(--maxw-narrow); }
.section-inner.center { text-align: center; }
.section-title {
  font-family: var(--serif);
  font-size: clamp(28px, 3vw, 36px);
  line-height: 1.15;
  letter-spacing: -0.01em;
  margin: 0 0 32px;
}
.section-head { margin-bottom: 36px; }
.section-sub { color: var(--muted); max-width: 60ch; margin: 8px 0 0; }

/* ===== Hero ===== */
.hero { border-bottom: 1px solid var(--line); }
.hero-inner {
  max-width: var(--maxw);
  margin: 0 auto;
  padding: 96px 24px 96px;
}
.eyebrow {
  text-transform: uppercase;
  letter-spacing: 0.12em;
  font-size: 13px;
  color: var(--muted);
  margin: 0 0 24px;
  font-weight: 600;
}
.hero h1 {
  font-family: var(--serif);
  font-size: clamp(34px, 5vw, 60px);
  line-height: 1.05;
  letter-spacing: -0.015em;
  margin: 0 0 24px;
  max-width: 22ch;
}
.subhead {
  font-size: clamp(17px, 1.4vw, 20px);
  color: var(--ink-soft);
  max-width: 60ch;
  margin: 0 0 36px;
}
.cta-row {
  display: flex;
  flex-wrap: wrap;
  gap: 12px;
  align-items: center;
  margin: 0 0 16px;
}
.hero-foot {
  color: var(--muted);
  font-size: 14px;
  margin: 12px 0 0;
}

/* ===== Card grids ===== */
.cards {
  display: grid;
  gap: 24px;
}
.cards.three {
  grid-template-columns: repeat(3, 1fr);
}
.card {
  background: var(--paper-card);
  border: 1px solid var(--line);
  border-radius: var(--radius-lg);
  padding: 28px;
}
.card h3 {
  font-family: var(--serif);
  font-size: 22px;
  margin: 0 0 12px;
  line-height: 1.2;
}
.card p { margin: 0; color: var(--ink-soft); }

/* ===== How we work ===== */
.how-we-work { background: #f1ede5; border-block: 1px solid var(--line); }
.how-list {
  list-style: none;
  margin: 0;
  padding: 0;
  display: grid;
  gap: 18px;
  counter-reset: how;
}
.how-list li {
  counter-increment: how;
  position: relative;
  padding-left: 56px;
  font-size: 18px;
  line-height: 1.5;
}
.how-list li::before {
  content: counter(how);
  position: absolute;
  left: 0;
  top: -2px;
  width: 38px;
  height: 38px;
  border-radius: 50%;
  background: var(--ink);
  color: #fff;
  display: grid;
  place-items: center;
  font-family: var(--serif);
  font-weight: 600;
  font-size: 18px;
}
.how-list li strong { color: var(--ink); }

/* ===== Proof ===== */
.proof-card {
  background: var(--paper-card);
  border: 1px dashed var(--line);
  border-radius: var(--radius-lg);
  padding: 32px;
  max-width: 720px;
}
.proof-label {
  text-transform: uppercase;
  letter-spacing: 0.1em;
  font-size: 12px;
  color: var(--muted);
  margin: 0 0 8px;
  font-weight: 600;
}
.proof-body { margin: 0; color: var(--ink-soft); }

/* ===== Essays / Article cards ===== */
.essays { background: #f6f3ec; border-block: 1px solid var(--line); }
.article-cards {
  display: grid;
  gap: 24px;
}
.article-cards.three { grid-template-columns: repeat(3, 1fr); }

.article-card {
  background: var(--paper-card);
  border: 1px solid var(--line);
  border-radius: var(--radius-lg);
  overflow: hidden;
  display: flex;
}
.article-card-link {
  display: flex;
  flex-direction: column;
  padding: 24px;
  text-decoration: none;
  color: inherit;
  gap: 16px;
  width: 100%;
}
.article-card-head { display: grid; gap: 8px; }
.article-card-kicker {
  text-transform: uppercase;
  letter-spacing: 0.1em;
  font-size: 11px;
  color: var(--muted);
  margin: 0;
  font-weight: 600;
}
.article-card-title {
  font-family: var(--serif);
  font-size: 22px;
  line-height: 1.2;
  margin: 0;
  letter-spacing: -0.005em;
}
.article-card-byline {
  font-size: 13px;
  color: var(--muted);
  margin: 0;
  display: grid;
  gap: 2px;
}
.article-card-byline .byline-author {
  font-weight: 600;
  color: var(--ink-soft);
  font-size: 14px;
}
.article-card-byline .byline-credential {
  font-style: italic;
  line-height: 1.4;
}
.article-card-byline .byline-readtime {
  color: var(--muted);
  font-size: 12px;
  letter-spacing: 0.02em;
}
.article-card-byline span:empty { display: none; }
/* Until the byline data lands, surface a low-contrast hint in the seed card so QA on staging can spot it. */
.article-card-byline[data-byline-state="pending-author"]::before {
  content: "Byline pending — awaiting confirmation";
  font-style: italic;
  color: #b7896b;
  font-size: 12px;
}
.article-card-more {
  margin: auto 0 0;
  font-weight: 600;
  font-size: 14px;
  color: var(--accent);
}

/* The "Too busy?" preview — the on-site visual signature */
.too-busy {
  background: #fff8ee;
  border: 1px solid #f0e3c4;
  border-left: 4px solid var(--accent);
  border-radius: 8px;
  padding: 16px 18px;
  display: grid;
  gap: 10px;
}
.too-busy-label {
  font-family: var(--serif);
  font-style: italic;
  font-size: 14px;
  margin: 0;
  color: var(--ink-soft);
}
.too-busy-list {
  margin: 0;
  padding: 0 0 0 18px;
  display: grid;
  gap: 6px;
  font-size: 14px;
  line-height: 1.45;
  color: var(--ink);
}
.too-busy-list li::marker { color: var(--accent); }
.too-busy-takeaway {
  margin: 4px 0 0;
  font-size: 14px;
  color: var(--ink-soft);
}

.article-card-placeholder { opacity: 0.55; }
.article-card-placeholder .article-card-more { color: var(--muted); }

.essays-foot {
  margin: 32px 0 0;
  font-size: 15px;
}

/* ===== Newsletter ===== */
.newsletter { background: var(--ink); color: #f0eee9; }
.newsletter .section-title { color: #fff; }
.newsletter p { color: #c9c6bf; }
.newsletter-form {
  display: flex;
  flex-wrap: wrap;
  gap: 12px;
  margin: 24px 0 8px;
}
.newsletter-form input[type="email"] {
  flex: 1 1 240px;
  background: #1a1d22;
  border: 1px solid #2c3138;
  color: #fff;
  border-radius: var(--radius);
  padding: 14px 16px;
  font: inherit;
}
.newsletter-form input[type="email"]:focus {
  outline: 2px solid var(--accent);
  outline-offset: 1px;
}
.newsletter-status {
  min-height: 1.5em;
  font-size: 14px;
  margin: 8px 0 0;
}
.newsletter-status.is-ok { color: #a7f3d0; }
.newsletter-status.is-err { color: #fca5a5; }
.newsletter-foot { font-size: 13px; color: #8c8983 !important; margin-top: 16px; }

/* ===== CTA repeat ===== */
.cta-repeat { background: var(--paper); }
.cta-repeat h2 {
  font-family: var(--serif);
  font-size: clamp(26px, 3vw, 34px);
  line-height: 1.2;
  margin: 0 0 16px;
  max-width: 28ch;
  margin-inline: auto;
}
.cta-repeat p { color: var(--ink-soft); max-width: 50ch; margin: 0 auto 28px; }

/* ===== Footer ===== */
.sitefoot {
  border-top: 1px solid var(--line);
  background: var(--paper);
}
.sitefoot .row {
  display: flex; justify-content: space-between; gap: 16px; flex-wrap: wrap;
  padding-block: 32px;
}
.sitefoot p { margin: 0; color: var(--muted); font-size: 14px; }
.sitefoot a { color: var(--ink-soft); text-decoration: none; }
.sitefoot a:hover { color: var(--accent); }

/* ===== Responsive ===== */
@media (max-width: 900px) {
  .cards.three { grid-template-columns: 1fr 1fr; }
  .article-cards.three { grid-template-columns: 1fr 1fr; }
}
@media (max-width: 680px) {
  .topnav a:not(.topcta) { display: none; }
  .hero-inner { padding: 64px 20px; }
  .section-inner { padding: 56px 20px; }
  .cards.three { grid-template-columns: 1fr; }
  .article-cards.three { grid-template-columns: 1fr; }
  .article-card-placeholder { display: none; }
  .cta-row { flex-direction: column; align-items: stretch; }
  .cta-row .btn { text-align: center; }
}