diff --git a/scripts/check-no-js.mjs b/scripts/check-no-js.mjs
index 7098320..051a252 100644
--- a/scripts/check-no-js.mjs
+++ b/scripts/check-no-js.mjs
@@ -57,6 +57,7 @@ const ANALYTICS_SCRIPT_SRC_PATTERN =
 function isSafeScriptTag(tag) {
   if (tag.includes('data-theme-script')) return true;
   if (tag.includes('data-thumbnail-iframe-script')) return true;
+  if (tag.includes('data-video-thumbnail-script')) return true;
   if (ANALYTICS_SCRIPT_SRC_PATTERN.test(tag)) return true;
   const typeMatch = tag.match(/\btype=["']([^"']+)["']/i);
   if (!typeMatch) return false;
diff --git a/src/components/PostThumbnail.astro b/src/components/PostThumbnail.astro
index 7723e23..bb74768 100644
--- a/src/components/PostThumbnail.astro
+++ b/src/components/PostThumbnail.astro
@@ -1,13 +1,15 @@
 ---
 import { Picture } from 'astro:assets';
 import type { CollectionEntry } from 'astro:content';
-import { absoluteUrl } from '../lib/site';
+import VideoThumbnail from './VideoThumbnail.astro';
+import { absoluteUrl, getHeaderVideo } from '../lib/site';
 
 interface Props {
   post: CollectionEntry<'posts'>;
 }
 
 const { post } = Astro.props;
+const headerVideo = getHeaderVideo(post);
 const demoLink = post.data.links.find(
   (link) => !link.download && link.label.trim().toLowerCase() === 'demo'
 );
@@ -54,66 +56,81 @@ for (const root of document.querySelectorAll('.post-thumbnail--iframe')) {
 `;
 ---
 
-<div
-  class:list={['post-thumbnail', iframeSrc && 'post-thumbnail--iframe']}
-  style={iframeSrc ? `--post-thumbnail-aspect: ${aspectRatio}` : undefined}
-  data-uncropped-preview
-  data-preview-label={post.data.title}
->
-  <Picture
-    src={post.data.thumbnail.src}
-    alt={post.data.thumbnail.alt}
-    formats={['avif', 'webp']}
-    fallbackFormat="jpg"
-    widths={[640, 960, 1280, 1920]}
-    sizes="(max-width: 700px) calc(100vw - 3rem), (max-width: 1100px) calc(100vw - 4rem), 56rem"
-    quality="high"
-    loading="eager"
-    fetchpriority="high"
-    decoding="async"
-  />
+{
+  headerVideo ? (
+    <VideoThumbnail
+      class="post-thumbnail post-thumbnail--video"
+      variant="banner"
+      poster={post.data.thumbnail.src}
+      alt={post.data.thumbnail.alt}
+      video={headerVideo}
+      previewLabel={post.data.title}
+      widths={[640, 960, 1280, 1920]}
+      sizes="(max-width: 700px) calc(100vw - 3rem), (max-width: 1100px) calc(100vw - 4rem), 56rem"
+      loading="eager"
+      fetchpriority="high"
+    />
+  ) : (
+    <div
+      class:list={['post-thumbnail', iframeSrc && 'post-thumbnail--iframe']}
+      style={iframeSrc ? `--post-thumbnail-aspect: ${aspectRatio}` : undefined}
+      data-uncropped-preview
+      data-preview-label={post.data.title}
+    >
+      <Picture
+        src={post.data.thumbnail.src}
+        alt={post.data.thumbnail.alt}
+        formats={['avif', 'webp']}
+        fallbackFormat="jpg"
+        widths={[640, 960, 1280, 1920]}
+        sizes="(max-width: 700px) calc(100vw - 3rem), (max-width: 1100px) calc(100vw - 4rem), 56rem"
+        quality="high"
+        loading="eager"
+        fetchpriority="high"
+        decoding="async"
+      />
 
-  {
-    iframeSrc && (
-      <>
-        <button
-          class="post-thumbnail__play"
-          type="button"
-          data-thumbnail-iframe-trigger
-          data-iframe-src={iframeSrc}
-          aria-label={`Play ${demoLink?.label.toLowerCase() ?? 'demo'}`}
-          aria-expanded="false"
-        >
-          <span class="post-thumbnail__play-icon" aria-hidden="true">
-            <svg viewBox="0 0 24 24" focusable="false">
-              <path d="M8 5v14l11-7z" />
-            </svg>
-          </span>
-          <span class="sr-only">Play {demoLink?.label.toLowerCase() ?? 'demo'}</span>
-        </button>
-        <iframe
-          class="post-thumbnail__iframe"
-          data-thumbnail-iframe-frame
-          title={iframeTitle}
-          src="about:blank"
-          allow="fullscreen; webgpu"
-          allowfullscreen
-          referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin"
-          tabindex="0"
-          hidden
-        />
-        <noscript>
-          <p class="post-thumbnail__noscript">
-            <a href={iframeSrc}>Open {demoLink?.label.toLowerCase() ?? 'demo'}</a>
-          </p>
-        </noscript>
-      </>
-    )
-  }
-</div>
+      {iframeSrc && (
+        <>
+          <button
+            class="post-thumbnail__play"
+            type="button"
+            data-thumbnail-iframe-trigger
+            data-iframe-src={iframeSrc}
+            aria-label={`Play ${demoLink?.label.toLowerCase() ?? 'demo'}`}
+            aria-expanded="false"
+          >
+            <span class="post-thumbnail__play-icon" aria-hidden="true">
+              <svg viewBox="0 0 24 24" focusable="false">
+                <path d="M8 5v14l11-7z" />
+              </svg>
+            </span>
+            <span class="sr-only">Play {demoLink?.label.toLowerCase() ?? 'demo'}</span>
+          </button>
+          <iframe
+            class="post-thumbnail__iframe"
+            data-thumbnail-iframe-frame
+            title={iframeTitle}
+            src="about:blank"
+            allow="fullscreen; webgpu"
+            allowfullscreen
+            referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin"
+            tabindex="0"
+            hidden
+          />
+          <noscript>
+            <p class="post-thumbnail__noscript">
+              <a href={iframeSrc}>Open {demoLink?.label.toLowerCase() ?? 'demo'}</a>
+            </p>
+          </noscript>
+        </>
+      )}
+    </div>
+  )
+}
 
 {
-  iframeSrc && (
+  iframeSrc && !headerVideo && (
     <script is:inline data-thumbnail-iframe-script set:html={iframeThumbnailScript} />
   )
 }
diff --git a/src/components/ProjectList.astro b/src/components/ProjectList.astro
index 622d214..6395ef1 100644
--- a/src/components/ProjectList.astro
+++ b/src/components/ProjectList.astro
@@ -2,8 +2,9 @@
 import type { CollectionEntry } from 'astro:content';
 import { getEntry } from 'astro:content';
 import EntryThumbnail from './EntryThumbnail.astro';
-import ProjectLinks from './ProjectLinks.astro';
-import { PROJECT_THUMBNAIL, articlePath, entrySlug } from '../lib/site';
+import VideoThumbnail from './VideoThumbnail.astro';
+import type { HeaderVideo } from '../lib/site';
+import { PROJECT_THUMBNAIL, articlePath, entrySlug, getHeaderVideo } from '../lib/site';
 
 interface Props {
   projects: CollectionEntry<'projects'>[];
@@ -19,15 +20,36 @@ const {
   eagerThumbnailCount = eagerFirstThumbnail ? 1 : 0,
 } = Astro.props;
 
+function isExternal(url: string) {
+  return /^https?:\/\//.test(url);
+}
+
 // The `essay` field is a `reference('posts')`, so when present it's always a
 // `{ collection, id }` shape that `getEntry` resolves to a CollectionEntry.
-// Drafts are skipped because their article page is not built.
+// Drafts are skipped because their article page is not built. A project may
+// have no essay (no article) just as an article may have no project; the
+// relationship is optional in both directions.
 const essayHrefs = new Map<string, string>();
+// When the linked article has a header video, the card thumbnail becomes a
+// click-to-play poster (the card body still opens the project site).
+const essayVideos = new Map<string, HeaderVideo>();
 for (const project of projects) {
   const essay = project.data.essay;
   if (!essay) continue;
   const resolved = await getEntry(essay);
-  if (resolved && !resolved.data.draft) essayHrefs.set(project.id, articlePath(resolved));
+  if (!resolved || resolved.data.draft) continue;
+  essayHrefs.set(project.id, articlePath(resolved));
+  const headerVideo = getHeaderVideo(resolved);
+  if (headerVideo) essayVideos.set(project.id, headerVideo);
+}
+
+// The whole card opens the project's website: the first link that isn't a
+// download (Source / Live / Demo / Site / package page, in author order).
+// The Open button is that link, and its overlay makes the entire card
+// clickable. Projects without such a link have no Open button and are not
+// clickable; their article, if any, is reachable through the Article link.
+function websiteUrl(project: CollectionEntry<'projects'>) {
+  return project.data.links.find((link) => !link.download)?.url;
 }
 ---
 
@@ -37,36 +59,71 @@ for (const project of projects) {
       const anchor = entrySlug(project);
       const titleId = `${anchor}-title`;
       const essayHref = essayHrefs.get(project.id);
-      const primaryHref = essayHref ?? project.data.links[0]?.url;
+      const headerVideo = essayVideos.get(project.id);
+      const website = websiteUrl(project);
+      const websiteExternal = website ? isExternal(website) : false;
       const eager = index < eagerThumbnailCount;
 
       return (
         <li class="project-card" id={anchor}>
-          <EntryThumbnail
-            src={project.data.thumbnail.src}
-            alt={project.data.thumbnail.alt}
-            href={primaryHref}
-            class="project-thumbnail"
-            widths={PROJECT_THUMBNAIL.widths}
-            sizes={PROJECT_THUMBNAIL.sizes}
-            ariaLabel={`Open project: ${project.data.title}`}
-            loading={eager ? 'eager' : 'lazy'}
-            fetchpriority={eager && index === 0 ? 'high' : undefined}
-          />
+          {headerVideo ? (
+            <VideoThumbnail
+              class="entry-thumbnail project-thumbnail"
+              variant="card"
+              poster={project.data.thumbnail.src}
+              alt={project.data.thumbnail.alt}
+              video={headerVideo}
+              widths={PROJECT_THUMBNAIL.widths}
+              sizes={PROJECT_THUMBNAIL.sizes}
+              loading={eager ? 'eager' : 'lazy'}
+              fetchpriority={eager && index === 0 ? 'high' : undefined}
+            />
+          ) : (
+            <EntryThumbnail
+              src={project.data.thumbnail.src}
+              alt={project.data.thumbnail.alt}
+              class="project-thumbnail"
+              widths={PROJECT_THUMBNAIL.widths}
+              sizes={PROJECT_THUMBNAIL.sizes}
+              loading={eager ? 'eager' : 'lazy'}
+              fetchpriority={eager && index === 0 ? 'high' : undefined}
+            />
+          )}
           <article class="project-card__summary">
-            <h3 id={titleId}>
-              {primaryHref ? (
-                <a href={primaryHref}>{project.data.title}</a>
-              ) : (
-                project.data.title
-              )}
-              {essayHref && <span class="project-essay-badge">Article</span>}
-            </h3>
-            <p class="project-description">{project.data.description}</p>
-            <p class="project-meta">
-              {project.data.period} · {project.data.technologies.join(', ')}
-            </p>
-            {project.data.links.length > 0 && <ProjectLinks links={project.data.links} />}
+            <div class="project-card__head">
+              <h3 id={titleId}>{project.data.title}</h3>
+              <p class="project-description">{project.data.description}</p>
+            </div>
+            {(essayHref || website) && (
+              <div class="project-card__actions">
+                {essayHref && (
+                  <a
+                    class="project-article-link"
+                    href={essayHref}
+                    aria-label={`Read the article about ${project.data.title}`}
+                  >
+                    Article
+                    <span aria-hidden="true">→</span>
+                  </a>
+                )}
+                {website && (
+                  <a
+                    class="project-card__open"
+                    href={website}
+                    rel={websiteExternal ? 'noopener noreferrer' : undefined}
+                    target={websiteExternal ? '_blank' : undefined}
+                    aria-label={
+                      websiteExternal
+                        ? `Open the ${project.data.title} site in a new tab`
+                        : `Open ${project.data.title}`
+                    }
+                  >
+                    Open
+                    <span aria-hidden="true">↗</span>
+                  </a>
+                )}
+              </div>
+            )}
           </article>
         </li>
       );
diff --git a/src/components/VideoThumbnail.astro b/src/components/VideoThumbnail.astro
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0c80548
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/components/VideoThumbnail.astro
@@ -0,0 +1,134 @@
+---
+import type { ImageMetadata } from 'astro';
+import { Picture } from 'astro:assets';
+import type { HeaderVideo } from '../lib/site';
+
+interface Props {
+  // Still image shown until playback starts.
+  poster: ImageMetadata;
+  alt: string;
+  video: HeaderVideo;
+  widths: number[];
+  sizes: string;
+  loading?: 'lazy' | 'eager';
+  fetchpriority?: 'high' | 'low' | 'auto';
+  // `banner` keeps the poster's own aspect ratio (article hero); `card` is a
+  // compact badge over a cover-cropped thumbnail (project list).
+  variant?: 'banner' | 'card';
+  // When set, the wrapper joins the no-crop preview contract checked in QA.
+  previewLabel?: string;
+  class?: string;
+}
+
+const {
+  poster,
+  alt,
+  video,
+  widths,
+  sizes,
+  loading = 'lazy',
+  fetchpriority,
+  variant = 'banner',
+  previewLabel,
+  class: extraClass,
+} = Astro.props;
+
+const aspectRatio = `${poster.width} / ${poster.height}`;
+
+// Swap the poster for the <video> and start playback on click. Guarded so the
+// duplicate inline copies emitted per instance only wire listeners up once.
+const playScript = `
+(function () {
+  if (window.__videoThumbnailInit) return;
+  window.__videoThumbnailInit = true;
+  function wireOne(root) {
+    var button = root.querySelector('[data-video-play]');
+    var video = root.querySelector('[data-video]');
+    if (!(button instanceof HTMLButtonElement) || !(video instanceof HTMLVideoElement)) return;
+    button.addEventListener('click', function () {
+      video.hidden = false;
+      video.setAttribute('controls', '');
+      root.classList.add('is-playing');
+      var played = video.play();
+      if (played && typeof played.catch === 'function') played.catch(function () {});
+      video.focus();
+    }, { once: true });
+  }
+  function wireAll() {
+    var roots = document.querySelectorAll('.video-thumbnail');
+    for (var i = 0; i < roots.length; i++) wireOne(roots[i]);
+  }
+  if (document.readyState === 'loading') {
+    document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', wireAll);
+  } else {
+    wireAll();
+  }
+})();
+`;
+---
+
+<div
+  class:list={['video-thumbnail', `video-thumbnail--${variant}`, extraClass]}
+  style={variant === 'banner' ? `--video-aspect: ${aspectRatio}` : undefined}
+  data-uncropped-preview={previewLabel ? '' : undefined}
+  data-preview-label={previewLabel}
+>
+  <Picture
+    src={poster}
+    alt={alt}
+    formats={['avif', 'webp']}
+    fallbackFormat="jpg"
+    widths={widths}
+    sizes={sizes}
+    quality="high"
+    loading={loading}
+    fetchpriority={fetchpriority}
+    decoding="async"
+  />
+
+  <button
+    class="video-thumbnail__play"
+    type="button"
+    data-video-play
+    aria-label={`Play video: ${video.alt ?? alt}`}
+  >
+    <span class="video-thumbnail__play-icon" aria-hidden="true">
+      <svg viewBox="0 0 24 24" focusable="false">
+        <path d="M8 5v14l11-7z"></path>
+      </svg>
+    </span>
+    <span class="sr-only">Play video</span>
+  </button>
+
+  <video
+    class="video-thumbnail__video"
+    data-video
+    preload="none"
+    playsinline
+    poster={video.poster?.src}
+    aria-label={video.alt}
+    hidden
+  >
+    {video.webm && <source src={video.webm} type="video/webm" />}
+    {video.mp4 && <source src={video.mp4} type="video/mp4" />}
+    {
+      video.captions && (
+        <track
+          kind="captions"
+          src={video.captions}
+          srclang="en"
+          label={video.captionsLabel}
+          default
+        />
+      )
+    }
+  </video>
+
+  <noscript>
+    <p class="video-thumbnail__noscript">
+      <a href={video.mp4 ?? video.webm}>Play video</a>
+    </p>
+  </noscript>
+</div>
+
+<script is:inline data-video-thumbnail-script set:html={playScript} />
diff --git a/src/layouts/Post.astro b/src/layouts/Post.astro
index cfd737b..5d2ea31 100644
--- a/src/layouts/Post.astro
+++ b/src/layouts/Post.astro
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ import {
   buildPersonJsonLd,
   buildBreadcrumbTrail,
   formatDate,
+  getHeaderVideo,
   getPublishedPosts,
   getRelatedPosts,
   optimizeOgImage,
@@ -52,11 +53,15 @@ const hasCode = !!post.body && /(^|[^`])`[^`\n]+`|```/m.test(post.body);
 const h2Headings = headings.filter((h) => h.depth === 2);
 const showToc = h2Headings.length >= 3;
 
-// Don't repeat the banner image at the end; PostThumbnail already rendered it.
+// Don't repeat header media at the end; PostThumbnail already rendered the
+// banner image and, when present, plays the header video inline.
 const thumbnailSrc = post.data.thumbnail.src.src;
-const trailingMedia = post.data.media.filter(
-  (item) => item.type === 'video' || item.src.src !== thumbnailSrc
-);
+const headerVideo = getHeaderVideo(post);
+const trailingMedia = post.data.media.filter((item) => {
+  if (item === headerVideo) return false;
+  if (item.type === 'video') return true;
+  return item.src.src !== thumbnailSrc;
+});
 
 const personId = absoluteUrl('/about/#person');
 
diff --git a/src/lib/site.ts b/src/lib/site.ts
index afc5fec..1d17f0a 100644
--- a/src/lib/site.ts
+++ b/src/lib/site.ts
@@ -102,6 +102,21 @@ export async function getProjects(): Promise<CollectionEntry<'projects'>[]> {
   );
 }
 
+type PostMediaItem = CollectionEntry<'posts'>['data']['media'][number];
+export type HeaderVideo = Extract<PostMediaItem, { type: 'video' }>;
+
+// A post has a "header video" when one of its media items is a video whose
+// poster is the same image as the post thumbnail. That video can stand in for
+// the static banner: the header shows the poster, then plays inline on click.
+// Posts without such a video keep the plain image header.
+export function getHeaderVideo(post: CollectionEntry<'posts'>): HeaderVideo | undefined {
+  const thumbnailSrc = post.data.thumbnail.src.src;
+  return post.data.media.find(
+    (item): item is HeaderVideo =>
+      item.type === 'video' && item.poster?.src === thumbnailSrc
+  );
+}
+
 export function adjacentPosts(
   posts: CollectionEntry<'posts'>[],
   current: CollectionEntry<'posts'>
@@ -163,7 +178,7 @@ export const ARTICLE_THUMBNAIL = {
 export const PROJECT_THUMBNAIL = {
   widths: [320, 480, 640, 800, 960, 1200, 1280],
   sizes:
-    '(max-width: 700px) calc(100vw - 40px), (max-width: 960px) calc((100vw - 64px - 1rem) / 2), calc((min(100vw - 64px, 72rem) - 2rem) / 3)',
+    '(max-width: 700px) calc((100vw - 40px - 0.75rem) / 2), (max-width: 960px) calc((100vw - 64px - 1rem) / 2), calc((min(100vw - 64px, 72rem) - 2rem) / 3)',
 };
 
 // Wraps `getImage` with the standard OG dimensions (1200x630 JPEG). Used by
diff --git a/src/styles/global.css b/src/styles/global.css
index a1f8815..c3ef104 100644
--- a/src/styles/global.css
+++ b/src/styles/global.css
@@ -630,8 +630,12 @@
     line-height: var(--leading-snug);
   }
 
-  .article-list .entry-title,
-  .project-list h3 a {
+  .project-list h3 {
+    color: var(--color-fg);
+    font-weight: var(--weight-semibold);
+  }
+
+  .article-list .entry-title {
     display: inline-flex;
     align-items: center;
     min-height: 28px;
@@ -640,8 +644,7 @@
     text-decoration: none;
   }
 
-  .article-list .entry-title:hover,
-  .project-list h3 a:hover {
+  .article-list .entry-title:hover {
     color: var(--color-link-hover);
   }
 
@@ -776,6 +779,7 @@
   }
 
   .project-card {
+    position: relative;
     display: grid;
     grid-template-columns: 1fr;
     grid-template-areas:
@@ -809,7 +813,8 @@
     grid-area: summary;
     display: flex;
     flex-direction: column;
-    gap: var(--space-1);
+    justify-content: space-between;
+    gap: var(--space-3);
     min-width: 0;
     padding: var(--space-3) var(--space-4);
   }
@@ -824,29 +829,78 @@
     line-height: var(--leading-snug);
   }
 
-  .project-card .project-meta {
-    color: var(--color-muted);
-    font-size: var(--fs-sm);
-    display: -webkit-box;
-    -webkit-line-clamp: 2;
-    -webkit-box-orient: vertical;
-    overflow: hidden;
+  .project-card__head {
+    display: flex;
+    flex-direction: column;
+    gap: var(--space-1);
+    min-width: 0;
   }
 
-  .project-essay-badge {
+  .project-card__actions {
+    display: flex;
+    align-items: center;
+    flex-wrap: wrap;
+    gap: var(--space-2) var(--space-3);
+    margin-top: var(--space-3);
+  }
+
+  /* Stretched link: the Open control's overlay covers the whole card so any
+     click opens the project website. The Article link sits above the overlay
+     via a higher z-index and stays independently clickable. */
+  .project-card__open::after {
+    content: '';
+    position: absolute;
+    inset: 0;
+    z-index: 1;
+    /* Cover the whole card, not the Open button's pill radius. The card's own
+       overflow:hidden + border-radius clips this to the rounded card shape. */
+    border-radius: 0;
+  }
+
+  .project-card__open {
+    margin-left: auto;
     display: inline-flex;
     align-items: center;
-    margin-left: var(--space-2);
-    padding: 0.1em 0.5em;
-    background: var(--color-callout-bg);
-    border: 1px solid var(--color-rule);
+    gap: 0.3em;
+    min-height: 36px;
+    padding: 0.25em 0.85em;
+    border: 1px solid var(--color-rule-strong);
     border-radius: var(--radius-pill);
-    color: var(--color-muted);
-    font-size: var(--fs-xs);
+    background: var(--color-bg);
+    color: var(--color-link);
+    font-size: var(--fs-caption);
+    font-weight: var(--weight-semibold);
+    text-decoration: none;
+    transition:
+      background-color 150ms ease,
+      border-color 150ms ease,
+      color 150ms ease;
+  }
+
+  .project-card:hover .project-card__open,
+  .project-card:focus-within .project-card__open {
+    border-color: var(--color-link);
+    background: var(--color-callout-bg);
+    color: var(--color-link-hover);
+  }
+
+  .project-article-link {
+    position: relative;
+    z-index: 2;
+    display: inline-flex;
+    align-items: center;
+    gap: 0.3em;
+    min-height: 36px;
+    color: var(--color-link);
+    font-size: var(--fs-caption);
     font-weight: var(--weight-medium);
-    text-transform: uppercase;
-    letter-spacing: 0.08em;
-    vertical-align: 0.15em;
+    text-decoration: none;
+  }
+
+  .project-article-link:hover,
+  .project-article-link:focus-visible {
+    color: var(--color-link-hover);
+    text-decoration: underline;
   }
 
   .project-links {
@@ -877,16 +931,6 @@
     font-size: 0.85em;
   }
 
-  .project-card .project-links {
-    gap: 0 var(--space-3);
-    margin-top: auto;
-    font-size: var(--fs-caption);
-  }
-
-  .project-card .project-links a {
-    min-height: 44px;
-  }
-
   .post > .post-media,
   .facts {
     max-width: var(--measure);
@@ -1117,6 +1161,141 @@
     font-size: var(--fs-caption);
   }
 
+  /* Click-to-play header video: a poster with a play button that swaps in an
+     inline <video> on click. Shared by the article banner and project cards. */
+  .video-thumbnail {
+    position: relative;
+    display: block;
+    overflow: hidden;
+  }
+
+  .video-thumbnail picture,
+  .video-thumbnail img {
+    display: block;
+    width: 100%;
+    height: 100%;
+  }
+
+  .video-thumbnail__video {
+    /* The global `video { display: block }` reset (author origin) overrides the
+       UA `[hidden]` rule, so hide the idle video explicitly to keep it from
+       swallowing the play button's click. */
+    display: none;
+    position: absolute;
+    inset: 0;
+    z-index: 2;
+    width: 100%;
+    height: 100%;
+    object-fit: contain;
+    background: #000;
+  }
+
+  .video-thumbnail.is-playing .video-thumbnail__video {
+    display: block;
+  }
+
+  .video-thumbnail__play {
+    position: absolute;
+    inset: 0;
+    z-index: 2;
+    width: 100%;
+    border: 0;
+    padding: 0;
+    display: grid;
+    place-items: center;
+    background: color-mix(in oklch, #000 22%, transparent);
+    color: var(--color-fg);
+    cursor: pointer;
+  }
+
+  .video-thumbnail__play:hover,
+  .video-thumbnail__play:focus-visible {
+    background: color-mix(in oklch, #000 30%, transparent);
+  }
+
+  .video-thumbnail__play-icon {
+    width: clamp(3.25rem, 9vw, 4.75rem);
+    aspect-ratio: 1;
+    display: grid;
+    place-items: center;
+    border: 1px solid var(--color-rule-strong);
+    border-radius: var(--radius-pill);
+    background: color-mix(in oklch, var(--color-bg) 88%, transparent);
+    box-shadow: 0 0.75rem 2rem color-mix(in oklch, #000 28%, transparent);
+    transition:
+      background-color 150ms ease,
+      transform 150ms ease;
+  }
+
+  .video-thumbnail__play:hover .video-thumbnail__play-icon,
+  .video-thumbnail__play:focus-visible .video-thumbnail__play-icon {
+    background: var(--color-bg);
+    transform: scale(1.04);
+  }
+
+  .video-thumbnail__play svg {
+    width: 42%;
+    height: 42%;
+    transform: translateX(8%);
+    fill: currentColor;
+  }
+
+  .video-thumbnail.is-playing picture,
+  .video-thumbnail.is-playing .video-thumbnail__play {
+    display: none;
+  }
+
+  .video-thumbnail__noscript {
+    position: absolute;
+    inset-inline: var(--space-3);
+    inset-block-end: var(--space-3);
+    z-index: 3;
+    margin: 0;
+    padding: var(--space-2) var(--space-3);
+    border-radius: var(--radius-md);
+    background: var(--color-bg);
+    font-size: var(--fs-caption);
+  }
+
+  /* Banner variant: keep the poster's own aspect ratio inside a rounded frame.
+     Cover with a matching ratio is not a crop, so the no-crop preview QA passes. */
+  .video-thumbnail--banner {
+    aspect-ratio: var(--video-aspect, 16 / 9);
+    border: 1px solid var(--color-rule);
+    border-radius: var(--radius-md);
+    background: var(--color-code-bg);
+  }
+
+  .video-thumbnail--banner img {
+    object-fit: cover;
+  }
+
+  .video-thumbnail--banner.post-thumbnail img {
+    border: 0;
+    border-radius: 0;
+  }
+
+  /* Card variant: only the centered badge is the play button, so a click
+     anywhere else on the thumbnail falls through to the card's Open link. */
+  .video-thumbnail--card .video-thumbnail__play {
+    inset: auto;
+    top: 50%;
+    left: 50%;
+    width: auto;
+    background: transparent;
+    transform: translate(-50%, -50%);
+  }
+
+  .video-thumbnail--card .video-thumbnail__play:hover,
+  .video-thumbnail--card .video-thumbnail__play:focus-visible {
+    background: transparent;
+  }
+
+  .video-thumbnail--card .video-thumbnail__play-icon {
+    width: clamp(2.25rem, 14vw, 3rem);
+    box-shadow: 0 0.5rem 1.25rem color-mix(in oklch, #000 32%, transparent);
+  }
+
   .prose {
     max-inline-size: var(--measure);
     line-height: var(--leading-prose);
@@ -1459,11 +1638,6 @@
     overflow-wrap: anywhere;
   }
 
-  .project-card h3 a {
-    min-height: 44px;
-    min-width: 44px;
-  }
-
   .post-toc ol {
     list-style: none;
     padding: 0;
@@ -1771,8 +1945,9 @@
       padding-block-start: 0;
     }
 
-    .project-card .project-meta {
-      -webkit-line-clamp: 3;
+    .project-list {
+      grid-template-columns: repeat(2, minmax(0, 1fr));
+      gap: var(--space-3);
     }
 
     .project-card__summary {