diff --git a/src/main.ts b/src/main.ts
index 5d44fe4..6933a0b 100644
--- a/src/main.ts
+++ b/src/main.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import * as THREE from 'three';
 import { App, makeEnvironment, makeLights } from './core/app';
 import { audio } from './core/audio';
+import { installTouchpad } from './ui/touchpad';
 import { Game } from './game/game';
 import './style.css';
 
@@ -40,4 +41,8 @@ window.addEventListener('keydown', (e) => {
   window.setTimeout(() => { w.style.opacity = '0'; }, 1800);
 });
 
+installTouchpad(canvas);
+// Console cooks can summon the strip on desktop: __tp()
+(window as unknown as { __tp: () => void }).__tp = () => installTouchpad(canvas, true);
+
 app.start();
diff --git a/src/style.css b/src/style.css
index a2b6d57..89e3e90 100644
--- a/src/style.css
+++ b/src/style.css
@@ -741,3 +741,62 @@ body.shadow .load {
   letter-spacing: 0.06em;
   margin: 2px 0 6px;
 }
+
+/* The touch strip - phones get their keys back. */
+#touchpad {
+  position: fixed;
+  bottom: 10px;
+  left: 50%;
+  transform: translateX(-50%);
+  display: flex;
+  gap: 6px;
+  z-index: 35;
+  touch-action: none;
+  user-select: none;
+  -webkit-user-select: none;
+}
+.tp-btn {
+  min-width: 44px;
+  height: 44px;
+  padding: 0 10px;
+  border-radius: 10px;
+  border: 1px solid #5a4a38;
+  background: rgba(30, 24, 18, 0.82);
+  color: #e8dcc4;
+  font: 700 14px ui-monospace, monospace;
+  touch-action: none;
+}
+.tp-btn:active {
+  background: #6a5335;
+}
+.tp-wide { padding: 0 14px; }
+@media (min-width: 900px) and (hover: hover) {
+  #touchpad { display: none; } /* desktops with a mouse keep the clean bench */
+}
+
+/* Small screens: the bench folds to fit the phone. */
+#touchpad {
+  flex-wrap: wrap;
+  justify-content: center;
+  max-width: 100vw;
+  padding: 0 4px;
+}
+@media (max-width: 600px) {
+  #judge-eye {
+    bottom: 104px !important;
+    width: 60px !important;
+    height: 60px !important;
+  }
+  .title-wrap {
+    flex-direction: column;
+    align-items: center;
+    overflow-x: hidden;
+  }
+  .title-txt h1 { font-size: 44px; }
+  .title-art { max-width: 55vw; }
+  .title-txt { max-width: 94vw; }
+  .title-days { max-width: 94vw; }
+}
+
+/* No keys while you read the menu - the title disposes itself on start. */
+body:has(#ui > .title) #touchpad { display: none; }
diff --git a/src/ui/touchpad.ts b/src/ui/touchpad.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..fcd775c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/ui/touchpad.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
+/**
+ * The touch strip: phones have no wheel and no keyboard, and half the kitchen
+ * runs on both. Each button IS its key — pointer down dispatches keydown,
+ * pointer up dispatches keyup, so holds (the crack charge, the drain) work
+ * exactly like the physical key. The heat arrows synthesise wheel ticks.
+ * Only appears on touch devices; the buttons never steal from the canvas.
+ */
+export function installTouchpad(canvas: HTMLCanvasElement, force = false): void {
+  if (!force && !('ontouchstart' in window) && navigator.maxTouchPoints === 0) return;
+  const pad = document.createElement('div');
+  pad.id = 'touchpad';
+  document.body.appendChild(pad);
+
+  const key = (label: string, code: string, wide = false) => {
+    const b = document.createElement('button');
+    b.className = `tp-btn${wide ? ' tp-wide' : ''}`;
+    b.textContent = label;
+    b.addEventListener('pointerdown', (e) => {
+      e.preventDefault();
+      b.setPointerCapture(e.pointerId);
+      window.dispatchEvent(new KeyboardEvent('keydown', { code }));
+    });
+    const up = () => window.dispatchEvent(new KeyboardEvent('keyup', { code }));
+    b.addEventListener('pointerup', up);
+    b.addEventListener('pointercancel', up);
+    pad.appendChild(b);
+    return b;
+  };
+  const wheelBtn = (label: string, dir: 1 | -1) => {
+    const b = document.createElement('button');
+    b.className = 'tp-btn';
+    b.textContent = label;
+    b.addEventListener('pointerdown', (e) => {
+      e.preventDefault();
+      canvas.dispatchEvent(new WheelEvent('wheel', { deltaY: dir * 100, bubbles: true, cancelable: true }));
+    });
+    pad.appendChild(b);
+  };
+
+  wheelBtn('▼', -1); // heat down
+  wheelBtn('▲', 1); // heat up
+  key('←', 'ArrowLeft');
+  key('→', 'ArrowRight');
+  key('B', 'KeyB');
+  key('F', 'KeyF');
+  key('D', 'KeyD');
+  key('L', 'KeyL');
+  key('HOLD ␣', 'Space', true);
+  key('SERVE', 'Enter', true);
+}