diff --git a/matrixbot/callbacks.py b/matrixbot/callbacks.py
index 5f6f820..737743e 100644
--- a/matrixbot/callbacks.py
+++ b/matrixbot/callbacks.py
@@ -81,19 +81,29 @@ class Callbacks:
 
         # m.reaction events come as UnknownEvent with type "m.reaction"
         if not hasattr(event, "source"):
+            logger.info("reaction: event has no source attr, type=%s sender=%s", type(event).__name__, event.sender)
             return
 
+        event_type = event.source.get("type", "")
         content = event.source.get("content", {})
         relates_to = content.get("m.relates_to", {})
-        if relates_to.get("rel_type") != "m.annotation":
-            return
-
+        rel_type = relates_to.get("rel_type", "")
         reacted_event_id = relates_to.get("event_id", "")
         key = relates_to.get("key", "")
 
+        logger.info(
+            "reaction: type=%s rel_type=%s key=%r target=%s sender=%s",
+            event_type, rel_type, key, reacted_event_id[:16] if reacted_event_id else "", event.sender,
+        )
+
+        if rel_type != "m.annotation":
+            return
+
         await handle_welcome_reaction(
             self.client, room.room_id, event.sender, reacted_event_id, key
         )
+        from commands import _WYR_POLLS
+        logger.info("reaction: wyr polls active=%s matched=%s", list(_WYR_POLLS.keys()), reacted_event_id in _WYR_POLLS)
         record_wyr_vote(reacted_event_id, event.sender, key)
 
     async def member(self, room, event):
diff --git a/matrixbot/commands.py b/matrixbot/commands.py
index bfdbc5a..4a56de7 100644
--- a/matrixbot/commands.py
+++ b/matrixbot/commands.py
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ import aiohttp
 
 from nio import AsyncClient
 
-from utils import send_text, send_html, send_reaction, sanitize_input
+from utils import send_text, send_html, send_reaction, edit_html, sanitize_input
 from wordle import handle_wordle
 from config import (
     MAX_DICE_SIDES, MAX_DICE_COUNT, BOT_PREFIX, ADMIN_USERS,
@@ -1321,6 +1321,32 @@ def _hangman_display(game: dict) -> str:
     return " ".join(c if c.lower() in guessed else "_" for c in word.upper())
 
 
+def _hangman_board_html(game: dict, status_line: str = "") -> tuple[str, str]:
+    """Return (plain, html) for the current hangman board state."""
+    word = game["word"]
+    wrong_count = game["wrong_count"]
+    display = _hangman_display(game)
+    wrong_letters = sorted(ch for ch in game["guessed_letters"] if ch not in word)
+    stage_art = _HANGMAN_STAGES[wrong_count].replace("```", "")
+
+    plain = (
+        f"🎯 Hangman!\n{stage_art}\n"
+        f"Word: {display} ({len(word)} letters)\n"
+        f"Hint: {game['hint']}\n"
+        f"Wrong ({wrong_count}/6): {', '.join(wrong_letters) or 'none'}"
+        + (f"\n{status_line}" if status_line else "")
+    )
+    html = (
+        f'<font color="#f59e0b"><strong>🎯 Hangman!</strong></font><br>'
+        f'<pre>{stage_art}</pre>'
+        f'<strong>Word:</strong> <code>{display}</code> ({len(word)} letters)<br>'
+        f'<strong>Hint:</strong> {game["hint"]}<br>'
+        f'Wrong ({wrong_count}/6): {", ".join(wrong_letters) or "none"}'
+        + (f'<br><em>{status_line}</em>' if status_line else "")
+    )
+    return plain, html
+
+
 async def _generate_hangman_word() -> dict | None:
     system_msg = (
         "You are a hangman game generator. Always respond with ONLY a JSON object — no markdown, no explanation. "
@@ -1393,25 +1419,14 @@ async def cmd_hangman(client: AsyncClient, room_id: str, sender: str, args: str)
         "hint": hint,
         "guessed_letters": set(),
         "wrong_count": 0,
+        "board_event_id": None,
     }
     _HANGMAN_GAMES[room_id] = game
 
-    plain = (
-        f"🎯 Hangman!\n"
-        f"{_HANGMAN_STAGES[0]}\n"
-        f"Word: {display} ({len(word)} letters)\n"
-        f"Hint: {hint}\n"
-        f"Guess a letter or word with !guess <letter/word>\n"
-        f"Max 6 wrong guesses."
-    )
-    html = (
-        f'<font color="#f59e0b"><strong>🎯 Hangman!</strong></font><br>'
-        f'<pre>{_HANGMAN_STAGES[0].replace("```", "")}</pre>'
-        f'<strong>Word:</strong> <code>{display}</code> ({len(word)} letters)<br>'
-        f'<strong>Hint:</strong> {hint}<br>'
-        f'<em>Guess with <code>!guess &lt;letter/word&gt;</code> — max 6 wrong guesses</em>'
-    )
-    await send_html(client, room_id, plain, html)
+    plain, html = _hangman_board_html(game, "Guess with !guess <letter/word> — max 6 wrong guesses")
+    resp = await send_html(client, room_id, plain, html)
+    if hasattr(resp, "event_id"):
+        game["board_event_id"] = resp.event_id
 
 
 @command("guess", "Guess a letter or word in hangman (!guess <letter/word>)")
@@ -1429,38 +1444,34 @@ async def cmd_guess(client: AsyncClient, room_id: str, sender: str, args: str):
 
     word = game["word"]
 
+    board_id = game.get("board_event_id")
+
+    async def _update_board(status: str):
+        """Edit the board message in place, or send a new one if edit unavailable."""
+        p, h = _hangman_board_html(game, status)
+        if board_id:
+            await edit_html(client, room_id, board_id, p, h)
+        else:
+            await send_html(client, room_id, p, h)
+
     # Full word guess
     if len(guess) > 1:
         winner = sender.split(":")[0].lstrip("@")
         if guess == word:
             del _HANGMAN_GAMES[room_id]
-            plain = f"🎉 {winner} got it! The word was: {word.upper()}"
-            html = (
-                f'<font color="#22c55e"><strong>🎉 {winner} got it! The word was: {word.upper()}</strong></font>'
+            await send_html(
+                client, room_id,
+                f"🎉 {winner} got it! The word was: {word.upper()}",
+                f'<font color="#22c55e"><strong>🎉 {winner} got it! The word was: {word.upper()}</strong></font>',
             )
-            await send_html(client, room_id, plain, html)
         else:
             game["wrong_count"] += 1
-            display = _hangman_display(game)
             if game["wrong_count"] >= 6:
                 del _HANGMAN_GAMES[room_id]
-                plain = f"❌ '{guess.upper()}' is wrong! Game over — the word was: {word.upper()}"
-                html = f'<font color="#ef4444"><strong>❌ Wrong! Game over — the word was: {word.upper()}</strong></font>'
-                await send_html(client, room_id, plain, html)
+                await _update_board(f"💀 Wrong! Game over — the word was: {word.upper()}")
             else:
                 remaining = 6 - game["wrong_count"]
-                plain = (
-                    f"❌ '{guess.upper()}' is wrong! {remaining} guesses remaining.\n"
-                    f"{_HANGMAN_STAGES[game['wrong_count']]}\n"
-                    f"Word: {display}\nHint: {game['hint']}"
-                )
-                html = (
-                    f'<font color="#ef4444"><strong>❌ \'{guess.upper()}\' is wrong!</strong></font> '
-                    f'{remaining} guesses remaining.<br>'
-                    f'<strong>Word:</strong> <code>{display}</code><br>'
-                    f'<strong>Hint:</strong> {game["hint"]}'
-                )
-                await send_html(client, room_id, plain, html)
+                await _update_board(f"❌ '{guess.upper()}' is wrong! {remaining} guesses remaining.")
         return
 
     # Single letter guess
@@ -1473,64 +1484,21 @@ async def cmd_guess(client: AsyncClient, room_id: str, sender: str, args: str):
 
     if letter in word:
         display = _hangman_display(game)
-        # Check if fully revealed
         if "_" not in display:
             del _HANGMAN_GAMES[room_id]
-            plain = f"🎉 Solved! The word was: {word.upper()}"
-            html = f'<font color="#22c55e"><strong>🎉 Solved! The word was: {word.upper()}</strong></font>'
-            await send_html(client, room_id, plain, html)
+            await _update_board(f"🎉 Solved! The word was: {word.upper()}")
             return
-
-        wrong_letters = sorted(ch for ch in game["guessed_letters"] if ch not in word)
-        plain = (
-            f"✅ '{letter.upper()}' is in the word!\n"
-            f"{_HANGMAN_STAGES[game['wrong_count']]}\n"
-            f"Word: {display}\n"
-            f"Hint: {game['hint']}\n"
-            f"Wrong guesses ({game['wrong_count']}/6): {', '.join(wrong_letters) or 'none'}"
-        )
-        html = (
-            f'<font color="#22c55e"><strong>✅ \'{letter.upper()}\' is in the word!</strong></font><br>'
-            f'<strong>Word:</strong> <code>{display}</code><br>'
-            f'<strong>Hint:</strong> {game["hint"]}<br>'
-            f'Wrong ({game["wrong_count"]}/6): {", ".join(wrong_letters) or "none"}'
-        )
-        await send_html(client, room_id, plain, html)
+        await _update_board(f"✅ '{letter.upper()}' is in the word!")
     else:
         game["wrong_count"] += 1
         wrong_count = game["wrong_count"]
-        display = _hangman_display(game)
-        wrong_letters = sorted(ch for ch in game["guessed_letters"] if ch not in word)
 
         if wrong_count >= 6:
             del _HANGMAN_GAMES[room_id]
-            plain = (
-                f"💀 '{letter.upper()}' is wrong! Game over!\n"
-                f"{_HANGMAN_STAGES[6]}\n"
-                f"The word was: {word.upper()}"
-            )
-            html = (
-                f'<font color="#ef4444"><strong>💀 Game Over!</strong></font><br>'
-                f'<strong>The word was: {word.upper()}</strong><br>'
-                f'Wrong letters: {", ".join(wrong_letters)}'
-            )
-            await send_html(client, room_id, plain, html)
+            await _update_board(f"💀 Game over! The word was: {word.upper()}")
         else:
             remaining = 6 - wrong_count
-            plain = (
-                f"❌ '{letter.upper()}' is not in the word. {remaining} wrong guesses remaining.\n"
-                f"{_HANGMAN_STAGES[wrong_count]}\n"
-                f"Word: {display}\n"
-                f"Hint: {game['hint']}\n"
-                f"Wrong guesses ({wrong_count}/6): {', '.join(wrong_letters)}"
-            )
-            html = (
-                f'<font color="#ef4444"><strong>❌ \'{letter.upper()}\' is not in the word!</strong></font><br>'
-                f'<strong>Word:</strong> <code>{display}</code><br>'
-                f'<strong>Hint:</strong> {game["hint"]}<br>'
-                f'Wrong ({wrong_count}/6): {", ".join(wrong_letters)}'
-            )
-            await send_html(client, room_id, plain, html)
+            await _update_board(f"❌ '{letter.upper()}' not in the word — {remaining} guesses left.")
 
 
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/matrixbot/utils.py b/matrixbot/utils.py
index 3c43e52..cb047cb 100644
--- a/matrixbot/utils.py
+++ b/matrixbot/utils.py
@@ -87,6 +87,31 @@ async def send_html(client: AsyncClient, room_id: str, plain: str, html: str):
     return resp
 
 
+async def edit_html(client: AsyncClient, room_id: str, event_id: str, plain: str, html: str):
+    """Edit an existing message in place using m.replace."""
+    logger = logging.getLogger("matrixbot")
+    content = {
+        "msgtype": "m.text",
+        "body": f"* {plain}",
+        "format": "org.matrix.custom.html",
+        "formatted_body": html,
+        "m.new_content": {
+            "msgtype": "m.text",
+            "body": plain,
+            "format": "org.matrix.custom.html",
+            "formatted_body": html,
+        },
+        "m.relates_to": {
+            "rel_type": "m.replace",
+            "event_id": event_id,
+        },
+    }
+    resp = await _room_send_trusted(client, room_id, message_type="m.room.message", content=content)
+    if not isinstance(resp, RoomSendResponse):
+        logger.error("edit_html failed: %s", resp)
+    return resp
+
+
 async def send_reaction(client: AsyncClient, room_id: str, event_id: str, emoji: str):
     return await _room_send_trusted(
         client, room_id,