diff --git a/settings/hyprland.nix b/settings/hyprland.nix
index 9b93940..254b51d 100644
--- a/settings/hyprland.nix
+++ b/settings/hyprland.nix
@@ -435,7 +435,12 @@ in
           settings = {
             general = {
               lock_cmd         = "qs ipc call lock lock";
-              before_sleep_cmd = "loginctl lock-session";
+              # Lock directly, not via `loginctl lock-session`: hypridle waits
+              # for before_sleep_cmd to exit before releasing its sleep
+              # inhibitor, but the loginctl → logind Lock signal → lock_cmd
+              # detour is async and the box can suspend unlocked. Lid close
+              # (HandleLidSwitch=suspend) goes through here too.
+              before_sleep_cmd = "qs ipc call lock lock";
               after_sleep_cmd  = "hyprctl dispatch dpms on";
             };
             listener = [
diff --git a/settings/quickshell.nix b/settings/quickshell.nix
index 480e56b..7e3d53a 100644
--- a/settings/quickshell.nix
+++ b/settings/quickshell.nix
@@ -549,45 +549,56 @@ in
                     FastBlur {
                         anchors.fill: wall
                         source: wall
-                        radius: 48
+                        radius: 20
+                    }
+                    // Lighter blur means less natural contrast, so the scrim
+                    // is a left-weighted gradient instead of a flat 0.4 wash:
+                    // dark under the text column, near-clear on the right.
+                    Rectangle {
+                        anchors.fill: parent
+                        gradient: Gradient {
+                            orientation: Gradient.Horizontal
+                            GradientStop { position: 0.0; color: "#b0000000" }
+                            GradientStop { position: 0.55; color: "#59000000" }
+                            GradientStop { position: 1.0; color: "#33000000" }
+                        }
                     }
-                    Rectangle { anchors.fill: parent; color: "black"; opacity: 0.4 }
 
                     SystemClock {
                         id: lockClock
                         precision: SystemClock.Minutes
                     }
 
+                    // Lower-left, not centred: clock/date/password stack left
+                    // aligned against a 10% margin, sitting below the middle.
                     Column {
-                        anchors.horizontalCenter: parent.horizontalCenter
+                        anchors.left: parent.left
+                        anchors.leftMargin: Math.round(parent.width * 0.10)
                         anchors.verticalCenter: parent.verticalCenter
-                        anchors.verticalCenterOffset: -60
-                        spacing: 8
+                        anchors.verticalCenterOffset: Math.round(parent.height * 0.14)
+                        spacing: 6
 
                         Text {
-                            anchors.horizontalCenter: parent.horizontalCenter
                             text: lockClock.date.toLocaleTimeString(Qt.locale(), "HH:mm")
                             color: Theme.base05
                             font.family: Theme.fontFamily
-                            font.pixelSize: 72
-                            font.weight: Font.Medium
+                            font.pixelSize: 104
+                            font.weight: Font.DemiBold
                         }
                         Text {
-                            anchors.horizontalCenter: parent.horizontalCenter
                             text: lockClock.date.toLocaleDateString(Qt.locale(), "dddd, d MMMM")
                             color: Theme.base04
                             font.family: Theme.fontFamily
-                            font.pixelSize: 16
+                            font.pixelSize: 18
                         }
 
-                        Item { width: 1; height: 32 }
+                        Item { width: 1; height: 28 }
 
                         // Password pill: dots for typed chars; border tracks
                         // state (accent while checking, red on failure).
                         Rectangle {
-                            anchors.horizontalCenter: parent.horizontalCenter
-                            width: 280
-                            height: 44
+                            width: 300
+                            height: 46
                             radius: Theme.radiusCard
                             color: Theme.cardBg
                             border.width: Theme.borderWidth