diff --git a/frontend/src/components/FightViewer.vue b/frontend/src/components/FightViewer.vue
index 220c9b4..1edec5d 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/FightViewer.vue
+++ b/frontend/src/components/FightViewer.vue
@@ -322,7 +322,7 @@ async function _doReplay() {
         scene.showSpeechBubble('a', round.botAResponse.slice(0, 60), 5)
         scene.startTalking('a')
       }
-      if (doTTS) await speakAnswer(props.fight.botA!.name, round.botAResponse.slice(0, 60))
+      if (doTTS) await speakAnswer(props.fight.botA!.name, round.botAResponse)
       else await sleep(insanityMode.value ? 30 : 800)
       scene?.stopTalking('a')
       if (!insanityMode.value) await sleep(150)
@@ -337,7 +337,7 @@ async function _doReplay() {
         scene.showSpeechBubble('b', round.botBResponse.slice(0, 60), 5)
         scene.startTalking('b')
       }
-      if (doTTS) await speakAnswer(props.fight.botB!.name, round.botBResponse.slice(0, 60))
+      if (doTTS) await speakAnswer(props.fight.botB!.name, round.botBResponse)
       else await sleep(insanityMode.value ? 30 : 800)
       scene?.stopTalking('b')
       if (!insanityMode.value) await sleep(150)
diff --git a/frontend/src/game/sounds.ts b/frontend/src/game/sounds.ts
index 717db0a..7f9e5bd 100644
--- a/frontend/src/game/sounds.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/game/sounds.ts
@@ -347,7 +347,7 @@ function speak(text: string, profileName: string, cancelPrevious: boolean = fals
   speechSynthesis.speak(utter)
 }
 
-/** Like speakAsync but with a forced minimum rate */
+/** Like speakAsync but with a forced minimum rate + Chrome keepalive */
 function speakAsyncWithRate(text: string, profileName: string, minRate: number): Promise<void> {
   return new Promise<void>((resolve) => {
     if (typeof speechSynthesis === 'undefined' || masterMuted) { resolve(); return }
@@ -360,9 +360,26 @@ function speakAsyncWithRate(text: string, profileName: string, minRate: number):
     utter.rate = Math.max(minRate, profile.rate)
     utter.volume = profile.volume * VOICE_VOLUME_SCALE
     _speechQueueDepth++
-    const safetyTimeout = setTimeout(resolve, 15_000)
-    utter.onend = () => { clearTimeout(safetyTimeout); _speechQueueDepth = Math.max(0, _speechQueueDepth - 1); resolve() }
-    utter.onerror = () => { clearTimeout(safetyTimeout); _speechQueueDepth = Math.max(0, _speechQueueDepth - 1); resolve() }
+    let done = false
+    const cleanup = () => {
+      if (done) return
+      done = true
+      clearTimeout(safetyTimeout)
+      clearInterval(keepalive)
+      _speechQueueDepth = Math.max(0, _speechQueueDepth - 1)
+      resolve()
+    }
+    const safetyTimeout = setTimeout(cleanup, 15_000)
+    // Chrome bug workaround: speechSynthesis silently kills utterances after ~15s.
+    // Periodic pause/resume resets Chrome's internal timer.
+    const keepalive = setInterval(() => {
+      if (speechSynthesis.speaking && !speechSynthesis.paused) {
+        speechSynthesis.pause()
+        speechSynthesis.resume()
+      }
+    }, 10_000)
+    utter.onend = cleanup
+    utter.onerror = cleanup
     speechSynthesis.speak(utter)
   })
 }
@@ -381,14 +398,25 @@ function speakAsync(text: string, profileName: string, cancelPrevious: boolean =
     utter.rate = profile.rate
     utter.volume = profile.volume * VOICE_VOLUME_SCALE
     _speechQueueDepth++
-    utter.onend = () => { _speechQueueDepth = Math.max(0, _speechQueueDepth - 1); resolve() }
-    utter.onerror = () => { _speechQueueDepth = Math.max(0, _speechQueueDepth - 1); resolve() }
-    // Safety timeout — never block forever (max 15s for any utterance)
-    const safetyTimeout = setTimeout(resolve, 15_000)
-    const origOnEnd = utter.onend
-    utter.onend = (ev) => { clearTimeout(safetyTimeout); (origOnEnd as any)(ev) }
-    const origOnError = utter.onerror
-    utter.onerror = (ev) => { clearTimeout(safetyTimeout); (origOnError as any)(ev) }
+    let done = false
+    const cleanup = () => {
+      if (done) return
+      done = true
+      clearTimeout(safetyTimeout)
+      clearInterval(keepalive)
+      _speechQueueDepth = Math.max(0, _speechQueueDepth - 1)
+      resolve()
+    }
+    const safetyTimeout = setTimeout(cleanup, 15_000)
+    // Chrome keepalive: periodic pause/resume prevents silent cutoff
+    const keepalive = setInterval(() => {
+      if (speechSynthesis.speaking && !speechSynthesis.paused) {
+        speechSynthesis.pause()
+        speechSynthesis.resume()
+      }
+    }, 10_000)
+    utter.onend = cleanup
+    utter.onerror = cleanup
     speechSynthesis.speak(utter)
   })
 }
@@ -820,22 +848,37 @@ function botVoiceKey(name: string): string {
  *  Does NOT cancel previous speech so intro/hype lines finish naturally.
  *  Returns promise that resolves when the question finishes reading. */
 export function speakQuestion(text: string): Promise<void> {
-  const trimmed = text.length > 140 ? text.slice(0, 137) + '...' : text
+  const trimmed = smartTruncate(text, 200)
   return speakAsync(trimmed, 'question_reader', false)
 }
 
+/** Truncate text at a natural sentence boundary (period, comma, semicolon, etc.) */
+function smartTruncate(text: string, maxLen: number): string {
+  if (text.length <= maxLen) return text
+  const slice = text.slice(0, maxLen)
+  // Find the last natural break point
+  const breaks = ['. ', '! ', '? ', '; ', ', ', ' — ', ' - ', ' ']
+  for (const br of breaks) {
+    const idx = slice.lastIndexOf(br)
+    if (idx > maxLen * 0.4) return slice.slice(0, idx + br.trimEnd().length)
+  }
+  // Fallback: break at last space
+  const lastSpace = slice.lastIndexOf(' ')
+  if (lastSpace > maxLen * 0.4) return slice.slice(0, lastSpace)
+  return slice
+}
+
 /** Speak a bot's answer in their assigned character voice at brisk pace.
  *  Returns promise that resolves when finished. */
 export function speakAnswer(botName: string, answer: string): Promise<void> {
-  const trimmed = answer.length > 80 ? answer.slice(0, 77) + '...' : answer
-  // Use speakAsync with a rate boost: override profile rate to min 1.1
+  const trimmed = smartTruncate(answer, 200)
   return speakAsyncWithRate(trimmed, botVoiceKey(botName), 1.15)
 }
 
 /** Speak the judge's narration — brisk sportscaster energy.
  *  Returns promise that resolves when finished. */
 export function speakNarration(text: string): Promise<void> {
-  const trimmed = text.length > 160 ? text.slice(0, 157) + '...' : text
+  const trimmed = smartTruncate(text, 200)
   return speakAsyncWithRate(trimmed, 'sportscaster', 1.2)
 }
 
diff --git a/server/src/engine/retro-moves.ts b/server/src/engine/retro-moves.ts
index e3fad60..a263974 100644
--- a/server/src/engine/retro-moves.ts
+++ b/server/src/engine/retro-moves.ts
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ export function generateRetroChallenge(): Challenge {
 
   const moveList = knownMoves.map(m => `  ${m.input} = ${m.name} (${m.damage} dmg)`).join('\n')
 
-  const prompt = `RETRO MODE — ARCADE FIGHT!\n\nEnter 3 gamepad combos separated by |\nButtons: ↑ ↓ ← → A B\n\nKNOWN MOVES:\n${moveList}\n\nSECRET COMBOS exist! Longer button chains = more damage. Experiment!\n\nFormat: combo1 | combo2 | combo3\nExample: ↓→+A | B | →→+A`
+  const prompt = `ARCADE ROUND! Pick 3 moves:\n${moveList}\n\nSecret combos exist — longer chains hit harder.\nAnswer: combo1 | combo2 | combo3`
 
   return {
     type: 'retro_mode',