diff --git a/frontend/src/components/CellFlip.tsx b/frontend/src/components/CellFlip.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c0d0892
--- /dev/null
+++ b/frontend/src/components/CellFlip.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,108 @@
+import { useEffect, useRef, useState } from 'react'
+import { useStore } from '../store'
+
+interface FlipItem {
+  row: number
+  col: number
+  oldLetter: string
+  newLetter: string
+  clueNumber: number | undefined
+  id: number
+}
+
+let flipId = 0
+
+export default function CellFlip({ svgRef }: { svgRef: React.RefObject<SVGSVGElement | null> }) {
+  const entries = useStore((s) => s.entries)
+  const puzzle = useStore((s) => s.puzzle)
+  const [flips, setFlips] = useState<FlipItem[]>([])
+  const prevEntries = useRef<string[][]>([])
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (!puzzle) return
+
+    const prev = prevEntries.current
+    const curr = entries
+    const newFlips: FlipItem[] = []
+
+    for (let r = 0; r < curr.length; r++) {
+      for (let c = 0; c < (curr[r]?.length || 0); c++) {
+        const was = prev[r]?.[c] || ''
+        const now = curr[r]?.[c] || ''
+        if (now && now !== was) {
+          const num = puzzle.cell_numbers[`${r},${c}`]
+          newFlips.push({ row: r, col: c, oldLetter: was, newLetter: now, clueNumber: num, id: ++flipId })
+        }
+      }
+    }
+
+    prevEntries.current = curr.map(r => [...r])
+
+    // skip animation when bulk-loading (e.g. reopening a solved puzzle)
+    const totalWhiteCells = puzzle.cells.flat().filter(c => c !== 'black').length
+    if (newFlips.length > 0 && newFlips.length < totalWhiteCells * 0.5) {
+      // hide the SVG letter text for the flipping cells
+      if (svgRef.current) {
+        for (const flip of newFlips) {
+          const texts = svgRef.current.querySelectorAll<SVGElement>(`g[data-cell="${flip.row},${flip.col}"] .cell-letter`)
+          texts.forEach(t => { t.style.opacity = '0' })
+        }
+      }
+
+      setFlips(f => [...f, ...newFlips])
+      setTimeout(() => {
+        // restore SVG letter visibility
+        if (svgRef.current) {
+          for (const flip of newFlips) {
+            const texts = svgRef.current.querySelectorAll<SVGElement>(`g[data-cell="${flip.row},${flip.col}"] .cell-letter`)
+            texts.forEach(t => { t.style.opacity = '1' })
+          }
+        }
+        setFlips(f => f.filter(fl => !newFlips.some(n => n.id === fl.id)))
+      }, 600)
+    }
+  }, [entries, puzzle, svgRef])
+
+  if (!puzzle || !svgRef.current || flips.length === 0) return null
+
+  const svg = svgRef.current
+  const rect = svg.getBoundingClientRect()
+  const cellW = rect.width / puzzle.width
+  const cellH = rect.height / puzzle.height
+  const fontSize = Math.round(cellW * 0.52)
+  const numSize = Math.round(cellW * 0.26)
+
+  return (
+    <>
+      {flips.map(flip => (
+        <div
+          key={flip.id}
+          className="flip-scene"
+          style={{
+            position: 'absolute',
+            left: flip.col * cellW,
+            top: flip.row * cellH,
+            width: cellW,
+            height: cellH,
+          }}
+        >
+          <div className="flip-backing" />
+          <div className="flip-card flip-card-animate">
+            <div className="flip-face flip-front">
+              {flip.clueNumber && (
+                <span className="flip-num" style={{ fontSize: numSize }}>{flip.clueNumber}</span>
+              )}
+              {flip.oldLetter && <span className="flip-letter" style={{ fontSize }}>{flip.oldLetter}</span>}
+            </div>
+            <div className="flip-face flip-back">
+              {flip.clueNumber && (
+                <span className="flip-num" style={{ fontSize: numSize }}>{flip.clueNumber}</span>
+              )}
+              <span className="flip-letter" style={{ fontSize }}>{flip.newLetter}</span>
+            </div>
+          </div>
+        </div>
+      ))}
+    </>
+  )
+}