diff --git a/web/src/lib/components/AlphabeticalGrid.svelte b/web/src/lib/components/AlphabeticalGrid.svelte
index 4a735a67..d430f69a 100644
--- a/web/src/lib/components/AlphabeticalGrid.svelte
+++ b/web/src/lib/components/AlphabeticalGrid.svelte
@@ -11,62 +11,117 @@
     item: Snippet<[T]>;
   } = $props();
 
-  // Compute the divider letter for each item; if it differs from the
-  // previous item's letter, that index gets a divider above it.
+  // Tag the first item of each letter so the rail can scrollIntoView
+  // it. Continuous flow — no per-letter row breaks — so packed
+  // alphabets don't waste a row for single-item letters.
   const segments = $derived.by(() => {
-    const out: { divider: string | null; item: T }[] = [];
+    const out: { letter: string | null; item: T }[] = [];
     let last: string | null = null;
     for (const it of items) {
       const k = (getKey(it) || '').charAt(0).toUpperCase();
       if (k !== last) {
-        out.push({ divider: k, item: it });
+        out.push({ letter: k, item: it });
         last = k;
       } else {
-        out.push({ divider: null, item: it });
+        out.push({ letter: null, item: it });
       }
     }
     return out;
   });
+
+  // Distinct first-letters in the order they appear (preserves the
+  // upstream sort: 2 → 8 → A → B → … instead of pure alpha order
+  // because the source is already pre-sorted).
+  const letters = $derived.by(() => {
+    const seen: string[] = [];
+    const seenSet = new Set<string>();
+    for (const it of items) {
+      const k = (getKey(it) || '').charAt(0).toUpperCase();
+      if (k && !seenSet.has(k)) {
+        seenSet.add(k);
+        seen.push(k);
+      }
+    }
+    return seen;
+  });
+
+  function jumpTo(letter: string) {
+    const el = document.getElementById(`alpha-${letter}`);
+    el?.scrollIntoView({ behavior: 'smooth', block: 'start' });
+  }
 </script>
 
-<div class="alpha-grid">
-  {#each segments as seg, i (i)}
-    {#if seg.divider}
-      <div class="divider">
-        <h3 class="letter">{seg.divider}</h3>
-        <span class="rule"></span>
+<div class="alpha-layout">
+  <div class="alpha-grid">
+    {#each segments as seg, i (i)}
+      <div class="cell" id={seg.letter ? `alpha-${seg.letter}` : undefined}>
+        {@render item(seg.item)}
       </div>
-    {/if}
-    <div class="cell">
-      {@render item(seg.item)}
-    </div>
-  {/each}
+    {/each}
+  </div>
+
+  {#if letters.length > 1}
+    <!-- Sticky vertical alphabet rail. Stays vertically centered in
+         the viewport via position:sticky + top:50% + translate; the
+         row of letters survives scroll until the grid leaves the
+         viewport. -->
+    <nav class="alpha-rail" aria-label="Jump to letter">
+      {#each letters as letter}
+        <button
+          type="button"
+          class="rail-btn"
+          onclick={() => jumpTo(letter)}
+          aria-label={`Jump to ${letter}`}
+        >{letter}</button>
+      {/each}
+    </nav>
+  {/if}
 </div>
 
 <style>
+  .alpha-layout {
+    display: grid;
+    grid-template-columns: 1fr auto;
+    gap: 16px;
+    align-items: start;
+  }
   .alpha-grid {
     display: grid;
     grid-template-columns: repeat(auto-fill, minmax(140px, 1fr));
     gap: 16px;
+    min-width: 0;
   }
-  .divider {
-    grid-column: 1 / -1;
+  .alpha-rail {
+    position: sticky;
+    top: 50%;
+    transform: translateY(-50%);
+    display: flex;
+    flex-direction: column;
+    gap: 0;
+    padding: 4px 2px;
+    border-radius: 9999px;
+    background: color-mix(in srgb, var(--fs-iron) 70%, transparent);
+    backdrop-filter: blur(4px);
+  }
+  .rail-btn {
+    width: 22px;
+    height: 18px;
     display: flex;
     align-items: center;
-    gap: 12px;
-    padding-top: 8px;
-  }
-  .letter {
+    justify-content: center;
     font-family: var(--fs-font-display);
-    font-size: 24px;
-    font-weight: 500;
-    color: var(--fs-parchment);
-    /* h3 default browser margin would push the divider; reset. */
-    margin: 0;
+    font-size: 11px;
+    line-height: 1;
+    color: var(--fs-ash);
+    background: none;
+    border: none;
+    cursor: pointer;
+    border-radius: 9999px;
   }
-  .rule {
-    flex: 1;
-    height: 1px;
-    background: var(--fs-pewter);
+  .rail-btn:hover,
+  .rail-btn:focus-visible {
+    color: var(--fs-parchment);
+    background: color-mix(in srgb, var(--fs-accent) 40%, transparent);
+    outline: none;
   }
 </style>
diff --git a/web/src/lib/components/AlphabeticalGrid.test.ts b/web/src/lib/components/AlphabeticalGrid.test.ts
index c2822b8a..0ad79688 100644
--- a/web/src/lib/components/AlphabeticalGrid.test.ts
+++ b/web/src/lib/components/AlphabeticalGrid.test.ts
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ const itemSnippet = createRawSnippet<[Item]>((getIt) => ({
 type AnyProps = any;
 
 describe('AlphabeticalGrid', () => {
-  test('inserts a divider for each new key letter', () => {
+  test('emits a jump button for each distinct first-letter', () => {
     render(AlphabeticalGrid, {
       props: {
         items,
@@ -31,14 +31,16 @@ describe('AlphabeticalGrid', () => {
         item: itemSnippet
       } as AnyProps
     });
-    // Three dividers (A, B, D); C is absent because no items use C.
-    expect(screen.getByText('A')).toBeInTheDocument();
-    expect(screen.getByText('B')).toBeInTheDocument();
-    expect(screen.getByText('D')).toBeInTheDocument();
-    expect(screen.queryByText('C')).not.toBeInTheDocument();
+    // Rail has one button per distinct first-letter (A, B, D);
+    // C is absent because no items use C. Letters render as
+    // <button> elements, not text dividers.
+    expect(screen.getByRole('button', { name: /jump to a/i })).toBeInTheDocument();
+    expect(screen.getByRole('button', { name: /jump to b/i })).toBeInTheDocument();
+    expect(screen.getByRole('button', { name: /jump to d/i })).toBeInTheDocument();
+    expect(screen.queryByRole('button', { name: /jump to c/i })).not.toBeInTheDocument();
   });
 
-  test('renders items in given order', () => {
+  test('renders items in given order followed by the jump rail', () => {
     const { container } = render(AlphabeticalGrid, {
       props: {
         items,
@@ -46,6 +48,23 @@ describe('AlphabeticalGrid', () => {
         item: itemSnippet
       } as AnyProps
     });
-    expect(container.textContent).toMatch(/A.*Apple.*Avocado.*B.*Banana.*D.*Date/s);
+    // New layout: continuous grid (items in order) then the
+    // sticky alphabet rail. Items come first in DOM order; rail
+    // is the trailing nav.
+    expect(container.textContent).toMatch(/Apple.*Avocado.*Banana.*Date.*A.*B.*D/s);
+  });
+
+  test('tags the first item of each letter with an alpha-<letter> id', () => {
+    const { container } = render(AlphabeticalGrid, {
+      props: {
+        items,
+        getKey: (it: Item) => it.key,
+        item: itemSnippet
+      } as AnyProps
+    });
+    expect(container.querySelector('#alpha-A')).not.toBeNull();
+    expect(container.querySelector('#alpha-B')).not.toBeNull();
+    expect(container.querySelector('#alpha-D')).not.toBeNull();
+    expect(container.querySelector('#alpha-C')).toBeNull();
   });
 });