diff --git a/site/index.html b/site/index.html
index 6c016b6..f629f42 100644
--- a/site/index.html
+++ b/site/index.html
@@ -140,6 +140,19 @@ h1 { color: #fff; font-size: 1.5em; text-align: center; }
 .disconnected-overlay .retry { color: #555; font-size: 0.8em; margin-top: 15px; }
 body.greyed-out .container { filter: grayscale(80%) brightness(0.5); pointer-events: none; }
 
+/* ===== STALE STATE ===== */
+.stale-banner {
+  position: fixed; top: 0; left: 0; right: 0; z-index: 400;
+  background: rgba(30, 30, 50, 0.92); border-bottom: 1px solid #444;
+  padding: 8px 20px; text-align: center; font-size: 0.85em; color: #aaa;
+  display: none; backdrop-filter: blur(2px);
+  animation: stale-fade-in 0.3s ease-out;
+}
+@keyframes stale-fade-in { from { opacity: 0; transform: translateY(-100%); } to { opacity: 1; transform: translateY(0); } }
+.stale-banner .icon { margin-right: 6px; }
+.stale-banner .age { color: #f39c12; font-weight: 500; }
+body.stale .container { filter: brightness(0.8) saturate(0.7); }
+
 /* ===== GAME OVER ===== */
 .game-over-banner {
   position: fixed; top: 0; left: 0; right: 0;
@@ -223,6 +236,12 @@ body.game-over .container { padding-top: 100px; }
   </div>
 </div>
 
+<!-- Stale data banner -->
+<div class="stale-banner" id="stale-banner">
+  <span class="icon">⏸️</span>
+  Game data hasn't updated in <span class="age" id="stale-age">--</span> — the bridge may have stopped
+</div>
+
 <!-- Confetti canvas -->
 <canvas id="confetti-canvas"></canvas>
 
@@ -238,6 +257,7 @@ body.game-over .container { padding-top: 100px; }
   <button onclick="debugState('zero')">Zero State (no game)</button>
   <button onclick="debugState('playing')">Playing (demo)</button>
   <button onclick="debugState('gameover')">Game Over (confetti)</button>
+  <button onclick="debugState('stale')">Stale (no updates)</button>
   <button onclick="debugState('disconnected')">Disconnected</button>
   <button onclick="debugState('reset')">Reset (live mode)</button>
 </div>
@@ -267,6 +287,8 @@ let retryCountdown = 0;
 let retryTimer = null;
 let gameOverShown = false; // only trigger confetti once per game
 let confettiRunning = false;
+let lastStateTimestamp = null; // ISO string from state.lastUpdated
+const STALE_THRESHOLD_MS = 20000;
 
 function showView(view) {
   currentView = view;
@@ -553,6 +575,37 @@ function isGameOver(state) {
   return false;
 }
 
+// ===== STALE DETECTION =====
+function checkStale() {
+  if (!lastStateTimestamp || currentView === 'zero' || currentView === 'gameover') {
+    hideStale();
+    return;
+  }
+  const age = Date.now() - new Date(lastStateTimestamp).getTime();
+  if (age > STALE_THRESHOLD_MS) {
+    showStale(age);
+  } else {
+    hideStale();
+  }
+}
+
+function showStale(ageMs) {
+  const secs = Math.floor(ageMs / 1000);
+  let ageText;
+  if (secs < 60) ageText = `${secs}s`;
+  else if (secs < 3600) ageText = `${Math.floor(secs / 60)}m ${secs % 60}s`;
+  else ageText = `${Math.floor(secs / 3600)}h ${Math.floor((secs % 3600) / 60)}m`;
+
+  document.getElementById('stale-age').textContent = ageText;
+  document.getElementById('stale-banner').style.display = 'block';
+  document.body.classList.add('stale');
+}
+
+function hideStale() {
+  document.getElementById('stale-banner').style.display = 'none';
+  document.body.classList.remove('stale');
+}
+
 // ===== CONNECTION MONITORING =====
 function showDisconnected() {
   if (currentView === 'disconnected') return;
@@ -592,6 +645,10 @@ async function update() {
     if (consecutiveFailures >= 3) hideDisconnected();
     consecutiveFailures = 0;
 
+    // Track last update time for stale detection
+    if (state.lastUpdated) lastStateTimestamp = state.lastUpdated;
+    checkStale();
+
     // Determine what to show
     if (!state.players || state.players.length === 0) {
       // No players = no game
@@ -633,6 +690,7 @@ async function update() {
 
   } catch (e) {
     consecutiveFailures++;
+    checkStale(); // still update stale timer on failures
     if (consecutiveFailures >= 3) {
       showDisconnected();
     }
@@ -719,7 +777,9 @@ function debugState(mode) {
   if (mode === 'reset') {
     debugMode = null;
     lastUpdate = '';
+    lastStateTimestamp = null;
     hideDisconnected();
+    hideStale();
     update();
     return;
   }
@@ -741,6 +801,14 @@ function debugState(mode) {
     document.getElementById('winner-name').textContent = `🏆 ${winner} WINS!`;
     startConfetti();
     document.getElementById('status').textContent = 'Debug: Game Over';
+  } else if (mode === 'stale') {
+    const st = demoPlayingState();
+    st.lastUpdated = new Date(Date.now() - 120000).toISOString(); // 2 min ago
+    lastStateTimestamp = st.lastUpdated;
+    showView('playing');
+    renderGame(st);
+    checkStale();
+    document.getElementById('status').textContent = 'Debug: Stale data';
   } else if (mode === 'disconnected') {
     // Show game underneath the overlay
     const st = demoPlayingState();