diff --git a/src/board_widget.cpp b/src/board_widget.cpp
index b6e17f7..42528e2 100644
--- a/src/board_widget.cpp
+++ b/src/board_widget.cpp
@@ -386,21 +386,19 @@ void BoardWidget::draw_game_over_overlay(const Cairo::RefPtr<Cairo::Context>& cr
     cr->rotate(-0.06);
     cr->translate(-width / 2.0, -height / 2.0);
 
-    // Translucent panel for readability over the revealed board
-    double pad = font_size * 0.35;
-    double px = cx - pad;
-    double py = cy - pad;
-    double pw = ext.width + 2 * pad;
-    double ph = ext.height + 2 * pad;
-    double radius = font_size * 0.12;
-    cr->set_source_rgba(0.0, 0.0, 0.0, 0.5);
-    cr->move_to(px + radius, py);
-    cr->arc(px + pw - radius, py + radius, radius, -M_PI / 2, 0);
-    cr->arc(px + pw - radius, py + ph - radius, radius, 0, M_PI / 2);
-    cr->arc(px + radius, py + ph - radius, radius, M_PI / 2, M_PI);
-    cr->arc(px + radius, py + radius, radius, M_PI, 3 * M_PI / 2);
-    cr->close_path();
-    cr->fill();
+    // Layered drop shadow (fakes softness without blurring), then the text
+    cr->set_source_rgba(0.0, 0.0, 0.0, 0.35);
+    cr->move_to(cx + 4, cy + 4);
+    cr->show_text(msg);
+    cr->set_source_rgba(0.0, 0.0, 0.0, 0.3);
+    cr->move_to(cx + 3, cy + 3);
+    cr->show_text(msg);
+    cr->set_source_rgba(0.0, 0.0, 0.0, 0.2);
+    cr->move_to(cx + 2, cy + 2);
+    cr->show_text(msg);
+    cr->set_source_rgba(0.0, 0.0, 0.0, 0.1);
+    cr->move_to(cx + 1, cy + 1);
+    cr->show_text(msg);
 
     cr->set_source_rgb(1.0, 0.42, 0.08); // Explosive orange
     cr->move_to(cx, cy);