diff --git a/src/layouts/AppLayout.astro b/src/layouts/AppLayout.astro
index 21e55bd..66303c7 100644
--- a/src/layouts/AppLayout.astro
+++ b/src/layouts/AppLayout.astro
@@ -134,17 +134,28 @@ const year = new Date().getFullYear();
        its baseline in Newsreader; this nudges it onto the visual midline. */
     transform: translateY(-2px);
   }
+  /* Italic Newsreader renders ~10% visually taller than regular at the
+     same font-size — the cursive B has a flourish extending past the
+     cap line. Drop Bifrost to 16px so its cap+flourish optical height
+     matches Project's 18px cap, and use inline-block + tiny vertical
+     padding so the gradient-clip bbox doesn't chop the flourish off. */
   .wordmark-project,
   .wordmark-bifrost {
     font-family: var(--font-serif);
-    font-size: 18px;
     font-weight: 400;
-    line-height: 1.4;
     letter-spacing: var(--tracking-snug);
+    line-height: 1.4;
+  }
+  .wordmark-project {
+    font-size: 18px;
+    color: var(--on-surface);
   }
-  .wordmark-project { color: var(--on-surface); }
   .wordmark-bifrost {
+    display: inline-block;
+    font-size: 16px;
     font-style: italic;
+    padding: 3px 0 1px;
+    vertical-align: baseline;
     background-image: linear-gradient(
       90deg,
       var(--pigment-terracotta) 0%,