diff --git a/CONTENT_BRIDGE.md b/CONTENT_BRIDGE.md
index d150738..bf89930 100644
--- a/CONTENT_BRIDGE.md
+++ b/CONTENT_BRIDGE.md
@@ -286,7 +286,8 @@ The data file should contain either a top-level array or an object with an
 `items` array. The `src` path is resolved relative to the Markdown file. Use
 `columns` to control the visible columns, `headers` to rename table headers,
 `link` to choose the column that should link through the row's `link` field,
-and `number` to prefix that linked column with a row number such as `slno`.
+and `number` to prefix and sort that linked column by a row number such as
+`slno`.
 
 In Obsidian this remains a readable code fence next to the data file. In Astro
 it becomes static HTML enhanced with local search and sort. In PDF it becomes a
diff --git a/docs/PARSER.md b/docs/PARSER.md
index b78ae17..4baef0c 100644
--- a/docs/PARSER.md
+++ b/docs/PARSER.md
@@ -344,7 +344,7 @@ Attributes:
 | `headers="key:Label,..."`      | Optional | Human-readable labels for selected columns.                |
 | `link="title"`                 | Optional | Column whose value links through the row's URL field.      |
 | `url="link"`                   | Optional | URL field used by the linked column; defaults to `link`.   |
-| `number="slno"`                | Optional | Prefix the linked column with a row number field.          |
+| `number="slno"`                | Optional | Prefix and sort the linked column by a row number field.   |
 | `caption="Resources"`          | Optional | Visible toolbar title and accessible table caption.        |
 | `search="false"`               | Optional | Disable local table search; enabled by default.            |
 | `sort="false"`                 | Optional | Disable sortable headers; enabled by default.              |
diff --git a/sites/art/src/remark/semantic-blocks.mjs b/sites/art/src/remark/semantic-blocks.mjs
index a8afdbd..23809f1 100644
--- a/sites/art/src/remark/semantic-blocks.mjs
+++ b/sites/art/src/remark/semantic-blocks.mjs
@@ -220,19 +220,25 @@ function displayValue(value) {
   return VALUE_LABELS[value] || value;
 }
 
+function numberLabel(row, field) {
+  if (!field) return "";
+  const value = row[field];
+  if (value === undefined || value === null || value === "") return "";
+  return String(value).padStart(2, "0");
+}
+
 function renderCell(row, column, options) {
   const raw = row[column] ?? "";
   const display = displayValue(raw);
-  const sortValue = attribute(sortText(display));
+  const numberPrefix =
+    column === options.linkColumn ? numberLabel(row, options.numberField) : "";
+  const sortValue = attribute(
+    [numberPrefix, sortText(display)].filter(Boolean).join(" "),
+  );
   const cellAttrs = `data-column="${attribute(column)}" data-sort-value="${sortValue}"`;
 
   if (column === options.linkColumn && row[options.urlField]) {
-    const numberValue = row[options.numberField];
-    const numberLabel =
-      numberValue === undefined || numberValue === null || numberValue === ""
-        ? ""
-        : String(numberValue).padStart(2, "0");
-    const prefix = options.numberField && numberLabel ? `${numberLabel}. ` : "";
+    const prefix = numberPrefix ? `${numberPrefix}. ` : "";
     return `<td ${cellAttrs}><a href="${attribute(row[options.urlField])}">${escapeHtml(prefix)}${inlineMarkup(display)}</a></td>`;
   }
 
diff --git a/sites/poetry/src/remark/semantic-blocks.mjs b/sites/poetry/src/remark/semantic-blocks.mjs
index a8afdbd..23809f1 100644
--- a/sites/poetry/src/remark/semantic-blocks.mjs
+++ b/sites/poetry/src/remark/semantic-blocks.mjs
@@ -220,19 +220,25 @@ function displayValue(value) {
   return VALUE_LABELS[value] || value;
 }
 
+function numberLabel(row, field) {
+  if (!field) return "";
+  const value = row[field];
+  if (value === undefined || value === null || value === "") return "";
+  return String(value).padStart(2, "0");
+}
+
 function renderCell(row, column, options) {
   const raw = row[column] ?? "";
   const display = displayValue(raw);
-  const sortValue = attribute(sortText(display));
+  const numberPrefix =
+    column === options.linkColumn ? numberLabel(row, options.numberField) : "";
+  const sortValue = attribute(
+    [numberPrefix, sortText(display)].filter(Boolean).join(" "),
+  );
   const cellAttrs = `data-column="${attribute(column)}" data-sort-value="${sortValue}"`;
 
   if (column === options.linkColumn && row[options.urlField]) {
-    const numberValue = row[options.numberField];
-    const numberLabel =
-      numberValue === undefined || numberValue === null || numberValue === ""
-        ? ""
-        : String(numberValue).padStart(2, "0");
-    const prefix = options.numberField && numberLabel ? `${numberLabel}. ` : "";
+    const prefix = numberPrefix ? `${numberPrefix}. ` : "";
     return `<td ${cellAttrs}><a href="${attribute(row[options.urlField])}">${escapeHtml(prefix)}${inlineMarkup(display)}</a></td>`;
   }
 
diff --git a/sites/puzzles/src/remark/semantic-blocks.mjs b/sites/puzzles/src/remark/semantic-blocks.mjs
index a8afdbd..23809f1 100644
--- a/sites/puzzles/src/remark/semantic-blocks.mjs
+++ b/sites/puzzles/src/remark/semantic-blocks.mjs
@@ -220,19 +220,25 @@ function displayValue(value) {
   return VALUE_LABELS[value] || value;
 }
 
+function numberLabel(row, field) {
+  if (!field) return "";
+  const value = row[field];
+  if (value === undefined || value === null || value === "") return "";
+  return String(value).padStart(2, "0");
+}
+
 function renderCell(row, column, options) {
   const raw = row[column] ?? "";
   const display = displayValue(raw);
-  const sortValue = attribute(sortText(display));
+  const numberPrefix =
+    column === options.linkColumn ? numberLabel(row, options.numberField) : "";
+  const sortValue = attribute(
+    [numberPrefix, sortText(display)].filter(Boolean).join(" "),
+  );
   const cellAttrs = `data-column="${attribute(column)}" data-sort-value="${sortValue}"`;
 
   if (column === options.linkColumn && row[options.urlField]) {
-    const numberValue = row[options.numberField];
-    const numberLabel =
-      numberValue === undefined || numberValue === null || numberValue === ""
-        ? ""
-        : String(numberValue).padStart(2, "0");
-    const prefix = options.numberField && numberLabel ? `${numberLabel}. ` : "";
+    const prefix = numberPrefix ? `${numberPrefix}. ` : "";
     return `<td ${cellAttrs}><a href="${attribute(row[options.urlField])}">${escapeHtml(prefix)}${inlineMarkup(display)}</a></td>`;
   }
 
diff --git a/sites/reflections/src/remark/semantic-blocks.mjs b/sites/reflections/src/remark/semantic-blocks.mjs
index a8afdbd..23809f1 100644
--- a/sites/reflections/src/remark/semantic-blocks.mjs
+++ b/sites/reflections/src/remark/semantic-blocks.mjs
@@ -220,19 +220,25 @@ function displayValue(value) {
   return VALUE_LABELS[value] || value;
 }
 
+function numberLabel(row, field) {
+  if (!field) return "";
+  const value = row[field];
+  if (value === undefined || value === null || value === "") return "";
+  return String(value).padStart(2, "0");
+}
+
 function renderCell(row, column, options) {
   const raw = row[column] ?? "";
   const display = displayValue(raw);
-  const sortValue = attribute(sortText(display));
+  const numberPrefix =
+    column === options.linkColumn ? numberLabel(row, options.numberField) : "";
+  const sortValue = attribute(
+    [numberPrefix, sortText(display)].filter(Boolean).join(" "),
+  );
   const cellAttrs = `data-column="${attribute(column)}" data-sort-value="${sortValue}"`;
 
   if (column === options.linkColumn && row[options.urlField]) {
-    const numberValue = row[options.numberField];
-    const numberLabel =
-      numberValue === undefined || numberValue === null || numberValue === ""
-        ? ""
-        : String(numberValue).padStart(2, "0");
-    const prefix = options.numberField && numberLabel ? `${numberLabel}. ` : "";
+    const prefix = numberPrefix ? `${numberPrefix}. ` : "";
     return `<td ${cellAttrs}><a href="${attribute(row[options.urlField])}">${escapeHtml(prefix)}${inlineMarkup(display)}</a></td>`;
   }
 
diff --git a/sites/research/src/remark/semantic-blocks.mjs b/sites/research/src/remark/semantic-blocks.mjs
index a8afdbd..23809f1 100644
--- a/sites/research/src/remark/semantic-blocks.mjs
+++ b/sites/research/src/remark/semantic-blocks.mjs
@@ -220,19 +220,25 @@ function displayValue(value) {
   return VALUE_LABELS[value] || value;
 }
 
+function numberLabel(row, field) {
+  if (!field) return "";
+  const value = row[field];
+  if (value === undefined || value === null || value === "") return "";
+  return String(value).padStart(2, "0");
+}
+
 function renderCell(row, column, options) {
   const raw = row[column] ?? "";
   const display = displayValue(raw);
-  const sortValue = attribute(sortText(display));
+  const numberPrefix =
+    column === options.linkColumn ? numberLabel(row, options.numberField) : "";
+  const sortValue = attribute(
+    [numberPrefix, sortText(display)].filter(Boolean).join(" "),
+  );
   const cellAttrs = `data-column="${attribute(column)}" data-sort-value="${sortValue}"`;
 
   if (column === options.linkColumn && row[options.urlField]) {
-    const numberValue = row[options.numberField];
-    const numberLabel =
-      numberValue === undefined || numberValue === null || numberValue === ""
-        ? ""
-        : String(numberValue).padStart(2, "0");
-    const prefix = options.numberField && numberLabel ? `${numberLabel}. ` : "";
+    const prefix = numberPrefix ? `${numberPrefix}. ` : "";
     return `<td ${cellAttrs}><a href="${attribute(row[options.urlField])}">${escapeHtml(prefix)}${inlineMarkup(display)}</a></td>`;
   }
 
diff --git a/sites/reviews/src/remark/semantic-blocks.mjs b/sites/reviews/src/remark/semantic-blocks.mjs
index a8afdbd..23809f1 100644
--- a/sites/reviews/src/remark/semantic-blocks.mjs
+++ b/sites/reviews/src/remark/semantic-blocks.mjs
@@ -220,19 +220,25 @@ function displayValue(value) {
   return VALUE_LABELS[value] || value;
 }
 
+function numberLabel(row, field) {
+  if (!field) return "";
+  const value = row[field];
+  if (value === undefined || value === null || value === "") return "";
+  return String(value).padStart(2, "0");
+}
+
 function renderCell(row, column, options) {
   const raw = row[column] ?? "";
   const display = displayValue(raw);
-  const sortValue = attribute(sortText(display));
+  const numberPrefix =
+    column === options.linkColumn ? numberLabel(row, options.numberField) : "";
+  const sortValue = attribute(
+    [numberPrefix, sortText(display)].filter(Boolean).join(" "),
+  );
   const cellAttrs = `data-column="${attribute(column)}" data-sort-value="${sortValue}"`;
 
   if (column === options.linkColumn && row[options.urlField]) {
-    const numberValue = row[options.numberField];
-    const numberLabel =
-      numberValue === undefined || numberValue === null || numberValue === ""
-        ? ""
-        : String(numberValue).padStart(2, "0");
-    const prefix = options.numberField && numberLabel ? `${numberLabel}. ` : "";
+    const prefix = numberPrefix ? `${numberPrefix}. ` : "";
     return `<td ${cellAttrs}><a href="${attribute(row[options.urlField])}">${escapeHtml(prefix)}${inlineMarkup(display)}</a></td>`;
   }
 
diff --git a/sites/vibes/src/remark/semantic-blocks.mjs b/sites/vibes/src/remark/semantic-blocks.mjs
index a8afdbd..23809f1 100644
--- a/sites/vibes/src/remark/semantic-blocks.mjs
+++ b/sites/vibes/src/remark/semantic-blocks.mjs
@@ -220,19 +220,25 @@ function displayValue(value) {
   return VALUE_LABELS[value] || value;
 }
 
+function numberLabel(row, field) {
+  if (!field) return "";
+  const value = row[field];
+  if (value === undefined || value === null || value === "") return "";
+  return String(value).padStart(2, "0");
+}
+
 function renderCell(row, column, options) {
   const raw = row[column] ?? "";
   const display = displayValue(raw);
-  const sortValue = attribute(sortText(display));
+  const numberPrefix =
+    column === options.linkColumn ? numberLabel(row, options.numberField) : "";
+  const sortValue = attribute(
+    [numberPrefix, sortText(display)].filter(Boolean).join(" "),
+  );
   const cellAttrs = `data-column="${attribute(column)}" data-sort-value="${sortValue}"`;
 
   if (column === options.linkColumn && row[options.urlField]) {
-    const numberValue = row[options.numberField];
-    const numberLabel =
-      numberValue === undefined || numberValue === null || numberValue === ""
-        ? ""
-        : String(numberValue).padStart(2, "0");
-    const prefix = options.numberField && numberLabel ? `${numberLabel}. ` : "";
+    const prefix = numberPrefix ? `${numberPrefix}. ` : "";
     return `<td ${cellAttrs}><a href="${attribute(row[options.urlField])}">${escapeHtml(prefix)}${inlineMarkup(display)}</a></td>`;
   }