diff --git a/src/components/ParityBitsGame.tsx b/src/components/ParityBitsGame.tsx
index 5897284..fa3ce72 100644
--- a/src/components/ParityBitsGame.tsx
+++ b/src/components/ParityBitsGame.tsx
@@ -148,8 +148,8 @@ const ParityBitsGame = ({ showSocialShare = true }: ParityBitsGameProps) => {
       colCounts
     });
     
-    // Animate through rows
-    for (let i = 0; i < gridSize; i++) {
+    // Animate through rows (including parity row)
+    for (let i = 0; i <= gridSize; i++) {
       setAnimationState(prev => ({...prev, currentRow: i}));
       await new Promise(resolve => setTimeout(resolve, 800));
     }
@@ -158,13 +158,13 @@ const ParityBitsGame = ({ showSocialShare = true }: ParityBitsGameProps) => {
     setAnimationState(prev => ({...prev, currentRow: -1, showRowParity: true}));
     await new Promise(resolve => setTimeout(resolve, 1000));
     
-    // Animate through columns
-    for (let j = 0; j < gridSize; j++) {
+    // Animate through columns (including parity column)
+    for (let j = 0; j <= gridSize; j++) {
       setAnimationState(prev => ({...prev, currentCol: j}));
       await new Promise(resolve => setTimeout(resolve, 800));
     }
     
-    // Show column parities
+    // Show column parities and keep them persistent
     setAnimationState(prev => ({...prev, currentCol: -1, showColParity: true}));
     await new Promise(resolve => setTimeout(resolve, 1000));
     
@@ -176,17 +176,13 @@ const ParityBitsGame = ({ showSocialShare = true }: ParityBitsGameProps) => {
       setErrorDetected({row: errorRow, col: errorCol});
     }
     
-    setAnimationState({
+    // Keep labels persistent - don't reset them
+    setAnimationState(prev => ({
+      ...prev,
       isAnimating: false,
       currentRow: -1,
-      currentCol: -1,
-      showRowParity: false,
-      showColParity: false,
-      rowParities: [],
-      colParities: [],
-      rowCounts: [],
-      colCounts: []
-    });
+      currentCol: -1
+    }));
     
     setPhase('detect');
   };
@@ -259,6 +255,8 @@ const ParityBitsGame = ({ showSocialShare = true }: ParityBitsGameProps) => {
                 const isCurrentRowBeingChecked = animationState.currentRow === row;
                 const isCurrentColBeingChecked = animationState.currentCol === col;
                 const shouldHighlightForAnimation = isCurrentRowBeingChecked || isCurrentColBeingChecked;
+                const isBlackCell = currentGrid[row]?.[col];
+                const highlightColor = isBlackCell ? 'ring-2 ring-orange-400 bg-orange-400/20' : 'ring-2 ring-yellow-400 bg-yellow-400/15';
                 
                 return (
                   <button
@@ -268,7 +266,7 @@ const ParityBitsGame = ({ showSocialShare = true }: ParityBitsGameProps) => {
                       ${currentGrid[row]?.[col] ? 'bg-foreground' : 'bg-background'}
                       ${isParityCell ? 'border-primary' : 'border-foreground'}
                       ${isError ? 'ring-4 ring-green-500 bg-green-500/20' : ''}
-                      ${shouldHighlightForAnimation ? 'ring-2 ring-yellow-400 bg-yellow-400/15' : ''}
+                      ${shouldHighlightForAnimation ? highlightColor : ''}
                       ${phase === 'setup' && !isParityCell ? 'hover:bg-accent cursor-pointer' : ''}
                       ${phase === 'parity' ? 'hover:bg-accent cursor-pointer' : ''}
                     `}
@@ -284,12 +282,12 @@ const ParityBitsGame = ({ showSocialShare = true }: ParityBitsGameProps) => {
           </div>
           
           {/* Row parity labels */}
-          {animationState.currentRow >= 0 && (
+          {(animationState.currentRow >= 0 || animationState.showRowParity) && (
             <div className="flex flex-col gap-1">
               {Array(gridSize).fill(null).map((_, row) => {
                 const hasOddParity = animationState.rowParities[row];
                 const count = animationState.rowCounts[row];
-                const showLabel = row === animationState.currentRow;
+                const showLabel = (row === animationState.currentRow) || animationState.showRowParity;
                 return (
                   <div key={`row-${row}`} className="w-12 h-12 flex items-center justify-center">
                     {showLabel && (
@@ -303,31 +301,15 @@ const ParityBitsGame = ({ showSocialShare = true }: ParityBitsGameProps) => {
               <div className="w-12 h-12"></div> {/* Empty space for parity cell */}
             </div>
           )}
-          {animationState.showRowParity && (
-            <div className="flex flex-col gap-1">
-              {Array(gridSize).fill(null).map((_, row) => {
-                const hasOddParity = animationState.rowParities[row];
-                const count = animationState.rowCounts[row];
-                return (
-                  <div key={`row-${row}`} className="w-12 h-12 flex items-center justify-center">
-                    <span className={`text-xs font-medium ${hasOddParity ? 'text-red-500' : 'text-foreground'}`}>
-                      {count}
-                    </span>
-                  </div>
-                );
-              })}
-              <div className="w-12 h-12"></div> {/* Empty space for parity cell */}
-            </div>
-          )}
         </div>
         
         {/* Column parity labels */}
-        {animationState.currentCol >= 0 && (
-          <div className="flex gap-1">
+        {(animationState.currentCol >= 0 || animationState.showColParity) && (
+          <div className="flex gap-1 justify-center">
             {Array(gridSize).fill(null).map((_, col) => {
               const hasOddParity = animationState.colParities[col];
               const count = animationState.colCounts[col];
-              const showLabel = col === animationState.currentCol;
+              const showLabel = (col === animationState.currentCol) || animationState.showColParity;
               return (
                 <div key={`col-${col}`} className="w-12 h-6 flex items-center justify-center">
                   {showLabel && (
@@ -341,22 +323,6 @@ const ParityBitsGame = ({ showSocialShare = true }: ParityBitsGameProps) => {
             <div className="w-12 h-6"></div> {/* Empty space for parity cell */}
           </div>
         )}
-        {animationState.showColParity && (
-          <div className="flex gap-1">
-            {Array(gridSize).fill(null).map((_, col) => {
-              const hasOddParity = animationState.colParities[col];
-              const count = animationState.colCounts[col];
-              return (
-                <div key={`col-${col}`} className="w-12 h-6 flex items-center justify-center">
-                  <span className={`text-xs font-medium ${hasOddParity ? 'text-red-500' : 'text-foreground'}`}>
-                    {count}
-                  </span>
-                </div>
-              );
-            })}
-            <div className="w-12 h-6"></div> {/* Empty space for parity cell */}
-          </div>
-        )}
       </div>
     );
   };