diff --git a/components/posts/PostCard.tsx b/components/posts/PostCard.tsx
index 14df9e2..5cf3586 100644
--- a/components/posts/PostCard.tsx
+++ b/components/posts/PostCard.tsx
@@ -15,11 +15,11 @@ export function PostCard({ slug, title, date, excerpt, tags = [], author, readin
       whileHover={shouldReduceMotion ? undefined : { y: -2 }}
       transition={{ duration: 0.35, delay: shouldReduceMotion ? 0 : Math.min(index * 0.04, 0.18), ease: [0.22, 1, 0.36, 1] }}
       viewport={{ once: true, amount: 0.2 }}
-      className="group relative scroll-mt-20 rounded-2xl border border-border/90 bg-canvas p-5 shadow-card transition-[background-color,border-color,box-shadow] duration-200 ease-out hover:border-ink/25 hover:bg-surface/40 hover:shadow-card-hover dark:hover:border-ink/35 sm:p-7"
+      className="group relative scroll-mt-20 rounded-lg border border-border/90 bg-canvas p-5 shadow-card transition-[background-color,border-color,box-shadow] duration-200 ease-out hover:border-ink/25 hover:bg-surface/40 hover:shadow-card-hover dark:hover:border-ink/35 sm:p-7"
     >
       <Link href={`/blog/${slug}/`} className="block">
         {coverImage && (
-          <div className="mb-5 overflow-hidden rounded-xl border border-border/80 bg-surface">
+          <div className="mb-5 overflow-hidden rounded-md border border-border/80 bg-surface">
             <img
               src={coverImage}
               alt={`Cover image for ${title}`}
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ export function PostCard({ slug, title, date, excerpt, tags = [], author, readin
       {tags && tags.length > 0 && (
         <div className="mt-5 flex flex-wrap gap-2">
           {tags.slice(0, 3).map((tag) => (
-            <Link key={tag} href={`/blog/tags/${tagToSlug(tag)}/`} className="rounded-full border border-border bg-surface/70 px-3 py-1 text-xs text-ink-soft transition-colors duration-200 hover:border-accent/60 hover:text-accent focus-visible:outline focus-visible:outline-2 focus-visible:outline-offset-2 focus-visible:outline-accent">
+            <Link key={tag} href={`/blog/tags/${tagToSlug(tag)}/`} className="rounded-sm border border-border bg-surface/70 px-3 py-1 font-mono text-[11px] uppercase tracking-wider text-ink-soft transition-colors duration-200 hover:border-accent/60 hover:text-accent focus-visible:outline focus-visible:outline-2 focus-visible:outline-offset-2 focus-visible:outline-accent">
               {tag}
             </Link>
           ))}
diff --git a/components/posts/PostSearch.tsx b/components/posts/PostSearch.tsx
index de24deb..4e67291 100644
--- a/components/posts/PostSearch.tsx
+++ b/components/posts/PostSearch.tsx
@@ -147,7 +147,7 @@ export function PostSearch({ posts }: PostSearchProps) {
 
   return (
     <section aria-labelledby="posts-search-heading" className="space-y-8">
-      <div className="space-y-5 rounded-xl border border-border bg-surface/30 p-4 sm:p-5">
+      <div className="space-y-5 rounded-lg border border-border bg-surface/30 p-4 sm:p-5">
         <div className="space-y-2">
           <label id="posts-search-heading" htmlFor="post-search" className="block text-sm font-medium text-ink">
             Search posts
@@ -158,7 +158,7 @@ export function PostSearch({ posts }: PostSearchProps) {
               type="search"
               value={query}
               onChange={(event) => setQuery(event.target.value)}
-              placeholder="Search title, excerpt, tag, author, or slug"
+              placeholder="Search…"
               className="min-w-0 flex-1 rounded-lg border border-border bg-canvas px-3 py-2 text-sm text-ink outline-none transition-colors placeholder:text-ink-soft/70 focus:border-accent focus:ring-2 focus:ring-accent/20"
             />
             <button
@@ -167,7 +167,7 @@ export function PostSearch({ posts }: PostSearchProps) {
               disabled={!query}
               className="rounded-lg border border-border px-3 py-2 text-sm text-ink-soft transition-colors hover:border-accent/50 hover:text-accent focus-visible:outline focus-visible:outline-2 focus-visible:outline-offset-2 focus-visible:outline-accent disabled:cursor-not-allowed disabled:opacity-50"
             >
-              Clear search
+              Clear
             </button>
           </div>
         </div>
@@ -185,7 +185,7 @@ export function PostSearch({ posts }: PostSearchProps) {
                     type="button"
                     aria-pressed={isSelected}
                     onClick={() => setSelectedTag(isSelected ? null : tag.slug)}
-                    className="rounded-full border border-border bg-canvas px-3 py-1 text-xs text-ink-soft transition-colors hover:border-accent/50 hover:text-accent focus-visible:outline focus-visible:outline-2 focus-visible:outline-offset-2 focus-visible:outline-accent aria-pressed:border-accent aria-pressed:bg-accent/10 aria-pressed:text-accent"
+                    className="rounded-sm border border-border bg-canvas px-3 py-1 font-mono text-[11px] uppercase tracking-wider text-ink-soft transition-colors hover:border-accent/50 hover:text-accent focus-visible:outline focus-visible:outline-2 focus-visible:outline-offset-2 focus-visible:outline-accent aria-pressed:border-accent aria-pressed:bg-accent/10 aria-pressed:text-accent"
                   >
                     {tag.label} <span className="font-mono text-ink-soft/70">{tag.count}</span>
                   </button>
@@ -209,7 +209,7 @@ export function PostSearch({ posts }: PostSearchProps) {
               }}
               className="self-start rounded-lg border border-border px-3 py-1.5 text-sm text-ink-soft transition-colors hover:border-accent/50 hover:text-accent focus-visible:outline focus-visible:outline-2 focus-visible:outline-offset-2 focus-visible:outline-accent sm:self-auto"
             >
-              Clear filters
+              Clear
             </button>
           )}
         </div>
@@ -222,7 +222,7 @@ export function PostSearch({ posts }: PostSearchProps) {
           ))}
         </div>
       ) : (
-        <p className="text-ink-soft">No posts match your search.</p>
+        <p className="text-ink-soft">No matches.</p>
       )}
     </section>
   )
diff --git a/components/posts/TableOfContents.tsx b/components/posts/TableOfContents.tsx
index 385648e..6ada65c 100644
--- a/components/posts/TableOfContents.tsx
+++ b/components/posts/TableOfContents.tsx
@@ -75,8 +75,8 @@ export function TableOfContents() {
 
   return (
     <nav aria-label="Table of contents" className="lg:sticky lg:top-20">
-      <h4 className="font-sans text-xs font-semibold uppercase tracking-wider text-ink-soft mb-3">
-        On this page
+      <h4 className="section-label mb-3">
+        INDEX
       </h4>
       <ul className="space-y-1">
         {headings.map((heading) => (