diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 258d1d7..1353b76 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -3,4 +3,5 @@ node_modules/
 .run.pid
 .deploy-installed
 data/backups/
+data/scene.live.json
 _deploy/
diff --git a/public/anchors-print.html b/public/anchors-print.html
index 42411a0..cd7bfb8 100644
--- a/public/anchors-print.html
+++ b/public/anchors-print.html
@@ -66,7 +66,12 @@
 
   <div id="sheet"><div id="empty">Loading anchors…</div></div>
 
-  <!-- vendored ArUco dictionary for the exact bit patterns -->
+  <!-- js-aruco chain (order matters): cv -> svd -> posit -> aruco -> dictionary.
+       The dictionary file references AR from aruco.js; loading it alone throws. -->
+  <script src="vendor/cv.js"></script>
+  <script src="vendor/svd.js"></script>
+  <script src="vendor/posit1.js"></script>
+  <script src="vendor/aruco.js"></script>
   <script src="vendor/dictionaries/aruco_4x4_1000.js"></script>
   <script>
   (function () {
@@ -80,11 +85,9 @@
     // Build a 6x6 bit grid (0=black,1=white) for an ArUco 4x4 id.
     // Outer ring is the quiet border (all black); inner 4x4 = the code bits.
     function grid6(id) {
-      const dict = (window.AR && AR.DICTIONARIES && AR.DICTIONARIES.ARUCO_4X4_1000)
-        ? AR.DICTIONARIES.ARUCO_4X4_1000 : null;
-      // js-aruco exposes the dictionary via AR.Dictionary; build one to read codeList
+      // Full js-aruco chain is loaded, so AR.Dictionary is available.
       const d = new AR.Dictionary('ARUCO_4X4_1000');
-      const code = d.codeList[id];
+      const code = d.codeList[id];        // 16-char bit string, e.g. "1011..."
       if (!code) return null;
       const g = [];
       for (let y = -1; y <= 4; y++) {
diff --git a/server/sync-server.js b/server/sync-server.js
index bd87991..3a4cbf6 100644
--- a/server/sync-server.js
+++ b/server/sync-server.js
@@ -13,9 +13,17 @@ const PORT = process.env.PORT || 34034;
 const TICK_HZ = Number(process.env.TICK_HZ || 20); // server broadcast rate
 
 // ---- Load scene ----------------------------------------------------------
+// Two files:
+//   data/scene.json       -> committed "seed" (tracked in git). Default/first-run.
+//   data/scene.live.json  -> authored scene written by the admin (git-IGNORED),
+//                            so `git reset --hard` on deploy never clobbers it.
+// We read live if it exists, else fall back to the seed. Saves always go to live.
+const SEED_PATH = join(ROOT, 'data', 'scene.json');
+const LIVE_PATH = join(ROOT, 'data', 'scene.live.json');
+
 function loadScene() {
-  const raw = readFileSync(join(ROOT, 'data', 'scene.json'), 'utf-8');
-  return JSON.parse(raw);
+  const path = existsSync(LIVE_PATH) ? LIVE_PATH : SEED_PATH;
+  return JSON.parse(readFileSync(path, 'utf-8'));
 }
 let scene = loadScene();
 
@@ -129,7 +137,7 @@ app.post('/api/scene', (req, res) => {
   if (err) return res.status(400).json({ ok: false, error: err });
   try {
     const dataDir = join(ROOT, 'data');
-    const target = join(dataDir, 'scene.json');
+    const target = LIVE_PATH; // authored scene -> live file (survives deploys)
     // timestamped backup so a bad save is always recoverable
     const backupDir = join(dataDir, 'backups');
     if (!existsSync(backupDir)) mkdirSync(backupDir, { recursive: true });
@@ -205,5 +213,6 @@ setInterval(() => {
 httpServer.listen(PORT, () => {
   console.log(`Newbury exhibit sync server on :${PORT} (broadcast ${TICK_HZ}Hz)`);
   console.log(`  Viewer:  http://localhost:${PORT}/`);
-  console.log(`  Scene:   ${scene.spawns.length} spawns, ${scene.anchors.length} anchors`);
+  console.log(`  Scene:   ${scene.spawns.length} spawns, ${scene.anchors.length} anchors` +
+    ` (${existsSync(LIVE_PATH) ? 'live: scene.live.json' : 'seed: scene.json'})`);
 });