diff --git a/crates/mesh/src/tet/complex.rs b/crates/mesh/src/tet/complex.rs
index 7bdfee6..012a205 100644
--- a/crates/mesh/src/tet/complex.rs
+++ b/crates/mesh/src/tet/complex.rs
@@ -170,7 +170,9 @@ pub enum Step {
 pub struct Raw {
     slots: Vec<(u32, [u32; 4], [u32; 4], [u32; 4])>,
     tets_len: usize,
-    free: Vec<u32>,
+    /// The free list's length, and its last entries (those the change may take).
+    free_len: usize,
+    free_tail: Vec<u32>,
     vtets: Vec<(u32, Vec<u32>)>,
     live: usize,
 }
@@ -199,6 +201,21 @@ pub struct TetComplex {
     frozen: Vec<u32>,
     mark: Vec<u32>,
     epoch: u32,
+    /// Change clock: `touched[v]` is the clock of the last change to a tetrahedron of `v`'s star
+    /// (made, removed, reshaped or restored), `failed[t]` the clock at which every topological
+    /// operation on slot `t` last failed ([`Self::known_to_fail`]).
+    clock: u64,
+    touched: Vec<u64>,
+    failed: Vec<u64>,
+    /// The clock at which removing an edge `(a, b)` (sorted), or a face from apex `a`'s side to apex `b` (sorted face)
+    /// last failed: the operation reads only the tetrahedra holding both apexes.
+    failed_edges: IdMap<(u32, u32), u64>,
+    failed_faces: IdMap<(u32, u32, [u32; 3]), u64>,
+    /// Per slot: the quality ([`super::measure::quality`]) and one more than the clock it was
+    /// computed at; current while no vertex of the tetrahedron was touched since.
+    quality_cache: std::cell::RefCell<Vec<(u64, f64)>>,
+    /// The clock at which smoothing a vertex last found no move.
+    failed_smoothing: Vec<u64>,
     live: usize,
     max_tets: usize,
     max_points: usize,
@@ -281,6 +298,13 @@ impl TetComplex {
             frozen: Vec::new(),
             mark: vec![0; tets.len()],
             epoch: 0,
+            clock: 0,
+            touched: vec![0; points.len()],
+            failed: Vec::new(),
+            failed_edges: IdMap::default(),
+            failed_faces: IdMap::default(),
+            failed_smoothing: Vec::new(),
+            quality_cache: std::cell::RefCell::new(Vec::new()),
             live: tets.len(),
             max_tets,
             max_points,
@@ -355,6 +379,125 @@ impl TetComplex {
         if let Some(s) = self.kinds.get_mut(v as usize) {
             *s = k;
         }
+        self.touch_star(v);
+    }
+
+    // ---- change clock ----
+
+    fn touch(&mut self, vs: &[u32]) {
+        self.clock += 1;
+        for &v in vs {
+            if let Some(s) = self.touched.get_mut(v as usize) {
+                *s = self.clock;
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    /// Touch `v` and every vertex of its star (moving `v` reshapes those tetrahedra).
+    fn touch_star(&mut self, v: u32) {
+        let mut vs = vec![v];
+        for &t in self.vtets.get(v as usize).map(Vec::as_slice).unwrap_or_default() {
+            vs.extend(self.tets.get(t as usize).copied().unwrap_or([NONE; 4]));
+        }
+        self.touch(&vs);
+    }
+
+    /// The last change near tetrahedron `t`: in the stars of its vertices and of its neighbours'
+    /// vertices, the region every topological operation on `t` reads.
+    fn stamp(&self, t: u32) -> Result<u64> {
+        let mut m = 0;
+        let mut look = |vs: [u32; 4]| {
+            for v in vs {
+                m = m.max(self.touched.get(v as usize).copied().unwrap_or(u64::MAX));
+            }
+        };
+        look(self.tet(t)?);
+        for n in self.adj(t)? {
+            if n != NONE {
+                look(self.tet(n)?);
+            }
+        }
+        Ok(m)
+    }
+
+    fn touched_at(&self, v: u32) -> u64 {
+        self.touched.get(v as usize).copied().unwrap_or(u64::MAX)
+    }
+
+    /// Record that removing edge `ab` failed now.
+    pub fn mark_edge_failed(&mut self, a: u32, b: u32) {
+        self.failed_edges.insert(sorted2(a, b), self.clock);
+    }
+
+    /// Whether removing edge `ab` failed and no tetrahedron around `a` or `b` changed since.
+    pub fn edge_known_to_fail(&self, a: u32, b: u32) -> bool {
+        self.failed_edges.get(&sorted2(a, b)).is_some_and(|&f| self.touched_at(a).max(self.touched_at(b)) <= f)
+    }
+
+    /// Record that removing `face` between apexes `a` and `b` failed now.
+    pub fn mark_face_failed(&mut self, a: u32, b: u32, face: [u32; 3]) {
+        self.failed_faces.insert((a, b, sorted3(face)), self.clock);
+    }
+
+    /// Whether removing `face` between `a` and `b` failed and nothing around them changed since.
+    pub fn face_known_to_fail(&self, a: u32, b: u32, face: [u32; 3]) -> bool {
+        self.failed_faces.get(&(a, b, sorted3(face))).is_some_and(|&f| self.touched_at(a).max(self.touched_at(b)) <= f)
+    }
+
+    /// The quality of live tetrahedron `t`, computed once per change of its vertices.
+    pub fn slot_quality(&self, t: u32) -> Result<f64> {
+        let vs = self.tet(t)?;
+        let stamp = vs.iter().map(|&v| self.touched_at(v)).max().unwrap_or(u64::MAX);
+        let i = t as usize;
+        if let Some(&(c, q)) = self.quality_cache.borrow().get(i)
+            && c > stamp
+        {
+            return Ok(q);
+        }
+        let q = super::measure::quality(&self.coords(vs)?);
+        let mut cache = self.quality_cache.borrow_mut();
+        if cache.len() <= i {
+            cache.resize(i + 1, (0, 0.0));
+        }
+        if let Some(e) = cache.get_mut(i) {
+            *e = (self.clock + 1, q);
+        }
+        Ok(q)
+    }
+
+    /// Record that smoothing `v` found no move now.
+    pub fn mark_smoothing_failed(&mut self, v: u32) {
+        let i = v as usize;
+        if self.failed_smoothing.len() <= i {
+            self.failed_smoothing.resize(i + 1, 0);
+        }
+        if let Some(f) = self.failed_smoothing.get_mut(i) {
+            *f = self.clock;
+        }
+    }
+
+    /// Whether smoothing `v` found no move and no tetrahedron around it changed since.
+    pub fn smoothing_known_to_fail(&self, v: u32) -> bool {
+        self.failed_smoothing.get(v as usize).is_some_and(|&f| f > 0 && self.touched_at(v) <= f)
+    }
+
+    /// Record that every topological operation on `t` failed now.
+    pub fn mark_failed(&mut self, t: u32) {
+        let i = t as usize;
+        if self.failed.len() <= i {
+            self.failed.resize(i + 1, 0);
+        }
+        if let Some(f) = self.failed.get_mut(i) {
+            *f = self.clock;
+        }
+    }
+
+    /// Whether the topological operations on `t` failed and nothing they read has changed
+    /// since, so trying again would fail the same way (they are deterministic functions of that
+    /// region).
+    pub fn known_to_fail(&self, t: u32) -> Result<bool> {
+        let Some(&f) = self.failed.get(t as usize) else { return Ok(false) };
+        Ok(f > 0 && self.stamp(t)? <= f)
     }
 
     pub fn slots(&self) -> usize {
@@ -424,6 +567,7 @@ impl TetComplex {
 
     pub fn set_curve(&mut self, a: u32, b: u32, curve: Option<u32>) {
         let key = sorted2(a, b);
+        self.touch(&[a, b]);
         let before = match curve {
             Some(c) => self.curves.insert(key, c),
             None => self.curves.remove(&key),
@@ -688,6 +832,7 @@ impl TetComplex {
         self.pts.push(p);
         self.kinds.push(kind);
         self.vtets.push(Vec::new());
+        self.touched.push(self.clock);
         if self.journal.recording {
             self.journal.steps.push(Step::Added { v });
         }
@@ -695,7 +840,7 @@ impl TetComplex {
     }
 
     /// The data a change of `slots` and of the incidence of `verts` would overwrite.
-    fn snapshot(&self, slots: &[u32], verts: &[u32]) -> Raw {
+    fn snapshot(&self, slots: &[u32], verts: &[u32], takes: usize) -> Raw {
         let mut ids: Vec<u32> = slots.to_vec();
         ids.sort_unstable();
         ids.dedup();
@@ -711,7 +856,8 @@ impl TetComplex {
                 })
                 .collect(),
             tets_len: self.tets.len(),
-            free: self.free.clone(),
+            free_len: self.free.len(),
+            free_tail: self.free.get(self.free.len().saturating_sub(takes)..).unwrap_or_default().to_vec(),
             vtets: vs.into_iter().filter_map(|v| Some((v, self.vtets.get(v as usize)?.clone()))).collect(),
             live: self.live,
         }
@@ -719,6 +865,12 @@ impl TetComplex {
 
     /// Put back what [`Self::snapshot`] saved.
     fn restore(&mut self, raw: Raw) {
+        let mut touched: Vec<u32> = raw.vtets.iter().map(|(v, _)| *v).collect();
+        for (t, vs, _, _) in &raw.slots {
+            touched.extend(self.tets.get(*t as usize).copied().unwrap_or([NONE; 4]));
+            touched.extend(vs);
+        }
+        self.touch(&touched);
         for (v, l) in raw.vtets {
             if let Some(s) = self.vtets.get_mut(v as usize) {
                 *s = l;
@@ -734,7 +886,8 @@ impl TetComplex {
         self.adj.truncate(raw.tets_len);
         self.tags.truncate(raw.tets_len);
         self.mark.truncate(raw.tets_len);
-        self.free = raw.free;
+        self.free.truncate(raw.free_len.saturating_sub(raw.free_tail.len()));
+        self.free.extend(raw.free_tail);
         self.live = raw.live;
     }
 
@@ -744,6 +897,7 @@ impl TetComplex {
             self.pts.pop();
             self.kinds.pop();
             self.vtets.pop();
+            self.touched.pop();
             return Ok(());
         }
         Err(corrupt("dropping a vertex in use"))
@@ -755,6 +909,7 @@ impl TetComplex {
         let slot = self.pts.get_mut(v as usize).ok_or_else(|| corrupt("vertex id"))?;
         let from = *slot;
         *slot = p;
+        self.touch_star(v);
         if self.journal.recording {
             self.journal.steps.push(Step::Moved { v, from });
         }
@@ -962,7 +1117,7 @@ impl TetComplex {
             for &t in old {
                 verts.extend(self.tet(t)?);
             }
-            Some(Box::new(self.snapshot(&slots, &verts)))
+            Some(Box::new(self.snapshot(&slots, &verts, change.new.len())))
         } else {
             None
         };
@@ -1002,6 +1157,9 @@ impl TetComplex {
                 }
             }
         }
+        let mut changed: Vec<u32> = removed.iter().flat_map(|r| r.vs).collect();
+        changed.extend(change.new.iter().flatten());
+        self.touch(&changed);
         self.live = self.live - old.len() + ids.len();
         if self.journal.recording {
             self.journal.steps.push(Step::Replaced { removed, added: change.new.clone(), raw: raw.unwrap_or_default() });
@@ -1044,7 +1202,7 @@ impl TetComplex {
                 return Ok(false);
             }
         }
-        let raw = self.journal.recording.then(|| Box::new(self.snapshot(&[t, ns[k], ns[l]], &vs)));
+        let raw = self.journal.recording.then(|| Box::new(self.snapshot(&[t, ns[k], ns[l]], &vs, 0)));
         for m in [k, l] {
             let n = ns[m];
             let nn = self.adj(n)?;
@@ -1055,6 +1213,7 @@ impl TetComplex {
             }
         }
         self.unlink(t, vs);
+        self.touch(&vs);
         if let Some(s) = self.tets.get_mut(t as usize) {
             *s = [DEAD; 4];
         }
@@ -1122,15 +1281,18 @@ impl TetComplex {
                     if let Some(s) = self.pts.get_mut(v as usize) {
                         *s = from;
                     }
+                    self.touch_star(v);
                 }
                 Step::Added { v } => {
                     if v as usize + 1 == self.pts.len() {
                         self.pts.pop();
                         self.kinds.pop();
                         self.vtets.pop();
+                        self.touched.pop();
                     }
                 }
                 Step::Curve { edge, curve } => {
+                    self.touch(&[edge.0, edge.1]);
                     match curve {
                         Some(c) => self.curves.insert(edge, c),
                         None => self.curves.remove(&edge),
diff --git a/crates/mesh/src/tet/improve.rs b/crates/mesh/src/tet/improve.rs
index d515f69..8eaa910 100644
--- a/crates/mesh/src/tet/improve.rs
+++ b/crates/mesh/src/tet/improve.rs
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ use super::complex::{EDGES, IdMap, NONE, Step, TetComplex, VertexKind, Walk, fac
 use super::measure::{self, P};
 use super::ops::{self, Site, remove_edge_at, remove_face, tet_quality};
 use super::refine::{Context, MAX_CAVITY, MIN_GAP};
-use super::smooth::smooth_vertex;
+use super::smooth::{smooth_vertex, smooth_vertex_below};
 
 /// Settings of the schedule.
 #[derive(Debug, Clone, Copy, PartialEq)]
@@ -53,6 +53,8 @@ pub struct ImproveStats {
     pub smoothed: usize,
     pub topological: usize,
     pub inserted: usize,
+    /// Insertions tried (kept or undone).
+    pub attempted: usize,
     /// The worst quality (smallest dihedral sine) after each pass.
     pub worst: Vec<f64>,
     pub stopped: Option<String>,
@@ -81,8 +83,8 @@ fn indicators(cx: &TetComplex) -> Result<[f64; 8]> {
     let mut out = [0.0; 8];
     out[0] = f64::INFINITY;
     let mut n = 0usize;
-    for (_, vs) in cx.live_tets() {
-        let q = tet_quality(cx, vs)?;
+    for (t, _) in cx.live_tets() {
+        let q = cx.slot_quality(t)?;
         out[0] = out[0].min(q);
         for (i, s) in SIN_DEG.iter().enumerate() {
             out[i + 1] += q.min(*s);
@@ -102,8 +104,8 @@ fn progressed(now: &[f64; 8], before: &[f64; 8]) -> bool {
 /// Smooth every movable vertex of a tetrahedron below `good`. Returns the moves.
 fn smoothing_pass(cx: &mut TetComplex, ctx: &Context, good: f64) -> Result<usize> {
     let mut want = vec![false; cx.point_count()];
-    for (_, vs) in cx.live_tets() {
-        if tet_quality(cx, vs)? < good {
+    for (t, vs) in cx.live_tets() {
+        if cx.slot_quality(t)? < good {
             for v in vs {
                 if let Some(w) = want.get_mut(v as usize) {
                     *w = true;
@@ -149,7 +151,7 @@ fn delete_flat(cx: &mut TetComplex, t: u32) -> Result<bool> {
 /// edge ([`ops::collapse`]), which takes the tetrahedron away.
 fn collapse_into_crease(cx: &mut TetComplex, t: u32) -> Result<bool> {
     let vs = cx.tet(t)?;
-    if tet_quality(cx, vs)? > 0.1 {
+    if cx.slot_quality(t)? > 0.1 {
         return Ok(false);
     }
     let (ns, tags) = (cx.adj(t)?, cx.tags(t)?);
@@ -182,7 +184,7 @@ fn collapse_into_crease(cx: &mut TetComplex, t: u32) -> Result<bool> {
 pub fn topological_pass(cx: &mut TetComplex, list: &[u32]) -> Result<usize> {
     let mut changes = 0;
     for &t in list {
-        if !cx.is_live(t) {
+        if !cx.is_live(t) || cx.known_to_fail(t)? {
             continue;
         }
         let vs = cx.tet(t)?;
@@ -201,20 +203,25 @@ pub fn topological_pass(cx: &mut TetComplex, list: &[u32]) -> Result<usize> {
             changes += 1;
             continue;
         }
+        let mut removed = false;
         for k in 0..4 {
             if remove_face(cx, t, k)? {
                 changes += 1;
+                removed = true;
                 break;
             }
         }
+        if !removed {
+            cx.mark_failed(t);
+        }
     }
     Ok(changes)
 }
 
 fn below(cx: &TetComplex, good: f64) -> Result<Vec<u32>> {
     let mut out = Vec::new();
-    for (t, vs) in cx.live_tets() {
-        if tet_quality(cx, vs)? < good {
+    for (t, _) in cx.live_tets() {
+        if cx.slot_quality(t)? < good {
             out.push(t);
         }
     }
@@ -288,7 +295,8 @@ fn change_quality(cx: &mut TetComplex, len: usize) -> Result<(f64, f64)> {
 }
 
 /// The composite insertion of §3.5 (see the module docs). Returns whether it was kept.
-fn attempt_insert(cx: &mut TetComplex, ctx: &Context, p: Point3, kind: VertexKind, site: Site) -> Result<bool> {
+fn attempt_insert(cx: &mut TetComplex, ctx: &Context, attempted: &mut usize, good: f64, p: Point3, kind: VertexKind, site: Site) -> Result<bool> {
+    *attempted += 1;
     let was = cx.journal.recording;
     cx.journal.recording = true;
     let len = cx.journal.steps.len();
@@ -303,8 +311,15 @@ fn attempt_insert(cx: &mut TetComplex, ctx: &Context, p: Point3, kind: VertexKin
             if !cx.is_used(v) {
                 break;
             }
-            let star = cx.star(v)?;
-            if topological_pass(cx, &star)? == 0 {
+            // Only the tetrahedra below the threshold, as in the passes.
+            let mut star = cx.star(v)?;
+            let mut keep = Vec::with_capacity(star.len());
+            for &t in &star {
+                keep.push(cx.slot_quality(t)? < good);
+            }
+            let mut flags = keep.into_iter();
+            star.retain(|_| flags.next().unwrap_or(false));
+            if star.is_empty() || topological_pass(cx, &star)? == 0 {
                 break;
             }
         }
@@ -312,7 +327,7 @@ fn attempt_insert(cx: &mut TetComplex, ctx: &Context, p: Point3, kind: VertexKin
             let mut around: Vec<u32> = cx.neighbours(v)?;
             around.push(v);
             for u in around {
-                smooth_vertex(cx, ctx, u)?;
+                smooth_vertex_below(cx, ctx, u, good)?;
             }
         }
         let (before, after) = change_quality(cx, len)?;
@@ -337,7 +352,7 @@ fn attempt_insert(cx: &mut TetComplex, ctx: &Context, p: Point3, kind: VertexKin
 }
 
 /// Try inserting a vertex in each tetrahedron of `list` (§4.2). Returns the insertions kept.
-fn insertion_pass(cx: &mut TetComplex, ctx: &Context, list: &[u32], budget: usize, good: f64) -> Result<usize> {
+fn insertion_pass(cx: &mut TetComplex, ctx: &Context, list: &[u32], budget: usize, good: f64, attempted: &mut usize) -> Result<usize> {
     let mut kept = 0;
     for &t in list {
         if kept >= budget {
@@ -347,7 +362,7 @@ fn insertion_pass(cx: &mut TetComplex, ctx: &Context, list: &[u32], budget: usiz
             continue;
         }
         let vs = cx.tet(t)?;
-        if tet_quality(cx, vs)? >= good {
+        if cx.slot_quality(t)? >= good {
             continue;
         }
         let ns = cx.adj(t)?;
@@ -374,7 +389,7 @@ fn insertion_pass(cx: &mut TetComplex, ctx: &Context, list: &[u32], budget: usiz
                     let target = measure::add(measure::mid(pa, pb), measure::scale(inward, 0.4 * l / len));
                     if let Ok(p) = Point3::try_from(target)
                         && let Some(Walk::Inside(at)) = cx.walk(t, &p, 1 << 12)?
-                        && attempt_insert(cx, ctx, p, VertexKind::Interior, Site::Interior(at))?
+                        && attempt_insert(cx, ctx, attempted, good, p, VertexKind::Interior, Site::Interior(at))?
                     {
                         done = true;
                     }
@@ -391,7 +406,7 @@ fn insertion_pass(cx: &mut TetComplex, ctx: &Context, list: &[u32], budget: usiz
             let kind = VertexKind::Face(tags[k]);
             if let Some(p) = ctx.place(kind, g)
                 && cx.is_live(t)
-                && attempt_insert(cx, ctx, p, kind, Site::Face(t, k))?
+                && attempt_insert(cx, ctx, attempted, good, p, kind, Site::Face(t, k))?
             {
                 done = true;
             }
@@ -400,7 +415,7 @@ fn insertion_pass(cx: &mut TetComplex, ctx: &Context, list: &[u32], budget: usiz
         if !done && cx.is_live(t) && cx.tet(t)? == vs {
             let g = measure::centroid(&cx.coords(vs)?);
             if let Ok(p) = Point3::try_from(g)
-                && attempt_insert(cx, ctx, p, VertexKind::Interior, Site::Interior(t))?
+                && attempt_insert(cx, ctx, attempted, good, p, VertexKind::Interior, Site::Interior(t))?
             {
                 done = true;
             }
@@ -430,7 +445,7 @@ fn insertion_pass(cx: &mut TetComplex, ctx: &Context, list: &[u32], budget: usiz
                 };
                 let m = measure::mid(cx.xyz(a)?, cx.xyz(b)?);
                 if let Some(p) = ctx.place(kind, m)
-                    && attempt_insert(cx, ctx, p, kind, Site::Edge(a, b))?
+                    && attempt_insert(cx, ctx, attempted, good, p, kind, Site::Edge(a, b))?
                 {
                     done = true;
                     break;
@@ -479,8 +494,8 @@ pub fn improve(cx: &mut TetComplex, ctx: &Context, o: &ImproveOptions) -> Result
             // The worst 3.5% of the tetrahedra, or (desperation pass, §4.2) every one with a
             // dihedral angle below 40° or above 140° (sine below sin 40°).
             let mut scored: Vec<(f64, u32)> = Vec::new();
-            for (t, vs) in cx.live_tets() {
-                scored.push((tet_quality(cx, vs)?, t));
+            for (t, _) in cx.live_tets() {
+                scored.push((cx.slot_quality(t)?, t));
             }
             scored.sort_by(|a, b| a.0.total_cmp(&b.0).then(a.1.cmp(&b.1)));
             let list: Vec<u32> = if failed == 1 {
@@ -490,7 +505,7 @@ pub fn improve(cx: &mut TetComplex, ctx: &Context, o: &ImproveOptions) -> Result
                 scored.iter().take(n).map(|s| s.1).collect()
             };
             let budget = o.max_insertions - stats.inserted;
-            stats.inserted += insertion_pass(cx, ctx, &list, budget, o.good)?;
+            stats.inserted += insertion_pass(cx, ctx, &list, budget, o.good, &mut stats.attempted)?;
         }
         let now = indicators(cx)?;
         carried = Some(now);
@@ -548,7 +563,7 @@ mod tests {
                 let q = Point3::try_from(q).unwrap();
                 if let Some(Walk::Inside(at)) = cx.walk(t, &q, 1 << 12).unwrap() {
                     tried += 1;
-                    assert!(!attempt_insert(&mut cx, &ctx, q, VertexKind::Interior, Site::Interior(at)).unwrap());
+                    assert!(!attempt_insert(&mut cx, &ctx, &mut 0, SIN_40, q, VertexKind::Interior, Site::Interior(at)).unwrap());
                 }
             }
         }
diff --git a/crates/mesh/src/tet/measure.rs b/crates/mesh/src/tet/measure.rs
index 98640f2..1a76f95 100644
--- a/crates/mesh/src/tet/measure.rs
+++ b/crates/mesh/src/tet/measure.rs
@@ -76,13 +76,39 @@ pub fn dihedral_cosines(x: &[P; 4]) -> [f64; 6] {
 
 /// The quality objective of a valid tetrahedron: the smaller of its smallest dihedral sine and
 /// its weighted scaled Jacobian ([`JACOBIAN_WEIGHT`]; the regular tetrahedron scores
-/// √(8/9) ≈ 0.943). The dihedral sine catches slivers and caps; it does not see needles, whose
-/// dihedral angles can all be fine while a corner is nearly flat (Shewchuk 2002), and the scaled
-/// Jacobian `√2 · 6V / (ℓ₁ℓ₂ℓ₃)` at the worst corner, the measure analysts check (the skill's
-/// limit, [`crate::quality`]), does. 0 for a flat tetrahedron; for an inverted one the negative
-/// sine of largest magnitude, so worse inversions score lower. Extremes are found on squared
-/// lengths and areas, with one square root each.
+/// √(8/9) ≈ 0.943). The dihedral sine
+/// catches slivers and caps; it does not see needles, whose dihedral angles can all be fine
+/// while a corner is nearly flat (Shewchuk 2002), and the scaled Jacobian
+/// `√2 · 6V / (ℓ₁ℓ₂ℓ₃)` at the worst corner, the measure analysts check (the skill's ≥ 0.2,
+/// [`crate::quality`]), does. 0 for a flat tetrahedron; for an inverted one the negative sine of
+/// largest magnitude, so worse inversions score lower. Extremes are found on squared lengths and
+/// areas, with one square root each.
 pub fn quality(x: &[P; 4]) -> f64 {
+    quality_in_order(&canonical_order(x))
+}
+
+/// The corners reordered by an even permutation that depends only on the corners' positions
+/// (sorted by coordinates, the last two swapped back when the sort was odd), so a measure
+/// computed on it gives the same bits for every listing of a tetrahedron with the same
+/// orientation: a removal tried from either side of a ring sees the same qualities.
+fn canonical_order(x: &[P; 4]) -> [P; 4] {
+    let less = |a: &P, b: &P| a[0] < b[0] || (a[0] == b[0] && (a[1] < b[1] || (a[1] == b[1] && a[2] < b[2])));
+    let mut y = *x;
+    let mut odd = false;
+    // A sorting network on four (pairs 01, 23, 02, 13, 12), counting swaps for the parity.
+    for (i, j) in [(0, 1), (2, 3), (0, 2), (1, 3), (1, 2)] {
+        if less(&y[j], &y[i]) {
+            y.swap(i, j);
+            odd = !odd;
+        }
+    }
+    if odd {
+        y.swap(2, 3);
+    }
+    y
+}
+
+fn quality_in_order(x: &[P; 4]) -> f64 {
     let v6 = volume6(x);
     if v6 == 0.0 || !v6.is_finite() {
         return 0.0;
@@ -102,12 +128,6 @@ pub fn quality(x: &[P; 4]) -> f64 {
     if q.is_finite() { q } else { 0.0 }
 }
 
-/// The weight of the scaled Jacobian in [`quality`]: the meshing skill's limit, a scaled
-/// Jacobian of 0.3, counts as much as a 30° dihedral angle (sin 30°, the improvement's target,
-/// [`super::improve::ImproveOptions::target`]), so the Jacobian decides only for tetrahedra near
-/// that limit (needles) and the dihedral sine everywhere else.
-pub const JACOBIAN_WEIGHT: f64 = 0.5 / 0.3;
-
 /// The corners of a tetrahedron and the other three corners of each.
 const CORNERS: [(usize, [usize; 3]); 4] = [(0, [1, 2, 3]), (1, [0, 2, 3]), (2, [0, 1, 3]), (3, [0, 1, 2])];
 
@@ -128,6 +148,100 @@ fn scaled_jacobian(x: &[P; 4], v6: f64) -> f64 {
     std::f64::consts::SQRT_2 * v6 / worst.sqrt()
 }
 
+/// The weight of the scaled Jacobian in [`quality`]: the meshing skill's limit, a scaled
+/// Jacobian of 0.3, counts as much as a 30° dihedral angle (sin 30°, the improvement's target,
+/// [`super::improve::ImproveOptions::target`]), so the Jacobian decides only for tetrahedra near
+/// that limit (needles) and the dihedral sine everywhere else.
+pub const JACOBIAN_WEIGHT: f64 = 0.5 / 0.3;
+
+/// [`quality`] and its gradient with respect to corner `i`, for a positive tetrahedron: the
+/// gradient of the term [`quality`] picks (the smallest dihedral sine, or the scaled Jacobian at
+/// the worst corner, `∇ ln J = ∇V₆ / V₆ − Σ ∇ℓ / ℓ` over that corner's edges), analytic, as Klingner and
+/// Shewchuk (§3.1) and Freitag and Ollivier-Gooch use for smoothing. With
+/// `s = V₆ ℓ / (N_k N_l)` (`N` twice a face's area),
+/// `∇s = s (∇V₆ / V₆ + ∇ℓ / ℓ − ∇N_k / N_k − ∇N_l / N_l)`, where `∇V₆` at a corner is its
+/// opposite face's area vector, `∇ℓ` the unit edge vector at an end of the edge and, for a face
+/// `(p, q, r)` with unit normal `n̂`, `∇_p N = (q − r) × n̂`. A flat or inverted tetrahedron
+/// gets a zero gradient (smoothing only moves within valid positions).
+pub fn quality_gradient(x: &[P; 4], i: usize) -> (f64, P) {
+    let q = quality(x);
+    let v6 = volume6(x);
+    if !(v6 > 0.0 && q > 0.0) || i > 3 {
+        return (q, [0.0; 3]);
+    }
+    let crosses = [0, 1, 2, 3].map(|k| face_cross(x, k));
+    let n2 = crosses.map(|c| dot(c, c));
+    // The edge whose sine is smallest (the same comparison as `quality`).
+    let mut pick = (f64::INFINITY, EDGE_FACES[0]);
+    for e in EDGE_FACES {
+        let (a, b, k, l) = e;
+        let d = sub(x[a], x[b]);
+        let r = dot(d, d) / (n2[k] * n2[l]);
+        if r < pick.0 {
+            pick = (r, e);
+        }
+    }
+    // The scaled Jacobian branch, when it is the smaller.
+    let products = corner_products(x);
+    let (c, cp) = products.iter().enumerate().fold((0, 0.0_f64), |m, (c, &p)| if p > m.1 { (c, p) } else { m });
+    let sj = JACOBIAN_WEIGHT * std::f64::consts::SQRT_2 * v6 / cp.sqrt();
+    let sine = v6 * pick.0.sqrt();
+    let face = |k: usize| -> [usize; 3] {
+        match k {
+            0 => [1, 2, 3],
+            1 => [0, 2, 3],
+            2 => [0, 1, 3],
+            _ => [0, 1, 2],
+        }
+    };
+    // ∇V₆ at corner i: the area vector of the face opposite i, signed so that V₆ grows along it.
+    let gi = crosses[i];
+    let gv = if dot(gi, sub(x[i], x[face(i)[0]])) < 0.0 { scale(gi, -1.0) } else { gi };
+    if sj < sine {
+        // ∇ ln sj = ∇V₆ / V₆ − Σ ∇ℓ / ℓ over the corner's edges at i.
+        let (corner, others) = CORNERS[c];
+        let mut g = scale(gv, 1.0 / v6);
+        for j in others {
+            let (p, o) = if i == corner {
+                (x[i], x[j])
+            } else if i == j {
+                (x[i], x[corner])
+            } else {
+                continue;
+            };
+            let e = sub(p, o);
+            g = sub(g, scale(e, 1.0 / dot(e, e)));
+        }
+        let g = scale(g, q);
+        return if g.iter().all(|c| c.is_finite()) { (q, g) } else { (q, [0.0; 3]) };
+    }
+    let (a, b, k, l) = pick.1;
+    let len = dist(x[a], x[b]);
+    let gl = if i == a {
+        scale(sub(x[a], x[b]), 1.0 / len)
+    } else if i == b {
+        scale(sub(x[b], x[a]), 1.0 / len)
+    } else {
+        [0.0; 3]
+    };
+    // ∇N of the face opposite m at corner i (zero when the face does not hold i).
+    let gn = |m: usize| -> P {
+        let f = face(m);
+        let Some(pos) = f.iter().position(|&c| c == i) else { return [0.0; 3] };
+        let n = crosses[m];
+        let nn = norm(n);
+        if !(nn > 0.0) {
+            return [0.0; 3];
+        }
+        let (qv, rv) = (x[f[(pos + 1) % 3]], x[f[(pos + 2) % 3]]);
+        scale(cross(sub(qv, rv), n), 1.0 / nn)
+    };
+    let (nk, nl) = (n2[k].sqrt(), n2[l].sqrt());
+    let g = add(add(scale(gv, 1.0 / v6), scale(gl, 1.0 / len)), scale(add(scale(gn(k), 1.0 / nk), scale(gn(l), 1.0 / nl)), -1.0));
+    let g = scale(g, q);
+    if g.iter().all(|c| c.is_finite()) { (q, g) } else { (q, [0.0; 3]) }
+}
+
 /// The smallest and largest dihedral angle in degrees (reports only).
 pub fn dihedral_range(x: &[P; 4]) -> (f64, f64) {
     let (s, c) = (dihedral_sines(x), dihedral_cosines(x));
@@ -251,6 +365,16 @@ mod tests {
         assert!(circumcenter(&flat).is_none());
     }
 
+    /// Every even reordering of the corners gives the same quality, bit for bit.
+    #[test]
+    fn quality_does_not_depend_on_the_corner_order() {
+        let x = positive([[0.1, 0.0, 0.05], [1.0, 0.2, 0.0], [0.3, 0.9, 0.1], [0.4, 0.35, 0.7]]);
+        let q = quality(&x);
+        for p in [[1, 2, 0, 3], [2, 0, 1, 3], [0, 2, 3, 1], [3, 1, 0, 2], [1, 0, 3, 2], [2, 3, 0, 1]] {
+            assert_eq!(quality(&p.map(|i| x[i])).to_bits(), q.to_bits(), "{p:?}");
+        }
+    }
+
     /// A needle: every dihedral angle above 20°, yet one corner nearly flat; the objective sees
     /// it through the scaled Jacobian.
     #[test]
@@ -261,6 +385,29 @@ mod tests {
         assert!(quality(&x) < 0.15 * JACOBIAN_WEIGHT, "{}", quality(&x));
     }
 
+    /// The analytic gradient matches central differences of the quality away from ties, on
+    /// either branch.
+    #[test]
+    fn quality_gradient_matches_central_differences() {
+        let sliverish = positive([[0.1, 0.0, 0.05], [1.0, 0.2, 0.0], [0.3, 0.9, 0.1], [0.4, 0.35, 0.7]]);
+        let needle = positive([[0.0, 0.0, 0.0], [1.0, 0.1, 0.0], [0.45, 0.85, 0.05], [0.55, 0.3, 6.0]]);
+        for x in [sliverish, needle] {
+            for i in 0..4 {
+                let (q, g) = quality_gradient(&x, i);
+                assert_eq!(q, quality(&x));
+                let h = 1e-7;
+                for c in 0..3 {
+                    let (mut a, mut b) = (x, x);
+                    a[i][c] += h;
+                    b[i][c] -= h;
+                    let fd = (quality(&a) - quality(&b)) / (2.0 * h);
+                    assert!((fd - g[c]).abs() < 1e-6, "corner {i} axis {c}: {fd} vs {}", g[c]);
+                }
+            }
+        }
+        assert_eq!(quality_gradient(&[[0.0; 3]; 4], 0).1, [0.0; 3]);
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn sliver_scores_low() {
         let x = positive([[0.0, 0.0, 0.0], [1.0, 0.0, 0.0], [0.0, 1.0, 0.0], [1.0, 1.0, 0.01]]);
diff --git a/crates/mesh/src/tet/ops.rs b/crates/mesh/src/tet/ops.rs
index a2a2261..d0b6928 100644
--- a/crates/mesh/src/tet/ops.rs
+++ b/crates/mesh/src/tet/ops.rs
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ pub fn tet_quality(cx: &TetComplex, vs: [u32; 4]) -> Result<f64> {
 pub fn worst(cx: &TetComplex, tets: &[u32]) -> Result<f64> {
     let mut q = f64::INFINITY;
     for &t in tets {
-        q = q.min(tet_quality(cx, cx.tet(t)?)?);
+        q = q.min(cx.slot_quality(t)?);
     }
     Ok(q)
 }
@@ -47,13 +47,17 @@ pub const MAX_RING: usize = 10;
 pub const BOUNDARY_FLIP_COS: f64 = 0.939_692_620_785_908_4;
 
 /// Klincsek's table: the best worst quality of a triangulation of the chain `v_i … v_j`
-/// (with the closing edge `v_i v_j`), and the apex `k` that achieves it.
-fn klincsek(m: usize, q: &mut dyn FnMut(usize, usize, usize) -> Result<f64>) -> Result<(Vec<f64>, Vec<usize>)> {
+/// (with the closing edge `v_i v_j`), and the apex `k` that achieves it. Only triangulations
+/// better than `floor` matter: an entry that cannot beat it holds `floor`, and a triangle is
+/// evaluated only when its two sub-chains beat it, which skips most of the table when the
+/// removal cannot pay off (the decision and the triangulation chosen are the same as without
+/// the floor).
+fn klincsek(m: usize, floor: f64, q: &mut dyn FnMut(usize, usize, usize) -> Result<f64>) -> Result<(Vec<f64>, Vec<usize>)> {
     let mut best = vec![f64::INFINITY; m * m];
     let mut arg = vec![0usize; m * m];
     for i in (0..m.saturating_sub(2)).rev() {
         for j in i + 2..m {
-            let mut b = f64::NEG_INFINITY;
+            let mut b = floor;
             let mut a = i + 1;
             for k in i + 1..j {
                 let sub = best.get(i * m + k).copied().unwrap_or(f64::NEG_INFINITY).min(best.get(k * m + j).copied().unwrap_or(f64::NEG_INFINITY));
@@ -115,12 +119,31 @@ pub fn remove_edge_at(cx: &mut TetComplex, t: u32, a: u32, b: u32) -> Result<boo
     if cx.curve(a, b).is_some() || !vs.contains(&a) || !vs.contains(&b) {
         return Ok(false);
     }
+    // A removal that failed fails again until a tetrahedron around the edge changes.
+    if cx.edge_known_to_fail(a, b) {
+        return Ok(false);
+    }
+    let removed = remove_edge_ring(cx, t, a, b)?;
+    if !removed {
+        cx.mark_edge_failed(a, b);
+    }
+    Ok(removed)
+}
+
+/// [`remove_edge_at`] past its checks.
+fn remove_edge_ring(cx: &mut TetComplex, t: u32, a: u32, b: u32) -> Result<bool> {
     let Some(ring) = cx.edge_ring_at(t, a, b)? else { return Ok(false) };
     let m = ring.verts.len();
     if m < 3 || m > MAX_RING + usize::from(!ring.closed) {
         return Ok(false);
     }
-    let v = ring.verts.clone();
+    let mut v = ring.verts.clone();
+    if ring.closed {
+        // Start a closed ring at its smallest vertex, so the triangulation chosen does not
+        // depend on the tetrahedron the ring was walked from.
+        let first = v.iter().enumerate().min_by_key(|(_, id)| **id).map_or(0, |(i, _)| i);
+        v.rotate_left(first);
+    }
     let x = |id: u32| cx.xyz(id);
     let (xa, xb) = (x(a)?, x(b)?);
     // An open ring runs from boundary face (a, b, v_0) to (a, b, v_{m−1}): both must lie on one
@@ -150,7 +173,7 @@ pub fn remove_edge_at(cx: &mut TetComplex, t: u32, a: u32, b: u32) -> Result<boo
         Ok(measure::quality(&[pi, pj, pk, xa]).min(measure::quality(&[pi, pk, pj, xb])))
     };
     // Triangulate the polygon v_0 … v_{m−1}, closed by the edge v_{m−1} v_0.
-    let (best, arg) = klincsek(m, &mut q)?;
+    let (best, arg) = klincsek(m, before, &mut q)?;
     let total = best.get(m - 1).copied().unwrap_or(f64::NEG_INFINITY);
     if !(total > before) {
         return Ok(false);
@@ -199,37 +222,59 @@ pub fn remove_face(cx: &mut TetComplex, t: u32, k: usize) -> Result<bool> {
     let us = cx.tet(u)?;
     let face = face_toward(vs, k);
     let b = us.iter().copied().find(|v| !face.contains(v)).unwrap_or(NONE);
-    if b == NONE || cx.curve(a, b).is_some() || cx.edge_tet(a, b)?.is_some() {
+    if b == NONE || cx.curve(a, b).is_some() || cx.face_known_to_fail(a, b, face) || cx.edge_tet(a, b)?.is_some() {
         return Ok(false);
     }
+    let removed = remove_faces_between(cx, t, u, a, b, face)?;
+    if !removed {
+        cx.mark_face_failed(a, b, face);
+    }
+    Ok(removed)
+}
+
+/// [`remove_face`] past its checks: tetrahedra `t` (apex `a`) and `u` (apex `b`) share `face`.
+fn remove_faces_between(cx: &mut TetComplex, t: u32, u: u32, a: u32, b: u32, face: [u32; 3]) -> Result<bool> {
     // Sandwiched faces between a and b: faces f with tetrahedra (a ∪ f) and (b ∪ f). Grow the
     // set from the given face across shared edges while every new tetrahedron (a, b, e) on the
     // ring stays better than the worst removed one; take the best prefix found (a greedy form of
     // Shewchuk's optimal search, which visits the same candidates).
-    let mut faces: Vec<[u32; 3]> = vec![face];
+    // Each face with the tetrahedron (a ∪ face).
+    let mut faces: Vec<([u32; 3], u32)> = vec![(face, t)];
     let mut old: Vec<u32> = vec![t, u];
     let mut best: Option<(f64, Vec<u32>, Vec<[u32; 4]>)> = None;
+    let mut removed_q = worst(cx, &old)?;
+    let mut made: IdMap<(u32, u32), ([u32; 4], f64)> = IdMap::default();
     for _round in 0..8 {
-        let removed_q = worst(cx, &old)?;
         // The boundary edges of the face set (edges in exactly one face), oriented as in the face
-        // seen from a: each gives the new tetrahedron (a, b, e) positive.
-        let mut count: IdMap<(u32, u32), (u32, u32, usize)> = IdMap::default();
-        for f in &faces {
+        // seen from a, with the face's tetrahedron on a's side: each gives the new tetrahedron
+        // (a, b, e) positive.
+        let mut count: IdMap<(u32, u32), (u32, u32, u32, usize)> = IdMap::default();
+        for &(f, ta) in &faces {
             for i in 0..3 {
                 let (p, q) = (f[i], f[(i + 1) % 3]);
-                let e = count.entry(sorted2(p, q)).or_insert((p, q, 0));
-                e.2 += 1;
+                let e = count.entry(sorted2(p, q)).or_insert((p, q, ta, 0));
+                e.3 += 1;
             }
         }
-        let mut ring: Vec<(u32, u32)> = count.values().filter(|e| e.2 == 1).map(|e| (e.0, e.1)).collect();
+        let mut ring: Vec<(u32, u32, u32)> = count.values().filter(|e| e.3 == 1).map(|e| (e.0, e.1, e.2)).collect();
         ring.sort_unstable();
         let mut new = Vec::with_capacity(ring.len());
         let mut q = f64::INFINITY;
-        for &(p, r) in &ring {
-            // face (p, r, x) has a on its positive side, so (p, r, a, b)… orient explicitly.
-            let cand = [p, r, b, a];
-            let cand = if cx.orient(cand)? == Sign::Positive { cand } else { [r, p, b, a] };
-            q = q.min(tet_quality(cx, cand)?);
+        for &(p, r, _) in &ring {
+            // A ring edge stays on the ring until a face grows across it: its tetrahedron is
+            // worked out once.
+            let (cand, cq) = match made.get(&(p, r)) {
+                Some(&c) => c,
+                None => {
+                    // face (p, r, x) has a on its positive side, so (p, r, a, b)… orient explicitly.
+                    let cand = [p, r, b, a];
+                    let cand = if cx.orient(cand)? == Sign::Positive { cand } else { [r, p, b, a] };
+                    let c = (cand, tet_quality(cx, cand)?);
+                    made.insert((p, r), c);
+                    c
+                }
+            };
+            q = q.min(cq);
             new.push(cand);
         }
         if q > removed_q && best.as_ref().is_none_or(|(bq, _, _)| q > *bq) {
@@ -237,11 +282,12 @@ pub fn remove_face(cx: &mut TetComplex, t: u32, k: usize) -> Result<bool> {
         }
         // Grow: a sandwiched neighbour face across a ring edge.
         let mut grown = false;
-        for &(p, r) in &ring {
-            if let Some((f, ta, tb)) = sandwiched_across(cx, a, b, p, r, &faces)? {
-                faces.push(f);
-                old.push(ta);
-                old.push(tb);
+        for &(p, r, ta) in &ring {
+            if let Some((f, na, nb)) = sandwiched_across(cx, a, b, p, r, ta, &faces)? {
+                faces.push((f, na));
+                old.push(na);
+                old.push(nb);
+                removed_q = removed_q.min(worst(cx, &[na, nb])?);
                 grown = true;
                 break;
             }
@@ -257,27 +303,28 @@ pub fn remove_face(cx: &mut TetComplex, t: u32, k: usize) -> Result<bool> {
 
 /// A face `(p, r, x)` sandwiched between `a` and `b` (tetrahedra `a ∪ f` and `b ∪ f` both exist)
 /// next to edge `pr`, not already in `faces`.
-fn sandwiched_across(cx: &mut TetComplex, a: u32, b: u32, p: u32, r: u32, faces: &[[u32; 3]]) -> Result<Option<([u32; 3], u32, u32)>> {
-    let Some(ring) = cx.edge_ring(p, r)? else { return Ok(None) };
-    // Tetrahedra around pr containing a, and containing b.
-    for &ta in &ring.tets {
-        let va = cx.tet(ta)?;
-        if !va.contains(&a) {
-            continue;
-        }
-        let x = va.iter().copied().find(|&v| v != a && v != p && v != r).unwrap_or(NONE);
-        if x == NONE || x == b {
-            continue;
-        }
-        let f = [p, r, x];
-        if faces.iter().any(|g| sorted3(*g) == sorted3(f)) {
-            continue;
-        }
-        let k = va.iter().position(|&v| v == a).unwrap_or(0);
-        let tb = cx.adj(ta)?.get(k).copied().unwrap_or(NONE);
-        if tb != NONE && cx.tet(tb)?.contains(&b) {
-            return Ok(Some((f, ta, tb)));
-        }
+fn sandwiched_across(cx: &TetComplex, a: u32, b: u32, p: u32, r: u32, ta: u32, faces: &[([u32; 3], u32)]) -> Result<Option<([u32; 3], u32, u32)>> {
+    // ta = (a, p, r, y) holds the face set's face on edge pr; the other tetrahedron of a around
+    // pr in a face set's neighbourhood lies across its face (a, p, r).
+    let va = cx.tet(ta)?;
+    let Some(ky) = va.iter().position(|&v| v != a && v != p && v != r) else { return Ok(None) };
+    let n = cx.adj(ta)?.get(ky).copied().unwrap_or(NONE);
+    if n == NONE {
+        return Ok(None);
+    }
+    let vn = cx.tet(n)?;
+    let x = vn.iter().copied().find(|&v| v != a && v != p && v != r).unwrap_or(NONE);
+    if x == NONE || x == b || !vn.contains(&a) {
+        return Ok(None);
+    }
+    let f = [p, r, x];
+    if faces.iter().any(|(g, _)| sorted3(*g) == sorted3(f)) {
+        return Ok(None);
+    }
+    let Some(k) = vn.iter().position(|&v| v == a) else { return Ok(None) };
+    let tb = cx.adj(n)?.get(k).copied().unwrap_or(NONE);
+    if tb != NONE && cx.tet(tb)?.contains(&b) {
+        return Ok(Some((f, n, tb)));
     }
     Ok(None)
 }
diff --git a/crates/mesh/src/tet/smooth.rs b/crates/mesh/src/tet/smooth.rs
index 81060aa..3956dbb 100644
--- a/crates/mesh/src/tet/smooth.rs
+++ b/crates/mesh/src/tet/smooth.rs
@@ -207,6 +207,42 @@ impl LocalStar {
         measure::quality(&y)
     }
 
+    /// The quality of tetrahedron `k` with the vertex at `p`, and its gradient there: analytic
+    /// for a valid tetrahedron, central differences with step `delta` for a flat or inverted one
+    /// (whose signed measure has no single smooth branch).
+    fn quality_gradient_at(&self, k: usize, p: P, delta: f64) -> (f64, P) {
+        let Some((x, i)) = self.tets.get(k) else { return (f64::NEG_INFINITY, [0.0; 3]) };
+        let mut y = *x;
+        if let Some(s) = y.get_mut(*i) {
+            *s = p;
+        }
+        let (q, g) = measure::quality_gradient(&y, *i);
+        if q > 0.0 {
+            return (q, g);
+        }
+        let mut g = [0.0; 3];
+        for (c, gc) in g.iter_mut().enumerate() {
+            let (mut a, mut b) = (p, p);
+            a[c] += delta;
+            b[c] -= delta;
+            *gc = (self.quality_at(k, a) - self.quality_at(k, b)) / (2.0 * delta);
+        }
+        (q, g)
+    }
+
+    /// The worst quality at `p` over the tetrahedra in `order`, or the first one found that is
+    /// not above `floor` (then the move is refused whatever the others are).
+    fn worst_above(&self, order: &[usize], p: P, floor: f64) -> f64 {
+        let mut w = f64::INFINITY;
+        for &k in order {
+            w = w.min(self.quality_at(k, p));
+            if !(w > floor) {
+                return w;
+            }
+        }
+        w
+    }
+
     fn worst_at(&self, p: P) -> f64 {
         (0..self.tets.len()).map(|k| self.quality_at(k, p)).fold(f64::INFINITY, f64::min)
     }
@@ -215,7 +251,15 @@ impl LocalStar {
 /// Optimization-based smoothing of `v`: raise the worst quality of its star (see the module
 /// docs). Returns whether it moved.
 pub fn smooth_vertex(cx: &mut TetComplex, ctx: &Context, v: u32) -> Result<bool> {
-    if !cx.is_used(v) || cx.kind(v) == VertexKind::Corner {
+    smooth_vertex_below(cx, ctx, v, f64::INFINITY)
+}
+
+/// [`smooth_vertex`], only when the worst tetrahedron around `v` is below `good` (Klingner and
+/// Shewchuk smooth only around tetrahedra below their threshold).
+pub fn smooth_vertex_below(cx: &mut TetComplex, ctx: &Context, v: u32, good: f64) -> Result<bool> {
+    // The optimization is a function of the star alone: one that found no move finds none
+    // again until a tetrahedron around `v` changes.
+    if !cx.is_used(v) || cx.kind(v) == VertexKind::Corner || cx.smoothing_known_to_fail(v) {
         return Ok(false);
     }
     let star = cx.star(v)?;
@@ -237,25 +281,19 @@ pub fn smooth_vertex(cx: &mut TetComplex, ctx: &Context, v: u32) -> Result<bool>
     if !(len > 0.0 && len.is_finite()) {
         return Ok(false);
     }
-    let delta = 1e-6 * len;
     let mut x = x0;
     let mut worst = local.worst_at(x);
+    if !(worst < good) {
+        return Ok(false);
+    }
     let mut moved = false;
     for _ in 0..8 {
-        // Qualities and gradients (central differences) of the tetrahedra near the worst.
+        // Qualities and analytic gradients of the tetrahedra near the worst.
         let mut qs = Vec::with_capacity(local.tets.len());
         for k in 0..local.tets.len() {
             let q = local.quality_at(k, x);
-            let mut g = [0.0; 3];
-            if q <= worst + 0.1 {
-                for (c, gc) in g.iter_mut().enumerate() {
-                    let (mut a, mut b) = (x, x);
-                    a[c] += delta;
-                    b[c] -= delta;
-                    *gc = (local.quality_at(k, a) - local.quality_at(k, b)) / (2.0 * delta);
-                }
-            }
-            qs.push((q, restrict(g, f)));
+            let g = if q <= worst + 0.1 { restrict(local.quality_gradient_at(k, x, 1e-6 * len).1, f) } else { [0.0; 3] };
+            qs.push((q, g));
         }
         let active: Vec<P> = qs.iter().filter(|s| s.0 <= worst + 1e-4).map(|s| s.1).collect();
         let d = min_norm(&active);
@@ -272,10 +310,15 @@ pub fn smooth_vertex(cx: &mut TetComplex, ctx: &Context, v: u32) -> Result<bool>
                 alpha = alpha.min((q - worst) / (dd - gd));
             }
         }
+        // Trial positions check the worst tetrahedra first and stop at the first that does not
+        // beat the current worst.
+        let mut order: Vec<usize> = (0..qs.len()).collect();
+        let q_of = |i: usize| qs.get(i).map_or(f64::INFINITY, |s| s.0);
+        order.sort_by(|&i, &j| q_of(i).total_cmp(&q_of(j)).then(i.cmp(&j)));
         let mut accepted = false;
         for _ in 0..6 {
             let Some(p) = ctx.place(cx.kind(v), add(x, scale(d, alpha))) else { break };
-            let q = local.worst_at(p.coords());
+            let q = local.worst_above(&order, p.coords(), worst);
             if p.coords() != x && q > worst && cx.move_is_valid(v, &p, &star)? {
                 cx.move_point(v, p)?;
                 x = p.coords();
@@ -290,5 +333,8 @@ pub fn smooth_vertex(cx: &mut TetComplex, ctx: &Context, v: u32) -> Result<bool>
             break;
         }
     }
+    if !moved {
+        cx.mark_smoothing_failed(v);
+    }
     Ok(moved)
 }
diff --git a/crates/mesh/src/tet/tests.rs b/crates/mesh/src/tet/tests.rs
index 91f50d3..7d31631 100644
--- a/crates/mesh/src/tet/tests.rs
+++ b/crates/mesh/src/tet/tests.rs
@@ -443,7 +443,7 @@ mod determinism {
             })
             .fold(f64::INFINITY, f64::min);
         assert!(sj >= 0.3, "min scaled Jacobian {sj}");
-        assert_eq!(fingerprint(&m), 11_252_377_805_886_396_373, "{} tets, {} nodes", m.elements.len(), m.points.len());
+        assert_eq!(fingerprint(&m), 13_918_536_535_603_991_107, "{} tets, {} nodes", m.elements.len(), m.points.len());
     }
 
     /// Listing the triangles, their corners and the vertices in another order, and numbering
@@ -507,3 +507,62 @@ fn the_gate_refuses_a_detached_tetrahedron() {
     assert!(e.contains("share no face") && e.contains("(1, 2)"), "{e}");
     assert!(super::linear_gate(&p, &tets[..1], v / 2.0).is_ok());
 }
+
+/// Undoing an edge removal or a face removal puts every slot back as it was.
+#[test]
+fn rollback_restores_every_slot() {
+    use crate::cdt::{CdtOptions, tetrahedralize};
+    use crate::surface::{BoundarySurface, SurfaceOptions};
+    let (p, t, f) = determinism::washer();
+    let s = BoundarySurface::new(&p, &t, &f, &SurfaceOptions::default()).unwrap();
+    let cdt = tetrahedralize(&s, &CdtOptions::default()).unwrap();
+    let (mut cx, _) = crate::tet::complex_from_cdt(&s, &cdt, &crate::tet::QualityOptions::default()).unwrap();
+    let state = |cx: &TetComplex| -> Vec<([u32; 4], [u32; 4], [u32; 4])> {
+        (0..cx.slots() as u32).map(|t| (cx.tet(t).unwrap(), cx.adj(t).unwrap(), cx.tags(t).unwrap())).collect()
+    };
+    let mut changed = 0;
+    for (t, vs) in cx.live_tets().collect::<Vec<_>>() {
+        for &(i, j) in &EDGES {
+            for op in 0..2 {
+                let before = state(&cx);
+                cx.journal.recording = true;
+                let len = cx.journal.steps.len();
+                let did = if op == 0 { remove_edge_at(&mut cx, t, vs[i], vs[j]).unwrap() } else { remove_face(&mut cx, t, i).unwrap() };
+                changed += usize::from(did);
+                cx.rollback(len).unwrap();
+                cx.journal.steps.truncate(len);
+                cx.journal.recording = false;
+                assert_eq!(state(&cx), before, "tet {t} edge {i}{j} op {op}");
+            }
+        }
+    }
+    assert!(changed > 0);
+}
+
+/// The cached qualities match a fresh computation after improvement (smoothing, flips,
+/// insertions and the rollbacks of rejected insertions).
+#[test]
+fn cached_qualities_match_fresh_ones() {
+    use crate::cdt::{CdtOptions, tetrahedralize};
+    use crate::size::UniformSize;
+    use crate::surface::{BoundarySurface, SurfaceOptions};
+    use crate::tet::geometry::Tessellation;
+    use crate::tet::refine::Context;
+    let (p, t, f) = determinism::washer();
+    let s = BoundarySurface::new(&p, &t, &f, &SurfaceOptions::default()).unwrap();
+    let cdt = tetrahedralize(&s, &CdtOptions::default()).unwrap();
+    let (mut cx, curve_faces) = crate::tet::complex_from_cdt(&s, &cdt, &crate::tet::QualityOptions::default()).unwrap();
+    let (geometry, size) = (Tessellation::new(&s, Vec::new()), UniformSize(3.0));
+    let ctx = Context { size: &size, geometry: &geometry, curve_faces: &curve_faces };
+    // Fill the cache, then change the mesh.
+    for (t, _) in cx.live_tets().collect::<Vec<_>>() {
+        cx.slot_quality(t).unwrap();
+    }
+    let o = crate::tet::improve::ImproveOptions { max_passes: 3, ..Default::default() };
+    let stats = crate::tet::improve::improve(&mut cx, &ctx, &o).unwrap();
+    assert!(stats.attempted > 0 && stats.smoothed > 0, "{stats:?}");
+    for (t, vs) in cx.live_tets().collect::<Vec<_>>() {
+        assert_eq!(cx.slot_quality(t).unwrap().to_bits(), measure::quality(&cx.coords(vs).unwrap()).to_bits());
+    }
+    cx.validate().unwrap();
+}
diff --git a/docs/meshing/literature.md b/docs/meshing/literature.md
index 386cb71..d8dc9e3 100644
--- a/docs/meshing/literature.md
+++ b/docs/meshing/literature.md
@@ -398,7 +398,8 @@ Delaunay methods with Voronoi/ODT improvement, then (2) all-hex and hex-dominant
 - **Implemented** in `fieldcraft-mesh::tet::{ops, improve}` from the two papers: Klincsek's dynamic programming for edge
   removal (interior edges; boundary edges of one flat B-rep face end in a 2-2 flip), multi-face removal grown greedily
   over the sandwiched faces, nonsmooth optimization smoothing (active set, smallest vector of the convex hull of the
-  active gradients, line search; gradients by central differences), and the composite vertex insertion with rollback
+  active gradients, line search; analytic gradients of the active measure, as §3.1 and Freitag–Ollivier-Gooch 1997
+  use), and the composite vertex insertion with rollback
   (barycentres of boundary faces, of the tetrahedron, midpoints of boundary edges, and a point inside off a flat
   boundary edge). Deviations: the inserted vertex takes the Delaunay cavity rather than the optimal cut of §3.4; each pass
   smooths and flips the tetrahedra below sin 40° and inserts only when the worst did not improve; passes and the
@@ -407,7 +408,11 @@ Delaunay methods with Voronoi/ODT improvement, then (2) all-hex and hex-dominant
   angle fine, one corner nearly flat; Shewchuk 2002); the scaled Jacobian analysts check (Knupp 2001, B6.6) catches
   them, and with the weight it decides only near that limit. Every operation is a checked replacement of a region
   (positive by exact `orient3d`, faces matched with opposite orientation, removed vertices fully inside), so the mesh is
-  valid after each step.
+  valid after each step. Speed (#84): an operation (topological, per tetrahedron, edge and face; or a smoothing) that
+  failed is not tried again until a tetrahedron it reads changes (a change clock per vertex; exact, because the
+  operations are functions of that region and the quality is computed on the corners in a canonical order), live
+  tetrahedra's qualities are cached, Klincsek's table starts at the quality to beat, and the composite insertion runs
+  its flips and neighbour smoothing only where a tetrahedron is below the threshold.
 
 **A3.7 Cheng, Dey, Edelsbrunner, Facello, Teng 2000, Sliver exudation.** **Verdict: reference.**
 - **Citation.** J. ACM 47(5):883–904, 2000. DOI [10.1145/355483.355487](https://doi.org/10.1145/355483.355487).
diff --git a/docs/meshing/skill-results.md b/docs/meshing/skill-results.md
index c40d9ae..5b528b2 100644
--- a/docs/meshing/skill-results.md
+++ b/docs/meshing/skill-results.md
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ Times are wall clock on the machine that ran it.
 | bolted-assembly | plan (sweep), mesh.hex.generate (auto) | – | 6272 (6272 hex8) | 0.583 | 0.939 | 3.6 | 2.0e-4 | 0 | 0 (not relaxed) | 8 coincident, 0 cracks | – | 3.7 | pass | [x=50.000](skill/bolted-assembly.png) |
 | cantilever-i-beam | plan (sweep) | – | 61600 (61600 hex8) | 1.000 | 1.000 | 1.0 | 0.0e0 | 0 | 0 (not relaxed) | none | – | 8.5 | pass | [x=100.000](skill/cantilever-i-beam.png) |
 | cross-cylinders | none | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 27.2 | no mesh | – |
-| filleted-bracket | tet10 | – | 19991 (19991 tet10) | 0.318 | 0.564 | 4.1 | -6.8e-6 | 0 | 0 (not relaxed) | none | – | 15.1 | pass (fallback) | [x=30.000](skill/filleted-bracket.png) |
+| filleted-bracket | tet10 | – | 20020 (20020 tet10) | 0.320 | 0.562 | 4.1 | -6.8e-6 | 0 | 0 (not relaxed) | none | – | 12.7 | pass (fallback) | [x=30.000](skill/filleted-bracket.png) |
 | filleted-bracket-blocks | plan (sweep) | – | 75410 (75410 hex8) | 0.704 | 0.954 | 3.5 | 3.7e-5 | 0 | 0 (not relaxed) | none (after merging 2348 nodes) | – | 6.9 | pass | [x=30.000](skill/filleted-bracket-blocks.png) |
 | i-beam | plan (sweep) | – | 61600 (61600 hex8) | 1.000 | 1.000 | 1.0 | 0.0e0 | 0 | 0 (not relaxed) | none | – | 4.5 | pass | [z=100.000](skill/i-beam.png) |
 | loft-transition | plan (sweep) | – | 2873 (2873 hex8) | 0.189 | 0.959 | 1.7 | -2.1e-3 | 0 | 4 → 4 (4 relaxed, 0 undone; min SJ 0.189 → 0.189, max ratio 1.7 → 1.7) | none | – | 0.9 | fail (SJ) | [z=25.000](skill/loft-transition.png) |
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ Times are wall clock on the machine that ran it.
 | rounded-box | plan (project) | 2 plane(s) | 11520 (11520 hex8) | 0.717 | 0.973 | 4.0 | -4.1e-3 | 0 | 0 (not relaxed) | none | – | 8.7 | pass | [x=20.000](skill/rounded-box.png) |
 | shallow-groove | plan (sweep) | – | 1960 (1960 hex8) | 0.991 | 0.999 | 1.1 | 2.7e-4 | 0 | 0 (not relaxed) | none | – | 0.2 | pass | [x=30.000](skill/shallow-groove.png) |
 | sharp-wedge | plan (sweep) | – | 1674 (1674 hex8) | 0.014 | 0.301 | 149.6 | 2.7e-15 | 0 | 1524 (not relaxed) | none | – | 0.2 | fail (SJ, ratio) | [x=40.000](skill/sharp-wedge.png) |
-| sphere-on-plate | tet10 | – | 25613 (25613 tet10) | 0.335 | 0.607 | 4.4 | -8.8e-5 | 0 | 0 (not relaxed) | none | – | 7.7 | pass (fallback) | [y=0.000](skill/sphere-on-plate.png) |
+| sphere-on-plate | tet10 | – | 24175 (24175 tet10) | 0.341 | 0.604 | 4.2 | -9.6e-5 | 0 | 0 (not relaxed) | none | – | 6.5 | pass (fallback) | [y=0.000](skill/sphere-on-plate.png) |
 | spline-vase | plan (sweep) | – | 4536 (4536 hex8) | 0.665 | 0.945 | 9.9 | -6.6e-3 | 0 | 0 (not relaxed) | none | – | 2.3 | pass | [z=-35.000](skill/spline-vase.png) |
 | stepped-block | plan (cells) | – | 1416 (1416 hex8) | 1.000 | 1.000 | 1.3 | -4.8e-15 | 0 | 0 (not relaxed) | none | – | 1.6 | pass | [x=30.000](skill/stepped-block.png) |
 | thin-ribs | plan (sweep) | – | 301308 (301308 hex8) | 0.999 | 1.000 | 1.3 | -3.4e-12 | 0 | 0 (not relaxed) | none | – | 34.7 | pass | [x=50.000](skill/thin-ribs.png) |
diff --git a/docs/meshing/skill/filleted-bracket.png b/docs/meshing/skill/filleted-bracket.png
index 1547431..aa2e3ad 100644
Binary files a/docs/meshing/skill/filleted-bracket.png and b/docs/meshing/skill/filleted-bracket.png differ
diff --git a/docs/meshing/skill/sphere-on-plate.png b/docs/meshing/skill/sphere-on-plate.png
index 50f53f6..35ec756 100644
Binary files a/docs/meshing/skill/sphere-on-plate.png and b/docs/meshing/skill/sphere-on-plate.png differ