diff --git a/src/functional_tests/test_game_my_sea.py b/src/functional_tests/test_game_my_sea.py
index 33cb841..9544783 100644
--- a/src/functional_tests/test_game_my_sea.py
+++ b/src/functional_tests/test_game_my_sea.py
@@ -894,12 +894,12 @@ class MySeaCardDrawTest(FunctionalTest):
         self.assertIn("btn-primary", action_btn.get_attribute("class"))
         self.assertEqual(action_btn.get_attribute("data-state"), "auto-draw")
         delbtn = picker.find_element(By.CSS_SELECTOR, "#id_sea_del")
-        # DEL renders w. `.btn-disabled` pre-completion (the `×` overlay
-        # is CSS-only; raw text content is still "DEL" in the DOM).
-        # Assert on class state — `.text` returns the visible glyph
-        # rendered by the pseudo-element layer.
+        # DEL renders w. `.btn-disabled` pre-completion + inner text "×"
+        # (case-by-case rendering per game-kit tooltip convention; user-
+        # spec 2026-05-20 dropped the universal pseudo-element ×).
         self.assertIn("btn-danger", delbtn.get_attribute("class"))
         self.assertIn("btn-disabled", delbtn.get_attribute("class"))
+        self.assertEqual(delbtn.text, "×")
         # Reversal % caption — default 25
         hint = picker.find_element(By.CSS_SELECTOR, ".sea-reversal-hint")
         self.assertIn("25", hint.text)
diff --git a/src/static_src/scss/_button-pad.scss b/src/static_src/scss/_button-pad.scss
index 97d5ebb..8851e85 100644
--- a/src/static_src/scss/_button-pad.scss
+++ b/src/static_src/scss/_button-pad.scss
@@ -515,7 +515,7 @@
         pointer-events: none;
         font-size: 1.2rem;
         padding-bottom: 0.1rem;
-        color: transparent !important;       // hide native text
+        color: rgba(var(--secUser), 0.25) !important;
         background-color: rgba(var(--priUser), 1) !important;
         border-color: rgba(var(--secUser), 0.25) !important;
         box-shadow:
@@ -523,28 +523,6 @@
             0.12rem 0.12rem 0.25rem rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.25),
             0.25rem 0.25rem 0.25rem rgba(var(--secUser), 0.12)
             ;
-        position: relative;
-
-        // Universal × overlay — any `.btn-disabled` button reads as ×
-        // regardless of its native inner text/icons (DEL → ×, FLIP → ×,
-        // LOCK HAND → ×, etc.). Templates that already render `×`
-        // explicitly (e.g. don/doff toggle pairs) just have their inner
-        // × hidden by `visibility: hidden` on children; the pseudo's
-        // glyph is the only one visible — no double-× regression. User
-        // spec 2026-05-20.
-        > * { visibility: hidden; }
-
-        &::before {
-            content: "\00d7";
-            position: absolute;
-            inset: 0;
-            display: flex;
-            align-items: center;
-            justify-content: center;
-            color: rgba(var(--secUser), 0.5);
-            font-size: 1.5rem;
-            font-weight: bold;
-        }
 
         &:hover {
             text-shadow:
diff --git a/src/templates/apps/gameboard/my_sea.html b/src/templates/apps/gameboard/my_sea.html
index 16945bc..8cf4876 100644
--- a/src/templates/apps/gameboard/my_sea.html
+++ b/src/templates/apps/gameboard/my_sea.html
@@ -229,12 +229,15 @@
                         {# DEL starts `.btn-disabled` until the hand is        #}
                         {# complete — per Sprint-5-iter-4c spec, the 1/day     #}
                         {# quota is committed at first-card-draw + can't be   #}
-                        {# refunded by an early DEL.                          #}
+                        {# refunded by an early DEL. Case-by-case `×`   #}
+                        {# rendering matches game-kit tooltip + DON/DOFF      #}
+                        {# convention (user-spec 2026-05-20): a disabled btn  #}
+                        {# carries × in its own text node, not via a CSS      #}
+                        {# overlay. JS `_setComplete` swaps inner text in     #}
+                        {# lockstep with the `.btn-disabled` class toggle.    #}
                         <button type="button"
                                 id="id_sea_del"
-                                class="btn btn-danger{% if not hand_complete %} btn-disabled{% endif %}">
-                            DEL
-                        </button>
+                                class="btn btn-danger{% if not hand_complete %} btn-disabled{% endif %}">{% if hand_complete %}DEL{% else %}&times;{% endif %}</button>
                     </div>
                 </div>
                 {# Sea stage — portaled modal that opens on FLIP click via #}
@@ -439,9 +442,18 @@
                     // disabled when shown. The deck STACKS themselves stay
                     // click-responsive (so the user can see the disabled
                     // FLIP feedback) — `_locked` gates the actual draw.
+                    //
+                    // DEL btn text follows the game-kit tooltip convention
+                    // (user-spec 2026-05-20): disabled state reads × (the
+                    // template's initial render does the same), active
+                    // state reads DEL. Lockstep w. the `.btn-disabled`
+                    // class so the visual + label always agree.
                     _locked = on;
                     picker.classList.toggle('my-sea-picker--locked', on);
-                    if (delBtn) delBtn.classList.toggle('btn-disabled', !on);
+                    if (delBtn) {
+                        delBtn.classList.toggle('btn-disabled', !on);
+                        delBtn.innerHTML = on ? 'DEL' : '×';
+                    }
                     if (actionBtn) {
                         actionBtn.dataset.state = on ? 'gate-view' : 'auto-draw';
                         actionBtn.innerHTML = on ? 'GATE<br>VIEW' : 'AUTO<br>DRAW';