Fix turns: disable experimental SSR, surface errors + 'didn't catch that' in UI

app.py

@@ -213,8 +213,14 @@ def on_ask(engine, mic, typed):
         return (engine, gr.skip(), gr.skip(), gr.skip(), gr.skip(), gr.skip(),
                 _banner("info", "Press “Call the witness” to begin."), gr.skip())
 
-    y, sr = _parse_mic(mic)
-    result = engine.take_turn(audio=y, sr=sr, typed_text=typed)
+    try:
+        y, sr = _parse_mic(mic)
+        result = engine.take_turn(audio=y, sr=sr, typed_text=typed)
+    except Exception as exc:  # surface the real cause in the UI, don't silently toast
+        import traceback
+        traceback.print_exc()
+        return (engine, gr.skip(), gr.skip(), gr.skip(), gr.skip(), gr.skip(),
+                _banner("lose", f"Turn failed — {type(exc).__name__}: {exc}"), gr.skip())
 
     # Rebuild the chat from the transcript (engine keeps it consistent with what
     # is actually spoken, including the break line on the winning turn).
@@ -223,6 +229,13 @@ def on_ask(engine, mic, typed):
         tag = f"_[{rec.stance_tier.lower()}]_ " if rec.stance_tier != "NEUTRAL" else ""
         chat.append({"role": "user", "content": f"{tag}{rec.examiner_text}"})
         chat.append({"role": "assistant", "content": f"**{WITNESS_NAME}:** {rec.witness_text}"})
+    # Terminal turns (e.g. no clear audio) don't enter the transcript — show them
+    # anyway so the player always gets visible feedback.
+    last_bot = chat[-1]["content"] if chat else ""
+    if result.witness_text and result.witness_text not in last_bot:
+        if result.examiner_text:
+            chat.append({"role": "user", "content": result.examiner_text})
+        chat.append({"role": "assistant", "content": f"**{WITNESS_NAME}:** {result.witness_text}"})
 
     # witness audio (+ epilogue concatenated on win/lose for a single dramatic play)
     audio_val = None
@@ -332,6 +345,11 @@ def build() -> gr.Blocks:
 demo = build()
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
-    # server_name=0.0.0.0 so the HF Space's startup self-check can reach the app
-    # (a bare localhost bind can trip "localhost is not accessible" on Spaces).
-    demo.launch(server_name="0.0.0.0", server_port=int(os.environ.get("GRADIO_SERVER_PORT", 7860)))
+    # server_name=0.0.0.0 so the HF Space's startup self-check can reach the app.
+    # ssr_mode=False: Gradio 5's experimental SSR layer caused flaky request errors
+    # on the Space; the classic client-rendered path is reliable for this app.
+    demo.launch(
+        server_name="0.0.0.0",
+        server_port=int(os.environ.get("GRADIO_SERVER_PORT", 7860)),
+        ssr_mode=False,
+    )