/* How the Circle Works — visual reasoning refinement — 20 Aug 2026
   Scope: this page only. Premium inner aesthetic preserved. */

.hcw-hero{
  position:relative;
  overflow:hidden;
  background:
    radial-gradient(circle at 82% 15%,rgba(203,168,90,.18),transparent 28%),
    radial-gradient(circle at 20% 110%,rgba(35,75,122,.28),transparent 36%),
    linear-gradient(155deg,#1d3148 0%,#0c1521 72%);
  border-bottom:1px solid rgba(203,168,90,.28);
}
.hcw-hero::after{
  content:"";position:absolute;inset:0;pointer-events:none;opacity:.32;
  background-image:
    linear-gradient(rgba(230,201,126,.06) 1px,transparent 1px),
    linear-gradient(90deg,rgba(230,201,126,.045) 1px,transparent 1px);
  background-size:64px 64px;
  mask-image:linear-gradient(90deg,transparent 0%,rgba(0,0,0,.45) 45%,rgba(0,0,0,.8) 100%);
}
.hcw-hero-inner{position:relative;z-index:1;max-width:1080px;margin:0 auto;padding:92px 26px 76px}
.hcw-hero-copy{max-width:780px}
.hcw-hero h1{font-size:clamp(43px,5.1vw,66px);max-width:840px;margin-bottom:22px;color:#fffaf0}
.hcw-hero .lead{max-width:800px;color:#d4dee7;font-size:clamp(18px,2vw,22px)}
.hcw-hero-route{margin-top:54px;display:grid;grid-template-columns:1fr auto 1fr auto 1.15fr auto 1fr;gap:12px;align-items:center}
.hcw-route-step{min-height:118px;padding:20px 20px 18px;border:1px solid rgba(203,168,90,.27);background:rgba(255,255,255,.045);border-radius:10px;backdrop-filter:blur(3px)}
.hcw-route-step span{display:block;color:#cba85a;font-size:10px;letter-spacing:1.7px;font-weight:700;margin-bottom:7px}
.hcw-route-step strong{display:block;color:#f7ead7;font-family:'Cormorant Garamond',Georgia,serif;font-size:24px;line-height:1.1;margin-bottom:7px}
.hcw-route-step small{display:block;color:#aebdca;font-size:13px;line-height:1.45}
.hcw-route-arrow{color:#cba85a;font-size:25px;text-align:center}

.hcw-entry-section{padding:82px 0;background:#f7ead7;border-bottom:1px solid rgba(128,99,31,.18)}
.hcw-entry-wrap{max-width:1080px;margin:0 auto;padding:0 26px;display:grid;grid-template-columns:minmax(0,.82fr) minmax(0,1.18fr);gap:64px;align-items:start}
.hcw-entry-heading h2{font-size:clamp(42px,5vw,58px);margin-bottom:20px}
.hcw-entry-principle{font-family:'Cormorant Garamond',Georgia,serif;font-size:23px;line-height:1.35;color:#5e4e2e;border-left:3px solid #cba85a;padding-left:18px;margin-top:27px}
.hcw-entry-columns{display:grid;grid-template-columns:1fr 1fr;gap:16px}
.hcw-entry-columns article{padding:28px 26px;background:#fffaf0;border:1px solid rgba(128,99,31,.22);border-radius:11px;box-shadow:0 12px 32px rgba(12,21,33,.06)}
.hcw-entry-number{display:block;color:#80631f;font-size:10px;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:1.7px;margin-bottom:10px}
.hcw-entry-columns h3{font-size:29px;margin-bottom:9px}
.hcw-entry-columns p{font-size:15px;color:#4e5964;margin:0}

.hcw-seven-section{padding-top:90px;padding-bottom:92px}
.hcw-seven-lead{max-width:760px;margin-bottom:46px}
.hcw-seven-path{position:relative;max-width:940px;margin:0 auto;padding-left:96px}
.hcw-seven-path::before{content:"";position:absolute;left:34px;top:28px;bottom:32px;width:1px;background:linear-gradient(#cba85a,rgba(203,168,90,.22))}
.hcw-seven-step{position:relative;display:grid;grid-template-columns:1fr;gap:0;padding:0 0 34px;margin-bottom:8px}
.hcw-step-number{position:absolute;left:-96px;top:0;width:68px;height:68px;border-radius:50%;display:grid;place-items:center;background:#16273b;color:#e6c97e;border:1px solid rgba(128,99,31,.42);font-family:'Cormorant Garamond',Georgia,serif;font-size:25px;font-weight:700;box-shadow:0 9px 24px rgba(12,21,33,.12)}
.hcw-step-body{padding:5px 0 4px}
.hcw-step-body h3{font-size:34px;margin-bottom:8px}
.hcw-step-body>p{font-size:16.5px;color:#4e5964;max-width:790px}
.hcw-evidence-states{margin-top:19px;display:grid;grid-template-columns:repeat(4,minmax(0,1fr));gap:10px}
.hcw-evidence-states span{padding:15px 14px;border-top:2px solid #cba85a;background:#f7ead7}
.hcw-evidence-states strong{display:block;color:#16273b;font-family:'Cormorant Garamond',Georgia,serif;font-size:20px;line-height:1.15}
.hcw-evidence-states small{display:block;color:#6a747e;font-size:12px;margin-top:4px}
.hcw-success-test,.hcw-options-note{margin-top:19px;padding:22px 24px;border-radius:10px;border:1px solid rgba(128,99,31,.24)}
.hcw-success-test{background:linear-gradient(145deg,#fffaf0,#f4ead8);border-left:4px solid #cba85a}
.hcw-success-test .hcw-mini-eyebrow{text-transform:uppercase;letter-spacing:1.55px;font-size:10px;font-weight:700;color:#80631f;margin-bottom:7px}
.hcw-success-test strong,.hcw-options-note strong{display:block;color:#16273b;font-family:'Cormorant Garamond',Georgia,serif;font-size:25px;line-height:1.2;margin-bottom:7px}
.hcw-success-test p,.hcw-options-note p{margin:0;color:#58636d;font-size:14.5px;max-width:760px}
.hcw-options-note{background:#eef2f5;border-color:rgba(22,39,59,.14)}
.hcw-options-note strong{font-size:23px}

.hcw-position-panel{max-width:980px;margin:38px auto 0;padding:34px 36px;background:linear-gradient(155deg,#21384f,#0c1521);border:1px solid rgba(203,168,90,.32);border-radius:13px;box-shadow:0 18px 48px rgba(12,21,33,.15)}
.hcw-position-intro .eyebrow{color:#cba85a}
.hcw-position-intro h3{color:#f7ead7;font-size:clamp(30px,3.5vw,41px);max-width:780px}
.hcw-position-grid{display:grid;grid-template-columns:repeat(4,minmax(0,1fr));gap:12px;margin-top:25px}
.hcw-position-grid span{padding:18px 16px;border:1px solid rgba(203,168,90,.22);background:rgba(255,255,255,.045);border-radius:8px}
.hcw-position-grid strong{display:block;color:#e6c97e;font-family:'Cormorant Garamond',Georgia,serif;font-size:22px;line-height:1.15}
.hcw-position-grid small{display:block;color:#bdcad6;font-size:12.5px;line-height:1.45;margin-top:5px}

.hcw-final-register{display:grid;grid-template-columns:repeat(5,minmax(0,1fr));gap:10px;max-width:900px;margin:34px auto 30px}
.hcw-final-register span{padding:17px 12px;border-top:1px solid rgba(203,168,90,.48);border-bottom:1px solid rgba(203,168,90,.19)}
.hcw-final-register strong{display:block;color:#e6c97e;font-family:'Cormorant Garamond',Georgia,serif;font-size:21px;line-height:1.15}
.hcw-final-register small{display:block;color:#b9c6d2;font-size:12px;line-height:1.4;margin-top:5px}

/* Reduce visual clutter in the ordinary content sections without flattening the premium system. */
.hcw-seven-section + .section.light{padding-top:82px;padding-bottom:82px}
.guided-closer-visual-section{padding-top:84px!important;padding-bottom:84px!important}
.guided-closer-visual-section .wide-story-figure{margin-top:34px}

@media(max-width:920px){
  .hcw-hero-route{grid-template-columns:1fr 1fr;gap:12px}.hcw-route-arrow{display:none}
  .hcw-entry-wrap{grid-template-columns:1fr;gap:34px}
  .hcw-position-grid{grid-template-columns:1fr 1fr}
  .hcw-final-register{grid-template-columns:repeat(2,minmax(0,1fr))}
}
@media(max-width:680px){
  .hcw-hero-inner{padding:68px 20px 62px}.hcw-hero h1{font-size:clamp(39px,11.8vw,52px)}
  .hcw-hero-route{grid-template-columns:1fr;margin-top:38px}.hcw-route-step{min-height:auto}
  .hcw-entry-section{padding:60px 0}.hcw-entry-wrap{padding:0 20px}.hcw-entry-columns{grid-template-columns:1fr}
  .hcw-seven-section{padding-top:62px;padding-bottom:62px}.hcw-seven-path{padding-left:70px}.hcw-seven-path::before{left:27px}.hcw-step-number{left:-70px;width:54px;height:54px;font-size:21px}
  .hcw-step-body h3{font-size:29px}.hcw-evidence-states{grid-template-columns:1fr 1fr}
  .hcw-position-panel{padding:28px 22px}.hcw-position-grid{grid-template-columns:1fr}.hcw-final-register{grid-template-columns:1fr 1fr}
}