diff --git a/frontend/src/app/patterns/[slug]/page.tsx b/frontend/src/app/patterns/[slug]/page.tsx
index 42b34b2..57273bd 100644
--- a/frontend/src/app/patterns/[slug]/page.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/app/patterns/[slug]/page.tsx
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ export default async function PatternDetailPage({ params }: PageProps) {
     : null;
 
   return (
-    <div className="max-w-4xl mx-auto space-y-8">
+    <div className="mx-auto space-y-8">
       {/* Header */}
       <div>
         <div className="flex items-center gap-3 mb-2">
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/visualizations-new/algorithms/monotonic-stack.tsx b/frontend/src/components/visualizations-new/algorithms/monotonic-stack.tsx
index 6f0b7a1..b0aa591 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/visualizations-new/algorithms/monotonic-stack.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/visualizations-new/algorithms/monotonic-stack.tsx
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ export function MonotonicStackVisualization({
           />
         )}
 
-        <div className="flex items-end gap-6">
+        <div className="flex min-h-[180px] items-end gap-6">
           {/* Stack (left side) */}
           {stack && <StackView stack={stack} />}
 
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/visualizations-new/core/explanation-panel.tsx b/frontend/src/components/visualizations-new/core/explanation-panel.tsx
index b706738..af57585 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/visualizations-new/core/explanation-panel.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/visualizations-new/core/explanation-panel.tsx
@@ -36,60 +36,50 @@ export function ExplanationPanel({
   return (
     <div
       className={cn(
-        'h-28 overflow-y-auto rounded-lg border border-border bg-surface p-4',
+        'flex h-28 gap-4 rounded-lg border border-border bg-surface p-3',
         className
       )}
     >
-      <div className="mb-3 flex items-center gap-2">
+      {/* Left side: phase badge + explanation */}
+      <div className="flex flex-1 flex-col overflow-hidden">
         <span
           className={cn(
-            'rounded-full px-2.5 py-0.5 text-xs font-medium',
+            'mb-1.5 w-fit rounded-full px-2 py-0.5 text-xs font-medium',
             PHASE_COLORS[phase]
           )}
         >
           {PHASE_LABELS[phase]}
         </span>
+        <AnimatePresence mode="wait">
+          <motion.p
+            key={explanation}
+            initial={{ opacity: 0, y: 5 }}
+            animate={{ opacity: 1, y: 0 }}
+            exit={{ opacity: 0, y: -5 }}
+            transition={{ duration: 0.15 }}
+            className="text-sm leading-snug text-foreground"
+          >
+            {explanation}
+          </motion.p>
+        </AnimatePresence>
       </div>
 
-      <AnimatePresence mode="wait">
+      {/* Right side: decision point (full height) */}
+      {decision && (
         <motion.div
-          key={explanation}
-          initial={{ opacity: 0, y: 10 }}
-          animate={{ opacity: 1, y: 0 }}
-          exit={{ opacity: 0, y: -10 }}
-          transition={{ duration: 0.2 }}
+          key={decision.question}
+          initial={{ opacity: 0, x: 10 }}
+          animate={{ opacity: 1, x: 0 }}
+          className="flex w-72 shrink-0 flex-col justify-center rounded-lg border border-primary/30 bg-primary/5 px-3 py-2 text-xs"
         >
-          <p className="text-base leading-relaxed text-foreground">
-            {explanation}
-          </p>
-
-          {decision && (
-            <motion.div
-              initial={{ opacity: 0, scale: 0.95 }}
-              animate={{ opacity: 1, scale: 1 }}
-              className="mt-4 rounded-lg border border-primary/30 bg-primary/5 p-4"
-            >
-              <div className="mb-2 text-sm font-medium text-primary">
-                Decision Point
-              </div>
-              <div className="space-y-2 text-sm">
-                <div className="flex items-start gap-2">
-                  <span className="font-medium text-foreground-muted">Q:</span>
-                  <span className="text-foreground">{decision.question}</span>
-                </div>
-                <div className="flex items-start gap-2">
-                  <span className="font-medium text-foreground-muted">A:</span>
-                  <span className="font-mono text-primary">{decision.answer}</span>
-                </div>
-                <div className="flex items-start gap-2">
-                  <span className="font-medium text-foreground-muted">→</span>
-                  <span className="text-success">{decision.action}</span>
-                </div>
-              </div>
-            </motion.div>
-          )}
+          <div className="mb-1 font-medium text-primary">Decision Point</div>
+          <div className="flex items-center gap-1">
+            <span className="text-foreground">{decision.question}</span>
+            <span className="font-mono text-primary">{decision.answer}</span>
+          </div>
+          <div className="mt-0.5 text-success">→ {decision.action}</div>
         </motion.div>
-      </AnimatePresence>
+      )}
     </div>
   );
 }
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/visualizations-new/core/visualization-container.tsx b/frontend/src/components/visualizations-new/core/visualization-container.tsx
index 0398001..a16759d 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/visualizations-new/core/visualization-container.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/visualizations-new/core/visualization-container.tsx
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ export function VisualizationContainer({
         </span>
       </header>
 
-      <div className="grid gap-3 lg:grid-cols-[1fr_1.5fr]">
+      <div className="grid gap-3 lg:grid-cols-[1fr_2fr]">
         <div className="flex flex-col gap-3">
           <CodePanel
             code={code}