diff --git a/packages/ludic.physics/README.md b/packages/ludic.physics/README.md
index 642128f7..97c49abb 100644
--- a/packages/ludic.physics/README.md
+++ b/packages/ludic.physics/README.md
@@ -39,6 +39,8 @@ import "ludic.physics"
 | `phys_ray(st, o, d, mask) -> PhysHit` | the first thing along a ray |
 | `phys_top_at(st, x, z, r, from_y, depth, mask) -> float` | what a foot would land on (`CharacterGround.top_at`), `PHYS_NONE` if nothing |
 | `phys_push(st, x, z, r, y0, y1, mask) -> PhysPush` | the move that stands an upright body clear (`CharacterGround.push`) |
+| `phys_resolve(st, x, z, r, y0, y1, mask) -> bool`, `phys_resolved_x` / `_z` | pushed clear in two passes, the place kept (`CharacterGround.push`, `pushed_x` / `_z`); a contact more up than across is ground under the feet, not a wall |
+| `phys_step_top(st, x, z, r, feet, reach, mask) -> float` | the highest top a foot could step up to, anything taller than `feet + reach` left out as a wall |
 | `phys_overlap(st, x, y, z, r, mask) -> []int` | the bodies a ball touches |
 | `phys_float(st, id, buoyancy, linear_drag, angular_drag)`, `phys_sink`, `phys_floating` | a body buoyed each step against `PhysWater` and carried by its current |
 | `phys_facts(st)` | `PhysFact`: `PHYS_HIT` (two bodies met at `ph_hard` m/s or more), `PHYS_SPLASH` (a floating body reached water) |
diff --git a/packages/ludic.physics/lib/macos-arm64/libludicjolt.dylib b/packages/ludic.physics/lib/macos-arm64/libludicjolt.dylib
index 47888bcc..ab8757a4 100755
--- a/packages/ludic.physics/lib/macos-arm64/libludicjolt.dylib
+++ b/packages/ludic.physics/lib/macos-arm64/libludicjolt.dylib
@@ -1,3 +1,3 @@
 version https://git-lfs.github.com/spec/v1
-oid sha256:7e7360edbd7cdec8cb8a7084914ddac37fcbb6d34c89947db0959477b25fbec5
+oid sha256:c84347121c46557ad468b6a4a86d9d7590e305c3982cd2f2d17d7b9747b0fe3a
 size 1099936
diff --git a/packages/ludic.physics/native/shim/jph_queries.inl b/packages/ludic.physics/native/shim/jph_queries.inl
index e4ef2c75..180781c7 100644
--- a/packages/ludic.physics/native/shim/jph_queries.inl
+++ b/packages/ludic.physics/native/shim/jph_queries.inl
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ JPH_SHIM int jph_overlap(void *w, float x, float y, float z, float r, int mask,
 }
 
 // an upright body r wide, from y0 to y1, at (x, z): how far to move it in x and z to stand clear
-// of what it overlaps in mask, into out[2]; returns how many things it overlapped
+// of what it overlaps in mask, into out[2]; returns how many things were in the way
 JPH_SHIM int jph_push(void *w, float x, float z, float r, float y0, float y1, int mask, float *out) {
   World *ww = static_cast<World *>(w);
   float half = (y1 - y0) * 0.5f;
@@ -66,18 +66,23 @@ JPH_SHIM int jph_push(void *w, float x, float z, float r, float y0, float y1, in
   ww->sys.GetNarrowPhaseQuery().CollideShape(&body, Vec3::sOne(), RMat44::sTranslation(RVec3(x, y0 + half, z)),
                                              cs, RVec3::sZero(), hits, {}, f);
   hits.Sort();
+  // a contact more up than across is what the feet stand on (a rock's top, a dome under them),
+  // not a wall, and a touch with nothing in it is no contact
   float px = 0.0f, pz = 0.0f;
+  int n = 0;
   for (const CollideShapeResult &h : hits.mHits) {
-    Vec3 a = h.mPenetrationAxis;
+    if (h.mPenetrationDepth <= 1.0e-4f) continue;
+    Vec3 a = h.mPenetrationAxis.NormalizedOr(Vec3::sAxisY());
     Vec3 flat(a.GetX(), 0.0f, a.GetZ());
-    if (flat.LengthSq() < 1.0e-8f) continue;
+    if (flat.Length() < 0.5f) continue;
     flat = flat.Normalized() * h.mPenetrationDepth;
     px -= flat.GetX();
     pz -= flat.GetZ();
+    n++;
   }
   out[0] = px;
   out[1] = pz;
-  return int(hits.mHits.size());
+  return n;
 }
 
 // the highest top under an upright body r wide at (x, z) that a foot at `feet` could stand on or
diff --git a/packages/ludic.physics/queries.ludic b/packages/ludic.physics/queries.ludic
index 42e251da..7c2ce493 100644
--- a/packages/ludic.physics/queries.ludic
+++ b/packages/ludic.physics/queries.ludic
@@ -72,3 +72,25 @@ export function phys_push(physics_st: mut PhysicsState, x: float, z: float, r: f
   p.z = physics_st.ph_vals[1]
   return p
 }
+
+# a body r wide from y0 to y1 at (x, z) moved clear of what it stands in, two passes over (a push out
+# of one thing can put it into another); true when it moved, the place in phys_resolved_x / _z -
+# what CharacterGround.push and pushed_x / _z ask
+export function phys_resolve(physics_st: mut PhysicsState, x: float, z: float, r: float, y0: float, y1: float, mask: int) -> bool {
+  var px = x
+  var pz = z
+  var moved = false
+  for pass in 0 .. 2 {
+    let p = phys_push(physics_st, px, pz, r, y0, y1, mask)
+    if p.n > 0 {
+      px += p.x
+      pz += p.z
+      moved = true
+    }
+  }
+  physics_st.ph_rx = px
+  physics_st.ph_rz = pz
+  return moved
+}
+export function phys_resolved_x(physics_st: PhysicsState) -> float { return physics_st.ph_rx }
+export function phys_resolved_z(physics_st: PhysicsState) -> float { return physics_st.ph_rz }
diff --git a/packages/ludic.physics/state.ludic b/packages/ludic.physics/state.ludic
index b53b6a65..6d291dd1 100644
--- a/packages/ludic.physics/state.ludic
+++ b/packages/ludic.physics/state.ludic
@@ -45,6 +45,8 @@ export state PhysicsState {
   ph_hard: float = 2.0            # metres a second: a contact under this is not a fact
   ph_floats: []int = null         # buoyant bodies' ids
   ph_float_k: []float = null      # and theirs: buoyancy, linear drag, angular drag, wet
+  ph_rx: float = 0.0               # where the last phys_resolve put a body
+  ph_rz: float = 0.0
   ph_ids: []int = null
   ph_vals: []float = null
   ph_facts: Queue<PhysFact> = null
diff --git a/packages/ludic.physics/tests/physics_test.ludic b/packages/ludic.physics/tests/physics_test.ludic
index c183bdf7..ab19eab4 100644
--- a/packages/ludic.physics/tests/physics_test.ludic
+++ b/packages/ludic.physics/tests/physics_test.ludic
@@ -110,4 +110,26 @@ program PhysicsTest {
     expect(Math.abs(phys_step_top(physics_st, 5.0, 0.0, 0.35, 2.9, 0.55, PHYS_M_STATIC) - 3.0) < 0.02)
     phys_close(physics_st)
   }
+
+  test "a body is resolved clear of a post, and standing on a rock is not being in it" (physics_st: mut PhysicsState) {
+    ground(physics_st)
+    let post = phys_offset(physics_st, phys_cylinder(physics_st, 1.0, 0.3), 0.0, 1.0, 0.0, 0.0)
+    phys_static_add(physics_st, post, 0.0, 0.0, 0.0, 0.0)
+    let rock = phys_offset(physics_st, phys_cylinder(physics_st, 0.2, 1.0), 0.0, 0.2, 0.0, 0.0)
+    phys_static_add(physics_st, rock, 5.0, 0.0, 0.0, 0.0)
+    phys_static_add(physics_st, phys_dome(physics_st, 1.5, 0.6), -5.0, 0.0, 0.0, 0.0)
+    phys_settle(physics_st)
+    expect(phys_resolve(physics_st, 0.4, 0.1, 0.35, 0.0, 1.8, PHYS_M_STATIC))
+    let dx = phys_resolved_x(physics_st)
+    let dz = phys_resolved_z(physics_st)
+    expect(Math.sqrt(dx * dx + dz * dz) > 0.64)
+    expect(not phys_resolve(physics_st, 5.2, 0.0, 0.35, 0.4, 2.2, PHYS_M_STATIC))
+    expect_eq(phys_resolved_x(physics_st), 5.2)
+    expect(phys_resolve(physics_st, 6.3, 0.0, 0.35, 0.0, 1.8, PHYS_M_STATIC))
+    expect(phys_resolved_x(physics_st) > 6.34)
+    let top = phys_step_top(physics_st, -5.3, 0.0, 0.35, 0.0, 0.7, PHYS_M_STATIC)
+    expect(top > 0.4)
+    expect(not phys_resolve(physics_st, -5.3, 0.0, 0.35, top, top + 1.8, PHYS_M_STATIC))
+    phys_close(physics_st)
+  }
 }