diff --git a/client/public/version.js b/client/public/version.js
index 58f65a3..2515981 100644
--- a/client/public/version.js
+++ b/client/public/version.js
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 // Maintainer-controlled web client version.
 // Format: YYYY.MM.DD Rn (example: 2026.02.20 R2)
-window.CHGRID_WEB_VERSION = "2026.02.21 R89";
+window.CHGRID_WEB_VERSION = "2026.02.21 R90";
 // Optional display timezone for timestamps. Falls back to America/Detroit if unset/invalid.
 window.CHGRID_TIME_ZONE = "America/Detroit";
diff --git a/client/src/main.ts b/client/src/main.ts
index 60680c1..f73a101 100644
--- a/client/src/main.ts
+++ b/client/src/main.ts
@@ -670,6 +670,13 @@ function squareWord(distance: number): string {
   return distance === 1 ? 'square' : 'squares';
 }
 
+function distanceDirectionPhrase(px: number, py: number, tx: number, ty: number): string {
+  const distance = Math.round(Math.hypot(tx - px, ty - py));
+  const direction = getDirection(px, py, tx, ty);
+  if (direction === 'here') return 'here';
+  return `${distance} ${squareWord(distance)} ${direction}`;
+}
+
 function persistPlayerPosition(): void {
   try {
     localStorage.setItem(
@@ -1216,9 +1223,8 @@ function handleNormalModeInput(code: string, shiftKey: boolean): void {
       state.mode = 'listItems';
       const first = state.items.get(state.sortedItemIds[0]);
       if (first) {
-        const distance = Math.round(Math.hypot(first.x - state.player.x, first.y - state.player.y));
         updateStatus(
-          `List: ${itemLabel(first)}, ${distance} ${squareWord(distance)} ${getDirection(state.player.x, state.player.y, first.x, first.y)}, ${first.x}, ${first.y}`,
+          `List: ${itemLabel(first)}, ${distanceDirectionPhrase(state.player.x, state.player.y, first.x, first.y)}, ${first.x}, ${first.y}`,
         );
       }
       audio.sfxUiBlip();
@@ -1233,9 +1239,8 @@ function handleNormalModeInput(code: string, shiftKey: boolean): void {
     const item = state.items.get(nearest.itemId);
     if (!item) return;
     audio.sfxLocate({ x: item.x - state.player.x, y: item.y - state.player.y });
-    const roundedDistance = Math.round(nearest.distance);
     updateStatus(
-      `${itemLabel(item)}, ${roundedDistance} ${squareWord(roundedDistance)} ${getDirection(state.player.x, state.player.y, item.x, item.y)}, ${item.x}, ${item.y}`,
+      `${itemLabel(item)}, ${distanceDirectionPhrase(state.player.x, state.player.y, item.x, item.y)}, ${item.x}, ${item.y}`,
     );
     return;
   }
@@ -1336,9 +1341,8 @@ function handleNormalModeInput(code: string, shiftKey: boolean): void {
       state.mode = 'listUsers';
       const first = state.peers.get(state.sortedPeerIds[0]);
       if (first) {
-        const distance = Math.round(Math.hypot(first.x - state.player.x, first.y - state.player.y));
         updateStatus(
-          `List: ${first.nickname}, ${distance} ${squareWord(distance)} ${getDirection(state.player.x, state.player.y, first.x, first.y)}, ${first.x}, ${first.y}`,
+          `List: ${first.nickname}, ${distanceDirectionPhrase(state.player.x, state.player.y, first.x, first.y)}, ${first.x}, ${first.y}`,
         );
       }
       audio.sfxUiBlip();
@@ -1354,9 +1358,8 @@ function handleNormalModeInput(code: string, shiftKey: boolean): void {
     const peer = state.peers.get(nearest.peerId);
     if (!peer) return;
     audio.sfxLocate({ x: peer.x - state.player.x, y: peer.y - state.player.y });
-    const roundedDistance = Math.round(nearest.distance);
     updateStatus(
-      `${peer.nickname}, ${roundedDistance} ${squareWord(roundedDistance)} ${getDirection(state.player.x, state.player.y, peer.x, peer.y)}, ${peer.x}, ${peer.y}`,
+      `${peer.nickname}, ${distanceDirectionPhrase(state.player.x, state.player.y, peer.x, peer.y)}, ${peer.x}, ${peer.y}`,
     );
     return;
   }
@@ -1484,9 +1487,8 @@ function handleListModeInput(code: string, key: string): void {
         : (state.listIndex - 1 + state.sortedPeerIds.length) % state.sortedPeerIds.length;
     const peer = state.peers.get(state.sortedPeerIds[state.listIndex]);
     if (!peer) return;
-    const distance = Math.round(Math.hypot(peer.x - state.player.x, peer.y - state.player.y));
     updateStatus(
-      `${peer.nickname}, ${distance} ${squareWord(distance)} ${getDirection(state.player.x, state.player.y, peer.x, peer.y)}, ${peer.x}, ${peer.y}`,
+      `${peer.nickname}, ${distanceDirectionPhrase(state.player.x, state.player.y, peer.x, peer.y)}, ${peer.x}, ${peer.y}`,
     );
     return;
   }
@@ -1500,9 +1502,8 @@ function handleListModeInput(code: string, key: string): void {
     state.listIndex = nextByInitial;
     const peer = state.peers.get(state.sortedPeerIds[state.listIndex]);
     if (!peer) return;
-    const distance = Math.round(Math.hypot(peer.x - state.player.x, peer.y - state.player.y));
     updateStatus(
-      `${peer.nickname}, ${distance} ${squareWord(distance)} ${getDirection(state.player.x, state.player.y, peer.x, peer.y)}, ${peer.x}, ${peer.y}`,
+      `${peer.nickname}, ${distanceDirectionPhrase(state.player.x, state.player.y, peer.x, peer.y)}, ${peer.x}, ${peer.y}`,
     );
     audio.sfxUiBlip();
     return;
@@ -1540,9 +1541,8 @@ function handleListItemsModeInput(code: string, key: string): void {
         : (state.itemListIndex - 1 + state.sortedItemIds.length) % state.sortedItemIds.length;
     const item = state.items.get(state.sortedItemIds[state.itemListIndex]);
     if (!item) return;
-    const distance = Math.round(Math.hypot(item.x - state.player.x, item.y - state.player.y));
     updateStatus(
-      `${itemLabel(item)}, ${distance} ${squareWord(distance)} ${getDirection(state.player.x, state.player.y, item.x, item.y)}, ${item.x}, ${item.y}`,
+      `${itemLabel(item)}, ${distanceDirectionPhrase(state.player.x, state.player.y, item.x, item.y)}, ${item.x}, ${item.y}`,
     );
     return;
   }
@@ -1559,9 +1559,8 @@ function handleListItemsModeInput(code: string, key: string): void {
     state.itemListIndex = nextByInitial;
     const item = state.items.get(state.sortedItemIds[state.itemListIndex]);
     if (!item) return;
-    const distance = Math.round(Math.hypot(item.x - state.player.x, item.y - state.player.y));
     updateStatus(
-      `${itemLabel(item)}, ${distance} ${squareWord(distance)} ${getDirection(state.player.x, state.player.y, item.x, item.y)}, ${item.x}, ${item.y}`,
+      `${itemLabel(item)}, ${distanceDirectionPhrase(state.player.x, state.player.y, item.x, item.y)}, ${item.x}, ${item.y}`,
     );
     audio.sfxUiBlip();
     return;
diff --git a/client/src/state/gameState.ts b/client/src/state/gameState.ts
index 81e5d65..1af7485 100644
--- a/client/src/state/gameState.ts
+++ b/client/src/state/gameState.ts
@@ -133,13 +133,14 @@ export function getDirection(px: number, py: number, tx: number, ty: number): st
   const dx = tx - px;
   const dy = ty - py;
   if (dx === 0 && dy === 0) return 'here';
-  let vDir = '';
-  let hDir = '';
-  if (dy > 0) vDir = 'north';
-  if (dy < 0) vDir = 'south';
-  if (dx > 0) hDir = 'east';
-  if (dx < 0) hDir = 'west';
-  return `${vDir} ${hDir}`.trim();
+  if (dx === 0) return dy > 0 ? 'directly north' : 'directly south';
+  if (dy === 0) return dx > 0 ? 'directly east' : 'directly west';
+
+  const octants = ['east', 'northeast', 'north', 'northwest', 'west', 'southwest', 'south', 'southeast'] as const;
+  const step = Math.PI / 4;
+  const rawIndex = Math.round(Math.atan2(dy, dx) / step);
+  const index = ((rawIndex % octants.length) + octants.length) % octants.length;
+  return octants[index];
 }
 
 export function getNearestItem(state: GameState): { itemId: string | null; distance: number } {