diff --git a/src/uix/eidos/components/words/words-block-handle.svelte b/src/uix/eidos/components/words/words-block-handle.svelte
index 7ef0a0177..0e7c820c7 100644
--- a/src/uix/eidos/components/words/words-block-handle.svelte
+++ b/src/uix/eidos/components/words/words-block-handle.svelte
@@ -37,15 +37,30 @@
 		return Number.isInteger(n) && n >= 0 ? n : undefined;
 	});
 
+	/**
+	 * Detect drawer side so the grip auto-flips to the OPPOSITE margin.
+	 * Drawer on right (default) → grip on block's left. Drawer on left
+	 * → grip on block's right (so it doesn't fight the drawer's gutter).
+	 * Read from the DOM each measure — cheap, and reactive to layout
+	 * changes (user toggling side prop).
+	 */
+	function detectDrawerSide(): 'left' | 'right' {
+		const drawer = document.querySelector('[data-words-drawer]');
+		return drawer?.getAttribute('data-side') === 'left' ? 'left' : 'right';
+	}
+
 	function measureFromEl(el: HTMLElement | null) {
 		if (!el) {
 			position = null;
 			return;
 		}
 		const rect = el.getBoundingClientRect();
+		const side = detectDrawerSide();
 		position = {
 			top: rect.top + rect.height / 2 - 12,
-			left: rect.left - 28
+			// Drawer on RIGHT → grip on block LEFT (left edge − 28).
+			// Drawer on LEFT → grip on block RIGHT (right edge + 4).
+			left: side === 'left' ? rect.right + 4 : rect.left - 28
 		};
 	}
 
diff --git a/src/uix/eidos/components/words/words-block-inserter.svelte b/src/uix/eidos/components/words/words-block-inserter.svelte
index 1da00639c..b6cde0f9a 100644
--- a/src/uix/eidos/components/words/words-block-inserter.svelte
+++ b/src/uix/eidos/components/words/words-block-inserter.svelte
@@ -210,12 +210,27 @@
 		});
 		seam = null;
 	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Mirror the drawer's side so the "+" button auto-flips to the
+	 * OPPOSITE gutter (CSS reads `data-side` to swap left:-28 vs
+	 * right:-28). Drawer right (default) → "+" on left margin;
+	 * drawer left → "+" on right margin.
+	 */
+	const drawerSide = $derived.by(() => {
+		// Read reactively each time seam changes — re-evaluating the
+		// DOM is cheap and the side rarely flips during a session.
+		if (!seam) return 'right' as const;
+		const drawer = document.querySelector('[data-words-drawer]');
+		return drawer?.getAttribute('data-side') === 'left' ? 'left' : 'right';
+	});
 </script>
 
 {#if seam}
 	<div
 		data-words-block-inserter
 		data-mode={isDragging ? 'drop' : 'insert'}
+		data-side={drawerSide}
 		style="top: {seam.y}px; left: {seam.left}px; width: {seam.right - seam.left}px;"
 		role="presentation"
 	>
diff --git a/src/uix/eidos/components/words/words-drawer.svelte b/src/uix/eidos/components/words/words-drawer.svelte
index 0b943fb1a..3db89467b 100644
--- a/src/uix/eidos/components/words/words-drawer.svelte
+++ b/src/uix/eidos/components/words/words-drawer.svelte
@@ -47,9 +47,17 @@
 		open = $bindable(undefined),
 		defaultOpen = true,
 		disabled = false,
+		/**
+		 * Which side of the editor the drawer occupies. Default `'right'`.
+		 * When `'left'`, the editor grid flips so the drawer sits at the
+		 * start of the inline axis; the floating overlays (block handle,
+		 * block inserter "+" button) automatically render on the
+		 * opposite margin to stay out of the drawer's gutter.
+		 */
+		side = 'right' as 'left' | 'right',
 		children: customChildren,
 		...rest
-	}: Omit<DrawerProps, 'child'> = $props();
+	}: Omit<DrawerProps, 'child'> & { side?: 'left' | 'right' } = $props();
 
 	const MODE_LABELS: Record<WordsDrawerMode, string> = {
 		default: 'Insert',
@@ -153,7 +161,7 @@
 	}
 </script>
 
-<Words.Drawer bind:open {defaultOpen} {disabled} {...rest}>
+<Words.Drawer bind:open {defaultOpen} {disabled} {...rest} data-side={side}>
 	{#snippet children(d: DrawerSnippetProps)}
 		{@const { modes, snippet, toggle: toggleDrawer } = d}
 
diff --git a/src/uix/eidos/components/words/words.css b/src/uix/eidos/components/words/words.css
index 67c437179..8df0a50da 100644
--- a/src/uix/eidos/components/words/words.css
+++ b/src/uix/eidos/components/words/words.css
@@ -125,12 +125,14 @@
 	opacity: var(--words-disabled-opacity);
 }
 
-/* ── Companion Drawer (right-rail) ───────────────────────────────────────
+/* ── Companion Drawer ────────────────────────────────────────────────────
    Layout: when the editor host contains a [data-words-drawer], place
-   the drawer in a dedicated right column that spans toolbar+content+
-   status rows. Children without a grid-area placement (BubbleMenu /
-   SlashMenu / HiddenInput / find-replace etc.) are absolute-positioned
-   or hidden inputs that don't participate in the visual flow. */
+   the drawer in a dedicated column that spans toolbar+content+
+   status rows. Default side is right; `data-side='left'` on the drawer
+   flips the column order. Children without a grid-area placement
+   (BubbleMenu / SlashMenu / HiddenInput / find-replace etc.) are
+   absolute-positioned or hidden inputs that don't participate in the
+   visual flow. */
 [data-words]:has([data-words-drawer]) {
 	display: grid;
 	grid-template-columns: minmax(0, 1fr) max-content;
@@ -142,6 +144,18 @@
 	column-gap: 0;
 }
 
+/* Left-side drawer — flip the column order so the drawer takes the
+   start column and the editor flow takes the rest. The drawer's
+   own border-inline-start (toward the content) is what visually
+   separates them; we swap it to border-inline-end below. */
+[data-words]:has([data-words-drawer][data-side='left']) {
+	grid-template-columns: max-content minmax(0, 1fr);
+	grid-template-areas:
+		'drawer  toolbar'
+		'drawer  content'
+		'drawer  status';
+}
+
 [data-words]:has([data-words-drawer]) > [data-words-toolbar] {
 	grid-area: toolbar;
 }
@@ -172,6 +186,13 @@
 	transition: inline-size 160ms ease;
 }
 
+/* Left-side drawer: the visual seam goes on the inline-end edge
+   (toward the editor content) instead of inline-start. */
+[data-words-drawer][data-side='left'] {
+	border-inline-start: 0;
+	border-inline-end: var(--words-border-width) solid var(--words-toolbar-border);
+}
+
 [data-words-drawer]:not([data-open]) {
 	inline-size: 2.25rem;
 	max-inline-size: 2.25rem;
@@ -847,6 +868,14 @@
 	color: var(--_words-accent-on);
 }
 
+/* When the drawer is on the LEFT side, flip the "+" button to the
+   block's right margin so it doesn't clash with the drawer's
+   gutter (mirrors the block-handle grip behaviour). */
+[data-words-block-inserter][data-side='left'] [data-words-block-inserter-button] {
+	left: auto;
+	right: -28px;
+}
+
 [data-words-block-inserter-line] {
 	pointer-events: auto;
 	flex: 1 1 auto;
diff --git a/web/routes/uix/components/words/+page.svelte b/web/routes/uix/components/words/+page.svelte
index 5c9614cc3..3497b6dd0 100644
--- a/web/routes/uix/components/words/+page.svelte
+++ b/web/routes/uix/components/words/+page.svelte
@@ -191,6 +191,7 @@
 	let showSlashMenu = $state(true);
 	let showStatus = $state(true);
 	let showDrawer = $state(true);
+	let drawerSide = $state<'left' | 'right'>('right');
 	let toolbarLayout = $state<'grouped' | 'inline'>('grouped');
 	let size = $state<WordsSize>('md');
 	let variant = $state<WordsVariant>('surface');
@@ -1061,7 +1062,7 @@
 					{/if}
 					<Words.HiddenInput />
 					{#if showDrawer}
-						<Words.Drawer />
+						<Words.Drawer side={drawerSide} />
 					{/if}
 					<Words.ImageFloatBar snippet={snippetProps} />
 					<Words.BlockHandle snippet={snippetProps} />
@@ -1195,6 +1196,20 @@
 						{/each}
 					</span>
 				</label>
+				<label data-uix-control>
+					<span data-uix-control-label>drawer side</span>
+					<span data-uix-chips role="radiogroup">
+						{#each ['right', 'left'] as const as item}
+							<button
+								data-uix-chip
+								data-active={drawerSide === item}
+								onclick={() => (drawerSide = item)}
+							>
+								{item}
+							</button>
+						{/each}
+					</span>
+				</label>
 				{#each ['disabled', 'readonly', 'required', 'invalid', 'commitOnBlur', 'linkEditor', 'findReplace', 'bubbleMenu', 'slashMenu', 'status'] as key}
 					<label data-uix-control>
 						<span data-uix-control-label>{key}</span>