diff --git a/snake.h b/snake.h
index ebe1192..eacf289 100644
--- a/snake.h
+++ b/snake.h
@@ -11,8 +11,10 @@
 using namespace std;
 using std::chrono::system_clock;
 using namespace std::this_thread;
-char direction='r';
 
+char direction = 'r';
+bool paused = false; // track pause state
+vector<int> high_scores; // NEW: top 10 scores
 
 void input_handler(){
     // change terminal settings
@@ -22,80 +24,139 @@ void input_handler(){
     // turn off canonical mode and echo
     newt.c_lflag &= ~(ICANON | ECHO);
     tcsetattr(STDIN_FILENO, TCSANOW, &newt);
-    map<char, char> keymap = {{'d', 'r'}, {'a', 'l'}, {'w', 'u'}, {'s', 'd'}, {'q', 'q'}};
+
+    map<char, char> keymap = {{'d', 'r'}, {'a', 'l'}, {'w', 'u'}, {'s', 'd'}};
+
     while (true) {
         char input = getchar();
+
         if (keymap.find(input) != keymap.end()) {
-            // This now correctly modifies the single, shared 'direction' variable
-            direction = keymap[input];
-        }else if (input == 'q'){
+            if (!paused) direction = keymap[input]; // movement only when not paused
+        } else if (input == 'q') {
             exit(0);
+        } else if (input == 'p') {
+            paused = !paused; // toggle pause/resume
         }
-        // You could add an exit condition here, e.g., if (input == 'q') break;
     }
     tcsetattr(STDIN_FILENO, TCSANOW, &oldt);
 }
 
-
-void render_game(int size, deque<pair<int, int>> &snake, pair<int, int> food){
+void render_game(int size, deque<pair<int, int>> &snake, pair<int, int> food, pair<int, int> poison){
     for(size_t i=0;i<size;i++){
         for(size_t j=0;j<size;j++){
             if (i == food.first && j == food.second){
                 cout << "🍎";
+            }else if (i == poison.first && j == poison.second){
+                cout << "💀";
             }else if (find(snake.begin(), snake.end(), make_pair(int(i), int(j))) != snake.end()) {
                 cout << "🐍";
             }else{
                 cout << "⬜";
             }
+        }
+        cout << endl;
     }
-    cout << endl;
-}
 }
 
 pair<int,int> get_next_head(pair<int,int> current, char direction){
     pair<int, int> next; 
     if(direction =='r'){
         next = make_pair(current.first,(current.second+1) % 10);
-    }else if (direction=='l')
-    {
+    }else if (direction=='l'){
         next = make_pair(current.first, current.second==0?9:current.second-1);
     }else if(direction =='d'){
-            next = make_pair((current.first+1)%10,current.second);
-        }else if (direction=='u'){
-            next = make_pair(current.first==0?9:current.first-1, current.second);
-        }
+        next = make_pair((current.first+1)%10,current.second);
+    }else if (direction=='u'){
+        next = make_pair(current.first==0?9:current.first-1, current.second);
+    }
     return next;
-    
 }
 
+// helper: generate new item not inside snake
+pair<int,int> generate_item(const deque<pair<int,int>> &snake, pair<int,int> other, int size=10){
+    pair<int,int> pos;
+    do {
+        pos = make_pair(rand() % size, rand() % size);
+    } while(find(snake.begin(), snake.end(), pos) != snake.end() || pos == other); 
+    return pos;
+}
 
+// NEW: update and print top 10 scores
+void update_high_scores(int score) {
+    high_scores.push_back(score);
+    sort(high_scores.begin(), high_scores.end(), greater<int>()); // sort descending
+    if (high_scores.size() > 10) high_scores.pop_back(); // keep only top 10
+
+    cout << "\n=== High Scores ===" << endl;
+    for (size_t i = 0; i < high_scores.size(); i++) {
+        cout << i+1 << ". " << high_scores[i] << endl;
+    }
+}
 
 void game_play(){
     system("clear");
     deque<pair<int, int>> snake;
     snake.push_back(make_pair(0,0));
 
-    pair<int, int> food = make_pair(rand() % 10, rand() % 10);
+    pair<int, int> food = generate_item(snake, {-1,-1});   // ensures no overlap
+    pair<int, int> poison = generate_item(snake, food);    // separate from snake & food
+
+    int score = 0;      // track score
+    int moves = 0;      // track moves for poison relocation
+
+    int speed = 500;      // initial speed in ms
+    const int min_speed = 100;  // max difficulty
+    const int decrement = 20;   // speed decrease per growth
+
     for(pair<int, int> head=make_pair(0,1);; head = get_next_head(head, direction)){
-        // send the cursor to the top
-        cout << "\033[H";
-        // check self collision
+        cout << "\033[H"; // send cursor to top-left
+
+        if (paused) {
+            render_game(10, snake, food, poison);
+            cout << "length of snake: " << snake.size() << endl;
+            cout << "score: " << score << endl;
+            cout << "[PAUSED] Press 'p' to resume" << endl;
+            sleep_for(chrono::milliseconds(200));
+            continue;
+        }
+
         if (find(snake.begin(), snake.end(), head) != snake.end()) {
             system("clear");
-            cout << "Game Over" << endl;
+            cout << "Game Over! Final Score: " << score << endl;
+            update_high_scores(score);
+            exit(0);
+        } else if (head == food) {
+            snake.push_back(head);
+
+            // spawn new food
+            food = generate_item(snake, poison);
+
+            // increase difficulty
+            speed -= decrement;
+            if(speed < min_speed) speed = min_speed;
+
+            // update score
+            score += 10;
+        } else if (head == poison) {
+            system("clear");
+            cout << "You ate poison! Game Over. Final Score: " << score << endl;
+            update_high_scores(score);
             exit(0);
-        }else if (head.first == food.first && head.second == food.second) {
-            // grow snake
-            food = make_pair(rand() % 10, rand() % 10);
-            snake.push_back(head);            
-        }else{
-            // move snake
+        } else {
             snake.push_back(head);
             snake.pop_front();
         }
-        render_game(10, snake, food);
+
+        // relocate poison every 5 moves
+        moves++;
+        if (moves % 5 == 0) {
+            poison = generate_item(snake, food);
+        }
+
+        render_game(10, snake, food, poison);
         cout << "length of snake: " << snake.size() << endl;
-    
-        sleep_for(500ms);
+        cout << "score: " << score << endl;
+
+        sleep_for(chrono::milliseconds(speed));
     }
 }