diff --git a/.pql/changelog/ticket_history/2026-05.sql b/.pql/changelog/ticket_history/2026-05.sql
index 2c87079a..103c824d 100644
--- a/.pql/changelog/ticket_history/2026-05.sql
+++ b/.pql/changelog/ticket_history/2026-05.sql
@@ -1812,3 +1812,4 @@ INSERT INTO ticket_history (ticket_id, field, old_value, new_value, changed_by,
 INSERT INTO ticket_history (ticket_id, field, old_value, new_value, changed_by, changed_at, created_at, updated_at, deleted_at, hash, canonical_version) VALUES ('T-104', 'status', 'backlog', 'in_progress', NULL, '2026-05-18 07:49:44', '2026-05-18 07:49:44', '2026-05-18 07:49:44', NULL, 'bf7f2746c252f8b8893f4fdc06d459b8', 1) ON CONFLICT(hash) DO NOTHING;
 INSERT INTO ticket_history (ticket_id, field, old_value, new_value, changed_by, changed_at, created_at, updated_at, deleted_at, hash, canonical_version) VALUES ('T-104', 'status', 'in_progress', 'done', NULL, '2026-05-18 07:53:10', '2026-05-18 07:53:10', '2026-05-18 07:53:10', NULL, 'ce2b66658977edc3fddc78079d7852e5', 1) ON CONFLICT(hash) DO NOTHING;
 INSERT INTO ticket_history (ticket_id, field, old_value, new_value, changed_by, changed_at, created_at, updated_at, deleted_at, hash, canonical_version) VALUES ('T-109', 'status', 'backlog', 'in_progress', NULL, '2026-05-18 08:02:06', '2026-05-18 08:02:06', '2026-05-18 08:02:06', NULL, 'ee75fea173ae492a6ad8a1d888a2142d', 1) ON CONFLICT(hash) DO NOTHING;
+INSERT INTO ticket_history (ticket_id, field, old_value, new_value, changed_by, changed_at, created_at, updated_at, deleted_at, hash, canonical_version) VALUES ('T-109', 'status', 'in_progress', 'done', NULL, '2026-05-18 08:07:23', '2026-05-18 08:07:23', '2026-05-18 08:07:23', NULL, '9dd61b76946909aa44edaf9d1c1741a0', 1) ON CONFLICT(hash) DO NOTHING;
diff --git a/.pql/changelog/tickets/2026-05.sql b/.pql/changelog/tickets/2026-05.sql
index e3bb2ec3..c5064dc8 100644
--- a/.pql/changelog/tickets/2026-05.sql
+++ b/.pql/changelog/tickets/2026-05.sql
@@ -1875,3 +1875,23 @@ INSERT INTO tickets (id, type, parent_id, title, description, status, priority,
 Order matters: 2 → 3 → 1 (clean changelog, release, then doc the workflow).
 
 Source: consultants.md "Docs — Findings".', 'in_progress', 'medium', NULL, NULL, NULL, '2026-05-17 18:48:03', '2026-05-18 08:02:06', NULL, '01396c3a11fb562a859cdf76f933824c', 1) ON CONFLICT(id) DO UPDATE SET type=excluded.type, parent_id=excluded.parent_id, title=excluded.title, description=excluded.description, status=excluded.status, priority=excluded.priority, assigned_to=excluded.assigned_to, team=excluded.team, decision_ref=excluded.decision_ref, updated_at=excluded.updated_at, deleted_at=excluded.deleted_at, hash=excluded.hash, canonical_version=excluded.canonical_version WHERE excluded.updated_at > tickets.updated_at OR (excluded.updated_at = tickets.updated_at AND excluded.hash > tickets.hash);
+INSERT INTO tickets (id, type, parent_id, title, description, status, priority, assigned_to, team, decision_ref, created_at, updated_at, deleted_at, hash, canonical_version) VALUES ('T-121', 'task', 'T-97', 'cut interim release to drain Unreleased (split from T-109)', 'Item 3 of T-109. With CONTRIBUTING.md landed and [Unreleased] consolidated, the remaining piece is cutting an actual release so the ~80-commit Unreleased backlog drains into a dated heading.
+
+Per .claude/skills/git-commit/SKILL.md "Cutting a release":
+1. Move every [Unreleased] entry under a new `## [X.Y.Z] — YYYY-MM-DD` heading.
+2. Leave an empty [Unreleased] skeleton.
+3. Bump pubspec.yaml version: (drop the -dev suffix for the tag).
+4. Commit subject: `release vX.Y.Z`.
+
+Version pick is the user''s call — likely 2.1.0 given the scope since 2.0.0 (D-66 95% coverage gate, T-117 keymap, contrast-gate split, IPC hardening, panel-keyboard parity, etc.).
+
+Source: consultants.md "Docs — Findings" item 3.', 'backlog', 'medium', NULL, NULL, NULL, '2026-05-18 08:07:23', '2026-05-18 08:07:23', NULL, '74aa71a8c832231c1debb66c767cf490', 1) ON CONFLICT(id) DO UPDATE SET type=excluded.type, parent_id=excluded.parent_id, title=excluded.title, description=excluded.description, status=excluded.status, priority=excluded.priority, assigned_to=excluded.assigned_to, team=excluded.team, decision_ref=excluded.decision_ref, updated_at=excluded.updated_at, deleted_at=excluded.deleted_at, hash=excluded.hash, canonical_version=excluded.canonical_version WHERE excluded.updated_at > tickets.updated_at OR (excluded.updated_at = tickets.updated_at AND excluded.hash > tickets.hash);
+INSERT INTO tickets (id, type, parent_id, title, description, status, priority, assigned_to, team, decision_ref, created_at, updated_at, deleted_at, hash, canonical_version) VALUES ('T-109', 'task', 'T-97', 'write CONTRIBUTING.md; cut interim release to drain Unreleased; merge duplicate changelog headings', 'Three docs items:
+
+1. **No `CONTRIBUTING.md`.** Build/test story is scattered across `CLAUDE.md` (Claude-addressed), `README.md` (partly wrong — see T-101), and Makefile help. Write a human-addressed contributor guide: clone → `make hooks && flutter pub get` → `make test` → DQR workflow → commit conventions.
+2. **CHANGELOG has duplicate subsection headings in `[Unreleased]`** — three `### Changed`, two `### Fixed`, two `### Removed` in the 2.0.0 section. Keep a Changelog 1.1.0 expects one of each per release. Merge.
+3. **~80-commit Unreleased backlog** undermines the format. Cut an interim release (`vX.Y.Z`) to drain it before continuing.
+
+Order matters: 2 → 3 → 1 (clean changelog, release, then doc the workflow).
+
+Source: consultants.md "Docs — Findings".', 'done', 'medium', NULL, NULL, NULL, '2026-05-17 18:48:03', '2026-05-18 08:07:23', NULL, '7c1f64a5aef6e3e92157691a2b192beb', 1) ON CONFLICT(id) DO UPDATE SET type=excluded.type, parent_id=excluded.parent_id, title=excluded.title, description=excluded.description, status=excluded.status, priority=excluded.priority, assigned_to=excluded.assigned_to, team=excluded.team, decision_ref=excluded.decision_ref, updated_at=excluded.updated_at, deleted_at=excluded.deleted_at, hash=excluded.hash, canonical_version=excluded.canonical_version WHERE excluded.updated_at > tickets.updated_at OR (excluded.updated_at = tickets.updated_at AND excluded.hash > tickets.hash);
diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 5e67f5e5..79919b4f 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -18,6 +18,20 @@ heading, and (b) bumping `pubspec.yaml` `version:` in the same commit.
 
 ### Added
 
+### Changed
+
+### Deprecated
+
+### Removed
+
+### Fixed
+
+### Security
+
+## [2.1.0] — 2026-05-18
+
+### Added
+
 - Contrast gate split — baseline `canonicalPairs` every theme passes,
   strict `extendedPairs` (muted/status/syntax/focus-border) gated to
   `-hc` / `-cb` variants. Ships `clide-hc`, `midnight-hc`, `paper-hc`,
diff --git a/pubspec.yaml b/pubspec.yaml
index a41e065a..8ebb081e 100644
--- a/pubspec.yaml
+++ b/pubspec.yaml
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ description: >-
   subsystem handlers (pane, files, editor, git, pql), and the
   extension framework.
 publish_to: none
-version: 2.0.0
+version: 2.1.0
 repository: https://github.com/postmeridiem/clide
 
 # Pre-push line-coverage floor. Ratchets up only — see D-66.