[UX · V1] Tutors browse grid — desktop 4-col → 3-col (cards too packed) #499

Summary

CEO review of live /tutors browse (Primary & Secondary, ~83 tutors): 4 columns per row is too packed for rich TutorCards. Switch desktop to 3 columns.

Why (conversion)

Each card carries avatar · ID · role · gender · headline · schools · achievements · price · Request. At 4-wide:

• Headlines wrap hard
• Achievement bullets feel squeezed
• Side-by-side compare (IB/DSE examiners) is slower to scan

Marketplace pattern for rich cards (Airbnb-style) is usually 3 on laptop, not 4.

Acceptance

• Desktop (≥lg / ~1280px): tutor browse grid = 3 columns (grid-cols-1 sm:grid-cols-2 lg:grid-cols-3 or equivalent — not lg:grid-cols-4)
• Tablet: 2 columns
• Mobile: 1 column
• Apply on main tutors browse (and any shared TutorCard grid that currently uses 4-col at desktop — landing rails only if they share the same dense card; do not break intentional compact rails without checking)
• Card content stays; extra width should reduce awkward wraps on headline + achievements
• Optional same PR: cap achievements preview to ~3 lines + “more” so row heights stay more even (nice-to-have, not blocking)

Out of scope

• Changing TutorCard data model
• [Bug · Conversion] Landing catalog overlap — page-level tutor de-dupe + daily tie shuffle #485 catalog de-dupe / shuffle (separate)
• [Parked · Feature] Site UX floor — skeletons, empty CTAs, Stripe errors, optimistic Save/Claim, sticky mobile CTA #494 Site UX floor On Hold items (skeletons/empty states) — complementary only

CEO lock

• Do ship: 3-col desktop
• Do not keep 4-col “to show more tutors” — density hurts compare/convert more than it helps discovery density

Screenshot context

CEO attached live Safari screenshot of 4-col Primary & Secondary results (MM-T129 / T079 / T164 / T083 row visible).

Cross-links

• Related UX: [Parked · Feature] Site UX floor — skeletons, empty CTAs, Stripe errors, optimistic Save/Claim, sticky mobile CTA #494 (On Hold floor), [Bug · Conversion] Landing catalog overlap — page-level tutor de-dupe + daily tie shuffle #485 (landing de-dupe)
• Guide conversion work: [Feature · V1] /guide — 7 photo slots + layout + Blue Tick #498 (separate surface)