Timestamp Comments are Squabble's core social feature: a reaction pinned to the exact second you had it, hidden from every guildmate until they reach that same moment themselves. This page covers leaving one, how the spoiler gate works, and how you find out when a hidden comment finally unlocks.
Leaving a comment
There are two ways in: tap the pencil icon in the player toolbar, or use the comment button on the MiniPlayer — handy for reacting mid-listen without opening the full player. Either way, the composer captures whatever moment you were at the instant before it paused playback for you.
Tap the pencil icon
Playback pauses the moment the composer opens, so typing and listening never fight each other.
Write your comment
Up to 280 characters. The timestamp badge above the text field shows exactly where this comment will be pinned.
Tap Post
Playback stays paused after posting — resuming is one tap away whenever you're ready.
If you're on a reread, a Reread comment toggle appears, on by default — it hides the comment from guildmates still on their first read of the book, on top of the normal timestamp gate. Turn it off if the comment isn't spoiler-y even for a first-timer. See New Read+ for how rereads work.
How spoiler gating works
Ghost Markers
While you listen, small colored dots crawl along the timeline — one per guildmate, each in their own color. These are Ghost Markers, and they show roughly where everyone else in the guild currently stands in the book. Tap one to see the Adventurer's name, their equipped Title, and how far along they are.
Switch the scrubber to chapter view (tap the "Chapter X of Y" label — see Player Basics) and a small chevron appears on any marker for a guildmate who's already finished the chapter you're in.
When a comment reveals
The moment a hidden comment unlocks, Squabble tells you three ways, each toggle-able independently in Notification Preferences:
- A reveal toast slides up in the player with the guildmate's name and a preview. Several reveals landing together stack into one toast with a "+N more" pill instead of piling up.
- A haptic buzz confirms the reveal without you needing to look at the screen.
- A system notification fires whenever a comment reveals during playback — its real value is when the app is backgrounded, so a comment that unlocked while your phone was in your pocket isn't lost.
Audio clips
Tap the clip button on a comment to hear a 30-second snippet of the book's own audio, starting 15 seconds before that timestamp — a quick way to remember exactly what was happening without losing your current place in the book. Tap again to stop it early.
Drafts that survive a crash
Start typing a comment and Squabble saves your draft automatically as you go. If the app gets killed in the background before you post — a phone call, a low-memory reboot — reopen Squabble and the composer restores your text at the same timestamp. Explicitly closing the composer instead (Cancel, or tapping away) discards the draft on purpose; only an unplanned interruption preserves it.