diff --git a/palettes.txt b/palettes.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9a7a6b8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/palettes.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,47 @@
+Arcade Mode palette notes:
+
+-- palette use:
+-- 0: shallow sea blue (1)
+-- 1: black (for sprites)
+-- 2: dolphin shading
+-- 3: azure water, maybe score display? (140)
+-- 4, 5: keep default in sky layer (for emergency awakener)
+-- 6: dolphin specular highlights
+-- 7: dolphin white paint
+-- 8, 9: unassigned, layer specific
+-- 10: word primary (yellow 10?)
+-- 11: word shadow (wood 132?)
+-- 12: dolphin eye
+-- 13: common sky color
+-- 14: dolphin primary color
+-- 15: highlight white (all layers)
+--
+-- dolphin colors are different
+-- between zones; correlated.
+-- wave, text, and black colors
+-- are the same between zones.
+-- other colors are for
+-- elements that only ever
+-- appear in one zone.
+--
+-- TODO: consider changing sky
+-- colors in different stages;
+-- document what colors those
+-- are (nrm_pal) if so.
+
+
+Zonk Mode palette notes:
+
+0: bg
+1, 2: dark primary bg, primary bg
+3: accent bg
+4: keep default (for awakener timer); alt. accent
+5: keep default; blending color
+6, 7: keep default
+8..11: fade-in colors
+12: final shadow color
+13: final accent color
+14: final normal text color
+15: final slow-fade text color
+
+fade-outs are screen space palette changes on 12..15.
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/vacation.p8 b/vacation.p8
index 66e273a..7096f8e 100644
--- a/vacation.p8
+++ b/vacation.p8
@@ -1426,34 +1426,6 @@ function wordtarget:draw()
  print(self.str, self.x, self.y, 0x100a)
 end
 
--- palette use:
--- 0: shallow sea blue (1)
--- 1: black (for sprites)
--- 2: dolphin shading
--- 3: azure water, maybe score display? (140)
--- 4, 5: keep default in sky layer (for emergency awakener)
--- 6: dolphin specular highlights
--- 7: dolphin white paint
--- 8, 9: unassigned, layer specific
--- 10: word primary (yellow 10?)
--- 11: word shadow (wood 132?)
--- 12: dolphin eye
--- 13: common sky color
--- 14: dolphin primary color
--- 15: highlight white (all layers)
---
--- dolphin colors are different
--- between zones; correlated.
--- wave, text, and black colors
--- are the same between zones.
--- other colors are for
--- elements that only ever
--- appear in one zone.
---
--- TODO: consider changing sky
--- colors in different stages;
--- document what colors those
--- are (nrm_pal) if so.
 game_nrm_pal = {
  [0] = 1, 0, 2, 140, 4, 5, 7, 7, 8, 9, 10, 132, 12, 12, 14, 7
 }