diff --git a/xwords4/common/board.c b/xwords4/common/board.c
index 6aab7422c..1ade81c48 100644
--- a/xwords4/common/board.c
+++ b/xwords4/common/board.c
@@ -2995,7 +2995,8 @@ penMoved( const BoardCtxt* board, XP_U16 curCol, XP_U16 curRow )
 }
 
 static XP_Bool
-handlePenUpInternal( BoardCtxt* board, XP_U16 xx, XP_U16 yy, XP_Bool isPen )
+handlePenUpInternal( BoardCtxt* board, XP_U16 xx, XP_U16 yy, XP_Bool isPen,
+                     XP_Bool altDown )
 {
     XP_Bool draw = XP_FALSE;
     XP_Bool dragged = XP_FALSE;
@@ -3027,7 +3028,7 @@ handlePenUpInternal( BoardCtxt* board, XP_U16 xx, XP_U16 yy, XP_Bool isPen )
             switch( onWhich ) {
             case OBJ_SCORE:
                 if ( prevObj == OBJ_SCORE ) {
-                    draw = handlePenUpScore( board, xx, yy ) || draw;
+                    draw = handlePenUpScore( board, xx, yy, altDown ) || draw;
                 }
                 break;
             case OBJ_BOARD:
@@ -3066,7 +3067,7 @@ handlePenUpInternal( BoardCtxt* board, XP_U16 xx, XP_U16 yy, XP_Bool isPen )
 XP_Bool
 board_handlePenUp( BoardCtxt* board, XP_U16 x, XP_U16 y )
 {
-    return handlePenUpInternal( board, x, y, XP_TRUE );
+    return handlePenUpInternal( board, x, y, XP_TRUE, XP_FALSE );
 }
 
 XP_Bool
@@ -3207,15 +3208,15 @@ board_handleKeyDown( BoardCtxt* XP_UNUSED_KEYBOARD_NAV(board),
 {
     XP_Bool draw = XP_FALSE;
 #ifdef KEYBOARD_NAV
-    XP_U16 x, y;
+    XP_U16 xx, yy;
 
     board->srcIsPen = XP_FALSE;
 
     *pHandled = XP_FALSE;
 
-    if ( key == XP_RETURN_KEY ) {
-        if ( focusToCoords( board, &x, &y ) ) {
-            draw = handleLikeDown( board, board->focussed, x, y );
+    if ( key == XP_RETURN_KEY || key == XP_ALTRETURN_KEY ) {
+        if ( focusToCoords( board, &xx, &yy ) ) {
+            draw = handleLikeDown( board, board->focussed, xx, yy );
             *pHandled = draw;
         }
     } else if ( board->focussed != OBJ_NONE ) {
@@ -3276,13 +3277,15 @@ board_handleKeyUp( BoardCtxt* board, XP_Key key, XP_Bool* pHandled )
         break;
 
     case XP_RETURN_KEY:
+    case XP_ALTRETURN_KEY: {
+        XP_Bool altDown = XP_ALTRETURN_KEY == key;
         if ( unhideFocus( board ) ) {
             handled = XP_TRUE;
         } else if ( board->focussed != OBJ_NONE ) {
             if ( board->focusHasDived ) {
                 XP_U16 xx, yy;
                 if ( focusToCoords( board, &xx, &yy ) ) {
-                    redraw = handlePenUpInternal( board, xx, yy, XP_FALSE );
+                    redraw = handlePenUpInternal( board, xx, yy, XP_FALSE, altDown );
                     handled = XP_TRUE;
                 }
             } else {
@@ -3292,6 +3295,7 @@ board_handleKeyUp( BoardCtxt* board, XP_Key key, XP_Bool* pHandled )
                 handled = XP_TRUE;
             }
         }
+    }
         break;
 #endif
 
diff --git a/xwords4/common/board.h b/xwords4/common/board.h
index 476c5af89..6d9e59858 100644
--- a/xwords4/common/board.h
+++ b/xwords4/common/board.h
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@ typedef enum {
     XP_CURSOR_KEY_DEL,
     XP_RAISEFOCUS_KEY,
     XP_RETURN_KEY,
+    XP_ALTRETURN_KEY,
 
     XP_KEY_LAST
 } XP_Key;
diff --git a/xwords4/common/scorebdp.c b/xwords4/common/scorebdp.c
index 2979c4f22..45be5af02 100644
--- a/xwords4/common/scorebdp.c
+++ b/xwords4/common/scorebdp.c
@@ -411,7 +411,7 @@ figureScoreRectTapped( const BoardCtxt* board, XP_U16 xx, XP_U16 yy )
  */
 #if defined POINTER_SUPPORT || defined KEYBOARD_NAV
 XP_Bool
-handlePenUpScore( BoardCtxt* board, XP_U16 xx, XP_U16 yy )
+handlePenUpScore( BoardCtxt* board, XP_U16 xx, XP_U16 yy, XP_Bool altDown )
 {
     XP_Bool result = XP_TRUE;
 
@@ -421,10 +421,10 @@ handlePenUpScore( BoardCtxt* board, XP_U16 xx, XP_U16 yy )
         util_remSelected( board->util );
     } else if ( --rectNum >= 0 ) {
         XP_Bool canSwitch = board->gameOver || board->allowPeek;
-        if ( canSwitch ) {
-            board_selectPlayer( board, rectNum, XP_TRUE );
-        } else {
+        if ( altDown || !canSwitch ) {
             penTimerFiredScore( board );
+        } else {
+            board_selectPlayer( board, rectNum, XP_TRUE );
         }
     } else {
         result = XP_FALSE;
diff --git a/xwords4/common/scorebdp.h b/xwords4/common/scorebdp.h
index 084d788f5..0cb6d89f0 100644
--- a/xwords4/common/scorebdp.h
+++ b/xwords4/common/scorebdp.h
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ void drawTimer( BoardCtxt* board );
 void penTimerFiredScore( const BoardCtxt* board );
 
 #if defined POINTER_SUPPORT || defined KEYBOARD_NAV
-XP_Bool handlePenUpScore( BoardCtxt* board, XP_U16 x, XP_U16 y );
+XP_Bool handlePenUpScore( BoardCtxt* board, XP_U16 xx, XP_U16 yy, XP_Bool altDown );
 #endif
 
 
diff --git a/xwords4/linux/cursesboard.c b/xwords4/linux/cursesboard.c
index 17499b6c3..5f143a013 100644
--- a/xwords4/linux/cursesboard.c
+++ b/xwords4/linux/cursesboard.c
@@ -168,7 +168,7 @@ const MenuList g_allMenuList[] = {
     { handleDown, "Down", "K", 'K' },
     { handleClose, "Close", "W", 'W' },
     { handleSpace, "Raise focus", "<spc>", ' ' },
-    { handleRet, "Click/tap", "<ret>", '\r' },
+    { handleRet, "Tap", "<[alt-]ret>", '\r' },
     { handleShowVals, "Tile values", "T", 'T' },
 };
 
@@ -1307,13 +1307,15 @@ handleSpace( void* closure, int XP_UNUSED(key) )
 } /* handleSpace */
 
 static bool
-handleRet( void* closure, int XP_UNUSED(key) )
+handleRet( void* closure, int key )
 {
     CursesBoardGlobals* bGlobals = (CursesBoardGlobals*)closure;
     BoardCtxt* board = bGlobals->cGlobals.game.board;
     XP_Bool handled;
-    (void)board_handleKey( board, XP_RETURN_KEY, &handled );
-    board_draw( board );
+    XP_Key xpKey = (key & ALT_BIT) == 0 ? XP_RETURN_KEY : XP_ALTRETURN_KEY;
+    if ( board_handleKey( board, xpKey, &handled ) ) {
+        board_draw( board );
+    }
     return XP_TRUE;
 } /* handleRet */
 
diff --git a/xwords4/linux/cursesmenu.c b/xwords4/linux/cursesmenu.c
index 890359be8..528e23b49 100644
--- a/xwords4/linux/cursesmenu.c
+++ b/xwords4/linux/cursesmenu.c
@@ -29,8 +29,12 @@
 struct CursesMenuState {
     WINDOW* menuWin;
     GSList* menuLists;
+    bool altPressed;
 };
 
+static bool handleKeyEvent( CursesMenuState* state, char ch, bool altPressed );
+
+
 static gboolean
 handle_stdin( GIOChannel* XP_UNUSED_DBG(source), GIOCondition condition,
               gpointer data )
@@ -42,7 +46,15 @@ handle_stdin( GIOChannel* XP_UNUSED_DBG(source), GIOCondition condition,
 #endif
         CursesMenuState* state = (CursesMenuState*)data;
         int ch = wgetch( state->menuWin );
-        cmenu_handleKeyEvent( state, ch );
+        // Alt (at least pressed with <ret>) comes in as a separate keypress
+        // immediately before. So don't distribute it, but instead OR a
+        // special bit into the key sent out.
+        if ( ch == 0x1b ) {
+            state->altPressed = true;
+        } else {
+            handleKeyEvent( state, ch, state->altPressed );
+            state->altPressed = false;
+        }
     }
     return TRUE;
 }
@@ -154,8 +166,8 @@ cmenu_removeMenus( CursesMenuState* state, ... )
     cmenu_draw( state );
 }
 
-bool
-cmenu_handleKeyEvent( CursesMenuState* state, char ch )
+static bool
+handleKeyEvent( CursesMenuState* state, char ch, bool altPressed )
 {
     bool result = false;
     for ( GSList* iter = state->menuLists; !!iter; iter = iter->next ) {
@@ -163,9 +175,11 @@ cmenu_handleKeyEvent( CursesMenuState* state, char ch )
         if ( PUSH_TOKEN == elem ) {
             break;
         }
+
+        int altBit = altPressed ? ALT_BIT : 0;
         for ( const MenuList* list = elem->list; !!list->handler; ++list ) {
             if ( list->key == ch ) {
-                result = (*list->handler)(elem->closure, ch);
+                result = (*list->handler)(elem->closure, ch | altBit);
                 goto done;
             }
         }
diff --git a/xwords4/linux/cursesmenu.h b/xwords4/linux/cursesmenu.h
index 397db0dfa..22fbb50a7 100644
--- a/xwords4/linux/cursesmenu.h
+++ b/xwords4/linux/cursesmenu.h
@@ -30,6 +30,8 @@
 # define BOARD_OFFSET 1
 #endif
 
+#define ALT_BIT (1 << 8)        /* ORd into key when alt key was down */
+
 typedef bool (*CursesMenuHandler)( void* closure, int key );
 typedef struct MenuList {
     CursesMenuHandler handler;
@@ -49,6 +51,5 @@ void cmenu_addMenus( CursesMenuState* state, void* closure, ... );
 void cmenu_push( CursesMenuState* state, void* closure, ... );
 void cmenu_pop( CursesMenuState* state );
 void cmenu_removeMenus( CursesMenuState* state, ... );
-bool cmenu_handleKeyEvent( CursesMenuState* state, char ch );
 
 #endif