diff --git a/xwords4/android/XWords4/res/values/common_rsrc.xml b/xwords4/android/XWords4/res/values/common_rsrc.xml
index a51b14b3b..1d3026435 100644
--- a/xwords4/android/XWords4/res/values/common_rsrc.xml
+++ b/xwords4/android/XWords4/res/values/common_rsrc.xml
@@ -24,7 +24,6 @@
   <string name="key_tile_back">key_clr_tile_back</string>
   <string name="key_empty">key_clr_empty</string>
   <string name="key_clr_crosshairs">key_clr_crosshairs</string>
-  <string name="key_board_theme">key_board_theme</string>
   <string name="key_relay_host">key_relay_host</string>
   <string name="key_relay_port">key_relay_port2</string>
   <string name="key_proxy_port">key_proxy_port</string>
@@ -81,11 +80,6 @@
     <item>@string/robot_smart</item>
   </string-array>
 
-  <string-array name="board_themes">
-    <item>@string/black_on_white</item>
-    <item>@string/white_on_black</item>
-  </string-array>
-
   <string-array name="connect_frequencies">
     <item>@string/connect_thirty_seconds</item>
     <item>@string/connect_five_mins</item>
diff --git a/xwords4/android/XWords4/res/values/strings.xml b/xwords4/android/XWords4/res/values/strings.xml
index dd12ab02f..3dd337056 100644
--- a/xwords4/android/XWords4/res/values/strings.xml
+++ b/xwords4/android/XWords4/res/values/strings.xml
@@ -284,9 +284,6 @@
     <string name="tile_back">Tile background</string>
     <string name="empty">Empty cell/background</string>
     <string name="clr_crosshairs">Crosshairs color</string>
-    <string name="board_themes">Board color schemes</string>
-    <string name="white_on_black">Dark background</string>
-    <string name="black_on_white">Light background</string>
 
     <string name="advanced">Advanced</string>
     <string name="advanced_summary">You may never need these...</string>
diff --git a/xwords4/android/XWords4/res/xml/xwprefs.xml b/xwords4/android/XWords4/res/xml/xwprefs.xml
index 875b579c1..db1dfbd45 100644
--- a/xwords4/android/XWords4/res/xml/xwprefs.xml
+++ b/xwords4/android/XWords4/res/xml/xwprefs.xml
@@ -64,12 +64,6 @@
                         android:summary="@string/hide_title_summary"
                         android:defaultValue="true"
                         />
-    <ListPreference android:key="@string/key_board_theme"
-                    android:title="@string/board_themes"
-                    android:entries="@array/board_themes"
-                    android:entryValues="@array/board_themes"
-                    android:defaultValue="@string/white_on_black"
-                    />
 
     <PreferenceScreen android:title="@string/prefs_colors"
                       android:summary="@string/prefs_colors_summary"
diff --git a/xwords4/android/XWords4/src/org/eehouse/android/xw4/PrefsActivity.java b/xwords4/android/XWords4/src/org/eehouse/android/xw4/PrefsActivity.java
index f3c1d9b5b..cd9d51d05 100644
--- a/xwords4/android/XWords4/src/org/eehouse/android/xw4/PrefsActivity.java
+++ b/xwords4/android/XWords4/src/org/eehouse/android/xw4/PrefsActivity.java
@@ -40,10 +40,7 @@ public class PrefsActivity extends PreferenceActivity
     private static final int REVERT_ALL = 2;
 
     private HashSet<String> m_keys;
-    private String m_boardThemeKey;
     private String m_keyEmpty;
-    private String m_whiteOnBlack;
-    private String m_blackOnWhite;
 
     @Override
     protected Dialog onCreateDialog( int id )
@@ -123,7 +120,6 @@ public class PrefsActivity extends PreferenceActivity
                              R.string.key_initial_player_minutes,
                              R.string.key_default_dict,
                              R.string.key_default_phonies,
-                             R.string.key_board_theme,
         };
 
         SharedPreferences sp
@@ -135,10 +131,7 @@ public class PrefsActivity extends PreferenceActivity
             setSummary( sp, key );
             m_keys.add( key );
         }
-        m_boardThemeKey = getString( R.string.key_board_theme );
         m_keyEmpty = getString( R.string.key_empty );
-        m_whiteOnBlack = getString( R.string.white_on_black );
-        m_blackOnWhite = getString( R.string.black_on_white );
     }
     
     @Override
@@ -162,26 +155,6 @@ public class PrefsActivity extends PreferenceActivity
         if ( m_keys.contains( key ) ) {
             setSummary( sp, key );
         }
-
-        // Change those color elements that follow the "themes" --
-        // currently only key_empty
-        while ( m_boardThemeKey.equals( key ) ) { // while allows break
-            String newValue = sp.getString( key, "" );
-
-            int color;
-            if ( m_whiteOnBlack.equals( newValue ) ) {
-                color = 0xFF000000;
-            } else if ( m_blackOnWhite.equals( newValue ) ) {
-                color = 0xFFFFFFFF;
-            } else {
-                break;
-            }
-
-            SharedPreferences.Editor editor = sp.edit();
-            editor.putInt( m_keyEmpty, color );
-            editor.commit();
-            break;
-        }
     }
 
     @Override