diff --git a/wince/cemain.c b/wince/cemain.c
index c3591349b..7de955ce0 100755
--- a/wince/cemain.c
+++ b/wince/cemain.c
@@ -843,9 +843,8 @@ ceInitAndStartBoard( CEAppGlobals* globals, XP_Bool newGame,
     }
 
     if ( newGame ) {
-        XP_U16 newGameID = 0;
         game_reset( MEMPOOL &globals->game, &globals->gameInfo, &globals->util,
-                    newGameID, &globals->appPrefs.cp, CE_SEND_PROC, 
+                    0, &globals->appPrefs.cp, CE_SEND_PROC, 
                     CE_RESET_PROC globals );
 
 #if defined XWFEATURE_RELAY || defined XWFEATURE_BLUETOOTH
@@ -1371,9 +1370,8 @@ InitInstance(HINSTANCE hInstance, int nCmdShow
     oldGameLoaded = prevStateExists && ceLoadSavedGame( globals );
 
     if ( !oldGameLoaded ) {
-        XP_U16 gameID = 0;      /* good enough until I get networking going */
         game_makeNewGame( MPPARM(mpool) &globals->game, &globals->gameInfo,
-                          &globals->util, (DrawCtx*)globals->draw, gameID,
+                          &globals->util, (DrawCtx*)globals->draw, 0,
                           &globals->appPrefs.cp, 
                           CE_SEND_PROC, CE_RESET_PROC globals );
 
@@ -1865,9 +1863,6 @@ ceSaveAndExit( CEAppGlobals* globals )
 {
     (void)ceSaveCurGame( globals, XP_TRUE );
     ceSavePrefs( globals );
-    if ( !!globals->socketWrap ) {
-        ce_sockwrap_delete( globals->socketWrap );
-    }
     DestroyWindow(globals->hWnd);
 } /* ceSaveAndExit */
 
@@ -1894,6 +1889,11 @@ freeGlobals( CEAppGlobals* globals )
 
     closeGame( globals );
 
+    if ( !!globals->socketWrap ) {
+        ce_sockwrap_delete( globals->socketWrap );
+        globals->socketWrap = NULL;
+    }
+
     if ( !!globals->vtMgr ) {
         vtmgr_destroy( MPPARM(mpool) globals->vtMgr );
     }
@@ -2651,7 +2651,6 @@ messageBoxStream( CEAppGlobals* globals, XWStreamCtxt* stream, wchar_t* title,
     XP_UCHAR* buf = ceStreamToStrBuf( MPPARM(globals->mpool) stream );
     int result;
 
-    assertOnTop( globals->hWnd );
     result = ceMessageBoxChar( globals, buf, title, buttons );
 
     XP_FREE( globals->mpool, buf );
diff --git a/wince/cesockwr.c b/wince/cesockwr.c
index d1f68342b..2360416fc 100755
--- a/wince/cesockwr.c
+++ b/wince/cesockwr.c
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ typedef enum {
     ,CE_IPST_CONNECTED
 } CeConnState;
 
-#define MAX_QUEUE_SIZE 3
+#define MAX_QUEUE_SIZE 6
 
 struct CeSocketWrapper {
     DataRecvProc dataProc;
@@ -60,6 +60,7 @@ struct CeSocketWrapper {
     } hostNameUnion;
     HANDLE getHostTask;
 
+    /* PENDING rewrite this as one sliding buffer */
     /* Outgoing queue */
     XP_U8* packets[MAX_QUEUE_SIZE];
     XP_U16 lens[MAX_QUEUE_SIZE];
@@ -74,8 +75,6 @@ struct CeSocketWrapper {
     SOCKET socket;
     CeConnState connState;
 
-    HANDLE queueMutex;          /* there's only one thread; get rid of this! */
-
 #ifdef DEBUG
     XP_U16 nSent;
 #endif
@@ -111,31 +110,17 @@ static XP_Bool connectIfNot( CeSocketWrapper* self );
 static XP_Bool
 queue_packet( CeSocketWrapper* self, XP_U8* packet, XP_U16 len )
 {
-    DWORD wres;
     XP_Bool success = XP_FALSE;
 
-    // 2/5 second time-out interval.  This is called from the UI thread, so
-    // long pauses are unacceptable.  comms will have to try again if for
-    // some reason the queue is locked for that long.
-    wres = WaitForSingleObject( self->queueMutex, 200L );
+    if ( self->nPackets < MAX_QUEUE_SIZE - 1 ) {
+        /* add it to the queue */
+        self->packets[self->nPackets] = packet;
+        self->lens[self->nPackets] = len;
+        ++self->nPackets;
+        XP_LOGF( "%s: there are now %d packets on send queue", 
+                 __func__, self->nPackets );
 
-    if ( wres == WAIT_OBJECT_0 ) {
-        if ( self->nPackets < MAX_QUEUE_SIZE - 1 ) {
-            /* add it to the queue */
-            self->packets[self->nPackets] = packet;
-            self->lens[self->nPackets] = len;
-            ++self->nPackets;
-            XP_LOGF( "%s: there are now %d packets on send queue", 
-                     __func__, self->nPackets );
-
-            success = XP_TRUE;
-        }
-
-        if ( !ReleaseMutex( self->queueMutex ) ) {
-            logLastError( "ReleaseMutex" );
-        }
-    } else {
-        XP_LOGF( "timed out" );
+        success = XP_TRUE;
     }
 
     return success;
@@ -146,18 +131,10 @@ get_packet( CeSocketWrapper* self, XP_U8** packet, XP_U16* len )
 {
     XP_Bool success = CE_IPST_CONNECTED == self->connState;
     if ( success ) {
-        DWORD wres = WaitForSingleObject( self->queueMutex, INFINITE );
-        success = wres == WAIT_OBJECT_0;
-    
+        success = self->nPackets > 0;
         if ( success ) {
-            success = self->nPackets > 0;
-            if ( success ) {
-                *packet = self->packets[0];
-                *len = self->lens[0];
-            }
-            if ( !ReleaseMutex( self->queueMutex ) ) {
-                logLastError( "ReleaseMutex" );
-            }
+            *packet = self->packets[0];
+            *len = self->lens[0];
         }
     }
     return success;
@@ -167,20 +144,13 @@ get_packet( CeSocketWrapper* self, XP_U8** packet, XP_U16* len )
 static void
 remove_packet( CeSocketWrapper* self )
 {
-    DWORD wres = WaitForSingleObject( self->queueMutex, INFINITE );
-    if ( wres == WAIT_OBJECT_0 ) {
-        XP_ASSERT( self->nPackets > 0 );
-        if ( --self->nPackets > 0 ) {
-            XP_MEMCPY( &self->packets[0], &self->packets[1],
-                       self->nPackets * sizeof(self->packets[0]) );
-            XP_MEMCPY( &self->lens[0], &self->lens[1],
-                       self->nPackets * sizeof(self->lens[0]) );
-        } else {
-            XP_ASSERT( self->nPackets == 0 );
-        }
-        if ( !ReleaseMutex( self->queueMutex ) ) {
-            logLastError( "ReleaseMutex" );
-        }
+    XP_ASSERT( self->nPackets > 0 );
+    XP_FREE( self->mpool, self->packets[0] );
+    if ( --self->nPackets > 0 ) {
+        XP_MEMCPY( &self->packets[0], &self->packets[1],
+                   self->nPackets * sizeof(self->packets[0]) );
+        XP_MEMCPY( &self->lens[0], &self->lens[1],
+                   self->nPackets * sizeof(self->lens[0]) );
     }
     XP_LOGF( "%d packets left on queue", self->nPackets );
 } /* remove_packet */
@@ -226,7 +196,6 @@ send_packet_if( CeSocketWrapper* self )
         if ( sendLenAndData( self, packet, len ) ) {
             /* successful send.  Remove our copy */
             remove_packet( self );
-            XP_FREE( self->mpool, packet );
         }
     }
 }
@@ -329,116 +298,6 @@ closeConnection( CeSocketWrapper* self )
     }
 } /* closeConnection */
 
-#if 0
-static DWORD
-WriterThreadProc( LPVOID lpParameter )
-{
-    CeSocketWrapper* self = (CeSocketWrapper*)lpParameter;
-
-    connectSocket( self );
-
-    /* Then loop waiting for packets to write to it. */
-    for ( ; ; ) { 
-        XP_U8* packet;
-        XP_U16 len;
-
-        WaitForSingleObject( self->queueAddEvent, INFINITE );
-
-        if ( get_packet( self, &packet, &len ) && connectIfNot( self ) ) {
-            if ( sendLenAndData( self, packet, len ) ) {
-
-                /* successful send.  Remove our copy */
-                remove_packet( self );
-                XP_FREE( self->mpool, packet );
-            }
-        }
-
-        /* Should this happen sooner?  What if other thread signals in the
-           meantime? */
-        ResetEvent( self->queueAddEvent );
-    }
-
-    ExitThread(0);              /* docs say to exit this way */
-    return 0;
-} /* WriterThreadProc */
-#endif
-
-#if 0
-/* Read until we get the number of bytes sought or until an error's
-   received. */
-static XP_Bool
-read_bytes_blocking( CeSocketWrapper* self, XP_U8* buf, XP_U16 len )
-{
-    while ( len > 0 ) {
-        fd_set readSet;
-        int sres;
-
-        FD_ZERO( &readSet );
-        /* There also needs to be a pipe in here for interrupting */
-        FD_SET( self->socket, &readSet );
-
-        sres = MS(select)( 0,   /* nFds is ignored on wince */
-                           &readSet, NULL, NULL, /* others not interesting */
-                           NULL ); /* no timeout */
-        XP_LOGF( "back from select: got %d", sres );
-        if ( sres == 0 ) {
-            break;
-        } else if ( sres == 1 && FD_ISSET( self->socket, &readSet ) ) {
-            int nRead = MS(recv)( self->socket, (char*)buf, len, 0 );
-            if ( nRead > 0 ) {
-                XP_LOGF( "read %d bytes", nRead );
-                XP_ASSERT( nRead <= len );
-                buf += nRead;
-                len -= nRead;
-            } else {
-                break;
-            }
-        } else {
-            XP_ASSERT(0);
-            break;
-        }
-    }
-
-    /* We probably want to close the socket if something's wrong here.  Once
-       we get out of sync somehow we'll never get the framing right again. */
-    XP_ASSERT( len == 0 );
-    return len == 0;
-} /* read_bytes_blocking */
-#endif
-
-#if 0
-static DWORD
-ReaderThreadProc( LPVOID lpParameter )
-{
-    XP_U8 buf[MAX_MSG_LEN];
-    CeSocketWrapper* self = (CeSocketWrapper*)lpParameter;
-
-    for ( ; ; ) {
-        WaitForSingleObject( self->socketConnEvent, INFINITE );
-
-        for ( ; ; ) {
-            XP_U16 len;
-            XP_LOGF( "ReaderThreadProc running" );
-
-            /* This will block in select */
-            if ( !read_bytes_blocking( self, (XP_U8*)&len, sizeof(len) ) ) {
-                break;          /* bad socket.  Go back to waiting new
-                                   one. */
-            }
-            len = XP_NTOHS( len );
-            if ( !read_bytes_blocking( self, buf, len ) ) {
-                break;          /* bad socket */
-            }
-
-            (*self->dataProc)( buf, len, self->globals );
-        }
-    }
-
-    ExitThread(0);              /* docs say to exit this way */
-    return 0;
-} /* ReaderThreadProc */
-#endif
-
 static void
 getHostAddr( CeSocketWrapper* self )
 {
@@ -473,9 +332,6 @@ ce_sockwrap_new( MPFORMAL DataRecvProc proc, CEAppGlobals* globals )
     MPASSIGN(self->mpool, mpool );
     self->socket = -1;
 
-    self->queueMutex = CreateMutex( NULL, FALSE, NULL );
-    XP_ASSERT( self->queueMutex != NULL );
-
     getHostAddr( self );
     return self;
 } /* ce_sockwrap_new */
@@ -483,14 +339,19 @@ ce_sockwrap_new( MPFORMAL DataRecvProc proc, CEAppGlobals* globals )
 void
 ce_sockwrap_delete( CeSocketWrapper* self )
 {
+    XP_U8* packet;
+    XP_U16 len;
+
     /* This isn't a good thing to do.  Better to signal them to exit
        some other way */
     closeConnection( self );
 
-    CloseHandle( self->queueMutex );
-
     WSACleanup();
 
+    while ( get_packet( self, &packet, &len ) ) {
+        remove_packet(self);
+    }
+
     XP_FREE( self->mpool, self );
 } /* ce_sockwrap_delete */
 
@@ -647,7 +508,7 @@ ce_sockwrap_event( CeSocketWrapper* self, WPARAM wParam, LPARAM lParam )
     return draw;
 }
 
-XP_U16
+XP_S16
 ce_sockwrap_send( CeSocketWrapper* self, const XP_U8* buf, XP_U16 len, 
                   const CommsAddrRec* addr )
 {
@@ -672,7 +533,9 @@ ce_sockwrap_send( CeSocketWrapper* self, const XP_U8* buf, XP_U16 len,
     if ( queue_packet( self, packet, len ) ) {
         send_packet_if( self );
     } else {
-        len = 0;                /* error */
+        XP_WARNF( "dropping packet; queue full" );
+        XP_FREE( self->mpool, packet );
+        len = -1;                /* error */
     }
 
     return len;
diff --git a/wince/cesockwr.h b/wince/cesockwr.h
index 572c6accb..0fbf395f8 100755
--- a/wince/cesockwr.h
+++ b/wince/cesockwr.h
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ void ce_sockwrap_delete( CeSocketWrapper* self );
 void ce_sockwrap_hostname( CeSocketWrapper* self, WPARAM wParam, LPARAM lParam );
 XP_Bool ce_sockwrap_event( CeSocketWrapper* self, WPARAM wParam, LPARAM lParam );
 
-XP_U16 ce_sockwrap_send( CeSocketWrapper* self, const XP_U8* buf, XP_U16 len, 
+XP_S16 ce_sockwrap_send( CeSocketWrapper* self, const XP_U8* buf, XP_U16 len, 
                          const CommsAddrRec* addr );
 
 #endif