diff --git a/physics/templates/physics/exam_take.html b/physics/templates/physics/exam_take.html
index 0391b604..9d52b829 100755
--- a/physics/templates/physics/exam_take.html
+++ b/physics/templates/physics/exam_take.html
@@ -76,6 +76,55 @@
             }catch(e){ console && console.error && console.error(e); }
         };
     </script>
+        <script>
+            // Show a blur + spinner on the question fragment while HTMX loads it
+            (function(){
+                function showLoading(){
+                    try{
+                        const frag = document.getElementById('question-fragment');
+                        if(!frag) return;
+                        frag.classList.add('loading');
+                        if(!frag.querySelector('.loading-spinner')){
+                            const s = document.createElement('div');
+                            s.className = 'loading-spinner';
+                            s.setAttribute('aria-hidden','true');
+                            frag.appendChild(s);
+                        }
+                    }catch(e){console && console.error && console.error(e);}            
+                }
+
+                function hideLoading(){
+                    try{
+                        const frag = document.getElementById('question-fragment');
+                        if(!frag) return;
+                        frag.classList.remove('loading');
+                        const s = frag.querySelector('.loading-spinner'); if(s) s.remove();
+                    }catch(e){console && console.error && console.error(e);}            
+                }
+
+                document.body.addEventListener('htmx:beforeRequest', function(evt){
+                    try{
+                        const target = (evt.detail && (evt.detail.target || evt.detail.elt)) || evt.target;
+                        // if the request targets the question fragment, show loading
+                        if(target && (target.id === 'question-fragment' || (target.closest && target.closest('#question-fragment')))){
+                            showLoading();
+                        }
+                    }catch(e){/* ignore */}
+                });
+
+                document.body.addEventListener('htmx:afterSwap', function(evt){
+                    try{
+                        const target = (evt.detail && (evt.detail.target || evt.detail.elt)) || evt.target;
+                        if(target && (target.id === 'question-fragment' || (target.closest && target.closest('#question-fragment')))){
+                            hideLoading();
+                        }
+                    }catch(e){}
+                });
+
+                // also hide after settle to be safe
+                document.body.addEventListener('htmx:afterSettle', function(evt){ hideLoading(); });
+            })();
+        </script>
     <script>
             // Also update after HTMX settle to ensure DOM changes are applied
         document.body.addEventListener('htmx:afterSettle', function(){
@@ -271,9 +320,21 @@
             color: #ffc107;
             line-height: 1;
         }
+        /* Loading blur + spinner for question fragment */
+        #question-fragment.loading { filter: blur(3px); opacity: 0.9; pointer-events: none; position: relative; }
+        #question-fragment .loading-spinner {
+            position: absolute;
+            left: 50%; top: 50%; transform: translate(-50%, -50%);
+            width: 36px; height: 36px; border-radius: 50%;
+            border: 4px solid rgba(255,255,255,0.2); border-top-color: var(--primary);
+            animation: spin 800ms linear infinite; z-index: 1200;
+        }
+        @keyframes spin { from { transform: translate(-50%,-50%) rotate(0deg); } to { transform: translate(-50%,-50%) rotate(360deg); } }
     </style>
 {% endblock %}
 
+{% block head_js %}{% endblock %}
+
 {% block js %}
     <script>
 /* HTMX swap helpers: preserve scroll and container height to avoid page jumping
diff --git a/physics/views.py b/physics/views.py
index 40699328..77eca3a5 100644
--- a/physics/views.py
+++ b/physics/views.py
@@ -179,29 +179,28 @@ def exam_take_overview(request, pk, cid=None, passcode=None):
     else:
         answers = UserAnswer.objects.filter(user=request.user, exam=exam)
 
-    answer_question_map = {}
-    for ans in answers:
-        answer_question_map[ans.question] = ans
+    # Map answers by question id for quick lookup
+    answer_question_map = {ans.question_id: ans for ans in answers}
+
+    # Prepare bulk flagged set to avoid per-question queries
+    q_ids = [q.pk for q in questions]
+    try:
+        ct = ContentType.objects.get_for_model(Question)
+        if cid is not None:
+            flags_qs = Flag.objects.filter(content_type=ct, object_id__in=q_ids, cid_user__cid=cid)
+        else:
+            flags_qs = Flag.objects.filter(content_type=ct, object_id__in=q_ids, user=request.user)
+        flagged_set = set(flags_qs.values_list('object_id', flat=True))
+    except Exception:
+        flagged_set = set()
 
     question_answer_tuples = []
     answer_count = 0
     for q in questions:
-        if q in answer_question_map:
-            ans = answer_question_map[q]
+        ans = answer_question_map.get(q.pk)
+        if ans is not None:
             answer_count += 1
-        else:
-            ans = None
-        # compute flagged state for this question+actor
-        try:
-            ct = ContentType.objects.get_for_model(q)
-            flags_qs = Flag.objects.filter(content_type=ct, object_id=q.pk)
-            if cid is not None:
-                flags_qs = flags_qs.filter(cid_user__cid=cid)
-            else:
-                flags_qs = flags_qs.filter(user=request.user)
-            flagged = flags_qs.exists()
-        except Exception:
-            flagged = False
+        flagged = q.pk in flagged_set
         question_answer_tuples.append((q, ans, flagged))
 
     cid_user_exam = exam.get_or_create_cid_user_exam(cid=cid, user_user=request.user)
@@ -375,6 +374,15 @@ def exam_take(request, pk: int, sk: int, cid: str | None = None, passcode: str |
     except Exception:
         flagged = False
 
+    # Precompute answered and flagged sets in bulk to avoid repeated queries
+    q_ids = [q.pk for q in questions]
+    if cid is not None:
+        answered_set = set(UserAnswer.objects.filter(cid=cid, exam=exam, question_id__in=q_ids).values_list('question_id', flat=True))
+        flagged_set = set(Flag.objects.filter(content_type=ContentType.objects.get_for_model(Question), object_id__in=q_ids, cid_user__cid=cid).values_list('object_id', flat=True))
+    else:
+        answered_set = set(UserAnswer.objects.filter(user=request.user, exam=exam, question_id__in=q_ids).values_list('question_id', flat=True))
+        flagged_set = set(Flag.objects.filter(content_type=ContentType.objects.get_for_model(Question), object_id__in=q_ids, user=request.user).values_list('object_id', flat=True))
+
     return render(
         request,
         "physics/exam_take.html",
@@ -392,16 +400,9 @@ def exam_take(request, pk: int, sk: int, cid: str | None = None, passcode: str |
             "cid_user_exam": cid_user_exam,
             "flagged": flagged,
             # minimal per-question status for client-side menu: answered/flagged lists
-            "answered_json": json.dumps([
-                True if (question.cid_user_answers.filter(cid=cid, exam=exam).exists() if cid is not None else question.cid_user_answers.filter(user=request.user, exam=exam).exists()) else False
-                for question in questions
-            ]),
-            "flagged_json": json.dumps([
-                (Flag.objects.filter(content_type=ContentType.objects.get_for_model(question), object_id=question.pk).filter(cid_user__cid=cid).exists()
-                 if cid is not None
-                 else Flag.objects.filter(content_type=ContentType.objects.get_for_model(question), object_id=question.pk).filter(user=request.user).exists())
-                for question in questions
-            ]),
+            # compute answered/flagged sets in bulk to avoid N+1 queries
+            "answered_json": json.dumps([q.pk in answered_set for q in questions]),
+            "flagged_json": json.dumps([q.pk in flagged_set for q in questions]),
         },
     )
 
@@ -470,6 +471,15 @@ def exam_take_fragment(request, pk: int, sk: int, cid: str | None = None, passco
     if sk == exam_length - 1:
         next = False
 
+    # Bulk compute answered and flagged sets for the fragment
+    q_ids = [q.pk for q in questions]
+    if cid is not None:
+        frag_answered_set = set(UserAnswer.objects.filter(cid=cid, exam=exam, question_id__in=q_ids).values_list('question_id', flat=True))
+        frag_flagged_set = set(Flag.objects.filter(content_type=ContentType.objects.get_for_model(Question), object_id__in=q_ids, cid_user__cid=cid).values_list('object_id', flat=True))
+    else:
+        frag_answered_set = set(UserAnswer.objects.filter(user=request.user, exam=exam, question_id__in=q_ids).values_list('question_id', flat=True))
+        frag_flagged_set = set(Flag.objects.filter(content_type=ContentType.objects.get_for_model(Question), object_id__in=q_ids, user=request.user).values_list('object_id', flat=True))
+
     return render(
         request,
         "physics/partials/exam_take_fragment.html",
@@ -485,16 +495,8 @@ def exam_take_fragment(request, pk: int, sk: int, cid: str | None = None, passco
                 "saved_answer": saved_answer,
                 "answer": answer,
                 "flagged": flagged,
-                "answered_json": json.dumps([
-                    True if (q.cid_user_answers.filter(cid=cid, exam=exam).exists() if cid is not None else q.cid_user_answers.filter(user=request.user, exam=exam).exists()) else False
-                    for q in questions
-                ]),
-                "flagged_json": json.dumps([
-                    (Flag.objects.filter(content_type=ContentType.objects.get_for_model(q), object_id=q.pk).filter(cid_user__cid=cid).exists()
-                     if cid is not None
-                     else Flag.objects.filter(content_type=ContentType.objects.get_for_model(q), object_id=q.pk).filter(user=request.user).exists())
-                    for q in questions
-                ]),
+                "answered_json": json.dumps([q.pk in frag_answered_set for q in questions]),
+                "flagged_json": json.dumps([q.pk in frag_flagged_set for q in questions]),
             "passcode": passcode,
             "cid_user_exam": cid_user_exam,
         },