diff --git a/tools/cmd/unicode_input/main.go b/tools/cmd/unicode_input/main.go
index 3b4ce159c..d5ed89a72 100644
--- a/tools/cmd/unicode_input/main.go
+++ b/tools/cmd/unicode_input/main.go
@@ -163,9 +163,9 @@ type handler struct {
 }
 
 func (self *handler) initialize() {
+	self.ctx.AllowEscapeCodes = true
 	self.table.initialize(self.emoji_variation, self.ctx)
 	self.lp.SetWindowTitle("Unicode input")
-	self.ctx.AllowEscapeCodes = true
 	self.current_char = InvalidChar
 	self.current_tab_formatter = self.ctx.SprintFunc("reverse=false bold=true")
 	self.tab_bar_formatter = self.ctx.SprintFunc("reverse=true")
@@ -330,15 +330,25 @@ func (self *handler) draw_screen() {
 	defer self.lp.RestoreCursorPosition()
 	writeln()
 	writeln(self.choice_line)
+	sz, _ := self.lp.ScreenSize()
+
+	write_help := func(x string) {
+		lines := style.WrapTextAsLines(x, "", int(sz.WidthCells)-1)
+		wx := lines[0]
+		if len(lines) > 1 {
+			wx += "…"
+		}
+		writeln(self.dim_formatter(wx))
+	}
+
 	switch self.mode {
 	case HEX:
-		writeln(self.dim_formatter(fmt.Sprintf("Type %s followed by the index for the recent entries below", INDEX_CHAR)))
+		write_help(fmt.Sprintf("Type %s followed by the index for the recent entries below", INDEX_CHAR))
 	case NAME:
-		writeln(self.dim_formatter(fmt.Sprintf("Use Tab or arrow keys to choose a character. Type space and %s to select by index", INDEX_CHAR)))
+		write_help(fmt.Sprintf("Use Tab or arrow keys to choose a character. Type space and %s to select by index", INDEX_CHAR))
 	case FAVORITES:
-		writeln(self.dim_formatter("Press F12 to edit the list of favorites"))
+		write_help("Press F12 to edit the list of favorites")
 	}
-	sz, _ := self.lp.ScreenSize()
 	q := self.table.layout(int(sz.HeightCells)-y, int(sz.WidthCells))
 	if q != "" {
 		self.lp.QueueWriteString(q)
diff --git a/tools/cmd/unicode_input/table.go b/tools/cmd/unicode_input/table.go
index 35fec456e..bb8a15d87 100644
--- a/tools/cmd/unicode_input/table.go
+++ b/tools/cmd/unicode_input/table.go
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ type table struct {
 	num_cols, num_rows       int
 	mode                     Mode
 
-	green, reversed, not_reversed, intense_gray func(...any) string
+	green, reversed, intense_gray func(...any) string
 }
 
 func (self *table) initialize(emoji_variation string, ctx style.Context) {
@@ -70,7 +70,6 @@ func (self *table) initialize(emoji_variation string, ctx style.Context) {
 	self.last_cols, self.last_rows = -1, -1
 	self.green = ctx.SprintFunc("fg=green")
 	self.reversed = ctx.SprintFunc("reverse=true")
-	self.not_reversed = ctx.SprintFunc("reverse=false")
 	self.intense_gray = ctx.SprintFunc("fg=intense-gray")
 }
 
@@ -149,8 +148,6 @@ func (self *table) layout(rows, cols int) string {
 			}
 			if is_current {
 				text = self.reversed(text)
-			} else {
-				text = self.not_reversed(text)
 			}
 			output.WriteString(text)
 		}