diff --git a/app/(dashboard)/vani/page.tsx b/app/(dashboard)/vani/page.tsx
index aacf7d1..c7232dc 100644
--- a/app/(dashboard)/vani/page.tsx
+++ b/app/(dashboard)/vani/page.tsx
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ export default function VaniPage() {
     rows: [],
   });
   const [busy, setBusy] = useState(false);
+  const [link, setLink] = useState("");
 
   const refresh = () =>
     vani
@@ -85,6 +86,27 @@ export default function VaniPage() {
     }
   };
 
+  // Pasting the link is the primary path: it names one exact item, where
+  // search can only match words. A slug searched as text finds its
+  // neighbours, not itself.
+  const pinByLink = async () => {
+    const url = link.trim();
+    if (!url) return;
+    setBusy(true);
+    try {
+      const pick = await vani.setByURL({ day, url });
+      toast.success(`Set ${pick.payload.title} for ${day}`);
+      setLink("");
+      await refresh();
+    } catch (err) {
+      toast.error(
+        err instanceof Error ? err.message : "Could not use that link",
+      );
+    } finally {
+      setBusy(false);
+    }
+  };
+
   const clear = async (pick: VaniPick) => {
     if (
       !window.confirm(
@@ -121,7 +143,29 @@ export default function VaniPage() {
       </header>
 
       <section className="space-y-3 rounded-xl border border-border p-4">
-        <div className="flex flex-wrap items-center gap-3">
+        <div className="flex flex-wrap items-center gap-2">
+          <input
+            value={link}
+            onChange={(e) => setLink(e.target.value)}
+            onKeyDown={(e) => e.key === "Enter" && void pinByLink()}
+            placeholder="Paste a link — /transcriptions/720720sb-london"
+            className={`${field} min-w-0 flex-1`}
+          />
+          <button
+            type="button"
+            disabled={busy || !link.trim()}
+            onClick={pinByLink}
+            className="rounded-md bg-primary px-4 py-2 text-sm font-medium text-primary-foreground hover:bg-primary/90 disabled:opacity-50"
+          >
+            Use this link
+          </button>
+        </div>
+        <p className="text-xs text-muted-foreground">
+          Or search by words. A slug only matches its own words, so paste the
+          link when you know exactly which item you want.
+        </p>
+
+        <div className="flex flex-wrap items-center gap-3 border-t border-border pt-3">
           <label className="text-sm text-muted-foreground">
             Date
             <input
diff --git a/lib/api.ts b/lib/api.ts
index 8a9c461..b54bd43 100644
--- a/lib/api.ts
+++ b/lib/api.ts
@@ -535,14 +535,26 @@ export const vani = {
   clear: (day: string) =>
     call<void>(`/admin/vani/${encodeURIComponent(day)}`, { method: "DELETE" }),
 
+  /** Pin whatever an app link points at. The only reliable way to choose a
+   *  specific item: slugs are not indexed, so searching one matches on its
+   *  words instead ("720720sb-london" → anything mentioning London). */
+  setByURL: (input: { day: string; url: string }) =>
+    call<VaniPick>("/admin/vani/by-url", {
+      method: "POST",
+      body: JSON.stringify(input),
+    }).then((r) => r.data),
+
   /**
-   * Search the three vāṇī-eligible collections. Uses the public search
-   * endpoint — the same index the app searches — and keeps only hits that map
-   * to a pinnable kind.
+   * Search the vāṇī-eligible collections.
+   *
+   * SCOPED server-side via `type`, not filtered here: `type=all` blends every
+   * collection and ranks by relevance, so the top hits are dominated by
+   * letters and glossary entries and a client-side filter throws the whole
+   * page away — which is exactly what made this look broken.
    */
   search: async (q: string): Promise<VaniCandidate[]> => {
     const { data } = await call<{ results: VaniCandidate[] }>(
-      `/search?type=all&limit=20&q=${encodeURIComponent(q)}`,
+      `/search?type=verses,prose,transcriptions&limit=20&q=${encodeURIComponent(q)}`,
     );
     return (data?.results ?? []).filter(
       (r) => r.doc_id && vaniKindFor(r.collection),