diff --git a/src/gui/commandPalette.cpp b/src/gui/commandPalette.cpp
index e4cca5bf9..868b5f1af 100644
--- a/src/gui/commandPalette.cpp
+++ b/src/gui/commandPalette.cpp
@@ -25,20 +25,124 @@
 #include <algorithm>
 #include <ctype.h>
 #include "../ta-log.h"
+#include "util.h"
 
-static inline bool matchFuzzy(const char* haystack, const char* needle) {
-  size_t h_i=0; // haystack idx
-  size_t n_i=0; // needle idx
-  while (needle[n_i]!='\0') {
-    for (; std::tolower(haystack[h_i])!=std::tolower(needle[n_i]); h_i++) {
-      if (haystack[h_i]=='\0')
-        return false;
-    }
-    n_i+=1;
+struct MatchScore {
+  size_t charsBeforeNeedle=0;
+  size_t charsWithinNeedle=0;
+  static bool IsFirstPreferable(const MatchScore& a, const MatchScore& b) {
+    int aBetter;
+    aBetter=b.charsWithinNeedle-a.charsWithinNeedle;
+    if (aBetter!=0) return aBetter>0;
+    aBetter=b.charsBeforeNeedle-a.charsBeforeNeedle;
+    if (aBetter!=0) return aBetter>0;
+    return false;
   }
-  return true;
+};
+
+struct MatchResult {
+  MatchScore score;
+  std::vector<int> highlightChars;
+};
+
+static bool charMatch(const char* a, const char* b) {
+  // stub for future utf8 support, possibly with matching for related chars?
+  return std::tolower(*a)==std::tolower(*b);
 }
 
+// #define MATCH_GREEDY
+// #define RUN_MATCH_TEST
+
+static bool matchFuzzy(const char* haystack, int haystackLen, const char* needle, int needleLen, MatchResult* result) {
+  if (needleLen==0) {
+    result->score.charsBeforeNeedle=0;
+    result->score.charsWithinNeedle=0;
+    result->highlightChars.clear();
+    return true;
+  }
+
+  std::vector<MatchResult> matchPool(needleLen+1);
+  std::vector<MatchResult*> unusedMatches(needleLen+1);
+  std::vector<MatchResult*> matchesByLen(needleLen+1);
+  for (int i=0; i<needleLen+1; i++) {
+    unusedMatches[i]=&matchPool[i];
+    matchesByLen[i]=NULL;
+  }
+
+  for (int hIdx=0; hIdx<haystackLen; hIdx++) {
+    // try to continue our in-flight valid matches
+    for (int matchLen=needleLen-1; matchLen>=0; matchLen--) {
+      MatchResult*& m=matchesByLen[matchLen];
+
+      // ignore null matches except for 0
+      if (matchLen>0 && !m) continue;
+
+#ifdef MATCH_GREEDY
+      // in greedy mode, don't start any new matches once we've already started matching.
+      // this will still return the correct bool result, but its score could be much poorer
+      // than the optimal match.  consider the case:
+      //
+      //    find "gl" in "google"
+      //
+      // greedy will see the match "g...l.", which has charsWithinNeedle of 3, while the
+      // fully algorithm will find the tighter match "...gl.", which has
+      // charsWithinNeedle of 0
+
+      if (matchLen==0 && unusedMatches.size() < matchPool.size()) {
+        continue;
+      }
+#endif
+
+      // check match!
+      if (charMatch(haystack+hIdx, needle+matchLen)) {
+
+        // pull a fresh match from the pool if necessary
+        if (matchLen==0) {
+          m=unusedMatches.back();
+          unusedMatches.pop_back();
+          m->score.charsBeforeNeedle=hIdx;
+          m->score.charsWithinNeedle=0;
+          m->highlightChars.clear();
+        }
+
+        m->highlightChars.push_back(hIdx);
+
+        // advance, replacing the previous match of an equal len, which can only have been
+        // worse because it existed before us, so we can prune it out
+        if (matchesByLen[matchLen+1]) {
+          unusedMatches.push_back(matchesByLen[matchLen+1]);
+        }
+
+        matchesByLen[matchLen+1]=m;
+        m=NULL;
+
+      } else {
+        // tally up charsWithinNeedle
+        if (matchLen>0) {
+          matchesByLen[matchLen]->score.charsWithinNeedle++;
+        }
+      }
+    }
+  }
+
+  if (matchesByLen[needleLen]) {
+    if (result) *result=*matchesByLen[needleLen];
+    return true;
+  }
+
+  return false;
+}
+
+#ifdef RUN_MATCH_TEST
+static void matchFuzzyTest() {
+  String hay="a__i_a_i__o";
+  String needle="aio";
+  MatchResult match;
+  matchFuzzy(hay.c_str(), hay.length(), needle.c_str(), needle.length(), &match);
+  logI( "match.score.charsWithinNeedle: %d", match.score.charsWithinNeedle );
+}
+#endif
+
 void FurnaceGUI::drawPalette() {
   bool accepted=false;
 
@@ -67,45 +171,52 @@ void FurnaceGUI::drawPalette() {
     break;
   }
 
+#ifdef RUN_MATCH_TEST
+  matchFuzzyTest();
+#endif
+
   if (ImGui::InputTextWithHint("##CommandPaletteSearch",hint,&paletteQuery) || paletteFirstFrame) {
     paletteSearchResults.clear();
+    std::vector<MatchScore> matchScores;
+
+    auto Evaluate=[&](int i, const char* name, int nameLen) {
+      MatchResult result;
+      if (matchFuzzy(name, nameLen, paletteQuery.c_str(), paletteQuery.length(), &result)) {
+        paletteSearchResults.emplace_back();
+        paletteSearchResults.back().id=i;
+        paletteSearchResults.back().highlightChars=std::move(result.highlightChars);
+        matchScores.push_back(result.score);
+      }
+    };
 
     switch (curPaletteType) {
     case CMDPAL_TYPE_MAIN:
       for (int i=0; i<GUI_ACTION_MAX; i++) {
-        if (guiActions[i].defaultBind==-1) continue;
-        if (matchFuzzy(guiActions[i].friendlyName,paletteQuery.c_str())) {
-          paletteSearchResults.push_back(i);
-        }
+        if (guiActions[i].defaultBind==-1) continue; // not a bind
+        Evaluate(i,guiActions[i].friendlyName,strlen(guiActions[i].friendlyName));
       }
       break;
 
     case CMDPAL_TYPE_RECENT:
       for (int i=0; i<(int)recentFile.size(); i++) {
-        if (matchFuzzy(recentFile[i].c_str(),paletteQuery.c_str())) {
-          paletteSearchResults.push_back(i);
-        }
+        Evaluate(i,recentFile[i].c_str(),recentFile[i].length());
       }
       break;
 
     case CMDPAL_TYPE_INSTRUMENTS:
-    case CMDPAL_TYPE_INSTRUMENT_CHANGE:
-      if (matchFuzzy(_("- None -"),paletteQuery.c_str())) {
-        paletteSearchResults.push_back(0);
-      }
+    case CMDPAL_TYPE_INSTRUMENT_CHANGE: {
+      const char* noneStr=_("- None -");
+      Evaluate(0,noneStr,strlen(noneStr));
       for (int i=0; i<e->song.insLen; i++) {
         String s=fmt::sprintf("%02X: %s", i, e->song.ins[i]->name.c_str());
-        if (matchFuzzy(s.c_str(),paletteQuery.c_str())) {
-          paletteSearchResults.push_back(i+1); // because over here ins=0 is 'None'
-        }
+        Evaluate(i+1,s.c_str(),s.length()); // because over here ins=0 is 'None'
       }
       break;
+    }
 
     case CMDPAL_TYPE_SAMPLES:
       for (int i=0; i<e->song.sampleLen; i++) {
-        if (matchFuzzy(e->song.sample[i]->name.c_str(),paletteQuery.c_str())) {
-          paletteSearchResults.push_back(i);
-        }
+        Evaluate(i,e->song.sample[i]->name.c_str(),e->song.sample[i]->name.length());
       }
       break;
 
@@ -113,9 +224,7 @@ void FurnaceGUI::drawPalette() {
       for (int i=0; availableSystems[i]; i++) {
         int ds=availableSystems[i];
         const char* sysname=getSystemName((DivSystem)ds);
-        if (matchFuzzy(sysname,paletteQuery.c_str())) {
-          paletteSearchResults.push_back(ds);
-        }
+        Evaluate(ds,sysname,strlen(sysname));
       }
       break;
 
@@ -124,67 +233,110 @@ void FurnaceGUI::drawPalette() {
       ImGui::CloseCurrentPopup();
       break;
     };
+
+    // sort indices by match quality
+    std::vector<int> sortingIndices(paletteSearchResults.size());
+    for (size_t i=0; i<sortingIndices.size(); ++i) sortingIndices[i]=(int)i;
+    std::sort(sortingIndices.begin(), sortingIndices.end(), [&](size_t a, size_t b) {
+      return MatchScore::IsFirstPreferable(matchScores[a], matchScores[b]);
+    });
+
+    // update paletteSearchResults from sorted indices (taking care not to stomp while we iterate
+    std::vector<PaletteSearchResult> paletteSearchResultsCopy=paletteSearchResults;
+    for (size_t i=0; i<sortingIndices.size(); ++i) paletteSearchResults[i]=paletteSearchResultsCopy[sortingIndices[i]];
   }
 
   ImVec2 avail=ImGui::GetContentRegionAvail();
   avail.y-=ImGui::GetFrameHeightWithSpacing();
 
   if (ImGui::BeginChild("CommandPaletteList",avail,false,0)) {
-    bool navigated=false;
-    if (ImGui::IsKeyPressed(ImGuiKey_UpArrow) && curPaletteChoice>0) {
-      curPaletteChoice-=1;
-      navigated=true;
-    }
-    if (ImGui::IsKeyPressed(ImGuiKey_DownArrow)) {
-      curPaletteChoice+=1;
-      navigated=true;
-    }
-
-    if (paletteSearchResults.size()>0 && curPaletteChoice<0) {
-      curPaletteChoice=0;
-      navigated=true;
-    }
-    if (curPaletteChoice>=(int)paletteSearchResults.size()) {
-      curPaletteChoice=paletteSearchResults.size()-1;
-      navigated=true;
-    }
-
-    for (int i=0; i<(int)paletteSearchResults.size(); i++) {
-      bool current=(i==curPaletteChoice);
-      int id=paletteSearchResults[i];
-
-      String s="???";
-      switch (curPaletteType) {
-      case CMDPAL_TYPE_MAIN:
-        s=guiActions[id].friendlyName;
-        break;
-      case CMDPAL_TYPE_RECENT:
-        s=recentFile[id].c_str();
-        break;
-      case CMDPAL_TYPE_INSTRUMENTS:
-      case CMDPAL_TYPE_INSTRUMENT_CHANGE:
-        if (id==0) {
-          s=_("- None -");
-        } else {
-          s=fmt::sprintf("%02X: %s", id-1, e->song.ins[id-1]->name.c_str());
-        }
-        break;
-      case CMDPAL_TYPE_SAMPLES:
-        s=e->song.sample[id]->name.c_str();
-        break;
-      case CMDPAL_TYPE_ADD_CHIP:
-        s=getSystemName((DivSystem)id);
-        break;
-      default:
-        logE(_("invalid command palette type"));
-        break;
-      };
-
-      if (ImGui::Selectable(s.c_str(),current)) {
-        curPaletteChoice=i;
-        accepted=true;
+      bool navigated=false;
+      if (ImGui::IsKeyPressed(ImGuiKey_UpArrow) && curPaletteChoice>0) {
+        curPaletteChoice-=1;
+        navigated=true;
       }
-      if ((navigated || paletteFirstFrame) && current) ImGui::SetScrollHereY();
+      if (ImGui::IsKeyPressed(ImGuiKey_DownArrow)) {
+        curPaletteChoice+=1;
+        navigated=true;
+      }
+
+      if (paletteSearchResults.size()>0 && curPaletteChoice<0) {
+        curPaletteChoice=0;
+        navigated=true;
+      }
+      if (curPaletteChoice>=(int)paletteSearchResults.size()) {
+        curPaletteChoice=paletteSearchResults.size()-1;
+        navigated=true;
+      }
+
+    int columnCount=curPaletteType==CMDPAL_TYPE_MAIN ? 2 : 1;
+    if (ImGui::BeginTable("##commandPaletteTable",columnCount,ImGuiTableFlags_SizingStretchProp)) {
+      // ImGui::TableSetupColumn("##action",ImGuiTableColumnFlags_WidthStretch);
+      // ImGui::TableSetupColumn("##shortcut");
+      for (int i=0; i<(int)paletteSearchResults.size(); i++) {
+        bool current=(i==curPaletteChoice);
+        int id=paletteSearchResults[i].id;
+
+        String s="???";
+        switch (curPaletteType) {
+        case CMDPAL_TYPE_MAIN:
+          s=guiActions[id].friendlyName;
+          break;
+        case CMDPAL_TYPE_RECENT:
+          s=recentFile[id].c_str();
+          break;
+        case CMDPAL_TYPE_INSTRUMENTS:
+        case CMDPAL_TYPE_INSTRUMENT_CHANGE:
+          if (id==0) {
+            s=_("- None -");
+          } else {
+            s=fmt::sprintf("%02X: %s", id-1, e->song.ins[id-1]->name.c_str());
+          }
+          break;
+        case CMDPAL_TYPE_SAMPLES:
+          s=e->song.sample[id]->name.c_str();
+          break;
+        case CMDPAL_TYPE_ADD_CHIP:
+          s=getSystemName((DivSystem)id);
+          break;
+        default:
+          logE(_("invalid command palette type"));
+          break;
+        };
+
+        ImGui::TableNextRow();
+        ImGui::TableNextColumn();
+
+        ImGui::PushID(s.c_str());
+        bool selectable=ImGui::Selectable("##paletteSearchItem",current,ImGuiSelectableFlags_SpanAllColumns|ImGuiSelectableFlags_AllowOverlap);
+        const char* str=s.c_str();
+        size_t chCursor=0;
+        const std::vector<int>& highlights=paletteSearchResults[i].highlightChars;
+        for (size_t ch=0; ch<highlights.size(); ch++) {
+          ImGui::SameLine(0.0f,0.0f);
+          ImGui::Text("%.*s", (int)(highlights[ch]-chCursor), str+chCursor);
+          ImGui::SameLine(0.0f,0.0f);
+          ImGui::TextColored(uiColors[GUI_COLOR_ACCENT_PRIMARY], "%.1s", str+highlights[ch]);
+          chCursor=highlights[ch]+1;
+        }
+        ImGui::SameLine(0.0f,0.0f);
+        ImGui::Text("%.*s", (int)(s.length()-chCursor), str+chCursor);
+
+        if (curPaletteType==CMDPAL_TYPE_MAIN) {
+          ImGui::TableNextColumn();
+          ImGui::TextColored(uiColors[GUI_COLOR_TEXT_DISABLED], "%s", getKeyName(actionKeys[paletteSearchResults[i].id], true).c_str());
+        }
+
+        if (selectable) {
+          curPaletteChoice=i;
+          accepted=true;
+        }
+
+        ImGui::PopID();
+        
+        if ((navigated || paletteFirstFrame) && current) ImGui::SetScrollHereY();
+      }
+      ImGui::EndTable();
     }
   }
   ImGui::EndChild();
@@ -206,7 +358,7 @@ void FurnaceGUI::drawPalette() {
 
   if (accepted) {
     if (paletteSearchResults.size()>0) {
-      int i=paletteSearchResults[curPaletteChoice];
+      int i=paletteSearchResults[curPaletteChoice].id;
       switch (curPaletteType) {
         case CMDPAL_TYPE_MAIN:
           doAction(i);
diff --git a/src/gui/gui.h b/src/gui/gui.h
index 135393ee6..57d6403ca 100644
--- a/src/gui/gui.h
+++ b/src/gui/gui.h
@@ -1628,10 +1628,11 @@ class FurnaceGUI {
   String mmlStringSNES[DIV_MAX_CHIPS];
   String folderString;
 
+  struct PaletteSearchResult { int id; std::vector<int> highlightChars; };
   std::vector<DivSystem> sysSearchResults;
   std::vector<std::pair<DivSample*,bool>> sampleBankSearchResults;
   std::vector<FurnaceGUISysDef> newSongSearchResults;
-  std::vector<int> paletteSearchResults;
+  std::vector<PaletteSearchResult> paletteSearchResults;
   FixedQueue<String,32> recentFile;
   std::vector<DivInstrumentType> makeInsTypeList;
   std::vector<FurnaceGUIWaveSizeEntry> waveSizeList;