diff --git a/packages/bugc-react/src/examples.test.ts b/packages/bugc-react/src/examples.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..97ae456af
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/bugc-react/src/examples.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+/**
+ * The curated example set must stay small, clean, and — above all —
+ * compilable: these strings are shipped verbatim into the docs
+ * playground editor, so a typo would surface as a broken example.
+ */
+import { describe, it, expect } from "vitest";
+import { compile } from "@ethdebug/bugc";
+import { bugExamples } from "./examples.js";
+
+describe("bugExamples", () => {
+  it("is the curated trio (counter, functions, arrays)", () => {
+    expect(bugExamples.map((e) => e.name)).toEqual([
+      "counter",
+      "functions",
+      "arrays",
+    ]);
+  });
+
+  it("gives every example a display name and non-empty source", () => {
+    for (const ex of bugExamples) {
+      expect(ex.displayName.trim().length).toBeGreaterThan(0);
+      expect(ex.code.trim().length).toBeGreaterThan(0);
+    }
+  });
+
+  it("carries no leftover @test annotation blocks", () => {
+    for (const ex of bugExamples) {
+      expect(ex.code).not.toContain("@test");
+    }
+  });
+
+  // Each curated source must compile cleanly to bytecode — this is
+  // the guard that matters, since these ship straight to the editor.
+  for (const ex of bugExamples) {
+    it(`compiles ${ex.name} to bytecode without errors`, async () => {
+      const result = await compile({
+        to: "bytecode",
+        source: ex.code,
+        optimizer: { level: 0 },
+      });
+      expect(result.success).toBe(true);
+    });
+  }
+});
diff --git a/packages/bugc-react/src/examples.ts b/packages/bugc-react/src/examples.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..99c1dcbd9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/bugc-react/src/examples.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,102 @@
+/**
+ * A small, curated set of BUG programs for the docs playground's
+ * example selector. Kept intentionally short and clean — these
+ * strings are shown verbatim in the editor, so they carry no
+ * `/*@test*\/`-style behavioral annotations (unlike the raw
+ * `packages/bugc/examples` sources they're distilled from).
+ *
+ * The set is validated by examples.test.ts: every entry must
+ * compile to bytecode without errors.
+ */
+
+/** A named, display-labelled BUG source for the example selector. */
+export interface BugExample {
+  /** Stable identifier (used as the <option> value). */
+  name: string;
+  /** Human-readable label shown in the dropdown. */
+  displayName: string;
+  /** The BUG source. */
+  code: string;
+}
+
+const counter = `name Counter;
+
+storage {
+  [0] count: uint256;
+  [1] threshold: uint256;
+}
+
+create {
+  count = 0;
+  threshold = 100;
+}
+
+code {
+  // Increment the counter, wrapping when it hits the threshold
+  count = count + 1;
+  if (count >= threshold) {
+    count = 0;
+  }
+}
+`;
+
+const functions = `name Functions;
+
+define {
+  // A leaf helper
+  function add(a: uint256, b: uint256) -> uint256 {
+    return a + b;
+  };
+
+  // Calls add() twice — a nested function call
+  function addThree(x: uint256, y: uint256, z: uint256) -> uint256 {
+    let partial = add(x, y);
+    return add(partial, z);
+  };
+}
+
+storage {
+  [0] result: uint256;
+}
+
+code {
+  result = addThree(10, 20, 30);
+}
+`;
+
+const arrays = `name Arrays;
+
+storage {
+  [0] numbers: array<uint256, 5>;
+  [1] sum: uint256;
+  [2] max: uint256;
+}
+
+code {
+  // Fill the array with squares: 0, 1, 4, 9, 16
+  for (let i = 0; i < 5; i = i + 1) {
+    numbers[i] = i * i;
+  }
+
+  // Sum every element
+  sum = 0;
+  for (let i = 0; i < 5; i = i + 1) {
+    sum = sum + numbers[i];
+  }
+
+  // Track the largest element
+  max = numbers[0];
+  for (let i = 1; i < 5; i = i + 1) {
+    if (numbers[i] > max) {
+      max = numbers[i];
+    }
+  }
+}
+`;
+
+/** The curated example set, in display order. */
+export const bugExamples: BugExample[] = [
+  { name: "counter", displayName: "Counter", code: counter },
+  { name: "functions", displayName: "Function calls", code: functions },
+  { name: "arrays", displayName: "Arrays & loops", code: arrays },
+];
diff --git a/packages/bugc-react/src/index.ts b/packages/bugc-react/src/index.ts
index 91c68799b..818715510 100644
--- a/packages/bugc-react/src/index.ts
+++ b/packages/bugc-react/src/index.ts
@@ -44,6 +44,9 @@ export {
   type EditorSourceRange,
 } from "#components/Editor";
 
+// Curated example programs (for playground selectors)
+export { bugExamples, type BugExample } from "./examples.js";
+
 // Utilities
 export {
   // Debug utilities
diff --git a/packages/bugc-react/vitest.config.ts b/packages/bugc-react/vitest.config.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..ab56fbfcb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/bugc-react/vitest.config.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+import { defineConfig } from "vitest/config";
+
+export default defineConfig({
+  test: {
+    globals: true,
+    environment: "jsdom",
+    coverage: {
+      provider: "v8",
+      reporter: ["text", "json", "html"],
+      exclude: ["node_modules/", "dist/", "**/*.test.ts", "**/*.test.tsx"],
+    },
+  },
+});
diff --git a/packages/web/src/theme/BugcExample/BugPlayground.css b/packages/web/src/theme/BugcExample/BugPlayground.css
index 97f405637..57cf0eacf 100644
--- a/packages/web/src/theme/BugcExample/BugPlayground.css
+++ b/packages/web/src/theme/BugcExample/BugPlayground.css
@@ -26,14 +26,16 @@
   align-items: center;
 }
 
-.bug-playground-opt-control {
+.bug-playground-opt-control,
+.bug-playground-example-control {
   display: flex;
   align-items: center;
   gap: 0.5rem;
   font-size: 0.875rem;
 }
 
-.bug-playground-opt-control select {
+.bug-playground-opt-control select,
+.bug-playground-example-control select {
   padding: 0.25rem 0.5rem;
   border-radius: var(--ifm-global-radius);
   border: 1px solid var(--ifm-color-emphasis-300);
diff --git a/packages/web/src/theme/BugcExample/BugPlayground.tsx b/packages/web/src/theme/BugcExample/BugPlayground.tsx
index f26427948..1c0779dc9 100644
--- a/packages/web/src/theme/BugcExample/BugPlayground.tsx
+++ b/packages/web/src/theme/BugcExample/BugPlayground.tsx
@@ -18,6 +18,8 @@ import {
   IrView,
   CfgView,
   BytecodeView,
+  bugExamples,
+  type BugExample,
   type SourceRange,
   type BytecodeOutput,
 } from "@ethdebug/bugc-react";
@@ -129,8 +131,20 @@ async function compile(
 type TabType = "ast" | "ir" | "cfg" | "bytecode";
 
 export interface BugPlaygroundProps {
-  /** Initial code to display in the editor */
+  /**
+   * Initial code to display in the editor. When provided, the
+   * example selector is hidden by default (the embed is showing
+   * one specific program); when omitted, the playground opens on
+   * the first curated example and shows the selector.
+   */
   initialCode?: string;
+  /** Curated examples offered in the selector dropdown. */
+  examples?: BugExample[];
+  /**
+   * Force the example selector on or off. Defaults to showing it
+   * only when `initialCode` is not provided.
+   */
+  showExampleSelector?: boolean;
   /** Default optimization level (0-3) */
   defaultOptimizationLevel?: number;
   /** Whether to show optimization level selector */
@@ -143,33 +157,20 @@ export interface BugPlaygroundProps {
  * Interactive BUG compiler playground.
  */
 export function BugPlayground({
-  initialCode = `name Counter;
-
-storage {
-  [0] count: uint256;
-  [1] threshold: uint256;
-}
-
-create {
-  count = 0;
-  threshold = 100;
-}
-
-code {
-  // Increment the counter
-  count = count + 1;
-
-  // Check threshold
-  if (count >= threshold) {
-    count = 0;
-  }
-}
-`,
+  initialCode,
+  examples = bugExamples,
+  showExampleSelector,
   defaultOptimizationLevel = 3,
   showOptimizationSelector = true,
   height = "600px",
 }: BugPlaygroundProps): JSX.Element {
-  const [code, setCode] = useState(initialCode);
+  // Show the selector only when the embed hasn't pinned a specific
+  // program via initialCode (unless explicitly overridden).
+  const showSelector =
+    showExampleSelector ?? (initialCode === undefined && examples.length > 0);
+
+  const [selectedExample, setSelectedExample] = useState(examples[0]?.name);
+  const [code, setCode] = useState(initialCode ?? examples[0]?.code ?? "");
   const [optimizationLevel, setOptimizationLevel] = useState(
     defaultOptimizationLevel,
   );
@@ -185,10 +186,12 @@ code {
     setHighlightedRanges(ranges);
   }, []);
 
-  const handleCompile = useCallback(async () => {
+  // Compile an explicit source (so example switches recompile the
+  // just-selected program, not the stale `code` from closure).
+  const runCompile = useCallback(async (src: string, level: number) => {
     setIsCompiling(true);
     try {
-      const result = await compile(code, optimizationLevel);
+      const result = await compile(src, level);
       setCompileResult(result);
       if (!result.success) {
         setActiveTab("ast"); // Show AST tab for errors
@@ -202,11 +205,27 @@ code {
     } finally {
       setIsCompiling(false);
     }
-  }, [code, optimizationLevel]);
+  }, []);
+
+  const handleCompile = useCallback(() => {
+    runCompile(code, optimizationLevel);
+  }, [runCompile, code, optimizationLevel]);
+
+  const handleExampleChange = useCallback(
+    (name: string) => {
+      const example = examples.find((e) => e.name === name);
+      if (!example) return;
+      setSelectedExample(name);
+      setCode(example.code);
+      runCompile(example.code, optimizationLevel);
+    },
+    [examples, optimizationLevel, runCompile],
+  );
 
   // Compile on mount
   useEffect(() => {
-    handleCompile();
+    runCompile(code, optimizationLevel);
+    // eslint-disable-next-line react-hooks/exhaustive-deps
   }, []);
 
   const tabs: { id: TabType; label: string }[] = [
@@ -220,6 +239,21 @@ code {
     <div className="bug-playground" style={{ height }}>
       <div className="bug-playground-header">
         <div className="bug-playground-controls">
+          {showSelector && (
+            <label className="bug-playground-example-control">
+              <span>Example:</span>
+              <select
+                value={selectedExample}
+                onChange={(e) => handleExampleChange(e.target.value)}
+              >
+                {examples.map((example) => (
+                  <option key={example.name} value={example.name}>
+                    {example.displayName}
+                  </option>
+                ))}
+              </select>
+            </label>
+          )}
           {showOptimizationSelector && (
             <label className="bug-playground-opt-control">
               <span>Optimization:</span>