diff --git a/backend/services/game-session-service/internal/application/session/service.go b/backend/services/game-session-service/internal/application/session/service.go
index 2a23eb3..2efa0b1 100644
--- a/backend/services/game-session-service/internal/application/session/service.go
+++ b/backend/services/game-session-service/internal/application/session/service.go
@@ -145,13 +145,9 @@ func (s *Service) StartSession(ctx context.Context, in StartSessionInput) (*Star
 
 // SubmitAnswer validates answer and transitions question/session state.
 func (s *Service) SubmitAnswer(ctx context.Context, in SubmitAnswerInput) (*SubmitAnswerResult, error) {
-	sessionID := strings.TrimSpace(in.SessionID)
-	if sessionID == "" {
-		return nil, domain.ErrInvalidState
-	}
-	answer := sharedsecurity.SanitizeAnswer(in.Answer)
-	if answer == "" {
-		return nil, sharederrors.New(sharederrors.CodeInvalidAnswer, "answer is required")
+	sessionID, answer, err := s.normalizeSubmitAnswerInput(in)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
 	}
 
 	if !s.state.AcquireLock(ctx, sessionID, s.cfg.LockTTL) {
@@ -159,6 +155,60 @@ func (s *Service) SubmitAnswer(ctx context.Context, in SubmitAnswerInput) (*Subm
 	}
 	defer s.state.ReleaseLock(ctx, sessionID)
 
+	session, err := s.loadAnswerableSession(ctx, sessionID)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	latencyMs, err := s.enforceAnswerLatency(ctx, session)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	validation, err := s.qb.ValidateAnswer(ctx, session.CurrentQuestionID, answer)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	attemptNum, score, err := s.recordAttempt(ctx, session, answer, validation.Matched, latencyMs)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	s.applyAttemptOutcome(session, attemptNum, score, validation.Matched)
+
+	result := &SubmitAnswerResult{Correct: validation.Matched, AwardedScore: score}
+	if err := s.progressAfterAnswer(ctx, session, attemptNum, validation.Matched, result); err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	updated, err := s.repo.UpdateSession(ctx, session)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	result.AttemptsRemaining = updated.Remaining(s.cfg.MaxAttempts)
+	result.Session = s.toSummary(updated)
+	return result, nil
+}
+
+func (s *Service) normalizeSubmitAnswerInput(
+	in SubmitAnswerInput,
+) (sessionID string, answer string, err error) {
+	sessionID = strings.TrimSpace(in.SessionID)
+	if sessionID == "" {
+		return "", "", domain.ErrInvalidState
+	}
+	answer = sharedsecurity.SanitizeAnswer(in.Answer)
+	if answer == "" {
+		return "", "", sharederrors.New(sharederrors.CodeInvalidAnswer, "answer is required")
+	}
+	return sessionID, answer, nil
+}
+
+func (s *Service) loadAnswerableSession(
+	ctx context.Context,
+	sessionID string,
+) (*domain.GameSession, error) {
 	session, err := s.repo.GetSessionByID(ctx, sessionID)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
@@ -169,7 +219,13 @@ func (s *Service) SubmitAnswer(ctx context.Context, in SubmitAnswerInput) (*Subm
 	if strings.TrimSpace(session.CurrentQuestionID) == "" || session.QuestionStartedAt == nil {
 		return nil, domain.ErrInvalidState
 	}
+	return session, nil
+}
 
+func (s *Service) enforceAnswerLatency(
+	ctx context.Context,
+	session *domain.GameSession,
+) (int, error) {
 	latencyMs := int(time.Since(*session.QuestionStartedAt).Milliseconds())
 	if latencyMs < s.cfg.MinAnswerLatencyMs {
 		_ = s.repo.CreateEvent(ctx, &domain.SessionEvent{
@@ -177,66 +233,79 @@ func (s *Service) SubmitAnswer(ctx context.Context, in SubmitAnswerInput) (*Subm
 			EventType: "rapid_answer",
 			Metadata:  fmt.Sprintf(`{"latency_ms":%d}`, latencyMs),
 		})
-		return nil, domain.ErrRapidAnswer
-	}
-
-	validation, err := s.qb.ValidateAnswer(ctx, session.CurrentQuestionID, answer)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
+		return 0, domain.ErrRapidAnswer
 	}
+	return latencyMs, nil
+}
 
-	attemptNum := session.CurrentAttempts + 1
-	score := valueobjects.CalculateQuestionScore(validation.Matched, session.CurrentHintUsed)
-	if err := s.repo.CreateAttempt(ctx, &domain.SessionAttempt{
+func (s *Service) recordAttempt(
+	ctx context.Context,
+	session *domain.GameSession,
+	answer string,
+	matched bool,
+	latencyMs int,
+) (attemptNum int, score int, err error) {
+	attemptNum = session.CurrentAttempts + 1
+	score = valueobjects.CalculateQuestionScore(matched, session.CurrentHintUsed)
+	err = s.repo.CreateAttempt(ctx, &domain.SessionAttempt{
 		SessionID:      session.ID,
 		QuestionID:     session.CurrentQuestionID,
 		AttemptNumber:  attemptNum,
 		ProvidedAnswer: answer,
-		IsCorrect:      validation.Matched,
+		IsCorrect:      matched,
 		UsedHint:       session.CurrentHintUsed,
 		AwardedScore:   score,
 		LatencyMs:      latencyMs,
-	}); err != nil {
-		return nil, err
+	})
+	if err != nil {
+		return 0, 0, err
 	}
+	return attemptNum, score, nil
+}
 
+func (s *Service) applyAttemptOutcome(
+	session *domain.GameSession,
+	attemptNum, score int,
+	matched bool,
+) {
 	session.CurrentAttempts = attemptNum
 	session.TotalScore += score
-	if validation.Matched {
+	if matched {
 		session.QuestionsCorrect++
 	}
+}
 
-	result := &SubmitAnswerResult{Correct: validation.Matched, AwardedScore: score}
-	if validation.Matched || attemptNum >= s.cfg.MaxAttempts {
-		next, completed, err := s.advanceQuestion(ctx, session)
-		if err != nil {
-			return nil, err
-		}
-		if completed {
-			now := time.Now().UTC()
-			session.Status = domain.StatusCompleted
-			session.EndTime = &now
-			_ = s.state.ClearActiveSession(ctx, session.PlayerID)
-			_ = s.state.ClearTimer(ctx, session.ID)
-			result.SessionCompleted = true
-		} else {
-			now := time.Now().UTC()
-			session.CurrentQuestionID = next.ID
-			session.CurrentAttempts = 0
-			session.CurrentHintUsed = false
-			session.QuestionStartedAt = &now
-			session.QuestionsAsked++
-			result.NextQuestion = next
-		}
-	}
-
-	updated, err := s.repo.UpdateSession(ctx, session)
+func (s *Service) progressAfterAnswer(
+	ctx context.Context,
+	session *domain.GameSession,
+	attemptNum int,
+	matched bool,
+	result *SubmitAnswerResult,
+) error {
+	if !matched && attemptNum < s.cfg.MaxAttempts {
+		return nil
+	}
+	next, completed, err := s.advanceQuestion(ctx, session)
 	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
+		return err
 	}
-	result.AttemptsRemaining = updated.Remaining(s.cfg.MaxAttempts)
-	result.Session = s.toSummary(updated)
-	return result, nil
+	if completed {
+		now := time.Now().UTC()
+		session.Status = domain.StatusCompleted
+		session.EndTime = &now
+		_ = s.state.ClearActiveSession(ctx, session.PlayerID)
+		_ = s.state.ClearTimer(ctx, session.ID)
+		result.SessionCompleted = true
+		return nil
+	}
+	now := time.Now().UTC()
+	session.CurrentQuestionID = next.ID
+	session.CurrentAttempts = 0
+	session.CurrentHintUsed = false
+	session.QuestionStartedAt = &now
+	session.QuestionsAsked++
+	result.NextQuestion = next
+	return nil
 }
 
 // RequestHint marks hint usage and returns hint content.