diff --git a/src/components/frontend/eod/EodArena.tsx b/src/components/frontend/eod/EodArena.tsx
index 25a93e6..fc6d026 100644
--- a/src/components/frontend/eod/EodArena.tsx
+++ b/src/components/frontend/eod/EodArena.tsx
@@ -4,8 +4,10 @@ import { useCallback, useEffect, useState } from "react";
 import Link from "next/link";
 import { Bomb } from "lucide-react";
 import type { EodDifficulty, EodStats } from "@/app/(frontend)/eod/actions";
+import { isEodUnlocked } from "@/lib/custom-minigames/eod";
 import { useRealtimePresence } from "@/hooks/useRealtimePresence";
 import { useSidebar } from "@/components/ui/sidebar";
+import { UnlockNotice } from "@/components/frontend/minigames/UnlockNotice";
 import { EodLeaderboard } from "./EodLeaderboard";
 import { MinesweeperBoard } from "./MinesweeperBoard";
 
@@ -25,6 +27,17 @@ export function EodArena({
     setPlaying(phase === "playing");
   }, []);
 
+  const customUnlocked = isEodUnlocked({
+    bestTrainingTime: initialStats.bestTrainingTime,
+    bestPerimeterTime: initialStats.bestPerimeterTime,
+    bestSupplyRoadTime: initialStats.bestSupplyRoadTime,
+  });
+  const clearedSectors = [
+    initialStats.bestTrainingTime,
+    initialStats.bestPerimeterTime,
+    initialStats.bestSupplyRoadTime,
+  ].filter((time) => time > 0).length;
+
   useEffect(() => {
     if (playing && isMobile) setOpenMobile(false);
   }, [isMobile, playing, setOpenMobile]);
@@ -38,6 +51,13 @@ export function EodArena({
         <Bomb className="size-4" />
         Custom minefields
       </Link>
+      {!customUnlocked && (
+        <UnlockNotice
+          title="custom minefields"
+          requirement="you have cleared Training Pad, FOB Perimeter, and Main Supply Road"
+          progress={`${clearedSectors} of 3 sectors cleared`}
+        />
+      )}
       <MinesweeperBoard
         initialStats={initialStats}
         onGameRecorded={() => setRefreshKey((key) => key + 1)}
diff --git a/src/components/frontend/minigames/UnlockNotice.tsx b/src/components/frontend/minigames/UnlockNotice.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..32baaa1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/components/frontend/minigames/UnlockNotice.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+import { Lock } from "lucide-react";
+
+/**
+ * Locked-state hint shown beside a minigame's custom-content link: tells the
+ * player exactly which milestones unlock authoring user-generated content and
+ * how close they are. Unlocked players see nothing (the link speaks for itself).
+ */
+export function UnlockNotice({
+  title,
+  requirement,
+  progress,
+}: {
+  title: string;
+  requirement: string;
+  progress: string;
+}) {
+  return (
+    <p className="flex max-w-xl items-start gap-2 rounded-lg border border-amber-500/40 bg-amber-500/10 px-3 py-2 text-xs leading-relaxed text-amber-300">
+      <Lock className="mt-0.5 size-3.5 shrink-0" />
+      <span>
+        <span className="font-medium">Author your own {title}</span> once {requirement}{" "}
+        <span className="text-amber-200/60">({progress})</span>
+      </span>
+    </p>
+  );
+}
diff --git a/src/components/frontend/radio/RadioArena.tsx b/src/components/frontend/radio/RadioArena.tsx
index fa8ca0e..22110da 100644
--- a/src/components/frontend/radio/RadioArena.tsx
+++ b/src/components/frontend/radio/RadioArena.tsx
@@ -4,7 +4,13 @@ import { useCallback, useEffect, useState } from "react";
 import Link from "next/link";
 import { Radio } from "lucide-react";
 import type { RadioStats } from "@/app/(frontend)/radio/actions";
+import {
+  isRadioUnlocked,
+  SPRINT_ACCURACY_REQUIREMENT,
+  WATCH_ACCURACY_REQUIREMENT,
+} from "@/lib/custom-minigames/radio";
 import { useRealtimePresence } from "@/hooks/useRealtimePresence";
+import { UnlockNotice } from "@/components/frontend/minigames/UnlockNotice";
 import { RadioLeaderboard } from "./RadioLeaderboard";
 import { RadioTraffic } from "./RadioTraffic";
 
@@ -24,6 +30,13 @@ export function RadioArena({
     setPlaying(phase === "playing");
   }, []);
 
+  const customUnlocked = isRadioUnlocked({
+    sprintBestAccuracy: initialStats.sprintBestAccuracy,
+    watchBestAccuracy: initialStats.watchBestAccuracy,
+  });
+  const sprintPercent = Math.round(initialStats.sprintBestAccuracy * 100);
+  const watchPercent = Math.round(initialStats.watchBestAccuracy * 100);
+
   useEffect(() => {
     const savedMode = window.localStorage.getItem("radio-traffic-mode");
     if (savedMode === "sprint" || savedMode === "watch") setMode(savedMode);
@@ -43,6 +56,13 @@ export function RadioArena({
         <Radio className="size-4" />
         Custom radio tests
       </Link>
+      {!customUnlocked && (
+        <UnlockNotice
+          title="custom radio tests"
+          requirement={`your best accuracy reaches ${Math.round(SPRINT_ACCURACY_REQUIREMENT * 100)}% in sprint and ${Math.round(WATCH_ACCURACY_REQUIREMENT * 100)}% in watch`}
+          progress={`Sprint ${sprintPercent}%, Watch ${watchPercent}%`}
+        />
+      )}
       <RadioTraffic
         initialStats={initialStats}
         mode={mode}