diff --git a/src/Clock.cpp b/src/Clock.cpp
index 9ef75c9..6ede7d2 100644
--- a/src/Clock.cpp
+++ b/src/Clock.cpp
@@ -30,13 +30,21 @@ void Clock::turnOn() {
 }
 
 void Clock::paintAlwaysOnLeds() {
-  printWord(types::es, Adafruit_NeoPixel::Color(255, 255, 0));
-  printWord(types::ist, Adafruit_NeoPixel::Color(255, 0, 255));
+  addque.push_back(Word(types::es, 0xFFFF00));
+  addque.push_back(Word(types::ist, 0xFF00FF));
 }
 
-void Clock::printWord(const std::vector<uint8_t>& word, uint32_t color) {
-  for (const uint8_t i : word) {
-    strip.setPixelColor(i, color);
+void Clock::printWord(const std::vector<uint8_t>& word, uint32_t color, bool highlightfirst) {
+  uint r = (color >> 16) & 0xFF;
+  uint g = (color >> 8) & 0xFF;
+  uint b = (color)&0xFF;
+
+  for (const uint8_t& i : word) {
+    strip.setPixelColor(
+        i,
+        !highlightfirst || (&i == &word.back())
+            ? color
+            : (((r > 200 ? r - 200 : r) << 16) | ((g > 200 ? g - 200 : g) << 8) | (b > 200 ? b - 200 : b)));
   }
 }
 
@@ -50,8 +58,13 @@ void Clock::refreshTime() {
     return;
   }
 
-  animator.stopLoadAnimation();
-  strip.clear();
+  if (animator.animationActive()) {
+    animator.stopLoadAnimation();
+    strip.clear();
+
+    // only add on first time iteration
+    paintAlwaysOnLeds();
+  }
 
   tm* loctime = localtime(&now);
 
@@ -65,18 +78,17 @@ void Clock::refreshTime() {
     strip.setBrightness(DAYBRIGHTNESS);
   }
 
-  paintAlwaysOnLeds();
   setTime(hour, minute, this->twentyAfterSyntax, this->clockAlwaysOn);
 
   strip.show();
   Serial.printf("Time now: %uh %uM\n", hour, minute);
 }
 
-void Clock::setTime(uint8_t hour, uint8_t minute, bool twentyAfterSyntax, bool alwaysClockWord) {
+void Clock::setTime(uint8_t hour, uint8_t minute, bool twas, bool alwaysClockWord) {
   const uint8_t minuteselector = minute / 5;
 
   // if minuteselector >= 4 +1 to hour
-  if (twentyAfterSyntax ? minuteselector >= 5 : minuteselector >= 4)
+  if (twas ? minuteselector >= 5 : minuteselector >= 4)
     hour++;
 
   // convert to 12h format
@@ -98,24 +110,39 @@ void Clock::setTime(uint8_t hour, uint8_t minute, bool twentyAfterSyntax, bool a
              : hour == 0 || hour == 12 ? types::zwoelf
                                        : hourWord;
 
-  printWord(hourWord, Adafruit_NeoPixel::Color(0, 255, 255));
+  if (oldhourWord != hourWord) {
+    addque.push_back(Word(hourWord, 0x00FFFF));
+    delque.push_back(Word(oldhourWord, 0x00FFFF));
+
+    oldhourWord = hourWord;
+  }
+  //  printWord(hourWord, Adafruit_NeoPixel::Color(0, 255, 255));
 
   // print the minute words and the corresponding after/before half words
-  printMinutes(minuteselector, twentyAfterSyntax);
+  printMinutes(minuteselector, twas);
 
   // uhr
-  if (minuteselector == 0 || alwaysClockWord)
-    printWord(types::uhr, Adafruit_NeoPixel::Color(255, 0, 0));
+  bool uhractive = minuteselector == 0 || alwaysClockWord;
+
+  if (oldUhrActive != uhractive) {
+    const Word wrd = Word(types::uhr, 0xFF0000);
+    (uhractive ? addque : delque).push_back(wrd);
+    oldUhrActive = uhractive;
+  }
+
+  performWordTransition();
 }
 
-void Clock::printMinutes(uint8_t minuteSelector, bool twentyAfterSyntax) {
+void Clock::printMinutes(uint8_t minuteSelector, bool twas) {
   // fuenf / zehn / viertl word
-  std::vector<uint8_t> minuteWord;
+  std::vector<uint8_t> minuteWord, vornachWord;
+  bool halfActive = false;
+
   if (minuteSelector == 1 || minuteSelector == 5 || minuteSelector == 7 || minuteSelector == 11) {
     minuteWord = types::fuenf;
   } else if (minuteSelector == 2 || minuteSelector == 4 || minuteSelector == 8 || minuteSelector == 10) {
     // check if we use the twenty after syntax
-    if ((minuteSelector == 4 || minuteSelector == 8) && twentyAfterSyntax)
+    if ((minuteSelector == 4 || minuteSelector == 8) && twas)
       minuteWord = types::zwanzig;
     else
       minuteWord = types::zehn;
@@ -126,34 +153,45 @@ void Clock::printMinutes(uint8_t minuteSelector, bool twentyAfterSyntax) {
   else if (minuteSelector == 6)
     minuteWord = types::halb;
 
-  printWord(minuteWord, Adafruit_NeoPixel::Color(0, 255, 0));
+  if (oldminuteWord != minuteWord) {
+    addque.push_back(Word(minuteWord, 0x00FF00));
+    delque.push_back(Word(oldminuteWord, 0x00FF00));
+    oldminuteWord = minuteWord;
+  }
 
   // vor / nach
-  std::vector<uint8_t> vornachWord;
   if (minuteSelector == 1 || minuteSelector == 2 || minuteSelector == 3 ||
-      ((minuteSelector == 8) &&
-       !twentyAfterSyntax) ||  // check if twentyafter syntax is enabled - if not display the the after
+      ((minuteSelector == 8) && !twas) ||  // check if twentyafter syntax is enabled - if not display the the after
       minuteSelector == 7 ||
-      ((minuteSelector == 4) &&
-       twentyAfterSyntax))  // check if twentyafter syntax is enabled - if yes display the the after
+      ((minuteSelector == 4) && twas))  // check if twentyafter syntax is enabled - if yes display the the after
     vornachWord = types::nach;
   else if (minuteSelector == 5 ||
-           ((minuteSelector == 4) && !twentyAfterSyntax)  // check if twentyafter enabled if not -- display vor
+           ((minuteSelector == 4) && !twas)  // check if twentyafter enabled if not -- display vor
            || minuteSelector == 10 || minuteSelector == 11 ||
-           ((minuteSelector == 8) && twentyAfterSyntax))  // check if twentyafter enabled if yess -- display vor
+           ((minuteSelector == 8) && twas))  // check if twentyafter enabled if yess -- display vor
     vornachWord = types::vor;
-  printWord(vornachWord, Adafruit_NeoPixel::Color(255, 255, 255));
+
+  if (oldvornachWord != vornachWord) {
+    addque.push_back(Word(vornachWord, 0xFFFFFF));
+    delque.push_back(Word(oldvornachWord, 0xFFFFFF));
+    oldvornachWord = vornachWord;
+  }
 
   // halb
   if (minuteSelector >= 4 && minuteSelector <= 8) {
     // only 3 times if twentyafter syntax is on
-    if (!twentyAfterSyntax || (minuteSelector >= 5 && minuteSelector <= 7))
-      printWord(types::halb, Adafruit_NeoPixel::Color(255, 0, 0));
+    if (!twas || (minuteSelector >= 5 && minuteSelector <= 7))
+      halfActive = true;
+  }
+
+  if (oldhalfActive != halfActive) {
+    (halfActive ? addque : delque).push_back(Word(types::halb, 0xFF0000));
+    oldhalfActive = halfActive;
   }
 }
 
-void Clock::useTwentyAfterSyntax(bool twentyAFterSyntax) {
-  this->twentyAfterSyntax = twentyAFterSyntax;
+void Clock::useTwentyAfterSyntax(bool twas) {
+  this->twentyAfterSyntax = twas;
 }
 
 void Clock::useAlwaysOnUhrSyntax(bool alwaysOnUhr) {
@@ -164,3 +202,60 @@ void Clock::update() {
   if (refreshTicker.active())
     this->refreshTime();
 }
+
+int it = 0;
+void Clock::performWordTransition() {
+  if (addque.empty() && delque.empty())
+    return;
+
+  int maxdels = 0;
+  for (const Word& el : delque) {
+    if (el.wrd.size() > maxdels) {
+      maxdels = el.wrd.size();
+    }
+  }
+
+  int maxadds = 0;
+  for (const Word& el : addque) {
+    if (el.wrd.size() > maxadds) {
+      maxadds = el.wrd.size();
+    }
+  }
+
+  //  const uint iterationcount = maxdels + maxadds;
+
+  if (!transitionTicker.active()) {
+    transitionTicker.attach_ms(150, [this, maxdels, maxadds]() {
+      if (it <= maxdels) {
+        for (Word word : delque) {
+          if (word.wrd.size() < it)
+            continue;
+
+          this->printWord(word.wrd, 0x0, false);
+          this->printWord({word.wrd.begin(), word.wrd.end() - it}, word.color, false);
+        }
+
+        this->strip.show();
+      } else if (it - maxdels <= maxadds) {
+        // we are modding the endword
+        int idx = it - maxdels;
+        for (Word word : addque) {
+          if (word.wrd.size() < idx)
+            continue;
+
+          this->printWord(word.wrd, 0x0, false);
+          this->printWord({word.wrd.begin(), word.wrd.begin() + idx}, word.color, idx < word.wrd.size());
+        }
+        this->strip.show();
+      } else {
+        addque.clear();
+        delque.clear();
+
+        transitionTicker.detach();
+        it = 0;
+      }
+
+      it++;
+    });
+  }
+}
diff --git a/src/Clock.h b/src/Clock.h
index 032bbcf..99e12e2 100644
--- a/src/Clock.h
+++ b/src/Clock.h
@@ -8,8 +8,8 @@
 #include "Arduino.h"
 #include <Ticker.h>
 #include "Adafruit_NeoPixel.h"
-#include "Arduino.h"
 #include "LoadAnimator.h"
+#include "Word.h"
 
 // define the strip length of the wordclock
 #define NUMPIXELS 108
@@ -24,6 +24,13 @@ class Clock {
   Adafruit_NeoPixel strip{};
   LoadAnimator animator;
   Ticker refreshTicker;
+  Ticker transitionTicker;
+
+  std::vector<Word> delque;
+  std::vector<Word> addque;
+
+  std::vector<uint8_t> oldminuteWord, oldvornachWord, oldhourWord;
+  bool oldhalfActive, oldUhrActive;
 
   bool twentyAfterSyntax;
   bool clockAlwaysOn;
@@ -33,12 +40,15 @@ class Clock {
    */
   void paintAlwaysOnLeds();
 
+  std::vector<uint8_t> minuteBefore;
+  void performWordTransition();
+
   /**
    * paint a specific word
    * @param word word pointer to print
    * @param color the color in which to print it
    */
-  void printWord(const std::vector<uint8_t>& word,  uint32_t color);
+  void printWord(const std::vector<uint8_t>& word,  uint32_t color, bool highlightfirst);
 
   /**
    * logic to print the correct minute word and its corresponding wods
diff --git a/src/LoadAnimator.cpp b/src/LoadAnimator.cpp
index 956e145..28f53ba 100644
--- a/src/LoadAnimator.cpp
+++ b/src/LoadAnimator.cpp
@@ -43,4 +43,7 @@ void LoadAnimator::animationStep() {
   nrooo = nroo;
   nroo = nro;
   nro = nr;
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
+bool LoadAnimator::animationActive() {
+  return timer.active();
+}
diff --git a/src/LoadAnimator.h b/src/LoadAnimator.h
index 1414dee..5d3af0f 100644
--- a/src/LoadAnimator.h
+++ b/src/LoadAnimator.h
@@ -32,6 +32,8 @@ class LoadAnimator {
    * stop the animation
    */
   void stopLoadAnimation();
+
+  bool animationActive();
 };
 
 #endif  // LEDSTRIPINTERFACE_LOADANIMATOR_H
diff --git a/src/Word.cpp b/src/Word.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..38ed286
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/Word.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+//
+// Created by lukas on 31.01.22.
+//
+
+#include "Word.h"
+
+#include <utility>
+Word::Word(std::vector<uint8_t>  wrd, uint32_t color) : wrd(std::move(wrd)), color(color) {
+
+}
diff --git a/src/Word.h b/src/Word.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..88f6ccb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/Word.h
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+//
+// Created by lukas on 31.01.22.
+//
+
+#ifndef LEDSTRIPINTERFACE_WORD_H
+#define LEDSTRIPINTERFACE_WORD_H
+
+#include <Ticker.h>
+#include "Arduino.h"
+
+class Word {
+ public:
+  std::vector<uint8_t> wrd;
+  uint32_t color;
+
+  Word(std::vector<uint8_t>  wrd, uint32_t color);
+};
+
+#endif  // LEDSTRIPINTERFACE_WORD_H