diff --git a/tools/push3-evolution/evolve.sh b/tools/push3-evolution/evolve.sh
index 47d9f1a..20a23db 100755
--- a/tools/push3-evolution/evolve.sh
+++ b/tools/push3-evolution/evolve.sh
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
 #     --population 10 \
 #     --generations 5 \
 #     --mutation-rate 2 \
+#     --elites 2 \
 #     --output evolved/
 #
 # Algorithm:
@@ -18,7 +19,8 @@
 #      a. Score all candidates via fitness.sh
 #      b. Log generation stats (min/max/mean fitness, best candidate)
 #      c. Select k survivors via tournament selection (k = population/2)
-#      d. Generate next population: mutate survivors + crossover pairs
+#      d. Elitism: copy top N candidates unchanged into next generation
+#      e. Generate next population: mutate survivors + crossover pairs
 #   3. Output best candidate as Push3 file.
 #   4. Show diff: original vs evolved (which constants changed, by how much).
 #
@@ -61,6 +63,7 @@ SEED=""
 POPULATION=10
 GENERATIONS=5
 MUTATION_RATE=2
+ELITES=2
 OUTPUT_DIR=""
 
 while [[ $# -gt 0 ]]; do
@@ -69,6 +72,7 @@ while [[ $# -gt 0 ]]; do
     --population)    POPULATION="$2";    shift 2 ;;
     --generations)   GENERATIONS="$2";   shift 2 ;;
     --mutation-rate) MUTATION_RATE="$2"; shift 2 ;;
+    --elites)        ELITES="$2";        shift 2 ;;
     --output)        OUTPUT_DIR="$2";    shift 2 ;;
     *) echo "Unknown option: $1" >&2; exit 2 ;;
   esac
@@ -88,6 +92,11 @@ for _name_val in "population:$POPULATION" "generations:$GENERATIONS" "mutation-r
   fi
 done
 
+if ! [[ "$ELITES" =~ ^[0-9]+$ ]]; then
+  echo "Error: --elites must be a non-negative integer (got: $ELITES)" >&2
+  exit 2
+fi
+
 # Canonicalize paths
 SEED="$(cd "$(dirname "$SEED")" && pwd)/$(basename "$SEED")"
 mkdir -p "$OUTPUT_DIR"
@@ -142,6 +151,25 @@ print(min(nums), max(nums), round(sum(nums) / len(nums)))
 PYEOF
 }
 
+# Top-N selection: return filepaths of the N highest-scoring candidates (descending).
+py_top_n() {
+  local n="$1"
+  local scores_file="$2"
+  python3 - "$n" "$scores_file" <<'PYEOF'
+import sys
+n = int(sys.argv[1])
+entries = []
+with open(sys.argv[2]) as f:
+    for line in f:
+        parts = line.rstrip('\n').split('\t')
+        if len(parts) >= 3:
+            entries.append((int(parts[1]), parts[2]))
+entries.sort(key=lambda x: x[0], reverse=True)
+for _, path in entries[:n]:
+    print(path)
+PYEOF
+}
+
 # Tournament selection: given a scores file (one "idx score filepath" per line),
 # run k tournaments of size 2 and return winner filepaths (one per line).
 py_tournament() {
@@ -208,6 +236,7 @@ log "  Seed:          $SEED"
 log "  Population:    $POPULATION"
 log "  Generations:   $GENERATIONS"
 log "  Mutation rate: $MUTATION_RATE"
+log "  Elites:        $ELITES"
 log "  Output:        $OUTPUT_DIR"
 log "  TSX:           $TSX_CMD"
 log "  Eval mode:     $EVAL_MODE"
@@ -388,15 +417,37 @@ PYEOF
 
   log "  Selected ${#SURVIVOR_FILES[@]} survivors via tournament"
 
-  # --- d. Generate next population ---
+  # --- d/e. Generate next population (elitism + offspring) ---
 
   NEXT_GEN_DIR="$WORK_DIR/gen_$((gen + 1))"
   mkdir -p "$NEXT_GEN_DIR"
 
   NEXT_IDX=0
-  HALF=$((POPULATION / 2))
 
-  # First half: mutate random survivors
+  # --- d. Elitism: copy top ELITES candidates unchanged ---
+
+  if [ "$ELITES" -gt 0 ]; then
+    ELITE_FILES=()
+    while IFS= read -r ELITE_FILE; do
+      [ -f "$ELITE_FILE" ] && ELITE_FILES+=("$ELITE_FILE")
+    done < <(py_top_n "$ELITES" "$SCORES_FILE")
+
+    for ELITE_FILE in "${ELITE_FILES[@]}"; do
+      DEST="$NEXT_GEN_DIR/candidate_$(printf '%03d' $NEXT_IDX).push3"
+      cp "$ELITE_FILE" "$DEST"
+      printf '0\n' > "${DEST%.push3}.ops"
+      NEXT_IDX=$((NEXT_IDX + 1))
+    done
+
+    log "  Elitism: carried over ${#ELITE_FILES[@]} top candidate(s) unchanged"
+  fi
+
+  # --- e. Fill remaining slots with mutation and crossover offspring ---
+
+  NON_ELITE=$((POPULATION - NEXT_IDX))
+  HALF=$((NON_ELITE / 2))
+
+  # First half of remaining: mutate random survivors
   for _i in $(seq 1 $HALF); do
     SUR="${SURVIVOR_FILES[$((RANDOM % ${#SURVIVOR_FILES[@]}))]}"
     DEST="$NEXT_GEN_DIR/candidate_$(printf '%03d' $NEXT_IDX).push3"
@@ -411,8 +462,8 @@ PYEOF
     NEXT_IDX=$((NEXT_IDX + 1))
   done
 
-  # Second half: crossover random survivor pairs
-  REMAINING=$((POPULATION - HALF))
+  # Second half of remaining: crossover random survivor pairs
+  REMAINING=$((POPULATION - NEXT_IDX))
   for _i in $(seq 1 $REMAINING); do
     SUR_A="${SURVIVOR_FILES[$((RANDOM % ${#SURVIVOR_FILES[@]}))]}"
     SUR_B="${SURVIVOR_FILES[$((RANDOM % ${#SURVIVOR_FILES[@]}))]}"