diff --git a/src/App.svelte b/src/App.svelte
index d5d99be..e23ebba 100644
--- a/src/App.svelte
+++ b/src/App.svelte
@@ -13,7 +13,8 @@
   import PlayerControls from '$lib/components/PlayerControls.svelte';
   import PlayerTimeline from '$lib/components/PlayerTimeline.svelte';
   import { loadPreferences, preferences, setClipListPosition, setClipListWidth, setAppMode } from '$lib/stores/preferences.svelte';
-  import { getSelectedClipId, removeClip, markInPoint, markOutPoint } from '$lib/stores/clips.svelte';
+  import { getSelectedClipId, removeClip, markInPoint, markOutPoint, addClip } from '$lib/stores/clips.svelte';
+  import { computeQuickClipRange } from '$lib/utils/clipRange';
   import {
     adjustShuttle,
     resetShuttleRate,
@@ -186,6 +187,13 @@
     }
   }
 
+  function cutClip(position: 'at' | 'before') {
+    const range = computeQuickClipRange(session.currentTime, session.duration, position);
+    if (!range) return;
+    addClip(range.start, range.end);
+    setAppMode('clipper');
+  }
+
   function handleToggleCaptions() {
     captionsEnabled = !captionsEnabled;
   }
@@ -230,6 +238,20 @@
         e.preventDefault();
         toggleMode();
         break;
+      case 'x':
+      case 'X':
+        if (isPlayerMode) {
+          e.preventDefault();
+          cutClip('at');
+        }
+        break;
+      case 'z':
+      case 'Z':
+        if (isPlayerMode) {
+          e.preventDefault();
+          cutClip('before');
+        }
+        break;
       case 'f':
       case 'F':
         if (isPlayerMode) {
@@ -405,6 +427,7 @@
           hasCaptions={session.hasCaptions || false}
           onToggleCaptions={handleToggleCaptions}
           onOpenCaptionSettings={() => {}}
+          onCutClip={cutClip}
         />
         <PlayerTimeline visible={showPlayerControls} />
       {:else}
diff --git a/src/lib/components/PlayerControls.svelte b/src/lib/components/PlayerControls.svelte
index a0b3014..39b5fe7 100644
--- a/src/lib/components/PlayerControls.svelte
+++ b/src/lib/components/PlayerControls.svelte
@@ -38,12 +38,14 @@
     hasCaptions,
     onToggleCaptions,
     onOpenCaptionSettings,
+    onCutClip,
   }: {
     visible: boolean;
     captionsEnabled: boolean;
     hasCaptions: boolean;
     onToggleCaptions: () => void;
     onOpenCaptionSettings: () => void;
+    onCutClip: (position: 'at' | 'before') => void;
   } = $props();
 
   let showSpeedSelector = $state(false);
@@ -225,6 +227,14 @@
           {/if}
         </div>
 
+        <button
+          class="ctrl-btn"
+          onclick={() => onCutClip('at')}
+          oncontextmenu={(e) => { e.preventDefault(); onCutClip('before'); }}
+          title="Cut clip at playhead (X) · Right-click: 10s before (Z)"
+          type="button"
+        ><Scissors size={16} /></button>
+
         {#if hasCaptions}
           <button
             class="ctrl-btn"
diff --git a/src/lib/utils/clipRange.ts b/src/lib/utils/clipRange.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..86a75b1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/lib/utils/clipRange.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+export type QuickClipPosition = 'at' | 'before';
+
+export function computeQuickClipRange(
+  currentTime: number,
+  duration: number,
+  position: QuickClipPosition,
+  clipDuration = 10,
+): { start: number; end: number } | null {
+  if (duration === 0) return null;
+
+  switch (position) {
+    case 'at':
+      return {
+        start: currentTime,
+        end: Math.min(currentTime + clipDuration, duration),
+      };
+    case 'before':
+      return {
+        start: Math.max(currentTime - clipDuration, 0),
+        end: currentTime,
+      };
+    default: {
+      const _exhaustive: never = position;
+      void _exhaustive;
+      return null;
+    }
+  }
+}
diff --git a/tests/lib/utils/clipRange.test.ts b/tests/lib/utils/clipRange.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d8e1fa6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/lib/utils/clipRange.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+import { describe, it, expect } from 'vitest';
+import { computeQuickClipRange } from '$lib/utils/clipRange';
+
+describe('computeQuickClipRange', () => {
+  it('returns null when duration is 0', () => {
+    expect(computeQuickClipRange(5, 0, 'at')).toBeNull();
+  });
+
+  it('"at" creates clip from currentTime to currentTime+10', () => {
+    const result = computeQuickClipRange(30, 120, 'at');
+    expect(result).toEqual({ start: 30, end: 40 });
+  });
+
+  it('"before" creates clip from currentTime-10 to currentTime', () => {
+    const result = computeQuickClipRange(30, 120, 'before');
+    expect(result).toEqual({ start: 20, end: 30 });
+  });
+
+  it('"at" clamps end to duration', () => {
+    const result = computeQuickClipRange(115, 120, 'at');
+    expect(result).toEqual({ start: 115, end: 120 });
+  });
+
+  it('"before" clamps start to 0', () => {
+    const result = computeQuickClipRange(3, 120, 'before');
+    expect(result).toEqual({ start: 0, end: 3 });
+  });
+
+  it('accepts custom clip duration', () => {
+    const result = computeQuickClipRange(50, 120, 'at', 20);
+    expect(result).toEqual({ start: 50, end: 70 });
+  });
+
+  it('"at" at time 0 works', () => {
+    const result = computeQuickClipRange(0, 120, 'at');
+    expect(result).toEqual({ start: 0, end: 10 });
+  });
+
+  it('"before" at exact duration works', () => {
+    const result = computeQuickClipRange(120, 120, 'before');
+    expect(result).toEqual({ start: 110, end: 120 });
+  });
+});