diff --git a/cmd/w6c/cgen.c b/cmd/w6c/cgen.c
index 6e4ea358..e37dd1c4 100644
--- a/cmd/w6c/cgen.c
+++ b/cmd/w6c/cgen.c
@@ -15010,44 +15010,24 @@ emit_tagged_data(FILE *out, Cg *c, const char *name, const char *module,
 	return 1;
 }
 
-/* emit_tuple_data — module-level `let g: (T0, T1, ...) = (v0, v1, ...);`
- * static init (C-t3, #48). Slot layout (C-t0): a scalar element is one
- * 8B LE word, a str element its 24B header slot (8 zero ptr placeholder
- * + LE len + 8 zero cap) with a DATAR patching the ptr word at the
- * element's slot offset — the per-element twin of the scalar-str-global
- * arm, offset like emit_strarray_data's rows. Elements must reduce to
- * int (fold_int_literal) or str literals; anything else returns 0 and
- * the caller loud-stops (rule 7 — pre-C-t3 the whole definition was
- * SILENTLY skipped and reads saw BP-frame garbage). rhs == NULL
- * zero-inits the slot. */
+/* tuple_row_foldable — validate that every cast-peeled element of `rhs`
+ * (an N_TUPLE) reduces to a static row: an int literal (fold_int_literal)
+ * or a str literal in a str/slice slot. A tagged element slot has no
+ * static-init shape (tag word + payload widening) — reject so the caller
+ * loud-stops (#22a, rule 7); pre-guard an int init would have emitted one
+ * 8B word into the 16B+ box (silent layout skew). The validate twin of
+ * emit_tuple_row_bytes / emit_tuple_row_relocs: two-pass keeps a partial
+ * row out of the output (emit_array_data precedent). Factored from
+ * emit_tuple_data so the slice-of-tuple backing (#117) shares it. */
 static int
-emit_tuple_data(FILE *out, Cg *c, const char *name, const char *module,
-    Type *t, Node *rhs)
+tuple_row_foldable(Cg *c, Type *u, Node *rhs)
 {
-	Type *u = type_unwrap(t);
-	if (u == NULL || u->kind != TY_TUPLE) return 0;
-	const char *sym = mod_mangle_value(c, name, module);
-	if (rhs == NULL) {
-		fprintf(out, "DATAW %s(SB),\"", sym);
-		for (int i = 0; i < (int)u->size; i++)
-			emit_data_byte(out, 0);
-		fputs("\"\n", out);
-		return 1;
-	}
-	if (rhs->kind != N_TUPLE) return 0;
-	/* Validate: every cast-peeled element folds (int) or is a strlit
-	 * in a str slot. Two-pass so a partial row never reaches the
-	 * output (emit_array_data precedent). */
+	(void)c;
 	Tparam *tp = u->params;
 	for (Node *e = rhs->list; e; e = e->next, tp = tp ? tp->next : NULL) {
 		Node *ev = e;
 		while (ev && ev->kind == N_CAST) ev = ev->lhs;
 		if (ev == NULL) return 0;
-		/* #22a (rule 7): a tagged element slot has no static-init
-		 * shape (tag word + payload widening) — reject so the
-		 * caller loud-stops; pre-guard an int init would have
-		 * emitted one 8B word into the 16B+ box (silent layout
-		 * skew). */
 		{
 			Type *eu = type_chase_named(tp ? tp->type : NULL);
 			if (eu && eu->kind == TY_TAGGED) return 0;
@@ -15061,8 +15041,19 @@ emit_tuple_data(FILE *out, Cg *c, const char *name, const char *module,
 		u64 v;
 		if (!fold_int_literal(ev, &v)) return 0;
 	}
-	fprintf(out, "DATAW %s(SB),\"", sym);
-	tp = u->params;
+	return 1;
+}
+
+/* emit_tuple_row_bytes — the row's element bytes, concatenated, into the
+ * currently-open DATAW quoted string (no DATAW wrapper, no sym). Slot
+ * layout (C-t0): a scalar element is one 8B LE word; a str/slice element
+ * its 24B header slot (8 zero ptr placeholder + LE len + 8 zero cap).
+ * Caller has already proven the row foldable (tuple_row_foldable). */
+static void
+emit_tuple_row_bytes(Cg *c, FILE *out, Type *u, Node *rhs)
+{
+	(void)c;
+	Tparam *tp = u->params;
 	for (Node *e = rhs->list; e; e = e->next, tp = tp ? tp->next : NULL) {
 		Node *ev = e;
 		while (ev && ev->kind == N_CAST) ev = ev->lhs;
@@ -15082,9 +15073,19 @@ emit_tuple_data(FILE *out, Cg *c, const char *name, const char *module,
 		for (int i = 0; i < 8; i++)
 			emit_data_byte(out, (u8)((v >> (i * 8)) & 0xff));
 	}
-	fputs("\"\n", out);
-	int foff = 0;
-	tp = u->params;
+}
+
+/* emit_tuple_row_relocs — the row's DATAR ptr patches, at backing-relative
+ * <holder>+<row_off>+<slot>. A str element patches the ptr word with the
+ * interned strlit's VA; the slot stride steps by tuple_eslot. row_off lets
+ * a slice backing place k rows contiguously (#117); emit_tuple_data passes
+ * 0 (foff matches the absolute element offset — byte-neutral). */
+static void
+emit_tuple_row_relocs(Cg *c, FILE *out, const char *holder, int row_off,
+    Type *u, Node *rhs)
+{
+	int foff = row_off;
+	Tparam *tp = u->params;
 	for (Node *e = rhs->list; e; e = e->next, tp = tp ? tp->next : NULL) {
 		Node *ev = e;
 		while (ev && ev->kind == N_CAST) ev = ev->lhs;
@@ -15094,10 +15095,38 @@ emit_tuple_data(FILE *out, Cg *c, const char *name, const char *module,
 			const char *lab = intern_strlit(c, ev->str,
 			    ev->strlen);
 			fprintf(out, "DATAR %s+%d(SB),%s(SB)\n",
-			    sym, foff, lab);
+			    holder, foff, lab);
 		}
 		foff += tuple_eslot(tp ? tp->type : NULL);
 	}
+}
+
+/* emit_tuple_data — module-level `let g: (T0, T1, ...) = (v0, v1, ...);`
+ * static init (C-t3, #48). One slot-laid DATAW row (+ DATAR str-element
+ * ptr patches) via the backing-relative emit_tuple_row helpers; rhs ==
+ * NULL zero-inits. Unsupported element inits return 0 and the caller
+ * loud-stops (rule 7 — pre-C-t3 the whole definition was SILENTLY skipped
+ * and reads saw BP-frame garbage). */
+static int
+emit_tuple_data(FILE *out, Cg *c, const char *name, const char *module,
+    Type *t, Node *rhs)
+{
+	Type *u = type_unwrap(t);
+	if (u == NULL || u->kind != TY_TUPLE) return 0;
+	const char *sym = mod_mangle_value(c, name, module);
+	if (rhs == NULL) {
+		fprintf(out, "DATAW %s(SB),\"", sym);
+		for (int i = 0; i < (int)u->size; i++)
+			emit_data_byte(out, 0);
+		fputs("\"\n", out);
+		return 1;
+	}
+	if (rhs->kind != N_TUPLE) return 0;
+	if (!tuple_row_foldable(c, u, rhs)) return 0;
+	fprintf(out, "DATAW %s(SB),\"", sym);
+	emit_tuple_row_bytes(c, out, u, rhs);
+	fputs("\"\n", out);
+	emit_tuple_row_relocs(c, out, sym, 0, u, rhs);
 	return 1;
 }
 
diff --git a/selfhost/cmd/w6c/main.combined.ww b/selfhost/cmd/w6c/main.combined.ww
index 1f08478f..9e2d1596 100644
--- a/selfhost/cmd/w6c/main.combined.ww
+++ b/selfhost/cmd/w6c/main.combined.ww
@@ -39850,38 +39850,17 @@ fn emittaggeddata(c: *cgen, name: str, module: str, tt: *node, rhs: *node, sz: i
 	return true;
 };
 
-// emittupledata — module-level `let g: (T0, T1, ...) = (v0, ...);`
-// static init (C-t3, #48). Slot layout (C-t0): a scalar element is one
-// 8B LE word, a str element its 24B header slot (8 zero ptr placeholder
-// + LE len + 8 zero cap) with a DATAR patching the ptr word at the
-// element's slot offset — the per-element twin of the scalar-str-global
-// arm, offset like emitstrarraydata's rows. Elements must reduce to int
-// (foldintliteral) or str literals; anything else returns false and the
-// caller loud-stops (rule 7 — pre-C-t3 the whole definition was
-// SILENTLY skipped and reads saw garbage). rhs == nil zero-inits the
-// slot. Mirror of cstage emit_tuple_data.
-fn emittupledata(c: *cgen, name: str, module: str, tt: *node, rhs: *node) bool = {
-	if (tt == nil) { return false; };
-	if (rhs == nil) {
-		// #22: slot-sum via the accessor so the zero-fill matches
-		// the checker size (cstage zero-emits u->size).
-		let zsz: i32 = 0;
-		let p0: *node = tt.list;
-		for (p0 != nil) {
-			zsz += tupeslotn(p0.lhs);
-			p0 = p0.next;
-		};
-		emitline("DATAW ");
-		emitsymnamehint(c, name, module);
-		emitline("(SB),\"");
-		let zi: i32 = 0;
-		for (zi < zsz) { emitdatawbyte(0u8); zi += 1; };
-		emitline("\"\n");
-		return true;
-	};
-	if (rhs.kind != nkind.N_TUPLE) { return false; };
-	// Validate first (two-pass, emitarraydata precedent) so a partial
-	// row never reaches the output.
+// tuplerowfoldable — validate every cast-peeled element of `rhs` (an
+// N_TUPLE) reduces to a static row: an int literal (foldintliteral) or a
+// str literal in a str/slice slot. A tagged element slot has no
+// static-init shape (tag word + payload widening) — reject so the caller
+// loud-stops (#22a, rule 7); pre-guard an int init would have emitted one
+// 8B word into the 16B+ box (silent layout skew). The validate twin of
+// emittuplerowbytes / emittuplerowrelocs; two-pass keeps a partial row
+// out of the output (emitarraydata precedent). Factored from emittupledata
+// so the slice-of-tuple backing (#117) shares it. Mirror of cstage
+// tuple_row_foldable.
+fn tuplerowfoldable(c: *cgen, tt: *node, rhs: *node) bool = {
 	let tp: *node = tt.list;
 	let e: *node = rhs.list;
 	for (e != nil) {
@@ -39890,11 +39869,6 @@ fn emittupledata(c: *cgen, name: str, module: str, tt: *node, rhs: *node) bool =
 		let ev: *node = e;
 		for (ev != nil && ev.kind == nkind.N_CAST) { ev = ev.lhs; };
 		if (ev == nil) { return false; };
-		// #22a (rule 7): a tagged element slot has no static-init
-		// shape (tag word + payload widening) — reject so the caller
-		// loud-stops; pre-guard an int init would have emitted one
-		// 8B word into the 16B+ box (silent layout skew). Mirrors
-		// cstage emit_tuple_data.
 		{
 			let eti: *tinfo = nil;
 			if (et != nil) { eti = et.type_: *tinfo; };
@@ -39913,11 +39887,18 @@ fn emittupledata(c: *cgen, name: str, module: str, tt: *node, rhs: *node) bool =
 		e = e.next;
 		if (tp != nil) { tp = tp.next; };
 	};
-	emitline("DATAW ");
-	emitsymnamehint(c, name, module);
-	emitline("(SB),\"");
-	tp = tt.list;
-	e = rhs.list;
+	return true;
+};
+
+// emittuplerowbytes — the row's element bytes, concatenated, into the
+// currently-open DATAW quoted string (no DATAW wrapper, no sym). Slot
+// layout (C-t0): a scalar element is one 8B LE word; a str/slice element
+// its 24B header slot (8 zero ptr placeholder + LE len + 8 zero cap).
+// Caller has already proven the row foldable. Mirror of cstage
+// emit_tuple_row_bytes.
+fn emittuplerowbytes(c: *cgen, tt: *node, rhs: *node) void = {
+	let tp: *node = tt.list;
+	let e: *node = rhs.list;
 	for (e != nil) {
 		let et: *node = nil;
 		if (tp != nil) { et = tp.lhs; };
@@ -39951,10 +39932,19 @@ fn emittupledata(c: *cgen, name: str, module: str, tt: *node, rhs: *node) bool =
 		e = e.next;
 		if (tp != nil) { tp = tp.next; };
 	};
-	emitline("\"\n");
-	let foff: i32 = 0;
-	tp = tt.list;
-	e = rhs.list;
+};
+
+// emittuplerowrelocs — the row's DATAR ptr patches, at backing-relative
+// <holder>+<rowoff>+<slot>. A str element patches the ptr word with the
+// interned strlit's VA; the slot stride steps by tyslicesize/tupeslotn.
+// `backing` writes the "<sym>.d" backing label; rowoff lets a slice
+// backing place k rows contiguously (#117), emittupledata passes 0 (foff
+// matches the absolute element offset — byte-neutral). Mirror of cstage
+// emit_tuple_row_relocs.
+fn emittuplerowrelocs(c: *cgen, name: str, module: str, backing: bool, rowoff: i32, tt: *node, rhs: *node) void = {
+	let foff: i32 = rowoff;
+	let tp: *node = tt.list;
+	let e: *node = rhs.list;
 	for (e != nil) {
 		let et: *node = nil;
 		if (tp != nil) { et = tp.lhs; };
@@ -39966,6 +39956,7 @@ fn emittupledata(c: *cgen, name: str, module: str, tt: *node, rhs: *node) bool =
 				let lab: str = internstrlit(c, ev.str);
 				emitline("DATAR ");
 				emitsymnamehint(c, name, module);
+				if (backing) { emitline(".d"); };
 				emitline("+");
 				emitint(foff: i64);
 				emitline("(SB),");
@@ -39982,6 +39973,41 @@ fn emittupledata(c: *cgen, name: str, module: str, tt: *node, rhs: *node) bool =
 		e = e.next;
 		if (tp != nil) { tp = tp.next; };
 	};
+};
+
+// emittupledata — module-level `let g: (T0, T1, ...) = (v0, ...);`
+// static init (C-t3, #48). One slot-laid DATAW row (+ DATAR str-element
+// ptr patches) via the backing-relative emittuplerow helpers; rhs == nil
+// zero-inits. Unsupported element inits return false and the caller
+// loud-stops (rule 7 — pre-C-t3 the whole definition was SILENTLY skipped
+// and reads saw garbage). Mirror of cstage emit_tuple_data.
+fn emittupledata(c: *cgen, name: str, module: str, tt: *node, rhs: *node) bool = {
+	if (tt == nil) { return false; };
+	if (rhs == nil) {
+		// #22: slot-sum via the accessor so the zero-fill matches
+		// the checker size (cstage zero-emits u->size).
+		let zsz: i32 = 0;
+		let p0: *node = tt.list;
+		for (p0 != nil) {
+			zsz += tupeslotn(p0.lhs);
+			p0 = p0.next;
+		};
+		emitline("DATAW ");
+		emitsymnamehint(c, name, module);
+		emitline("(SB),\"");
+		let zi: i32 = 0;
+		for (zi < zsz) { emitdatawbyte(0u8); zi += 1; };
+		emitline("\"\n");
+		return true;
+	};
+	if (rhs.kind != nkind.N_TUPLE) { return false; };
+	if (!tuplerowfoldable(c, tt, rhs)) { return false; };
+	emitline("DATAW ");
+	emitsymnamehint(c, name, module);
+	emitline("(SB),\"");
+	emittuplerowbytes(c, tt, rhs);
+	emitline("\"\n");
+	emittuplerowrelocs(c, name, module, false, 0, tt, rhs);
 	return true;
 };
 
diff --git a/selfhost/cmd/wcc/cgen.ww b/selfhost/cmd/wcc/cgen.ww
index b83663bf..59918ff3 100644
--- a/selfhost/cmd/wcc/cgen.ww
+++ b/selfhost/cmd/wcc/cgen.ww
@@ -2296,38 +2296,17 @@ fn emittaggeddata(c: *cgen, name: str, module: str, tt: *node, rhs: *node, sz: i
 	return true;
 };
 
-// emittupledata — module-level `let g: (T0, T1, ...) = (v0, ...);`
-// static init (C-t3, #48). Slot layout (C-t0): a scalar element is one
-// 8B LE word, a str element its 24B header slot (8 zero ptr placeholder
-// + LE len + 8 zero cap) with a DATAR patching the ptr word at the
-// element's slot offset — the per-element twin of the scalar-str-global
-// arm, offset like emitstrarraydata's rows. Elements must reduce to int
-// (foldintliteral) or str literals; anything else returns false and the
-// caller loud-stops (rule 7 — pre-C-t3 the whole definition was
-// SILENTLY skipped and reads saw garbage). rhs == nil zero-inits the
-// slot. Mirror of cstage emit_tuple_data.
-fn emittupledata(c: *cgen, name: str, module: str, tt: *node, rhs: *node) bool = {
-	if (tt == nil) { return false; };
-	if (rhs == nil) {
-		// #22: slot-sum via the accessor so the zero-fill matches
-		// the checker size (cstage zero-emits u->size).
-		let zsz: i32 = 0;
-		let p0: *node = tt.list;
-		for (p0 != nil) {
-			zsz += tupeslotn(p0.lhs);
-			p0 = p0.next;
-		};
-		emitline("DATAW ");
-		emitsymnamehint(c, name, module);
-		emitline("(SB),\"");
-		let zi: i32 = 0;
-		for (zi < zsz) { emitdatawbyte(0u8); zi += 1; };
-		emitline("\"\n");
-		return true;
-	};
-	if (rhs.kind != nkind.N_TUPLE) { return false; };
-	// Validate first (two-pass, emitarraydata precedent) so a partial
-	// row never reaches the output.
+// tuplerowfoldable — validate every cast-peeled element of `rhs` (an
+// N_TUPLE) reduces to a static row: an int literal (foldintliteral) or a
+// str literal in a str/slice slot. A tagged element slot has no
+// static-init shape (tag word + payload widening) — reject so the caller
+// loud-stops (#22a, rule 7); pre-guard an int init would have emitted one
+// 8B word into the 16B+ box (silent layout skew). The validate twin of
+// emittuplerowbytes / emittuplerowrelocs; two-pass keeps a partial row
+// out of the output (emitarraydata precedent). Factored from emittupledata
+// so the slice-of-tuple backing (#117) shares it. Mirror of cstage
+// tuple_row_foldable.
+fn tuplerowfoldable(c: *cgen, tt: *node, rhs: *node) bool = {
 	let tp: *node = tt.list;
 	let e: *node = rhs.list;
 	for (e != nil) {
@@ -2336,11 +2315,6 @@ fn emittupledata(c: *cgen, name: str, module: str, tt: *node, rhs: *node) bool =
 		let ev: *node = e;
 		for (ev != nil && ev.kind == nkind.N_CAST) { ev = ev.lhs; };
 		if (ev == nil) { return false; };
-		// #22a (rule 7): a tagged element slot has no static-init
-		// shape (tag word + payload widening) — reject so the caller
-		// loud-stops; pre-guard an int init would have emitted one
-		// 8B word into the 16B+ box (silent layout skew). Mirrors
-		// cstage emit_tuple_data.
 		{
 			let eti: *tinfo = nil;
 			if (et != nil) { eti = et.type_: *tinfo; };
@@ -2359,11 +2333,18 @@ fn emittupledata(c: *cgen, name: str, module: str, tt: *node, rhs: *node) bool =
 		e = e.next;
 		if (tp != nil) { tp = tp.next; };
 	};
-	emitline("DATAW ");
-	emitsymnamehint(c, name, module);
-	emitline("(SB),\"");
-	tp = tt.list;
-	e = rhs.list;
+	return true;
+};
+
+// emittuplerowbytes — the row's element bytes, concatenated, into the
+// currently-open DATAW quoted string (no DATAW wrapper, no sym). Slot
+// layout (C-t0): a scalar element is one 8B LE word; a str/slice element
+// its 24B header slot (8 zero ptr placeholder + LE len + 8 zero cap).
+// Caller has already proven the row foldable. Mirror of cstage
+// emit_tuple_row_bytes.
+fn emittuplerowbytes(c: *cgen, tt: *node, rhs: *node) void = {
+	let tp: *node = tt.list;
+	let e: *node = rhs.list;
 	for (e != nil) {
 		let et: *node = nil;
 		if (tp != nil) { et = tp.lhs; };
@@ -2397,10 +2378,19 @@ fn emittupledata(c: *cgen, name: str, module: str, tt: *node, rhs: *node) bool =
 		e = e.next;
 		if (tp != nil) { tp = tp.next; };
 	};
-	emitline("\"\n");
-	let foff: i32 = 0;
-	tp = tt.list;
-	e = rhs.list;
+};
+
+// emittuplerowrelocs — the row's DATAR ptr patches, at backing-relative
+// <holder>+<rowoff>+<slot>. A str element patches the ptr word with the
+// interned strlit's VA; the slot stride steps by tyslicesize/tupeslotn.
+// `backing` writes the "<sym>.d" backing label; rowoff lets a slice
+// backing place k rows contiguously (#117), emittupledata passes 0 (foff
+// matches the absolute element offset — byte-neutral). Mirror of cstage
+// emit_tuple_row_relocs.
+fn emittuplerowrelocs(c: *cgen, name: str, module: str, backing: bool, rowoff: i32, tt: *node, rhs: *node) void = {
+	let foff: i32 = rowoff;
+	let tp: *node = tt.list;
+	let e: *node = rhs.list;
 	for (e != nil) {
 		let et: *node = nil;
 		if (tp != nil) { et = tp.lhs; };
@@ -2412,6 +2402,7 @@ fn emittupledata(c: *cgen, name: str, module: str, tt: *node, rhs: *node) bool =
 				let lab: str = internstrlit(c, ev.str);
 				emitline("DATAR ");
 				emitsymnamehint(c, name, module);
+				if (backing) { emitline(".d"); };
 				emitline("+");
 				emitint(foff: i64);
 				emitline("(SB),");
@@ -2428,6 +2419,41 @@ fn emittupledata(c: *cgen, name: str, module: str, tt: *node, rhs: *node) bool =
 		e = e.next;
 		if (tp != nil) { tp = tp.next; };
 	};
+};
+
+// emittupledata — module-level `let g: (T0, T1, ...) = (v0, ...);`
+// static init (C-t3, #48). One slot-laid DATAW row (+ DATAR str-element
+// ptr patches) via the backing-relative emittuplerow helpers; rhs == nil
+// zero-inits. Unsupported element inits return false and the caller
+// loud-stops (rule 7 — pre-C-t3 the whole definition was SILENTLY skipped
+// and reads saw garbage). Mirror of cstage emit_tuple_data.
+fn emittupledata(c: *cgen, name: str, module: str, tt: *node, rhs: *node) bool = {
+	if (tt == nil) { return false; };
+	if (rhs == nil) {
+		// #22: slot-sum via the accessor so the zero-fill matches
+		// the checker size (cstage zero-emits u->size).
+		let zsz: i32 = 0;
+		let p0: *node = tt.list;
+		for (p0 != nil) {
+			zsz += tupeslotn(p0.lhs);
+			p0 = p0.next;
+		};
+		emitline("DATAW ");
+		emitsymnamehint(c, name, module);
+		emitline("(SB),\"");
+		let zi: i32 = 0;
+		for (zi < zsz) { emitdatawbyte(0u8); zi += 1; };
+		emitline("\"\n");
+		return true;
+	};
+	if (rhs.kind != nkind.N_TUPLE) { return false; };
+	if (!tuplerowfoldable(c, tt, rhs)) { return false; };
+	emitline("DATAW ");
+	emitsymnamehint(c, name, module);
+	emitline("(SB),\"");
+	emittuplerowbytes(c, tt, rhs);
+	emitline("\"\n");
+	emittuplerowrelocs(c, name, module, false, 0, tt, rhs);
 	return true;
 };
 
diff --git a/selfhost/cmd/wwdump/main.combined.ww b/selfhost/cmd/wwdump/main.combined.ww
index dcffb2b1..4ff6954d 100644
--- a/selfhost/cmd/wwdump/main.combined.ww
+++ b/selfhost/cmd/wwdump/main.combined.ww
@@ -39850,38 +39850,17 @@ fn emittaggeddata(c: *cgen, name: str, module: str, tt: *node, rhs: *node, sz: i
 	return true;
 };
 
-// emittupledata — module-level `let g: (T0, T1, ...) = (v0, ...);`
-// static init (C-t3, #48). Slot layout (C-t0): a scalar element is one
-// 8B LE word, a str element its 24B header slot (8 zero ptr placeholder
-// + LE len + 8 zero cap) with a DATAR patching the ptr word at the
-// element's slot offset — the per-element twin of the scalar-str-global
-// arm, offset like emitstrarraydata's rows. Elements must reduce to int
-// (foldintliteral) or str literals; anything else returns false and the
-// caller loud-stops (rule 7 — pre-C-t3 the whole definition was
-// SILENTLY skipped and reads saw garbage). rhs == nil zero-inits the
-// slot. Mirror of cstage emit_tuple_data.
-fn emittupledata(c: *cgen, name: str, module: str, tt: *node, rhs: *node) bool = {
-	if (tt == nil) { return false; };
-	if (rhs == nil) {
-		// #22: slot-sum via the accessor so the zero-fill matches
-		// the checker size (cstage zero-emits u->size).
-		let zsz: i32 = 0;
-		let p0: *node = tt.list;
-		for (p0 != nil) {
-			zsz += tupeslotn(p0.lhs);
-			p0 = p0.next;
-		};
-		emitline("DATAW ");
-		emitsymnamehint(c, name, module);
-		emitline("(SB),\"");
-		let zi: i32 = 0;
-		for (zi < zsz) { emitdatawbyte(0u8); zi += 1; };
-		emitline("\"\n");
-		return true;
-	};
-	if (rhs.kind != nkind.N_TUPLE) { return false; };
-	// Validate first (two-pass, emitarraydata precedent) so a partial
-	// row never reaches the output.
+// tuplerowfoldable — validate every cast-peeled element of `rhs` (an
+// N_TUPLE) reduces to a static row: an int literal (foldintliteral) or a
+// str literal in a str/slice slot. A tagged element slot has no
+// static-init shape (tag word + payload widening) — reject so the caller
+// loud-stops (#22a, rule 7); pre-guard an int init would have emitted one
+// 8B word into the 16B+ box (silent layout skew). The validate twin of
+// emittuplerowbytes / emittuplerowrelocs; two-pass keeps a partial row
+// out of the output (emitarraydata precedent). Factored from emittupledata
+// so the slice-of-tuple backing (#117) shares it. Mirror of cstage
+// tuple_row_foldable.
+fn tuplerowfoldable(c: *cgen, tt: *node, rhs: *node) bool = {
 	let tp: *node = tt.list;
 	let e: *node = rhs.list;
 	for (e != nil) {
@@ -39890,11 +39869,6 @@ fn emittupledata(c: *cgen, name: str, module: str, tt: *node, rhs: *node) bool =
 		let ev: *node = e;
 		for (ev != nil && ev.kind == nkind.N_CAST) { ev = ev.lhs; };
 		if (ev == nil) { return false; };
-		// #22a (rule 7): a tagged element slot has no static-init
-		// shape (tag word + payload widening) — reject so the caller
-		// loud-stops; pre-guard an int init would have emitted one
-		// 8B word into the 16B+ box (silent layout skew). Mirrors
-		// cstage emit_tuple_data.
 		{
 			let eti: *tinfo = nil;
 			if (et != nil) { eti = et.type_: *tinfo; };
@@ -39913,11 +39887,18 @@ fn emittupledata(c: *cgen, name: str, module: str, tt: *node, rhs: *node) bool =
 		e = e.next;
 		if (tp != nil) { tp = tp.next; };
 	};
-	emitline("DATAW ");
-	emitsymnamehint(c, name, module);
-	emitline("(SB),\"");
-	tp = tt.list;
-	e = rhs.list;
+	return true;
+};
+
+// emittuplerowbytes — the row's element bytes, concatenated, into the
+// currently-open DATAW quoted string (no DATAW wrapper, no sym). Slot
+// layout (C-t0): a scalar element is one 8B LE word; a str/slice element
+// its 24B header slot (8 zero ptr placeholder + LE len + 8 zero cap).
+// Caller has already proven the row foldable. Mirror of cstage
+// emit_tuple_row_bytes.
+fn emittuplerowbytes(c: *cgen, tt: *node, rhs: *node) void = {
+	let tp: *node = tt.list;
+	let e: *node = rhs.list;
 	for (e != nil) {
 		let et: *node = nil;
 		if (tp != nil) { et = tp.lhs; };
@@ -39951,10 +39932,19 @@ fn emittupledata(c: *cgen, name: str, module: str, tt: *node, rhs: *node) bool =
 		e = e.next;
 		if (tp != nil) { tp = tp.next; };
 	};
-	emitline("\"\n");
-	let foff: i32 = 0;
-	tp = tt.list;
-	e = rhs.list;
+};
+
+// emittuplerowrelocs — the row's DATAR ptr patches, at backing-relative
+// <holder>+<rowoff>+<slot>. A str element patches the ptr word with the
+// interned strlit's VA; the slot stride steps by tyslicesize/tupeslotn.
+// `backing` writes the "<sym>.d" backing label; rowoff lets a slice
+// backing place k rows contiguously (#117), emittupledata passes 0 (foff
+// matches the absolute element offset — byte-neutral). Mirror of cstage
+// emit_tuple_row_relocs.
+fn emittuplerowrelocs(c: *cgen, name: str, module: str, backing: bool, rowoff: i32, tt: *node, rhs: *node) void = {
+	let foff: i32 = rowoff;
+	let tp: *node = tt.list;
+	let e: *node = rhs.list;
 	for (e != nil) {
 		let et: *node = nil;
 		if (tp != nil) { et = tp.lhs; };
@@ -39966,6 +39956,7 @@ fn emittupledata(c: *cgen, name: str, module: str, tt: *node, rhs: *node) bool =
 				let lab: str = internstrlit(c, ev.str);
 				emitline("DATAR ");
 				emitsymnamehint(c, name, module);
+				if (backing) { emitline(".d"); };
 				emitline("+");
 				emitint(foff: i64);
 				emitline("(SB),");
@@ -39982,6 +39973,41 @@ fn emittupledata(c: *cgen, name: str, module: str, tt: *node, rhs: *node) bool =
 		e = e.next;
 		if (tp != nil) { tp = tp.next; };
 	};
+};
+
+// emittupledata — module-level `let g: (T0, T1, ...) = (v0, ...);`
+// static init (C-t3, #48). One slot-laid DATAW row (+ DATAR str-element
+// ptr patches) via the backing-relative emittuplerow helpers; rhs == nil
+// zero-inits. Unsupported element inits return false and the caller
+// loud-stops (rule 7 — pre-C-t3 the whole definition was SILENTLY skipped
+// and reads saw garbage). Mirror of cstage emit_tuple_data.
+fn emittupledata(c: *cgen, name: str, module: str, tt: *node, rhs: *node) bool = {
+	if (tt == nil) { return false; };
+	if (rhs == nil) {
+		// #22: slot-sum via the accessor so the zero-fill matches
+		// the checker size (cstage zero-emits u->size).
+		let zsz: i32 = 0;
+		let p0: *node = tt.list;
+		for (p0 != nil) {
+			zsz += tupeslotn(p0.lhs);
+			p0 = p0.next;
+		};
+		emitline("DATAW ");
+		emitsymnamehint(c, name, module);
+		emitline("(SB),\"");
+		let zi: i32 = 0;
+		for (zi < zsz) { emitdatawbyte(0u8); zi += 1; };
+		emitline("\"\n");
+		return true;
+	};
+	if (rhs.kind != nkind.N_TUPLE) { return false; };
+	if (!tuplerowfoldable(c, tt, rhs)) { return false; };
+	emitline("DATAW ");
+	emitsymnamehint(c, name, module);
+	emitline("(SB),\"");
+	emittuplerowbytes(c, tt, rhs);
+	emitline("\"\n");
+	emittuplerowrelocs(c, name, module, false, 0, tt, rhs);
 	return true;
 };