diff --git a/examples/comptime/0650-comptime-make-variant.sx b/examples/comptime/0650-comptime-make-variant.sx
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..ed01082d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/comptime/0650-comptime-make-variant.sx
@@ -0,0 +1,63 @@
+// `make_variant($E, idx, payload)` (modules/std/meta.sx) — the WRITE side of the
+// metatype reflection triad: construct a value of a MINTED tagged-union by
+// VARIANT INDEX, when the variant is chosen at runtime and the union was
+// synthesized at comptime (so its labels can't be a literal `.label(…)`). This
+// is the shape the `race` result uses: an `inline for 0..N (i)` arm builds the
+// i-th variant of a synthesized result carrying the winner's value.
+//
+// Covers heterogeneous + COMPLEX payloads (multi-field struct, string fat
+// pointer, a larger struct, scalar) — make_variant zeroes the value then writes
+// the i64 tag @0 and the payload @ size_of(i64), so payloads of any size/shape
+// round-trip. Built with the natural early-return-per-arm pattern (a `return`
+// inside an `inline if` inside an `inline for`).
+#import "modules/std.sx";
+#import "modules/std/meta.sx";
+
+Vec3 :: struct { x: f64; y: f64; z: f64; }                    // 24 bytes
+Big  :: struct { a: i64; b: i64; c: i64; d: i64; tag: bool; } // 40 bytes (largest payload)
+
+// A synthesized 4-variant tagged-union with complex, differently-sized payloads.
+R :: make_enum("R", .[
+    EnumVariant.{ name = "v",   payload = Vec3   },
+    EnumVariant.{ name = "s",   payload = string },
+    EnumVariant.{ name = "big", payload = Big    },
+    EnumVariant.{ name = "n",   payload = i64    },
+]);
+
+// Build the variant chosen by a RUNTIME index, in the matching unrolled arm —
+// each arm's payload type differs. The `return` inside the `inline if` inside the
+// `inline for` is the pattern make_variant exists to enable.
+pick :: (idx: i64, vv: Vec3, sv: string, bv: Big, nv: i64) -> R {
+    inline for 0..field_count(R) (i) {
+        if idx == i {
+            // Comptime match on the loop cursor `i` selects the arm whose payload
+            // type matches variant `i` — cleaner than nested `inline if`/`else`.
+            inline if i == {
+                case 0: { return make_variant(R, i, vv); }
+                case 1: { return make_variant(R, i, sv); }
+                case 2: { return make_variant(R, i, bv); }
+                else:   { return make_variant(R, i, nv); }
+            }
+        }
+    }
+    return make_variant(R, 3, -1);   // unreachable for a valid idx
+}
+
+show :: (r: R) {
+    if r == {
+        case .v:   (p) { print("v = {} {} {}\n", p.x, p.y, p.z); }
+        case .s:   (p) { print("s = {}\n", p); }
+        case .big: (p) { print("big = {} {} {} {} {}\n", p.a, p.b, p.c, p.d, p.tag); }
+        case .n:   (p) { print("n = {}\n", p); }
+    }
+}
+
+main :: () -> i32 {
+    v :: Vec3.{ x = 1.5, y = 2.5, z = 3.5 };
+    b :: Big.{ a = 10, b = 20, c = 30, d = 40, tag = true };
+    show(pick(0, v, "hello", b, 99));
+    show(pick(1, v, "hello", b, 99));
+    show(pick(2, v, "hello", b, 99));
+    show(pick(3, v, "hello", b, 99));
+    return 0;
+}
diff --git a/examples/comptime/expected/0650-comptime-make-variant.exit b/examples/comptime/expected/0650-comptime-make-variant.exit
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..573541ac
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/comptime/expected/0650-comptime-make-variant.exit
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+0
diff --git a/examples/comptime/expected/0650-comptime-make-variant.stderr b/examples/comptime/expected/0650-comptime-make-variant.stderr
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..8b137891
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/comptime/expected/0650-comptime-make-variant.stderr
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+
diff --git a/examples/comptime/expected/0650-comptime-make-variant.stdout b/examples/comptime/expected/0650-comptime-make-variant.stdout
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..cf10ed24
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/comptime/expected/0650-comptime-make-variant.stdout
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+v = 1.500000 2.500000 3.500000
+s = hello
+big = 10 20 30 40 true
+n = 99
diff --git a/library/modules/std/meta.sx b/library/modules/std/meta.sx
index c030c6f9..484eb461 100644
--- a/library/modules/std/meta.sx
+++ b/library/modules/std/meta.sx
@@ -195,3 +195,34 @@ TryResult :: ($T: Type) -> Type {
         EnumVariant.{ name = "closed", payload = void },
     ] }));
 }
+
+// ── Constructing a minted tagged-union VALUE by variant index ─────────────────
+//
+// The read side reflects a type's members (`field_count`/`field_name`/
+// `field_type`) and a value's active payload (`field_value`); `make_variant` is
+// the missing WRITE side. It builds a value of a MINTED tagged-union `E` (one
+// made by `make_enum` / `define(declare, .enum(...))`) whose active variant is
+// `idx`, carrying `payload`. Needed when the variant is selected at RUNTIME but
+// the union was synthesized at comptime so its labels can't be spelled as a
+// literal `.label(payload)` — e.g. the `race` result: an `inline for 0..N (i)`
+// arm constructs the i-th variant of a synthesized `RaceResult`.
+//
+// LAYOUT COUPLING — MINTED ENUMS ONLY: a minted tagged-union is laid out
+// `{ i64 tag @0, payload bytes @ size_of(i64) }` (its `tag_type` is always `i64`
+// — the compiler's `declare`/`define` path fixes it). `make_variant` writes that
+// layout directly. It is NOT valid for a source `enum { … }` whose tag may be
+// narrower, nor for a `#packed`-backed union — spell those with a literal
+// `.label(…)`. Contract (caller-guaranteed, no runtime check, like any raw
+// construction): `0 <= idx < field_count(E)`, and `payload`'s type IS variant
+// `idx`'s payload type. `payload` must be non-void (a payload-less variant has
+// no value to carry — match it by tag).
+make_variant :: ($E: Type, idx: i64, payload: $P) -> E {
+    out : E = ---;
+    base : i64 = xx @out;
+    memset(xx base, 0, size_of(E));             // clear tag padding + unused payload bytes
+    tag_ptr : *i64 = xx base;
+    tag_ptr.* = idx;                            // tag @ offset 0 (i64)
+    pay_ptr : *P = xx (base + size_of(i64));    // payload @ offset size_of(i64) (after the tag)
+    pay_ptr.* = payload;
+    return out;
+}