diff --git a/CHANGES.md b/CHANGES.md
--- a/CHANGES.md
+++ b/CHANGES.md
@@ -22,8 +22,24 @@
 See also the hledger changelog.
 
 
-# 2024-12-09 1.41
+# 2025-03-07 1.42
 
+Fixes
+
+- `a` key: don't pass initial CLI arguments to `add`. [#2313]
+
+Improvements
+
+- Allow vty 6.3.
+
+- Allow brick 2.8.
+
+Docs
+
+- Manual: remove obsolete mentions of COLUMNS. [#2340]
+
+# 1.41 2024-12-09
+
 Breaking changes
 
 - When built with ghc 9.10.1, error messages are displayed with two extra trailing newlines.
@@ -66,6 +82,7 @@
 
 - Mention that period navigation uses standard periods [#2293]
 - Install, manual: new shell completions doc. [#986]
+
 
 
 # 1.40 2024-09-09
diff --git a/Hledger/UI/AccountsScreen.hs b/Hledger/UI/AccountsScreen.hs
--- a/Hledger/UI/AccountsScreen.hs
+++ b/Hledger/UI/AccountsScreen.hs
@@ -245,7 +245,7 @@
     VtyEvent (EvKey k           []) | k `elem` [KBS, KDel] -> modify' (resetFilter >>> regenerateScreens j d)
 
     -- run external programs:
-    VtyEvent (EvKey (KChar 'a') []) -> suspendAndResume $ clearScreen >> setCursorPosition 0 0 >> add copts j >> uiReloadJournalIfChanged copts d j ui
+    VtyEvent (EvKey (KChar 'a') []) -> suspendAndResume $ clearScreen >> setCursorPosition 0 0 >> add (cliOptsDropArgs copts) j >> uiReloadJournalIfChanged copts d j ui
     VtyEvent (EvKey (KChar 'A') []) -> suspendAndResume $ void (runIadd (journalFilePath j)) >> uiReloadJournalIfChanged copts d j ui
     VtyEvent (EvKey (KChar 'E') []) -> suspendAndResume $ void (runEditor endPosition (journalFilePath j)) >> uiReloadJournalIfChanged copts d j ui
 
diff --git a/Hledger/UI/MenuScreen.hs b/Hledger/UI/MenuScreen.hs
--- a/Hledger/UI/MenuScreen.hs
+++ b/Hledger/UI/MenuScreen.hs
@@ -158,7 +158,7 @@
             e | e `elem` [VtyEvent (EvKey (KChar 'g') []), AppEvent FileChange] ->
               liftIO (uiReloadJournal copts d ui) >>= put'
             VtyEvent (EvKey (KChar 'I') []) -> put' $ uiCheckBalanceAssertions d (toggleIgnoreBalanceAssertions ui)
-            VtyEvent (EvKey (KChar 'a') []) -> suspendAndResume $ clearScreen >> setCursorPosition 0 0 >> add copts j >> uiReloadJournalIfChanged copts d j ui
+            VtyEvent (EvKey (KChar 'a') []) -> suspendAndResume $ clearScreen >> setCursorPosition 0 0 >> add (cliOptsDropArgs copts) j >> uiReloadJournalIfChanged copts d j ui
             VtyEvent (EvKey (KChar 'A') []) -> suspendAndResume $ void (runIadd (journalFilePath j)) >> uiReloadJournalIfChanged copts d j ui
             VtyEvent (EvKey (KChar 'E') []) -> suspendAndResume $ void (runEditor endPosition (journalFilePath j)) >> uiReloadJournalIfChanged copts d j ui
 
diff --git a/Hledger/UI/RegisterScreen.hs b/Hledger/UI/RegisterScreen.hs
--- a/Hledger/UI/RegisterScreen.hs
+++ b/Hledger/UI/RegisterScreen.hs
@@ -249,7 +249,7 @@
               liftIO (uiReloadJournal copts d ui) >>= put'
 
             VtyEvent (EvKey (KChar 'I') []) -> put' $ uiCheckBalanceAssertions d (toggleIgnoreBalanceAssertions ui)
-            VtyEvent (EvKey (KChar 'a') []) -> suspendAndResume $ clearScreen >> setCursorPosition 0 0 >> add copts j >> uiReloadJournalIfChanged copts d j ui
+            VtyEvent (EvKey (KChar 'a') []) -> suspendAndResume $ clearScreen >> setCursorPosition 0 0 >> add (cliOptsDropArgs copts) j >> uiReloadJournalIfChanged copts d j ui
             VtyEvent (EvKey (KChar 'A') []) -> suspendAndResume $ void (runIadd (journalFilePath j)) >> uiReloadJournalIfChanged copts d j ui
             VtyEvent (EvKey (KChar 'T') []) -> put' $ regenerateScreens j d $ setReportPeriod (DayPeriod d) ui
             VtyEvent (EvKey (KChar 'E') []) -> suspendAndResume $ void (runEditor pos f) >> uiReloadJournalIfChanged copts d j ui
diff --git a/hledger-ui.1 b/hledger-ui.1
--- a/hledger-ui.1
+++ b/hledger-ui.1
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 
-.TH "HLEDGER\-UI" "1" "October 2024" "hledger-ui-1.41 " "hledger User Manuals"
+.TH "HLEDGER\-UI" "1" "March 2025" "hledger-ui-1.42 " "hledger User Manuals"
 
 
 
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@
 .PD
 \f[CR]hledger ui \-\- [OPTS] [QUERYARGS]\f[R]
 .SH DESCRIPTION
-This manual is for hledger\[aq]s terminal interface, version 1.41.
+This manual is for hledger\[aq]s terminal interface, version 1.42.
 See also the hledger manual for common concepts and file formats.
 .PP
 hledger is a robust, user\-friendly, cross\-platform set of programs for
@@ -458,9 +458,6 @@
 If you are viewing files mounted from another machine, the system clocks
 on both machines should be roughly in agreement.
 .SH ENVIRONMENT
-\f[B]COLUMNS\f[R] The screen width to use.
-Default: the full terminal width.
-.PP
 \f[B]LEDGER_FILE\f[R] The main journal file to use when not specified
 with \f[CR]\-f/\-\-file\f[R].
 Default: \f[CR]$HOME/.hledger.journal\f[R].
diff --git a/hledger-ui.cabal b/hledger-ui.cabal
--- a/hledger-ui.cabal
+++ b/hledger-ui.cabal
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 -- see: https://github.com/sol/hpack
 
 name:           hledger-ui
-version:        1.41
+version:        1.42
 synopsis:       Terminal interface for the hledger accounting system
 description:    A simple terminal user interface for the hledger accounting system.
                 It can be a more convenient way to browse your accounts than the CLI.
@@ -73,12 +73,12 @@
   hs-source-dirs:
       ./
   ghc-options: -Wall -Wno-incomplete-uni-patterns -Wno-missing-signatures -Wno-orphans -Wno-type-defaults -Wno-unused-do-bind
-  cpp-options: -DVERSION="1.41" -DVERSION="1.41"
+  cpp-options: -DVERSION="1.42" -DVERSION="1.42"
   build-depends:
       ansi-terminal >=0.9
     , async
     , base >=4.14 && <4.21
-    , brick >=2.1.1 && <2.3.2 || >2.3.2 && <2.7
+    , brick >=2.1.1 && <2.3.2 || >2.3.2 && <2.9
     , cmdargs >=0.8
     , containers >=0.5.9
     , data-default
@@ -88,8 +88,8 @@
     , filepath
     , fsnotify ==0.4.*
     , githash >=0.1.6.2
-    , hledger ==1.41.*
-    , hledger-lib ==1.41.*
+    , hledger ==1.42.*
+    , hledger-lib ==1.42.*
     , megaparsec >=7.0.0 && <9.8
     , microlens >=0.4
     , microlens-platform >=0.2.3.1
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@
     , time >=1.5
     , transformers
     , vector
-    , vty >=6.1 && <6.3
+    , vty >=6.1 && <6.4
     , vty-crossplatform >=0.4.0.0 && <0.5.0.0
   default-language: Haskell2010
   if (flag(debug))
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@
   hs-source-dirs:
       app
   ghc-options: -Wall -Wno-incomplete-uni-patterns -Wno-missing-signatures -Wno-orphans -Wno-type-defaults -Wno-unused-do-bind
-  cpp-options: -DVERSION="1.41"
+  cpp-options: -DVERSION="1.42"
   build-depends:
       base >=4.14 && <4.21
     , hledger-ui
diff --git a/hledger-ui.info b/hledger-ui.info
--- a/hledger-ui.info
+++ b/hledger-ui.info
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-This is hledger-ui.info, produced by makeinfo version 7.1.1 from stdin.
+This is hledger-ui.info, produced by makeinfo version 7.2 from stdin.
 
 INFO-DIR-SECTION User Applications
 START-INFO-DIR-ENTRY
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@
 or
 'hledger ui -- [OPTS] [QUERYARGS]'
 
-   This manual is for hledger's terminal interface, version 1.41.  See
+   This manual is for hledger's terminal interface, version 1.42.  See
 also the hledger manual for common concepts and file formats.
 
    hledger is a robust, user-friendly, cross-platform set of programs
@@ -514,9 +514,7 @@
 6 ENVIRONMENT
 *************
 
-*COLUMNS* The screen width to use.  Default: the full terminal width.
-
-   *LEDGER_FILE* The main journal file to use when not specified with
+*LEDGER_FILE* The main journal file to use when not specified with
 '-f/--file'.  Default: '$HOME/.hledger.journal'.
 
 
@@ -543,22 +541,22 @@
 
 
 Tag Table:
-Node: Top223
-Node: OPTIONS1872
-Node: MOUSE8546
-Node: KEYS8878
-Node: SCREENS13882
-Node: Menu screen14622
-Node: Cash accounts screen14938
-Node: Balance sheet accounts screen15299
-Node: Income statement accounts screen15635
-Node: All accounts screen16020
-Node: Register screen16383
-Node: Transaction screen18826
-Node: Error screen20401
-Node: WATCH MODE20767
-Node: ENVIRONMENT22343
-Node: BUGS22650
+Node: Top221
+Node: OPTIONS1870
+Node: MOUSE8544
+Node: KEYS8876
+Node: SCREENS13880
+Node: Menu screen14620
+Node: Cash accounts screen14936
+Node: Balance sheet accounts screen15297
+Node: Income statement accounts screen15633
+Node: All accounts screen16018
+Node: Register screen16381
+Node: Transaction screen18824
+Node: Error screen20399
+Node: WATCH MODE20765
+Node: ENVIRONMENT22341
+Node: BUGS22574
 
 End Tag Table
 
diff --git a/hledger-ui.txt b/hledger-ui.txt
--- a/hledger-ui.txt
+++ b/hledger-ui.txt
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
        hledger ui -- [OPTS] [QUERYARGS]
 
 DESCRIPTION
-       This manual is for hledger's terminal  interface,  version  1.41.   See
+       This manual is for hledger's terminal  interface,  version  1.42.   See
        also the hledger manual for common concepts and file formats.
 
        hledger  is a robust, user-friendly, cross-platform set of programs for
@@ -412,8 +412,6 @@
        clocks on both machines should be roughly in agreement.
 
 ENVIRONMENT
-       COLUMNS The screen width to use.  Default: the full terminal width.
-
        LEDGER_FILE The main journal  file  to  use  when  not  specified  with
        -f/--file.  Default: $HOME/.hledger.journal.
 
@@ -452,4 +450,4 @@
 SEE ALSO
        hledger(1), hledger-ui(1), hledger-web(1), ledger(1)
 
-hledger-ui-1.41                  October 2024                    HLEDGER-UI(1)
+hledger-ui-1.42                   March 2025                     HLEDGER-UI(1)
