diff --git a/bfloat16.tal b/bfloat16.tal
index 43bb380..7358854 100644
--- a/bfloat16.tal
+++ b/bfloat16.tal
@@ -277,29 +277,24 @@
 (   9. x*2^p < y*2^p if x < y         )
 @lt-bf16 ( x* y* -> bool^ )
     ,&y STR2 ,&x STR2
-    DUP2 ;non-nan JSR2 STH SWP2 ( is y not nan? )
-    DUP2 ;non-nan JSR2 STH SWP2 ( is x not nan? )
-    STH2r ORA ,&not-nan JCN ( is either x or y not nan? )
-    POP2 POP2 #00 JMP2r ( else return false )
+    ,&y LDR2 ;non-nan JSR2 ( is y not nan? )
+    ,&x LDR2 ;non-nan JSR2 ( is x not nan? )
+    ORA ,&not-nan JCN #00 JMP2r ( false if x and y are nan )
     &not-nan
-    DUP2 ;non-zero JSR2 STH SWP2 ( is y non-zero? )
-    DUP2 ;non-zero JSR2 STH SWP2 ( is x non-zero? )
-    STH2r ORA ,&not-zero JCN ( both x and y non-zero? )
-    POP2 POP2 #00 JMP2r
+    ,&y ;non-zero JSR2 ( is y non-zero? )
+    ,&x ;non-zero JSR2 ( is x non-zero? )
+    ORA ,&not-zero JCN #00 JMP2r ( false if x and y are zero )
     &not-zero
-    DUP2 ;sign JSR2 STH SWP2
-    DUP2 ;sign JSR2 STH SWP2
-    STH2r EQUk ,&same-sign JCN
-    GTH STH POP2 POP2 STHr JMP2r
+    ,&x LDR2 ;sign JSR2 ( sign of x )
+    ,&y LDR2 ;sign JSR2 ( sign of y )
+    EQUk ,&same-sign JCN GTH JMP2r ( return unless signs are eq )
     [ &x $2 &y $2 ]
-    &same-sign
-    DUP2 ;exponent JSR2 STH SWP2
-    DUP2 ;exponent JSR2 STH SWP2
-    STH2r EQUk ,&exp-eq JCN
-    LTH STH POP2 POP2 STHr JMP2r
-    &exp-eq
-    POP2
-    ;mantissa JSR2 STH
-    ;exponent JSR2 STHr
-    LTH JMP2r
+    &same-sign POP
+    ,&x LDR2 ;exponent JSR2 ( exponent of x )
+    ,&y LDR2 ;exponent JSR2 ( exponent of y )
+    EQUk ,&exp-eq JCN LTH JMP2r ( return ex < ey unless exps are eq )
+    &exp-eq POP
+    ,&x LDR2 ;mantissa JSR2 ( mantissa of x )
+    ,&y LDR2 ;exponent JSR2 ( mantissa of y )
+    LTH JMP2r ( mx < my )
     
\ No newline at end of file