diff --git a/hoax.tal b/hoax.tal
index 6b18e84..868c4c9 100644
--- a/hoax.tal
+++ b/hoax.tal
@@ -86,7 +86,6 @@
 (             "abcd"   7 bytes                                       )
 (            "abcde"  12 bytes                                       )
 
-( TODO: symbols should display as barewords by default )
 ( TODO: special case empty string? )
 
 %NL { #0a18 DEO }
@@ -139,10 +138,14 @@
     #34 #1234 STH2r ;make-obj JSR2 D
     #0003 ;u16-to-num JSR2 null ;cons JSR2 STH2k D
     #0002 ;u16-to-num JSR2 STH2r ;cons JSR2 STH2k D
-    #0001 ;u16-to-num JSR2 STH2r ;cons JSR2 D
+    #0001 ;u16-to-num JSR2 STH2r ;cons JSR2 STH2k D
     #13 LIT2 "ab LIT2 "c 00 ;make-obj JSR2 D
     #23 LIT2 "ab LIT2 "c 00 ;make-obj JSR2 D
     #24 LIT2 "ab LIT2 "c 00 ;make-obj JSR2 D
+    STH2kr ;emit/short JSR2 NL
+    STH2kr D
+    STH2kr ;len JSR2 D
+    STH2r ;cdr JSR2 ;len JSR2 D
     JMP2r
 
 @emit
@@ -166,9 +169,9 @@
     (     obj  = (addr - arenas) / 5   )
     (     addr = (obj * 5) + arenas    )
     ;arenas #0005 DIV2 #0005 MUL2 ;arenas EQU2 ,&ok JCN
-        ;echo JSR2 "invalid 20 "arenas 20 "( 00
+        ;echo JSR2 "invalid 20 "arenas 20 28 00
         ;arenas ;emit/short JSR2
-        ;echo JSR2 ") 20 "not 20 "divisible 20 "by 20 "5 0a 00
+        ;echo JSR2 29 20 "not 20 "divisible 20 "by 20 "5 0a 00
         EXIT
     &ok
         ( allocate 8192 5-byte object slots )
@@ -178,11 +181,7 @@
         ;buffer/input ;buffer/pos STA2
     JMP2r
 
-@buffer
-    &pos $2 &input $80
-(    &x-pos $2 &x $40
-    &y-pos $2 &y $40
-    &z-pos $2 &z $40 )
+@buffer [ &pos $2 &input $80 ]
 
 @error ( -> )
     #0000 DIV ( TODO )
@@ -247,11 +246,11 @@
     &escape #5c18 DEO #7818 DEO ;emit/byte JMP2
 
 ( shared by strings/symbols )
-@display0-chars ( addr* -> )
+@display0-sym ( addr* -> )
     LDAk #0f AND DUP #05 LTH ,&short JCN
         INC2 LDAk ,display0-char JSR ( addr+1 )
         INC2 LDAk ,display0-char JSR ( addr+2 )
-        INC2 LDA2 ;obj-to-addr JSR2 ,display0-chars JMP          
+        INC2 LDA2 ;obj-to-addr JSR2 ,display0-sym JMP
     &short
         #00 SWP SUB STH INC2    ( addr+1 [-len] )
     &loop                       ( pos [-i] )
@@ -259,36 +258,36 @@
         INC2 INCr               ( pos+1 [-i+1] )
         STHkr ,&loop JCN        ( pos+1 [-i+1] )
         POP2 POPr JMP2r         ( )
+
 @display0-str ( addr* -> )
-    #2218 DEO ;display0-chars JSR2 #2218 DEO JMP2r
-@display0-sym ( addr* -> )
-    #2718 DEO ;display0-chars JSR2 JMP2r
+    #2218 DEO ;display0-sym JSR2 #2218 DEO JMP2r
 
 @display0-lst ( addr* -> )
-    INC2 LDA2k     ( addr+1* head$ )
-    SWP2 INC2 INC2 ( head$ addr+3* )
-    LDA2 SWP2      ( tail$ head$ )
-    LIT "( #18 DEO ( tail$ head$ )
-    ;display0 JSR2 ( tail$ )
+    INC2 LDA2k                  ( addr+1* head$ )
+    SWP2 INC2 INC2              ( head$ addr+3* )
+    LDA2 SWP2                   ( tail$ head$ )
+    LIT 28 #18 DEO              ( tail$ head$ )
+    ;display0 JSR2              ( tail$ )
     ;echo JSR2 20 ". 20 00
     ;display0 JSR2
-    LIT ") #18 DEO JMP2r
+    LIT 29 #18 DEO JMP2r
 
-@read-object ( ref$ -> tag^ ohi* olo* )
+@read-object ( ref$ -> tag^ ohi$ olo$ )
+    ORAk #00 EQU ,&error JCN
     OVR #c0 AND ,&error JCN
-        ;obj-to-addr JSR2 ( addr )
-        STH2k LDA ( tag^ [addr] )
-        INC2r STH2kr LDA2 ( tag^ ohi* [addr+1] )
-        INC2r INC2r STH2r LDA2 ( tag^ ohi* olo* )
+        ;obj-to-addr JSR2       ( addr )
+        STH2k LDA               ( tag^ [addr] )
+        INC2r STH2kr LDA2       ( tag^ ohi$ [addr+1] )
+        INC2r INC2r STH2r LDA2  ( tag^ ohi$ olo$ )
         JMP2r
     &error
         POP2 ;error JMP2
 
-@byte-to-bool ( x^ -> bool$ )
-    #5ffe   ( x 5f fe )
-    ROT     ( 5f fe x )
-    #00 NEQ ( 5f fe 0-or-1 )
-    ORA     ( 5f fe-or-ff )
+@byte-to-bool                   ( x^ -> bool$ )
+    #5ffe                       ( x 5f fe )
+    ROT                         ( 5f fe x )
+    #00 NEQ                     ( 5f fe 0-or-1 )
+    ORA                         ( 5f fe-or-ff )
     JMP2r
 
 @u16-to-num ( x* -> num$ )
@@ -303,18 +302,18 @@
     #0005 MUL2 ;objects ADD2 JMP2r
 
 @make ( tag^ -> addr* )
-    ;objects LDA2 ( tag^ arena* )
-    ;alloc JSR2   ( tag^ addr* )
-    STH2k STA     ( [addr*] )
-    STH2r JMP2r   ( addr* )
+    ;objects LDA2               ( tag^ arena* )
+    ;alloc JSR2                 ( tag^ addr* )
+    STH2k STA                   ( [addr*] )
+    STH2r JMP2r                 ( addr* )
 
-@make-obj ( tag^ ohi* olo* -> object$ )
-    ;objects LDA2           ( tag^ ohi* olo* arena* )
-    ;alloc JSR2             ( tag^ ohi* olo* addr* )
-    STH2k #0003 ADD2 STA2   ( tag^ ohi* [addr*] ; addr+3<-olo )
-    STH2kr INC2 STA2        ( tag^ [addr*]      ; addr+1<-ohi )
-    STH2kr STA              ( [addr*]           ; addr<-tag )
-    STH2r ;addr-to-obj JMP2 ( object$ )
+@make-obj ( tag^ ohi$ olo$ -> object$ )
+    ;objects LDA2               ( tag^ ohi$ olo$ arena* )
+    ;alloc JSR2                 ( tag^ ohi$ olo$ addr* )
+    STH2k #0003 ADD2 STA2       ( tag^ ohi$ [addr*] ; addr+3<-olo )
+    STH2kr INC2 STA2            ( tag^ [addr*]      ; addr+1<-ohi )
+    STH2kr STA                  ( [addr*]           ; addr<-tag )
+    STH2r ;addr-to-obj JMP2     ( object$ )
 
 @get-type ( ref$ -> type^ )
              DUP2 #0000 NEQ2 ,&not-nul JCN POP2 #00 JMP2r
@@ -325,6 +324,12 @@
     &not-tal DUP2 #4000 LTH2 ,&not-sym JCN POP2 #10 JMP2r
     &not-sym ;read-object JSR2 POP2 POP2 #f0 AND JMP2r
 
+@assert-cons ( ref$ -> )
+    DUP2 #c000 AND2 ,&not-obj JCN    ( ref$ )
+    DUP2 ;read-object JSR2 POP2 POP2 ( ref$ tag^ )
+    #f0 AND ,&not-obj JCN JMP2r      ( ref$ )
+    &not-obj POP2 ;error JMP2        ( ref$ )
+
 @builtins
 
 @null?     ( r$ -> bool$ ) #0000 EQU2 ;byte-to-bool JMP2
@@ -337,26 +342,59 @@
 @bool?     ( r$ -> bool$ ) ;get-type JSR2 #50 EQU ;byte-to-bool JMP2
 @tal?      ( r$ -> bool$ ) ;get-type JSR2 #60 EQU ;byte-to-bool JMP2
 
+@len ( lst$ -> n$ )
+    LIT2r 0000                  ( lst$ [0] )
+    &loop                       ( xs$ [n*] )
+        ORAk ,&continue JCN     ( xs$ [n*] )
+        POP2 STH2r              ( n* )
+        ;u16-to-num JMP2        ( n$ )
+    &continue                   ( xs$ [n*] )
+        INC2r ;cdr JSR2         ( tail$ [n+1*] )
+        ,&loop JMP              ( tail$ [n+1*] )
+
 @cons ( h$ t$ -> cons$ )
-    STH2 STH2       ( [t$ h$] )
-    #00 STH2r STH2r ( 00 h$ t$ )
-    ;make-obj JMP2  ( cons$ )
+    STH2 STH2                   ( [t$ h$] )
+    #00 STH2r STH2r             ( 00 h$ t$ )
+    ;make-obj JMP2              ( cons$ )
 
-@car ( ref$ -> h* )
-    ;read-object JSR2     ( tag^ ohi* olo* )
-    POP2 STH2             ( tag^ [ohi*] )
-    #f0 AND ,&error JCN   ( [ohi*] ; tag should be 0 )
-        STH2r JMP2r       ( ohi* )
-    &error                ( [ohi*] )
-        POP2r ;error JMP2 ( )
+@car ( lst$ -> h$ )
+    ;read-object JSR2           ( tag^ ohi$ olo$ )
+    POP2 STH2                   ( tag^ [ohi$] )
+    ,cdr/shared JMP
 
-@cdr ( ref$ -> h* )
-    ;read-object JSR2
-    NIP2 STH2 ( tag^ [olo*] )
-    #f0 AND ,&error JCN ( tag should be 0 )
-        STH2r JMP2r
-    &error
-        POP2r ;error JMP2
+@cdr ( ref$ -> t$ )
+    ;read-object JSR2           ( tag^ ohi$ olo$ )
+    NIP2 STH2                   ( tag^ [olo$] )
+    &shared                     ( tag^ [olo$] )
+    #f0 AND ,&error JCN         ( [ptr$] ; tag should be 0 )
+        STH2r JMP2r             ( ptr$ )
+    &error                      ( [ptr$] )
+        POP2r ;error JMP2       ( )
+
+@last ( lst$ -> lst1$ )
+    DUP2 ;cdr JSR2              ( lst$ cdr$ )
+    ORAk ,&non-empty JCN        ( lst$ cdr$ )
+        POP2 JMP2r              ( lst$ )
+    &non-empty                  ( lst$ cdr$ )
+        NIP2 ;last JMP2         ( res$ )
+
+@car! ( lst$ x$ -> )
+    STH2 ;assert-cons JSR2      ( lst$ [x$] )
+    ;obj-to-addr JSR2           ( addr* [x$] )
+    INC2                        ( addr+1 [x$] )
+    STH2r SWP2 STA2             ( ; addr+3<-x )
+
+@cdr! ( lst$ x$ -> )
+    STH2 ;assert-cons JSR2      ( lst$ [x$] )
+    ;obj-to-addr JSR2           ( addr* [x$] )
+    #0003 ADD2                  ( addr+3 [x$] )
+    STH2r SWP2 STA2             ( ; addr+3<-x )
+
+@append! ( lst$ x$ -> )
+    #0000 ;cons JSR2 ;extend! JMP2
+
+@extend! ( lst$ tail$ -> )
+    SWP2 ;last JSR2 SWP2 ;cdr! JMP2
 
 |1004 ( ;arenas needs to be a multiple of 5 )
 ~alloc.tal