diff --git a/hoax.tal b/hoax.tal
index df758f6..b2d3882 100644
--- a/hoax.tal
+++ b/hoax.tal
@@ -104,55 +104,22 @@
 
 |0000
     @objects $2
-
-    ( 00 start )
-    ( 01 symbol )
-    ( 02 string )
-    ( 03 escape )
-    ( 04 comment )
-    @state $1
-    @stack $2
-    @buffer [ &pos $2 &input $40 ] ( max symbol size 64 )
+    @buffer [ &pos $2 &input $7f &limit $1 ] ( max symbol size 127 )
 
 |0100
     ;init-hoax JSR2
-    #00 .state STZ
     ;buf-reset JSR2
     ;on-key-ready #10 DEO2
-(    ;reset-input JSR2 )
     ;demo JSR2
 (    DEBUG EXIT )
     BRK
 
-( @reset-input ( -> )
-    #0000 #0000 ;cons JSR2      ( pair$ )
-    .stack STZ2                 ( ; stack<-pair )
-    JMP2r )
-
-( @complete-with ( v$ -> )
-    .stack LDZ2                 ( v$ stack$ )
-    STH2k SWP2 ;car! JSR2       ( [stack] ; car(stack)<-v )
-    #0000 STH2r ;cons JSR2      ( cell$ )
-    .stack STZ2                 ( stack<- ) )
-
-( @start-list ( -> )
-    #0000 .stack LDZ2           ( 0000 stack$ )
-    ;cons JSR2                  ( pair$ )
-    DUP2 .stack STZ2            ( pair$ ; stack<-pair )
-
-    .stack/pos LDZ              ( a^ )
-    STHk LDZ2                   ( base$ [a^] )
-    #0000 #0000 ;cons JSR2      ( base$ cell$ [a^] )
-    STH2k ;car! JSR2            ( base$ [a^ cell$] )
-    POP2 STH2r                  ( cell$ [a^] )
-    INCr INCr STHkr             ( cell$ a+2^ [a+2^] )
-    STZ2 STHr .stack/pos STZ    ( ; pos<-a+2 )
-    JMP2r )
-
-( @end-list ( -> )
-    ;stack/pos LDA2k LDA2 ( pos* elem$ )
-    STH2 #0004 SUB2       ( pos-4* [elem$] ) )
-
+@symbol-from-buf ( -> sym$ )
+    ( strategy: )
+    ( 1. read in groups of two )
+    ( 2. build recursively, save root )
+    ( 3. when done "fixup" the root )
+    ( 4. return fixed root )
 
 @buf-end ( -> )
     #00 ;buffer/pos LDA2 STA       ( ; addr<-00 )
@@ -173,41 +140,34 @@
 
 @start-string ( c -> )
     ;on-key-string #10 DEO2
-    ;echo JSR2 "start 20 "string 0a 00 POP BRK
+    POP BRK
 
 @append-string ( c -> )
-    ;echo JSR2 "append 20 "string 20 00
-    DUP #18 DEO NL
     ;buf-add JSR2 BRK
 
 @end-string ( c -> )
     ;on-key-ready #10 DEO2
-    ;echo JSR2 "end 20 "string 0a 00 POP
+    ;echo JSR2 "string 20 00
     ;buf-end JSR2
     ;buffer/input ;print JSR2 NL
-    BRK
+    POP BRK
 
 @start-word ( c -> )
     ;on-key-word #10 DEO2
-    ;echo JSR2 "start 20 "word 20 00
-    DUP #18 DEO NL
     ;buf-add JSR2 BRK
 
 @append-word ( c -> )
-    ;echo JSR2 "append 20 "word 20 00
-    DUP #18 DEO NL
     ;buf-add JSR2 BRK
 
 @end-word0 ( c -> )
     ;on-key-ready #10 DEO2
-    ;echo JSR2 "end 20 "word 0a 00 POP
+    ;echo JSR2 "word 20 00
     ;buf-end JSR2
     ;buffer/input ;print JSR2 NL
-    JMP2r
+    POP JMP2r
 
 @start-escape ( c -> )
-    ;on-key-escaped #10 DEO2
-    ;echo JSR2 "start 20 "escape 0a 00 POP BRK
+    ;on-key-escaped #10 DEO2 POP BRK
 
 ( TODO: more sophisticated escapes )
 @on-key-escaped ( -> )
@@ -234,10 +194,9 @@
     DUP #7e GTH ,&skip JCN ( delete + 8bit )
                 ;append-word JMP2
     &skip
-        ;echo JSR2 "skipped 0a 00 POP BRK
+        POP BRK
     &space
-        ;end-word0 JSR2
-        ;echo JSR2 "whitespace 0a 00 BRK
+        ;end-word0 JSR2 BRK
     &end
         ;end-word0 JSR2
         #00 ;end-list JMP2
@@ -256,18 +215,9 @@
     DUP #7e GTH ,&skip JCN ( delete + 8bit )
                 ;start-word JMP2
     &space
-        ;echo JSR2 "whitespace 0a 00 POP BRK
+        POP BRK
     &skip
-        ;echo JSR2 "skipped 0a 00 POP BRK
-
-(    #12 DEI #0a EQU ,&newline JCN
-        #12 DEI ;buffer/pos LDA2 STAk ( c pos ; addr<-c )
-        INC2 ;buffer/pos STA2 POP BRK  ( )
-    &newline
-        #00 ;buffer/pos LDA2 STA ( ; addr<-00 )
-        ;buffer/input DUP2 ;buffer/pos STA2
-        ;echo JSR2 "read: 20 00 ;print JSR2 #0a18 DEO
-        BRK )
+        POP BRK
 
 @demo
     null ;null? JSR2 D
@@ -452,6 +402,9 @@
     STH2k STA                   ( [addr*] )
     STH2r JMP2r                 ( addr* )
 
+@alloc-obj ( -> addr* )
+    .objects LDZ2 ;alloc JMP2
+
 @make-obj ( tag^ ohi$ olo$ -> object$ )
     .objects LDZ2               ( tag^ ohi$ olo$ arena* )
     ;alloc JSR2                 ( tag^ ohi$ olo$ addr* )