diff --git a/src/modal.c b/src/modal.c
index 7f22e9d..adaa97d 100644
--- a/src/modal.c
+++ b/src/modal.c
@@ -168,15 +168,6 @@ parse_frag(char *s)
 	return s;
 }
 
-static char *
-create_rule(Rule *r, int id, char *s)
-{
-	r->id = id, s += 2;
-	r->a = dict_, s = parse_frag(s);
-	r->b = dict_, s = parse_frag(s);
-	return s;
-}
-
 static int
 rewrite(void)
 {
@@ -186,14 +177,17 @@ rewrite(void)
 		if(spacer(last)) {
 			Rule *r;
 			if(c == '<' && s[1] == '>') {
-				r = rules_++;
-				s = create_rule(r, rules_ - rules - 1, s);
+				r = rules_++, r->id = rules_ - rules - 1;
+				r->a = dict_, s = parse_frag(s + 2);
+				r->b = dict_, s = parse_frag(s);
 				while(*s == ' ') s++;
 				return commit_rule(r, s, 1);
 			}
 			if(c == '?' && s[1] == '(') {
-				r = &lambda, cap = walk(s + 1);
-				create_rule(&lambda, -1, s), s = cap;
+				cap = walk(s + 1);
+				r = &lambda, r->id = -1;
+				r->a = dict_, s = parse_frag(s + 2);
+				r->b = dict_, parse_frag(s), s = cap;
 				while(*s == ' ') s++;
 				if((res = match_rule(&lambda, s)) != NULL)
 					return write_rule(&lambda, res);
@@ -219,7 +213,7 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
 		return !printf("usage: modal [-vqn] source.modal\n");
 	for(i = 1; i < argc && *argv[i] == '-'; i++) {
 		switch(argv[i][1]) {
-		case 'v': /* version */ return !printf("Modal Interpreter, 20 Apr 2024.\n");
+		case 'v': /* version */ return !printf("Modal Interpreter, 21 Apr 2024.\n");
 		case 'q': /* quiet */ fclose(stderr); break;
 		case 'n': /* infinite */ cycles = 0xffffffff; break;
 		}