diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index ab7f805..abfd34a 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -58,8 +58,7 @@ use crate::base::*;
 
 pub fn main() {
     let src = "
-let foo = \"    fOobArbaz   \"
-trimr (foo)
+let \"{foo}\" = bar
     ";
     let (tokens, lex_errs) = lexer().parse(src).into_output_errors();
     if !lex_errs.is_empty() {
@@ -74,13 +73,13 @@ trimr (foo)
     let (ast, _) = parser()
         .parse(Stream::from_iter(to_parse).map((0..src.len()).into(), |(t, s)| (t, s)))
         .unwrap();
-    // println!("{}", ast);
+    println!("{}", ast);
 
-    let mut ctx = base();
+    // let mut ctx = base();
 
-    let result = eval(&ast, &mut ctx).unwrap();
+    // let result = eval(&ast, &mut ctx).unwrap();
 
-    println!("{}", result);
+    // println!("{}", result);
 
     // struct_scalpel::print_dissection_info::<value::Value>()
     // struct_scalpel::print_dissection_info::<parser::Ast>();
diff --git a/src/parser.rs b/src/parser.rs
index 5c9a2da..2bd09bf 100644
--- a/src/parser.rs
+++ b/src/parser.rs
@@ -247,13 +247,39 @@ impl<'src> fmt::Display for PairPattern<'src> {
     }
 }
 
+pub struct StringMatcher<'src>(Box<dyn Fn(String) -> Option<Vec<(String, String)>> + 'src>);
+
+impl PartialEq for StringMatcher<'_> {
+    fn eq(&self, _other: &StringMatcher) -> bool {
+        true
+    }
+}
+
+impl<'src> Clone for StringMatcher<'src> {
+    fn clone(&self) -> StringMatcher<'src> {
+        unreachable!()
+    }
+}
+
+impl fmt::Display for StringMatcher<'_> {
+    fn fmt(&self, f: &mut fmt::Formatter) -> fmt::Result {
+        write!(f, "string matcher")
+    }
+}
+
+impl fmt::Debug for StringMatcher<'_> {
+    fn fmt(&self, f: &mut fmt::Formatter) -> fmt::Result {
+        write!(f, "string matcher")
+    }
+}
+
 #[derive(Clone, Debug, PartialEq)]
 pub enum Pattern<'src> {
     Nil,
     Boolean(bool),
     Number(f64),
     String(&'src str),
-    Interpolated(Vec<StringPart>),
+    Interpolated(Vec<Spanned<StringPart>>, StringMatcher<'src>),
     Keyword(&'src str),
     Word(&'src str),
     As(&'src str, &'src str),
@@ -303,12 +329,12 @@ impl fmt::Display for Pattern<'_> {
                     .join(", ")
             ),
             Pattern::Pair(key, value) => write!(f, ":{} {}", key, value.0),
-            Pattern::Interpolated(strprts) => write!(
+            Pattern::Interpolated(strprts, _) => write!(
                 f,
-                "\"{}\"",
+                "interpolated: \"{}\"",
                 strprts
                     .iter()
-                    .map(|part| part.to_string())
+                    .map(|part| part.0.to_string())
                     .collect::<Vec<_>>()
                     .join("")
             ),
@@ -323,13 +349,6 @@ fn is_word_char(c: char) -> bool {
     matches!(c, '_' | '/' | '?' | '!')
 }
 
-// TODO: write this
-// 1. we need an enum for a return type
-//    either a string part or a word part
-// 2. our string types, both patterns and values, now contains a vec of nodes
-// 3. this should loop through the string and allow for escaping braces
-//    consider using Rust-style escapes: {{}}, rather than \{\}
-// {{{foo}}}
 fn parse_string(s: &str, span: SimpleSpan) -> Result<Vec<Spanned<StringPart>>, String> {
     let mut parts = vec![];
     let mut current_part = String::new();
@@ -396,7 +415,8 @@ fn parse_string(s: &str, span: SimpleSpan) -> Result<Vec<Spanned<StringPart>>, S
 
     parts.push((
         if is_word {
-            StringPart::Word(current_part)
+            let part = current_part.clone();
+            StringPart::Word(part)
         } else if current_part == s {
             StringPart::Inline(current_part)
         } else {
@@ -407,6 +427,50 @@ fn parse_string(s: &str, span: SimpleSpan) -> Result<Vec<Spanned<StringPart>>, S
     Ok(parts)
 }
 
+pub fn compile_string_pattern<'src>(parts: Vec<Spanned<StringPart>>) -> StringMatcher<'src> {
+    StringMatcher(Box::new(move |scrutinee| {
+        let mut last_match = 0;
+        let mut parts_iter = parts.iter();
+        let mut matches = vec![];
+        while let Some((part, _)) = parts_iter.next() {
+            match part {
+                StringPart::Data(string) => match scrutinee.find(string.as_str()) {
+                    Some(i) => {
+                        // if i = 0, we're at the beginning
+                        if i == 0 && last_match == 0 {
+                            last_match = i + string.len();
+                            continue;
+                        }
+                        // in theory, we only hit this branch if the first part is Data
+                        unreachable!("internal Ludus error: bad string pattern")
+                    }
+                    None => return None,
+                },
+                StringPart::Word(word) => {
+                    let to_test = scrutinee.get(last_match..scrutinee.len()).unwrap();
+                    match parts_iter.next() {
+                        None => matches.push((word.clone(), to_test.to_string())),
+                        Some(part) => {
+                            let (StringPart::Data(part), _) = part else {
+                                unreachable!("internal Ludus error: bad string pattern")
+                            };
+                            match to_test.find(part) {
+                                None => return None,
+                                Some(i) => {
+                                    last_match = i + part.len();
+                                    continue;
+                                }
+                            }
+                        }
+                    }
+                }
+                _ => unreachable!("internal Ludus error"),
+            }
+        }
+        Some(matches)
+    }))
+}
+
 pub fn parser<'src, I>(
 ) -> impl Parser<'src, I, Spanned<Ast<'src>>, extra::Err<Rich<'src, Token<'src>, Span>>> + Clone
 where
@@ -443,11 +507,23 @@ where
         Token::Boolean(b) => Pattern::Boolean(b),
         Token::Number(n) => Pattern::Number(n),
         Token::Keyword(k) => Pattern::Keyword(k),
-        // todo: actual string patterns
-        Token::String(s) => Pattern::String(s)
     }
     .map_with(|a, e| (a, e.span()));
 
+    let string_pattern = select! {Token::String(s) => s}.try_map_with(|s, e| {
+        let parsed = parse_string(s, e.span());
+        match parsed {
+            Ok(parts) => match parts[0] {
+                (StringPart::Inline(_), _) => Ok((Pattern::String(s), e.span())),
+                _ => Ok((
+                    Pattern::Interpolated(parts.clone(), compile_string_pattern(parts)),
+                    e.span(),
+                )),
+            },
+            Err(msg) => Err(Rich::custom(e.span(), msg)),
+        }
+    });
+
     let bare_splat = just(Token::Punctuation("...")).map_with(|_, e| {
         (
             Pattern::Splattern(Box::new((Pattern::Placeholder, e.span()))),
@@ -517,6 +593,7 @@ where
 
     pattern.define(
         atom_pattern
+            .or(string_pattern)
             .or(as_pattern)
             .or(word_pattern)
             .or(placeholder_pattern)