diff --git a/assets/test_prelude.ld b/assets/test_prelude.ld
index 51e4236..4455377 100644
--- a/assets/test_prelude.ld
+++ b/assets/test_prelude.ld
@@ -1,115 +1,115 @@
 & the very base: know something's type
-& fn type {
-& 	"Returns a keyword representing the type of the value passed in."
-& 	(x) -> base :type (x)
-& }
+fn type {
+	"Returns a keyword representing the type of the value passed in."
+	(x) -> base :type (x)
+}
 
 & & some helper type functions
-& fn coll? {
-& 	"Returns true if a value is a collection: dict, list, tuple, or set."
-& 	(coll as :dict) -> true
-& 	(coll as :list) -> true
-& 	(coll as :tuple) -> true
-& 	& (coll as :set) -> true
-& 	(_) -> false
-& }
+fn coll? {
+	"Returns true if a value is a collection: dict, list, tuple, or set."
+	(coll as :dict) -> true
+	(coll as :list) -> true
+	(coll as :tuple) -> true
+	& (coll as :set) -> true
+	(_) -> false
+}
 
-& fn ordered? {
-& 	"Returns true if a value is an indexed collection: list or tuple."
-& 	(coll as :list) -> true
-& 	(coll as :tuple) -> true
-& 	(coll as :string) -> true
-& 	(_) -> false
-& }
+fn ordered? {
+	"Returns true if a value is an indexed collection: list or tuple."
+	(coll as :list) -> true
+	(coll as :tuple) -> true
+	(coll as :string) -> true
+	(_) -> false
+}
 
-& fn assoc? {
-& 	"Returns true if a value is an associative collection: a dict or a pkg."
-& 	(d as :dict) -> true
-& 	(_) -> false
-& }
+fn assoc? {
+	"Returns true if a value is an associative collection: a dict or a pkg."
+	(d as :dict) -> true
+	(_) -> false
+}
 
 & &&& nil: working with nothing
 
-& fn nil? {
-& 	"Returns true if a value is nil."
-& 	(nil) -> true
-& 	(_) -> false
-& }
+fn nil? {
+	"Returns true if a value is nil."
+	(nil) -> true
+	(_) -> false
+}
 
-& fn some? {
-& 	"Returns true if a value is not nil."
-& 	(nil) -> false
-& 	(_) -> true
-& }
+fn some? {
+	"Returns true if a value is not nil."
+	(nil) -> false
+	(_) -> true
+}
 
-& fn some {
-& 	"Takes a possibly nil value and a default value. Returns the value if it's not nil, returns the default if it's nil."
-& 	(nil, default) -> default
-& 	(value, _) -> value 
-& }
+fn some {
+	"Takes a possibly nil value and a default value. Returns the value if it's not nil, returns the default if it's nil."
+	(nil, default) -> default
+	(value, _) -> value 
+}
 
 & ...and if two things are the same
 fn eq? {
 	"Returns true if all arguments have the same value."
 	& (x) -> true
 	(x, y) -> base :eq? (x, y)
-	& (x, y, ...zs) -> if eq? (x, y)
-	& 	then loop (y, zs) with {
-	& 		(a, []) -> eq? (a, x)
-	& 		(a, [b, ...cs]) -> if eq? (a, x)
-	& 			then recur (b, cs)
-	& 			else false
-	& 		}
-	& 	else false
+	(x, y, ...zs) -> if eq? (x, y)
+		then loop (y, zs) with {
+			(a, []) -> eq? (a, x)
+			(a, [b, ...cs]) -> if eq? (a, x)
+				then recur (b, cs)
+				else false
+			}
+		else false
 }
 
 & &&& true & false: boolean logic (part the first)
-& fn bool? {
-& 	"Returns true if a value is of type :boolean."
-& 	(false) -> true
-& 	(true) -> true
-& 	(_) -> false
-& }
+fn bool? {
+	"Returns true if a value is of type :boolean."
+	(false) -> true
+	(true) -> true
+	(_) -> false
+}
 
-& fn true? {
-& 	"Returns true if a value is boolean `true`. Useful to distinguish between `true` and anything else."
-& 	(true) -> true
-& 	(_) -> false
-& }
+fn true? {
+	"Returns true if a value is boolean `true`. Useful to distinguish between `true` and anything else."
+	(true) -> true
+	(_) -> false
+}
 
-& fn false? {
-& 	"Returns `true` if a value is `false`, otherwise returns `false`. Useful to distinguish between `false` and `nil`."
-& 	(false) -> true
-& 	(_) -> false
-& }
+fn false? {
+	"Returns `true` if a value is `false`, otherwise returns `false`. Useful to distinguish between `false` and `nil`."
+	(false) -> true
+	(_) -> false
+}
 
-& fn bool {
-& 	"Returns false if a value is nil or false, otherwise returns true."
-& 	(nil) -> false
-& 	(false) -> false
-& 	(_) -> true
-& }
+fn bool {
+	"Returns false if a value is nil or false, otherwise returns true."
+	(nil) -> false
+	(false) -> false
+	(_) -> true
+}
 
-& fn not {
-& 	"Returns false if a value is truthy, true if a value is falsy."
-& 	(nil) -> true
-& 	(false) -> true
-& 	(_) -> false
-& }
+fn not {
+	"Returns false if a value is truthy, true if a value is falsy."
+	(nil) -> true
+	(false) -> true
+	(_) -> false
+}
 
 & & tuples: not a lot you can do with them functionally
-& fn tuple? {
-& 	"Returns true if a value is a tuple."
-& 	(tuple as :tuple) -> true
-& 	(_) -> false
-& }
+fn tuple? {
+	"Returns true if a value is a tuple."
+	(tuple as :tuple) -> true
+	(_) -> false
+}
 
 & &&& functions: getting things done
-& fn fn? {
-& 	"Returns true if an argument is a function."
-& 	(f as :fn) -> true
-& 	(_) -> false
-& }
+fn fn? {
+	"Returns true if an argument is a function."
+	(f as :fn) -> true
+	(_) -> false
+}
 
 & what we need for some very basic list manipulation 
 fn first {
@@ -136,50 +136,50 @@ fn inc {
 	(x as :number) -> base :inc (x)
 }
 
-& fn dec {
-& 	"Decrements a number."
-& 	(x as :number) -> base :dec (x)
-& }
+fn dec {
+	"Decrements a number."
+	(x as :number) -> base :dec (x)
+}
 
-& fn count {
-& 	"Returns the number of elements in a collection (including string)."
-& 	(xs as :list) -> base :count (xs)
-& 	(xs as :tuple) -> base :count (xs)
-& 	(xs as :dict) -> base :count (xs)
-& 	(xs as :string) -> base :count (xs)
-& 	& (xs as :set) -> base :count (xs)
-& }
+fn count {
+	"Returns the number of elements in a collection (including string)."
+	(xs as :list) -> base :count (xs)
+	(xs as :tuple) -> base :count (xs)
+	(xs as :dict) -> base :count (xs)
+	(xs as :string) -> base :count (xs)
+	& (xs as :set) -> base :count (xs)
+}
 
-& fn empty? {
-& 	"Returns true if something is empty. Otherwise returns false (including for things that can't logically be empty, like numbers)."
-& 	([]) -> true
-& 	(#{}) -> true
-& 	& (s as :set) -> eq? (s, ${})
-& 	(()) -> true
-& 	("") -> true
-& 	(_) -> false
-& }
+fn empty? {
+	"Returns true if something is empty. Otherwise returns false (including for things that can't logically be empty, like numbers)."
+	([]) -> true
+	(#{}) -> true
+	& (s as :set) -> eq? (s, ${})
+	(()) -> true
+	("") -> true
+	(_) -> false
+}
 
-& fn any? {
-& 	"Returns true if something is not empty, otherwise returns false (including for things that can't be logically full, like numbers)."
-& 	([...]) -> true
-& 	(#{...}) -> true
-& 	& (s as :set) -> not (empty? (s))
-& 	((...)) -> true
-& 	(s as :string) -> not (empty? (s))
-& 	(_) -> false
-& }
+fn any? {
+	"Returns true if something is not empty, otherwise returns false (including for things that can't be logically full, like numbers)."
+	([...]) -> true
+	(#{...}) -> true
+	& (s as :set) -> not (empty? (s))
+	((...)) -> true
+	(s as :string) -> not (empty? (s))
+	(_) -> false
+}
 
-& fn list? {
-& 	"Returns true if the value is a list."
-& 	(l as :list) -> true
-& 	(_) -> false
-& }
+fn list? {
+	"Returns true if the value is a list."
+	(l as :list) -> true
+	(_) -> false
+}
 
-& fn list {
-& 	"Takes a value and returns it as a list. For values, it simply wraps them in a list. For collections, conversions are as follows. A tuple->list conversion preservers order and length. Unordered collections do not preserve order: sets and dicts don't have predictable or stable ordering in output. Dicts return lists of (key, value) tuples."
-& 	(x) -> base :list (x)
-& }
+fn list {
+	"Takes a value and returns it as a list. For values, it simply wraps them in a list. For collections, conversions are as follows. A tuple->list conversion preservers order and length. Unordered collections do not preserve order: sets and dicts don't have predictable or stable ordering in output. Dicts return lists of (key, value) tuples."
+	(x) -> base :list (x)
+}
 
 fn append {
 	"Adds an element to a list."
@@ -203,43 +203,43 @@ fn fold {
 	}
 }
 
-& fn map {
-& 	"Maps a function over a list: returns a new list with elements that are the result of applying the function to each element in the original list. E.g., `map ([1, 2, 3], inc) &=> [2, 3, 4]`. With one argument, returns a function that is a mapper over lists; with two, it executes the mapping function right away."
-& 	& (f as :fn) -> map (f, _)
-& 	& (kw as :keyword) -> map (kw, _)
-& 	(f as :fn, xs) -> {
-& 		fn mapper (prev, curr) -> append (prev, f (curr))
-& 		fold (mapper, xs, [])
-& 	}
-& 	& (kw as :keyword, xs) -> {
-& 	& 	fn mapper (prev, curr) -> append (prev, kw (curr))
-& 	& 	fold (mapper, xs, [])
-& 	& }
-& }
+fn map {
+	"Maps a function over a list: returns a new list with elements that are the result of applying the function to each element in the original list. E.g., `map ([1, 2, 3], inc) &=> [2, 3, 4]`. With one argument, returns a function that is a mapper over lists; with two, it executes the mapping function right away."
+	& (f as :fn) -> map (f, _)
+	& (kw as :keyword) -> map (kw, _)
+	(f as :fn, xs) -> {
+		fn mapper (prev, curr) -> append (prev, f (curr))
+		fold (mapper, xs, [])
+	}
+	& (kw as :keyword, xs) -> {
+	& 	fn mapper (prev, curr) -> append (prev, kw (curr))
+	& 	fold (mapper, xs, [])
+	& }
+}
 
-& fn filter {
-& 	"Takes a list and a predicate function, and returns a new list with only the items that produce truthy values when the function is called on them. E.g., `filter ([1, 2, 3, 4], odd?) &=> [1, 3]`."
-& 	(p? as :fn) -> filter (p?, _)
-& 	(p? as :fn, xs) -> {
-& 		fn filterer (filtered, x) -> if p? (x)
-& 			then append (filtered, x)
-& 			else filtered
-& 		fold (filterer, xs, [])
-& 	}
-& }
+fn filter {
+	"Takes a list and a predicate function, and returns a new list with only the items that produce truthy values when the function is called on them. E.g., `filter ([1, 2, 3, 4], odd?) &=> [1, 3]`."
+	(p? as :fn) -> filter (p?, _)
+	(p? as :fn, xs) -> {
+		fn filterer (filtered, x) -> if p? (x)
+			then append (filtered, x)
+			else filtered
+		fold (filterer, xs, [])
+	}
+}
 
-& fn keep {
-& 	"Takes a list and returns a new list with any `nil` values omitted."
-& 	(xs) -> filter (some?, xs)
-& }
+fn keep {
+	"Takes a list and returns a new list with any `nil` values omitted."
+	(xs) -> filter (some?, xs)
+}
 
-& fn concat {
-& 	"Combines two lists, strings, or sets."
-& 	(x as :string, y as :string) -> "{x}{y}"
-& 	(xs as :list, ys as :list) -> base :concat (xs, ys)
-& 	& (xs as :set, ys as :set) -> base :concat (xs, ys)
-& 	(xs, ys, ...zs) -> fold (concat, zs, concat (xs, ys))
-& }
+fn concat {
+	"Combines two lists, strings, or sets."
+	(x as :string, y as :string) -> "{x}{y}"
+	(xs as :list, ys as :list) -> base :concat (xs, ys)
+	& (xs as :set, ys as :set) -> base :concat (xs, ys)
+	(xs, ys, ...zs) -> fold (concat, zs, concat (xs, ys))
+}
 
 fn contains? {
 	"Returns true if a set or list contains a value."
@@ -252,44 +252,38 @@ fn contains? {
 	}
 }
 
-fn add {
-	() -> 0
-	(x) -> x
-	(x, y) -> base :add (x, y)
-}
 
 #{
- &  type
- &  coll?
- &  ordered?
- &  assoc?
- &  nil?
- &  some?
- &  some
+  type
+  coll?
+  ordered?
+  assoc?
+  nil?
+  some?
+  some
   eq?
- &  bool?
- &  true?
- &  false?
- &  bool
- &  not
- &  tuple?
- &  fn?
+  bool?
+  true?
+  false?
+  bool
+  not
+  tuple?
+  fn?
  	first
   rest
- &  inc
- &  dec
- &  count
- &  empty?
- &  any?
- &  list?
- &  list
- &  first
-	& fold
-	& append
-	& map
-	& filter
-	& keep
-	& concat
-	& contains?
-	add
+  inc
+  dec
+  count
+  empty?
+  any?
+  list?
+  list
+  first
+	fold
+	append
+	map
+	filter
+	keep
+	concat
+	contains?
 }
diff --git a/sandbox.ld b/sandbox.ld
index 69b5ec9..d123411 100644
--- a/sandbox.ld
+++ b/sandbox.ld
@@ -1,31 +1,15 @@
-let test = 3
-
-let quux = loop ([1, 2]) with {
-	([]) -> false
-	([x]) -> eq? (x, test)
-	([x, ...xs]) -> if eq? (x, test)
-		then :yes
-		else recur (xs)
+fn my_eq? {
+	(x, y, ...zs) -> if eq? (x, y)
+		then loop (y, zs) with {
+			(a, [b]) -> and (eq? (a, x), eq? (b, x))
+			(a, [b, ...cs]) -> if eq? (a, x)
+				then recur (b, cs)
+				else false
+			}
+		else false
 }
 
-
-let foo = :bar
-
-fn not {
-    (false) -> true
-    (nil) -> true
-    (_) -> false
-}
-
-let frob = loop ([1, 2, 3]) with {
-	([]) -> false
-	([y]) -> eq? (y, test)
-	([y, ...ys]) -> if not (eq? (y, test))
-		then recur (ys)
-		else true
-}
-
-[quux, frob]
+my_eq? (1, 1, 3)
 
 
 
diff --git a/src/compiler.rs b/src/compiler.rs
index 12e1db6..468bcc2 100644
--- a/src/compiler.rs
+++ b/src/compiler.rs
@@ -310,6 +310,11 @@ impl<'a> Compiler<'a> {
         self.stack_depth += 1;
     }
 
+    fn duplicate(&mut self) {
+        self.emit_op(Op::Duplicate);
+        self.stack_depth += 1;
+    }
+
     fn pop(&mut self) {
         self.emit_op(Op::Pop);
         self.stack_depth -= 1;
@@ -863,42 +868,44 @@ impl<'a> Compiler<'a> {
                         self.stack_depth -= 1;
                     }
                     (Or, Arguments(args)) => {
-                        let stack_depth = self.stack_depth;
                         let mut jump_idxes = vec![];
                         if !args.is_empty() {
-                            for arg in args {
+                            let mut args = args.iter().rev();
+                            let last = args.next().unwrap();
+                            for arg in args.rev() {
                                 self.visit(arg);
-                                self.emit_op(Op::Stash);
+                                self.duplicate();
                                 jump_idxes.push(self.stub_jump(Op::JumpIfTrue));
+                                self.pop();
                             }
+                            self.visit(last);
                             for idx in jump_idxes {
-                                self.patch_jump(idx, self.len() - idx);
+                                self.patch_jump(idx, self.len() - idx - 3);
                             }
-                            // self.emit_op(Op::Load);
-                            self.load();
                         } else {
                             self.emit_op(Op::False);
+                            self.stack_depth += 1;
                         }
-                        self.stack_depth = stack_depth + 1;
                     }
                     (And, Arguments(args)) => {
-                        let stack_depth = self.stack_depth;
                         let mut jump_idxes = vec![];
                         if !args.is_empty() {
-                            for arg in args {
+                            let mut args = args.iter().rev();
+                            let last = args.next().unwrap();
+                            for arg in args.rev() {
                                 self.visit(arg);
-                                self.emit_op(Op::Stash);
+                                self.duplicate();
                                 jump_idxes.push(self.stub_jump(Op::JumpIfFalse));
+                                self.pop();
                             }
+                            self.visit(last);
                             for idx in jump_idxes {
-                                self.patch_jump(idx, self.len() - idx);
+                                self.patch_jump(idx, self.len() - idx - 3);
                             }
-                            // self.emit_op(Op::Load);
-                            self.load();
                         } else {
                             self.emit_op(Op::True);
+                            self.stack_depth += 1;
                         }
-                        self.stack_depth = stack_depth + 1;
                     }
                     (Word(fn_name), Arguments(args)) => {
                         self.report_depth_str(format!("calling function {fn_name}"));
diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index 70eb87e..52d8542 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -112,8 +112,8 @@ pub fn run(src: &'static str) {
     // in any event, the AST should live forever
     let parsed: &'static Spanned<Ast> = Box::leak(Box::new(parse_result.unwrap()));
 
-    let prelude = prelude();
-    // let prelude = imbl::HashMap::new();
+    // let prelude = prelude();
+    let prelude = imbl::HashMap::new();
 
     let mut validator = Validator::new(&parsed.0, &parsed.1, "user input", src, prelude.clone());
     validator.validate();
diff --git a/src/validator.rs b/src/validator.rs
index 455012b..c8467e9 100644
--- a/src/validator.rs
+++ b/src/validator.rs
@@ -284,7 +284,7 @@ impl<'a> Validator<'a> {
             // check arity against fn info if first term is word and second term is args
             Synthetic(first, second, rest) => {
                 match (&first.0, &second.0) {
-                    (Ast::And, Ast::Arguments(_)) | (Ast::Or, Ast::Tuple(_)) => {
+                    (Ast::And, Ast::Arguments(_)) | (Ast::Or, Ast::Arguments(_)) => {
                         self.visit(second.as_ref())
                     }
                     (Ast::Word(_), Ast::Keyword(_)) => self.visit(first.as_ref()),