diff --git a/arvo/hoon.hoon b/arvo/hoon.hoon
index 0a21b8981..67b64540f 100644
--- a/arvo/hoon.hoon
+++ b/arvo/hoon.hoon
@@ -2147,7 +2147,11 @@
 ++  gap  (cold ~ ;~(plug gaq (star ;~(pose vul gah))))
 ++  gaq  ;~(pose (just `@`10) ;~(plug gah ;~(pose gah vul)) vul)
 ++  gay  ;~(pose gap (easy ~))
-++  vul  (cold ~ ;~(plug col col (star (shim 32 126)) (just ^-(@ 10))))
+++  vul  %-  cold  :-  ~
+         ;~  plug  col  col
+           (star ;~(pose (shim 32 126) (shim 128 255)))
+           (just `@`10)
+         ==
 ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
 ::                section 2eH, parsing (idioms)         ::
 ::
@@ -2259,6 +2263,7 @@
     =+  cur=(cut 3 [inx 1] b)
     ?&  ?|  &((gte cur 'a') (lte cur 'z'))
             &(=('-' cur) !=(0 inx) !=(len inx))
+            &(&((gte cur '0') (lte cur '9')) !=(0 inx))
         ==
         $(inx +(inx))
     ==
@@ -2268,6 +2273,7 @@
     =+  cur=(cut 3 [inx 1] b)
     ?&  ?|  &((gte cur 'a') (lte cur 'z'))
             &((gte cur 'A') (lte cur 'Z'))
+            &(&((gte cur '0') (lte cur '9')) !=(0 inx))
             |(=('-' cur) =('~' cur) =('_' cur) =('.' cur))
         ==
         $(inx +(inx))
diff --git a/arvo/zuse.hoon b/arvo/zuse.hoon
index 0a70e5a7b..df41ddd4c 100644
--- a/arvo/zuse.hoon
+++ b/arvo/zuse.hoon
@@ -1283,7 +1283,7 @@
     ;~  pose                                            ::  proper query
       %+  more
         ;~(pose pam sem)
-      ;~(plug fque ;~(pfix tis fquu))
+      ;~(plug fque ;~(pose ;~(pfix tis fquu) (easy '')))
     ::
       %+  cook                                          ::  funky query
         |=(a=tape [[%$ (crip a)] ~])
diff --git a/main/bin/cat.hoon b/main/bin/cat.hoon
index fcc96461e..9a13c2cd7 100644
--- a/main/bin/cat.hoon
+++ b/main/bin/cat.hoon
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 :_  ~
 :_  ~
 ^-  gift
-:+  %mu  [%atom %t]
+:-  %te
 =-  |-  ^-  (list ,@t)
     ?~(foz ~ (weld i.foz $(foz t.foz)))
 ^=  foz
diff --git a/main/bin/chat.hoon b/main/bin/chat.hoon
index 1920e4e0e..b65cba688 100644
--- a/main/bin/chat.hoon
+++ b/main/bin/chat.hoon
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@
             ;~  pose
               (stag %do ;~(pfix pat text))
               (stag %ex ;~(pfix hax expn))
+              (stag %do (full (easy '')))
               (stag %qu text)
             ==
           ++  text  (boss 256 (star ;~(pose (shim 32 126) (shim 128 255))))
@@ -43,7 +44,7 @@
         ^-  tank
         ?-  -.dum
           %do  =+  msg=?:(=(0 p.dum) "remains quietly present" (trip p.dum))
-               [%leaf "{chr}{nym} {(trip p.dum)}"]
+               [%leaf "{chr}{nym} {msg}"]
           %ex  [%rose [" " "" ""] [%leaf "{chr}{nym} {(trip p.dum)}"] q.dum ~]
           %qu  [%leaf "{chr}{nym}: {(trip p.dum)}"]
         ==
@@ -169,7 +170,6 @@
 ++  toke                                                ::  user action
   |=  txt=@t
   ^+  +>
-  ?:  =(0 txt)  +>
   =+  rey=(rush txt chat)
   ?~  rey
     (show %leaf "invalid input")
diff --git a/try/tan/md/html.hoon b/try/tan/md/html.hoon
index 68391aa04..e46aefa79 100644
--- a/try/tan/md/html.hoon
+++ b/try/tan/md/html.hoon
@@ -92,6 +92,18 @@
             (wcat ;~(plug ;~(plug pam hax ;~(sfix (plus nud) sem)) (easy ";")))
             inlt
           ==
+          ;~  mcat
+            %-  wcat
+              ;~  plug
+                ;~  plug
+                  pam  hax
+                  ;~(pose (just 'x') (just 'X'))
+                  ;~(sfix (plus ;~(pose nud low hig)) sem)
+                ==
+                (easy ";")
+              ==
+            inlt
+          ==
           ;~  mcat
             (wcat ;~(plug ;~(plug pam ;~(sfix (plus alf) sem)) (easy ";")))
             inlt