diff --git a/g/j.c b/g/j.c
index 8202734cb..a21cdb12c 100644
--- a/g/j.c
+++ b/g/j.c
@@ -108,6 +108,8 @@ _cj_kick_a(u3_noun cor, u3_cs_hood* hud_u, c3_l axe_l)
   if ( 0 == ham_u->fun_f ) {
     return u3_none;
   }
+  // printf("kick_a: %s\n", ham_u->fcs_c);
+  return u3_none;
 
   // XX: support tot and ice flags, and validator
   //
@@ -133,6 +135,8 @@ _cj_kick_b(u3_noun cor, c3_l jax_l, c3_l axe_l)
   u3_cs_core* cop_u = &u3D.ray_u[jax_l];
   u3_cs_hood* hud_u = cop_u->hud_u;
 
+  printf("kick: %s\n", cop_u->cos_c);
+
   while ( 1 ) {
     if ( 0 == hud_u )                     { break; }
     if ( mug_l != hud_u->mug_l )          { hud_u = hud_u->nex_u; continue; }
@@ -149,7 +153,9 @@ u3_cj_hook(u3_noun     cor,
 {
   u3_noun bat   = u3h(cor);
   c3_l    jax_l = u3_cj_find(bat);
- 
+
+  printf("hook: %s\n", tam_c);
+
   if ( 0 == jax_l ) { return 0; }
   else {
     u3_cs_core* cop_u = &u3D.ray_u[jax_l];
@@ -223,6 +229,9 @@ _cj_axis(u3_noun fol)
 {
   u3_noun p_fol, q_fol, r_fol;
 
+  while ( u3_so(u3du(fol)) && (10 == u3h(fol)) )
+    { fol = u3t(u3t(fol)); }
+
   if ( u3_ne(u3_cr_trel(fol, &p_fol, &q_fol, &r_fol)) ) {
     if ( u3_ne(u3_cr_cell(fol, &p_fol, &q_fol)) ||
          (0 != p_fol) ||
@@ -402,6 +411,10 @@ u3_cj_mine(u3_noun clu,
 
     printf("mine: chum: %s\n", nam_c);
 
+    while ( u3_so(u3du(q_clu)) && (10 == u3h(q_clu)) ) { 
+      q_clu = u3t(u3t(q_clu));
+    }
+
     if ( u3_ne(u3du(q_clu)) )
       { printf("mine: bad b\r\n"); u3z(clu); return cor; }
 
@@ -410,7 +423,7 @@ u3_cj_mine(u3_noun clu,
     }
     else {
       if ( (0 != u3h(q_clu)) )
-        { printf("mine: bad c\r\n"); u3z(clu); return cor; }
+        { printf("mine: bad c\r\n"); u3z(clu); return cor; c3_assert(0); }
       if ( u3_ne(u3_co_is_cat(axe_l = u3t(q_clu))) )
         { printf("mine: bad d\r\n"); u3z(clu); return cor; }
     }
diff --git a/g/m.c b/g/m.c
index 90c15f083..2531f5b37 100644
--- a/g/m.c
+++ b/g/m.c
@@ -204,6 +204,18 @@ u3_cm_dump(void)
   }
 }
 
+/* _cm_punt(): crudely print trace.
+*/
+static void
+_cm_punt(void)
+{
+  u3_noun xat;
+
+  for ( xat = u3R->bug.tax; xat; xat = u3t(xat) ) {
+    u3_cm_p("&", u3h(xat));
+  }
+}
+
 /* u3_cm_bail(): bail out.  Does not return.
 **
 **  Bail motes:
@@ -228,6 +240,8 @@ u3_cm_bail(c3_m how_m)
   str_c[4] = 0;
   printf("bail: %s\n", str_c);
 
+  _cm_punt();
+
   assert(0);
   if ( c3__meme == how_m ) {
     u3_cm_dump();
diff --git a/g/n.c b/g/n.c
index 5b3c72f61..ab64f1e7f 100644
--- a/g/n.c
+++ b/g/n.c
@@ -235,6 +235,10 @@ u3_cn_nock_on(u3_noun bus, u3_noun fol)
         u3_noun b_gal, c_gal;
 
         u3_cx_cell(gal, &b_gal, &c_gal);
+        if ( u3_ne(u3_co_is_cat(b_gal)) ) {
+          u3_cm_p("bad axe", fol);
+        }
+
         {
           u3_noun seb = u3_cn_nock_on(bus, u3k(c_gal));
           u3_noun pro = u3_cj_kick(seb, b_gal);
diff --git a/g/t.c b/g/t.c
index f0665af38..1fc41f75b 100644
--- a/g/t.c
+++ b/g/t.c
@@ -9,8 +9,6 @@
 void
 u3_ct_push(u3_noun mon)
 {
-  u3_cm_p("push", mon);
-
   u3R->bug.tax = u3nc(mon, u3R->bug.tax);
 }
 
diff --git a/v/main.c b/v/main.c
index f35443070..d683b1890 100644
--- a/v/main.c
+++ b/v/main.c
@@ -284,8 +284,9 @@ main(c3_i   argc,
     {
       struct timeval tim_tv;
       u3_noun        now;
-      c3_c           pas_c[2048];
+      c3_c           pas_c[2049];
 
+      // snprintf(pas_c, 2048, "%s/.urb/dummy.pill", u3_Host.cpu_c);
       snprintf(pas_c, 2048, "%s/.urb/urbit.pill", u3_Host.cpu_c);
       gettimeofday(&tim_tv, 0);
       now = u3_time_in_tv(&tim_tv);