diff --git a/pkg/urbit/include/noun/retrieve.h b/pkg/urbit/include/noun/retrieve.h
index 84adbe28a1..2ba7ec4957 100644
--- a/pkg/urbit/include/noun/retrieve.h
+++ b/pkg/urbit/include/noun/retrieve.h
@@ -141,11 +141,6 @@
         c3_o
         u3r_sing(u3_noun a, u3_noun b);
 
-      /* u3rz_sing(): transferring u3r_sing
-      */
-        c3_o
-        u3rz_sing(u3_noun a, u3_noun b);
-
       /* u3r_sung(): yes iff (a) and (b) are the same noun, unifying equals.
       **
       **   Make sure you have no live, uncounted pointers to any noun
@@ -154,9 +149,7 @@
         c3_o
         u3r_sung(u3_noun a, u3_noun b);
 
-      /* u3r_sing_c):
-      **
-      **   Yes iff (b) is the same noun as the C string [a].
+      /* u3r_sing_c(): cord/C-string value equivalence.
       */
         c3_o
         u3r_sing_c(const c3_c* a_c,
diff --git a/pkg/urbit/noun/retrieve.c b/pkg/urbit/noun/retrieve.c
index 9580c505b6..449f5211d7 100644
--- a/pkg/urbit/noun/retrieve.c
+++ b/pkg/urbit/noun/retrieve.c
@@ -645,16 +645,6 @@ u3r_sing(u3_noun a, u3_noun b)
   }
 }
 
-/* u3rz_sing(): transferring u3r_sing
-*/
-c3_o
-u3rz_sing(u3_noun a, u3_noun b)
-{
-  c3_o ret_o = u3r_sing(a, b);
-  u3z(a); u3z(b);
-  return ret_o;
-}
-
 /* u3r_sung(): yes iff (a) and (b) are the same noun, unifying equals.
 */
 c3_o
@@ -841,13 +831,11 @@ u3r_nord(u3_noun a,
   }
 }
 
-/* u3r_sing_c():
-**
-**   Yes iff (b) is the same noun as the C string a_c.
+/* u3r_sing_c(): cord/C-string value equivalence.
 */
 c3_o
 u3r_sing_c(const c3_c* a_c,
-             u3_noun     b)
+           u3_noun     b)
 {
   c3_assert(u3_none != b);
 
diff --git a/pkg/urbit/vere/cttp.c b/pkg/urbit/vere/cttp.c
index 61f72af463..9554a9092f 100644
--- a/pkg/urbit/vere/cttp.c
+++ b/pkg/urbit/vere/cttp.c
@@ -970,7 +970,7 @@ u3_cttp_ef_http_client(u3_noun fav)
 {
   u3_creq* ceq_u;
 
-  if ( c3y == u3rz_sing(u3i_string("request"), u3k(u3h(fav))) ) {
+  if ( c3y == u3r_sing_c("request", u3h(fav)) ) {
     u3_noun p_fav, q_fav;
     u3x_cell(u3t(fav), &p_fav, &q_fav);
 
@@ -983,7 +983,7 @@ u3_cttp_ef_http_client(u3_noun fav)
       u3l_log("cttp: strange request (unparsable url)\n");
     }
   }
-  else if ( c3y == u3rz_sing(u3i_string("cancel-request"), u3k(u3h(fav))) ) {
+  else if ( c3y == u3r_sing_c("cancel-request", u3h(fav)) ) {
     ceq_u =_cttp_creq_find(u3r_word(0, u3t(fav)));
 
     if ( ceq_u ) {
diff --git a/pkg/urbit/vere/http.c b/pkg/urbit/vere/http.c
index d3963d6ebd..f090f3c108 100644
--- a/pkg/urbit/vere/http.c
+++ b/pkg/urbit/vere/http.c
@@ -1505,16 +1505,16 @@ u3_http_ef_http_server(c3_l    sev_l,
 
   //  sets server configuration
   //
-  if ( c3y == u3rz_sing(u3i_string("set-config"), u3k(tag)) ) {
+  if ( c3y == u3r_sing_c("set-config", tag) ) {
     u3_http_ef_form(u3k(dat));
   }
   //  responds to an open request
   //
   else if ( 0 != (req_u = _http_search_req(sev_l, coq_l, seq_l)) ) {
-    if ( c3y == u3rz_sing(u3i_string("response"), u3k(tag)) ) {
+    if ( c3y == u3r_sing_c("response", tag) ) {
       u3_noun response = dat;
 
-      if ( c3y == u3rz_sing(u3i_string("start"), u3k(u3h(response))) ) {
+      if ( c3y == u3r_sing_c("start", u3h(response)) ) {
         //  Separate the %start message into its components.
         //
         u3_noun response_header, data, complete;
@@ -1525,7 +1525,7 @@ u3_http_ef_http_server(c3_l    sev_l,
         _http_start_respond(req_u, u3k(status), u3k(headers), u3k(data),
                             u3k(complete));
       }
-      else if ( c3y == u3rz_sing(u3i_string("continue"), u3k(u3h(response))) ) {
+      else if ( c3y == u3r_sing_c("continue", u3h(response)) ) {
         //  Separate the %continue message into its components.
         //
         u3_noun data, complete;
@@ -1533,7 +1533,7 @@ u3_http_ef_http_server(c3_l    sev_l,
 
         _http_continue_respond(req_u, u3k(data), u3k(complete));
       }
-      else if (c3y == u3rz_sing(u3i_string("cancel"), u3k(u3h(response)))) {
+      else if (c3y == u3r_sing_c("cancel", u3h(response))) {
         u3l_log("http: %%cancel not handled yet\n");
       }
       else {
diff --git a/pkg/urbit/vere/reck.c b/pkg/urbit/vere/reck.c
index 74556acd6d..15ed998979 100644
--- a/pkg/urbit/vere/reck.c
+++ b/pkg/urbit/vere/reck.c
@@ -280,7 +280,7 @@ _reck_kick_spec(u3_pier* pir_u, u3_noun pox, u3_noun fav)
     if ( (c3n == u3r_cell(t_pox, &it_pox, &tt_pox)) ) {
       u3z(pox); u3z(fav); return c3n;
     }
-    else if ( c3y == u3rz_sing(u3i_string("http-server"), u3k(it_pox)) ) {
+    else if ( c3y == u3r_sing_c("http-server", it_pox) ) {
       u3_noun pud = tt_pox;
       u3_noun p_pud, t_pud, tt_pud, q_pud, r_pud, s_pud;
       c3_l    sev_l, coq_l, seq_l;
@@ -317,7 +317,7 @@ _reck_kick_spec(u3_pier* pir_u, u3_noun pox, u3_noun fav)
       u3z(pox); u3z(fav);
       return c3y;
     }
-    else if ( c3y == u3rz_sing(u3i_string("http-client"), u3k(it_pox)) ) {
+    else if ( c3y == u3r_sing_c("http-client", it_pox) ) {
       u3_cttp_ef_http_client(u3k(fav));
 
       u3z(pox); u3z(fav);