diff --git a/src/algos/maze.cpp b/src/algos/maze.cpp
index 923e517..48e7337 100644
--- a/src/algos/maze.cpp
+++ b/src/algos/maze.cpp
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 #include "algos/rand.hpp"
 #include "constants.hpp"
 #include "algos/maze.hpp"
+#include <ranges>
 
 using std::string;
 using matrix::Matrix;
@@ -18,10 +19,7 @@ namespace maze {
     }
   }
 
-  inline bool complete(Matrix& maze) {
-    size_t width = matrix::width(maze);
-    size_t height = matrix::height(maze);
-
+  inline bool complete(Matrix& maze, size_t width, size_t height) {
     for(size_t row = 1; row < height; row += 2) {
       for(size_t col = 1; col < width; col += 2) {
         if(maze[row][col] != 0) return false;
@@ -71,10 +69,7 @@ namespace maze {
     return result;
   }
 
-  inline std::pair<Point, Point> find_coord(Matrix& maze) {
-    size_t width = matrix::width(maze);
-    size_t height = matrix::height(maze);
-
+  inline std::pair<Point, Point> find_coord(Matrix& maze, size_t width, size_t height) {
     for(size_t y = 1; y < height; y += 2) {
       for(size_t x = 1; x < width; x += 2) {
         if(maze[y][x] == WALL_VALUE) {
@@ -161,13 +156,13 @@ namespace maze {
   void Builder::hunt_and_kill(Point on) {
     if($rooms.size() > 0) place_rooms();
 
-    while(!complete($walls)) {
+    while(!complete($walls, $width, $height)) {
       auto n = neighbors($walls, on);
 
       if(n.size() == 0) {
         // no neighbors, must be dead end
         add_dead_end(on);
-        auto t = find_coord($walls);
+        auto t = find_coord($walls, $width, $height);
         on = t.first;
         $walls[on.y][on.x] = 0;
         size_t row = (on.y + t.second.y) / 2;
@@ -195,8 +190,8 @@ namespace maze {
   }
 
   void Builder::inner_donut(float outer_rad, float inner_rad) {
-    size_t x = matrix::width($walls) / 2;
-    size_t y = matrix::height($walls) / 2;
+    size_t x = $width / 2;
+    size_t y = $height / 2;
 
     for(matrix::circle it{$walls, {x, y}, outer_rad}; it.next();)
     {
@@ -254,10 +249,7 @@ namespace maze {
   }
 
   void Builder::enclose() {
-    size_t width = matrix::width($walls);
-    size_t height = matrix::height($walls);
-
-    for(matrix::perimeter it{0, 0, width, height}; it.next();) {
+    for(matrix::perimeter it{0, 0, $width, $height}; it.next();) {
       $walls[it.y][it.x] = WALL_VALUE;
       Point at{it.x,it.y};
       if($doors.contains(at)) $doors.erase(at);
@@ -265,8 +257,8 @@ namespace maze {
   }
 
   void Builder::open_box(size_t outer_size) {
-    size_t center_x = matrix::width($walls) / 2;
-    size_t center_y = matrix::height($walls) / 2;
+    size_t center_x = $width / 2;
+    size_t center_y = $height / 2;
 
     // compensate for the box's border now
     outer_size++;
@@ -381,9 +373,10 @@ namespace maze {
     for(matrix::perimeter it{0, 0, width, height}; it.next();) {
       if($ends_map.contains({it.x, it.y})) return false;
       if($doors.contains({it.x, it.y})) return false;
+      if($walls[it.y][it.x] != WALL_VALUE) return false;
     }
 
-    if($rooms.size() == 1) return true;
+    if($rooms.size() <= 1) return true;
 
     // initial path test can just use one room then look for
     // any cells that are empty in the walls map but unpathed in the paths
@@ -404,6 +397,12 @@ namespace maze {
     return true;
   }
 
+  void Builder::in_bounds(size_t x, size_t y) {
+    if(x > $width) {
+
+    }
+  }
+
   void Builder::punch_dead_end(size_t at_x, size_t at_y, size_t x, size_t y) {
     int diff_x = at_x - x;
     int diff_y = at_y - y;
@@ -411,11 +410,10 @@ namespace maze {
   }
 
   bool Builder::repair() {
-    // possible fixes
-    // go through each dead end and remove until it works
-    // go through each room and add a door until it works
-    // only find rooms that are unpathable and fix them
-    // walk the path deleting dead ends at the end of the path
+    enclose();
+    // if it's already valid then done
+    if(validate()) return true;
+
     std::vector<Point> removed_ends;
     bool now_valid = false;
 
@@ -432,9 +430,6 @@ namespace maze {
       // if that validates it then done
       if(validate()) {
         now_valid = true;
-        fmt::println("MID dead_end removed={}, total={}, %={}",
-          removed_ends.size(), $dead_ends.size(),
-          float(removed_ends.size()) / float($dead_ends.size()));
         break;
       }
     }
@@ -454,10 +449,6 @@ namespace maze {
     enclose();
     now_valid = validate();
 
-    fmt::println("FINAL now_valid={} added_back={} removed={}, total={}, %={}",
-        now_valid, added_back, removed_ends.size() - added_back, $dead_ends.size(),
-        float(removed_ends.size() - added_back) / float($dead_ends.size()));
-
     // didn't find a way to make it valid
     return now_valid;
   }
diff --git a/src/algos/maze.hpp b/src/algos/maze.hpp
index 717fad8..9d96182 100644
--- a/src/algos/maze.hpp
+++ b/src/algos/maze.hpp
@@ -6,6 +6,8 @@
 namespace maze {
 
   struct Builder {
+    size_t $width = 0;
+    size_t $height = 0;
     Matrix& $walls;
     std::vector<Room>& $rooms;
     std::vector<Point>& $dead_ends;
@@ -16,11 +18,11 @@ namespace maze {
     Pathing $paths;
 
     Builder(Map& map) :
-      $walls(map.$walls), $rooms(map.$rooms), $dead_ends(map.$dead_ends),
-      $paths{matrix::width(map.$walls), matrix::height(map.$walls)}
+      $width(map.$width), $height(map.$height), $walls(map.$walls),
+      $rooms(map.$rooms), $dead_ends(map.$dead_ends), $paths{$width, $height}
     {
-      dbc::check(map.$width % 2 == 1, "map width not an ODD number (perimter dead ends bug)");
-      dbc::check(map.$height % 2 == 1, "map height not an ODD number (perimter dead ends bug)");
+      dbc::check($width % 2 == 1, "map width not an ODD number (perimter dead ends bug)");
+      dbc::check($height % 2 == 1, "map height not an ODD number (perimter dead ends bug)");
 
       clear();
     }
@@ -42,5 +44,6 @@ namespace maze {
     bool validate();
     bool repair();
     void punch_dead_end(size_t at_x, size_t at_y, size_t x, size_t y);
+    void in_bounds(size_t x, size_t y);
   };
 }
diff --git a/tests/mazes.cpp b/tests/mazes.cpp
index 57b1943..476f059 100644
--- a/tests/mazes.cpp
+++ b/tests/mazes.cpp
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 #include "algos/maze.hpp"
 #include "algos/stats.hpp"
 
-#define DUMP 0
+#define DUMP 1
 
 using std::string;
 using matrix::Matrix;
@@ -17,11 +17,15 @@ TEST_CASE("hunt-and-kill", "[mazes]") {
   maze::Builder maze(map);
 
   maze.hunt_and_kill();
+  REQUIRE(maze.repair() == true);
+
   if(DUMP) maze.dump("BASIC MAZE");
 
   maze.randomize_rooms(ROOM_SIZE);
   maze.hunt_and_kill();
   maze.make_doors();
+  REQUIRE(maze.repair() == true);
+
   if(DUMP) maze.dump("ROOM MAZE");
 
   REQUIRE(map.$dead_ends.size() > 0);
@@ -36,14 +40,15 @@ TEST_CASE("hunt-and-kill box", "[mazes]") {
     maze.hunt_and_kill();
     maze.clear();
     maze.inner_box(6, 4);
-    maze.randomize_rooms(ROOM_SIZE+2);
+    maze.randomize_rooms(ROOM_SIZE);
 
     maze.hunt_and_kill();
     maze.open_box(6);
     maze.make_doors();
+    auto valid = maze.repair();
 
     if(i == 41 && DUMP) {
-      maze.dump("INNER BOX");
+      maze.dump(valid ? "INNER BOX" : "FAILED BOX");
     }
   }
 }
@@ -54,6 +59,7 @@ TEST_CASE("hunt-and-kill ring", "[mazes]") {
 
   maze.inner_donut(5.5, 3.5);
   maze.hunt_and_kill();
+  REQUIRE(maze.repair() == true);
 
   if(DUMP) maze.dump("INNER RING");
 
@@ -66,6 +72,7 @@ TEST_CASE("hunt-and-kill fissure", "[mazes]") {
 
   maze.divide({3,3}, {19,18});
   maze.hunt_and_kill();
+  REQUIRE(maze.repair() == true);
 
   if(DUMP) maze.dump("FISSURE MAZE");
 
@@ -78,7 +85,7 @@ TEST_CASE("hunt-and-kill no-dead-ends", "[mazes]") {
 
   maze.hunt_and_kill();
   maze.remove_dead_ends();
-  maze.enclose();
+  REQUIRE(maze.repair() == true);
 
   if(DUMP) maze.dump("NO DEAD ENDS");
 }
@@ -95,8 +102,9 @@ TEST_CASE("hunt-and-kill too much", "[mazes]") {
     maze.divide({3,3}, {15,16});
     maze.hunt_and_kill();
     maze.make_doors();
+    auto valid = maze.repair();
 
-    if(i == 41 && DUMP) {
+    if(i == 41 && DUMP && valid) {
       maze.dump("COMBINED");
     }
   }
@@ -120,10 +128,7 @@ TEST_CASE("hunt-and-kill validator", "[mazes]") {
       maze.hunt_and_kill();
       maze.open_box(6);
       maze.make_doors();
-      maze.enclose();
-
-      valid = maze.validate();
-      if(!valid) valid = maze.repair();
+      valid = maze.repair();
 
       if(i == 9) {
         if(valid) {
@@ -132,7 +137,6 @@ TEST_CASE("hunt-and-kill validator", "[mazes]") {
           matrix::dump("PATHING", maze.$paths.$paths);
         }
       }
-
       door_prob.sample(valid);
     } while(!valid);