diff --git a/src/algos/maze.cpp b/src/algos/maze.cpp
index 8646748..a7ba657 100644
--- a/src/algos/maze.cpp
+++ b/src/algos/maze.cpp
@@ -12,14 +12,14 @@ namespace 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;
+        if(maze[row][col] != SPACE_VALUE) return false;
       }
     }
 
     return true;
   }
 
-  std::vector<Point> neighborsAB(Matrix& maze, Point on) {
+  inline std::vector<Point> neighbors(Matrix& maze, Point on) {
     std::vector<Point> result;
 
     std::array<Point, 4> points{{
@@ -38,44 +38,74 @@ namespace maze {
     return result;
   }
 
-  std::vector<Point> neighbors(Matrix& maze, Point on) {
+  inline std::vector<Point> neighbor_walls(Matrix& maze, Point on) {
+    auto near_me = neighbors(maze, on);
     std::vector<Point> result;
 
-    std::array<Point, 4> points{{
-      {on.x, on.y - 2},
-        {on.x, on.y + 2},
-        {on.x - 2, on.y},
-        {on.x + 2, on.y}
-    }};
-
-    for(auto point : points) {
-      if(matrix::inbounds(maze, point.x, point.y)) {
-        if(maze[point.y][point.x] == WALL_VALUE) {
-          result.push_back(point);
-        }
+    for(auto point : near_me) {
+      if(maze[point.y][point.x] == WALL_VALUE) {
+        result.push_back(point);
       }
     }
 
     return result;
   }
 
-  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) {
-          auto found = neighborsAB(maze, {x, y});
+  bool Builder::hunt_next(Point& on, Point& found) {
+    for(size_t y = 1; y < $height; y += 2) {
+      for(size_t x = 1; x < $width; x += 2) {
+        if($walls[y][x] != WALL_VALUE) {
+          continue;
+        }
+        
+        auto near_me = neighbors($walls, {x, y});
 
-          for(auto point : found) {
-            if(maze[point.y][point.x] == 0) {
-              return {{x, y}, point};
-            }
+        for(auto point : near_me) {
+          if($walls[point.y][point.x] == SPACE_VALUE) {
+            on = {x, y};
+            found = point;
+            return true;
           }
         }
       }
     }
 
-    matrix::dump("BAD MAZE", maze);
-    dbc::sentinel("failed to find coord?");
+    return false;
+  }
+
+  Point Builder::hak_step(Point from, Point to) {
+    $walls[from.y][from.x] = SPACE_VALUE;
+    size_t row = (from.y + to.y) / 2;
+    size_t col = (from.x + to.x) / 2;
+    $walls[row][col] = SPACE_VALUE;
+
+    return from;
+  }
+
+  void Builder::hunt_and_kill(Point on) {
+    if($rooms.size() > 0) place_rooms();
+    Point found{1, 1};
+
+    while(true) {
+      auto n = neighbor_walls($walls, on);
+
+      if(n.size() == 0) {
+        // no neighbors, must be dead end
+        add_dead_end(on);
+
+        if(!hunt_next(on, found)) {
+          break;
+        }
+
+        on = hak_step(on, found);
+      } else {
+        // found neighbors, pick random one
+        auto nb = n[Random::abs(size_t(0), n.size() - 1)];
+        on = hak_step(nb, on);
+      }
+    }
+
+    if($rooms.size() > 0) place_rooms();
   }
 
   bool Builder::room_should_exist(Room& room, bool allow_dupes) {
@@ -136,7 +166,6 @@ namespace maze {
 
       size_t offset = Random::uniform(0, 3);
 
-      // BUG: this still accidentally merges rooms
       for(size_t i = 0; i < starts.size(); i++) {
         size_t index = (i + offset) % starts.size();
         Room cur{starts[index].x, starts[index].y, room_size, room_size};
@@ -154,43 +183,6 @@ namespace maze {
     matrix::assign($walls, WALL_VALUE);
   }
 
-  void Builder::divide(Point start, Point end) {
-    for(matrix::line it{start, end}; it.next();) {
-      $walls[it.y][it.x] = 0;
-      $walls[it.y+1][it.x] = 0;
-    }
-  }
-
-  void Builder::hunt_and_kill(Point on) {
-    if($rooms.size() > 0) place_rooms();
-
-    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, $width, $height);
-        on = t.first;
-        $walls[on.y][on.x] = 0;
-        size_t row = (on.y + t.second.y) / 2;
-        size_t col = (on.x + t.second.x) / 2;
-        $walls[row][col] = 0;
-      } else {
-        // found neighbors, pick random one
-        auto nb = n[Random::abs(size_t(0), n.size() - 1)];
-        $walls[nb.y][nb.x] = 0;
-
-        size_t row = (nb.y + on.y) / 2;
-        size_t col = (nb.x + on.x) / 2;
-        $walls[row][col] = 0;
-        on = nb;
-      }
-    }
-
-    if($rooms.size() > 0) place_rooms();
-  }
-
   void Builder::place_rooms() {
     for(auto& room : $rooms) {
       for(matrix::rectangle it{$walls, room.x, room.y, room.width, room.height}; it.next();) {
@@ -199,24 +191,6 @@ namespace maze {
     }
   }
 
-  void Builder::inner_donut(float outer_rad, float inner_rad) {
-    size_t x = $width / 2;
-    size_t y = $height / 2;
-
-    for(matrix::circle it{$walls, {x, y}, outer_rad}; it.next();)
-    {
-      for(int x = it.left; x < it.right; x++) {
-        $walls[it.y][x] = 0;
-      }
-    }
-
-    for(matrix::circle it{$walls, {x, y}, inner_rad}; it.next();)
-    {
-      for(int x = it.left; x < it.right; x++) {
-        $walls[it.y][x] = 1;
-      }
-    }
-  }
 
   void Builder::remove_dead_ends() {
     dbc::check($dead_ends.size() > 0, "you have to run an algo first, no dead_ends to remove");
@@ -231,42 +205,6 @@ namespace maze {
     }
   }
 
-  void Builder::dump(const std::string& msg, bool path_too) {
-    Matrix wall_copy = $walls;
-
-    // mark the rooms too, but not if pathing
-    if(!path_too) {
-      for(auto& room : $rooms) {
-        for(matrix::rectangle it{wall_copy, room.x, room.y, room.width, room.height};
-            it.next();)
-        {
-          if(wall_copy[it.y][it.x] == 0) {
-            wall_copy[it.y][it.x] = ROOM_SPACE_VALUE;
-          }
-        }
-      }
-    }
-
-    // mark dead ends
-    for(auto at : $dead_ends) {
-      // don't mark dead ends if there's something else there
-      wall_copy[at.y][at.x] = DEAD_END_VALUE;
-    }
-
-    for(auto [at, _] : $doors) {
-      wall_copy[at.y][at.x] = DOOR_VALUE;
-    }
-
-    if(path_too) {
-      for(matrix::each_cell it{wall_copy}; it.next();) {
-        if(wall_copy[it.y][it.x] == SPACE_VALUE) {
-          wall_copy[it.y][it.x] = $pathing.$paths[it.y][it.x];
-        }
-      }
-    }
-
-    matrix::dump(msg, wall_copy);
-  }
 
   void Builder::enclose() {
     for(matrix::perimeter it{0, 0, $width, $height}; it.next();) {
@@ -276,30 +214,6 @@ namespace maze {
     }
   }
 
-  void Builder::open_box(size_t outer_size) {
-    size_t center_x = $width / 2;
-    size_t center_y = $height / 2;
-
-    // compensate for the box's border now
-    outer_size++;
-
-    // this can't be right but for now it's working
-    size_t x = center_x - outer_size;
-    size_t y = center_y - outer_size;
-    // BUG: is the + 1 here because the bug in perimeter
-    size_t width = (outer_size * 2) + 1;
-    size_t height = (outer_size * 2) + 1;
-
-    for(matrix::perimeter p{x, y, width, height}; p.next();) {
-      for(matrix::compass it{$walls, p.x, p.y}; it.next();) {
-        if($ends_map.contains({it.x, it.y})) {
-          $walls[y][x] = 0;
-          break;
-        }
-      }
-    }
-  }
-
   bool Builder::valid_door(size_t x, size_t y) {
     return (space_available(x, y - 1) && space_available(x, y + 1)) // north south
       || (space_available(x - 1, y) && space_available(x + 1, y));
@@ -345,24 +259,6 @@ namespace maze {
     }
   }
 
-  void Builder::inner_box(size_t outer_size, size_t inner_size) {
-    size_t x = matrix::width($walls) / 2;
-    size_t y = matrix::height($walls) / 2;
-
-    for(matrix::box it{$walls, x, y, outer_size}; it.next();)
-    {
-      $walls[it.y][it.x] = 0;
-    }
-
-    for(matrix::box it{$walls, x, y, inner_size}; it.next();)
-    {
-      $walls[it.y][it.x] = 1;
-    }
-
-    // make a fake room that blocks others
-    $no_rooms_region = {x - outer_size, y - outer_size, outer_size * 2 + 1, outer_size * 2 + 1};
-  }
-
   void Builder::add_dead_end(Point at) {
     // doing this ensures no dupes, if it's !inserted then it already existed
     auto [_, inserted] = $ends_map.insert_or_assign(at, true);
@@ -466,6 +362,84 @@ namespace maze {
     return validate();
   }
 
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+  /// scripting and shapes
+  
+  void Builder::inner_box(size_t outer_size, size_t inner_size) {
+    size_t x = matrix::width($walls) / 2;
+    size_t y = matrix::height($walls) / 2;
+
+    for(matrix::box it{$walls, x, y, outer_size}; it.next();)
+    {
+      $walls[it.y][it.x] = 0;
+    }
+
+    for(matrix::box it{$walls, x, y, inner_size}; it.next();)
+    {
+      $walls[it.y][it.x] = 1;
+    }
+
+    // make a fake room that blocks others
+    $no_rooms_region = {x - outer_size, y - outer_size, outer_size * 2 + 1, outer_size * 2 + 1};
+  }
+
+  void Builder::open_box(size_t outer_size) {
+    size_t center_x = $width / 2;
+    size_t center_y = $height / 2;
+
+    // compensate for the box's border now
+    outer_size++;
+
+    // this can't be right but for now it's working
+    size_t x = center_x - outer_size;
+    size_t y = center_y - outer_size;
+    // BUG: is the + 1 here because the bug in perimeter
+    size_t width = (outer_size * 2) + 1;
+    size_t height = (outer_size * 2) + 1;
+
+    for(matrix::perimeter p{x, y, width, height}; p.next();) {
+      for(matrix::compass it{$walls, p.x, p.y}; it.next();) {
+        if($ends_map.contains({it.x, it.y})) {
+          $walls[y][x] = 0;
+          break;
+        }
+      }
+    }
+  }
+
+  void Builder::divide(Point start, Point end) {
+    for(matrix::line it{start, end}; it.next();) {
+      $walls[it.y][it.x] = 0;
+      $walls[it.y+1][it.x] = 0;
+    }
+  }
+
+  void Builder::inner_donut(float outer_rad, float inner_rad) {
+    size_t x = $width / 2;
+    size_t y = $height / 2;
+
+    for(matrix::circle it{$walls, {x, y}, outer_rad}; it.next();)
+    {
+      for(int x = it.left; x < it.right; x++) {
+        $walls[it.y][x] = 0;
+      }
+    }
+
+    for(matrix::circle it{$walls, {x, y}, inner_rad}; it.next();)
+    {
+      for(int x = it.left; x < it.right; x++) {
+        $walls[it.y][x] = 1;
+      }
+    }
+  }
+
   std::pair<Builder, bool> script(Map& map, nlohmann::json& config) {
     maze::Builder maze(map);
 
@@ -506,4 +480,41 @@ namespace maze {
 
     return {maze, valid};
   }
+
+  void Builder::dump(const std::string& msg, bool path_too) {
+    Matrix wall_copy = $walls;
+
+    // mark the rooms too, but not if pathing
+    if(!path_too) {
+      for(auto& room : $rooms) {
+        for(matrix::rectangle it{wall_copy, room.x, room.y, room.width, room.height};
+            it.next();)
+        {
+          if(wall_copy[it.y][it.x] == 0) {
+            wall_copy[it.y][it.x] = ROOM_SPACE_VALUE;
+          }
+        }
+      }
+    }
+
+    // mark dead ends
+    for(auto at : $dead_ends) {
+      // don't mark dead ends if there's something else there
+      wall_copy[at.y][at.x] = DEAD_END_VALUE;
+    }
+
+    for(auto [at, _] : $doors) {
+      wall_copy[at.y][at.x] = DOOR_VALUE;
+    }
+
+    if(path_too) {
+      for(matrix::each_cell it{wall_copy}; it.next();) {
+        if(wall_copy[it.y][it.x] == SPACE_VALUE) {
+          wall_copy[it.y][it.x] = $pathing.$paths[it.y][it.x];
+        }
+      }
+    }
+
+    matrix::dump(msg, wall_copy);
+  }
 }
diff --git a/src/algos/maze.hpp b/src/algos/maze.hpp
index 39bc41f..980ee38 100644
--- a/src/algos/maze.hpp
+++ b/src/algos/maze.hpp
@@ -30,6 +30,8 @@ namespace maze {
 
     void clear();
     void hunt_and_kill(Point on={1,1});
+    bool hunt_next(Point& on, Point& found);
+    Point hak_step(Point from, Point to);
     void place_rooms();
     void enclose();
     void randomize_rooms(size_t room_size);