diff --git a/1990/jaw/Makefile b/1990/jaw/Makefile
index d0a88b309..86fa254e4 100644
--- a/1990/jaw/Makefile
+++ b/1990/jaw/Makefile
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ CINCLUDE=
 
 # Optimization
 #
-OPT=
+OPT= -O3
 
 # Default flags for ANSI C compilation
 #
diff --git a/1990/jaw/try.sh b/1990/jaw/try.sh
index 84e6591ae..1398ce7aa 100755
--- a/1990/jaw/try.sh
+++ b/1990/jaw/try.sh
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
 
 echo "Running shark.sh:"
-./shark.sh shark.sh README.md jaw.c try.sh > receive || exit 1
+./shark.sh atob shark.sh README.md jaw.c try.sh > receive || exit 1
 echo "Done."
 
 
diff --git a/1992/gson/Makefile b/1992/gson/Makefile
index 860cc36a2..9c28a4e73 100644
--- a/1992/gson/Makefile
+++ b/1992/gson/Makefile
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ CSILENCE= -Wno-bitwise-op-parentheses -Wno-char-subscripts \
 	-Wno-deprecated-declarations -Wno-empty-body -Wno-error \
 	-Wno-implicit-function-declaration -Wno-parentheses -Wno-pedantic \
 	-Wno-return-type -Wno-unused-parameter -Wno-unused-value \
-	-Wno-deprecated-non-prototype
+	-Wno-deprecated-non-prototype -Wno-implicit-int
 
 # Common C compiler warning flags
 #
@@ -69,7 +69,9 @@ CINCLUDE=
 
 # Optimization
 #
-OPT=
+# We DISABLE the optimiser because having it enabled will cause a crash in some
+# invocations in some systems.
+OPT= -O0
 
 # Default flags for ANSI C compilation
 #
@@ -133,8 +135,11 @@ all: data ${TARGET}
 	clean clobber install love haste waste maker easter_egg \
 	sandwich supernova deep_magic magic charon pluto
 
+# We DISABLE THE OPTIMISER because when it's enabled in some conditions it
+# crashes.
+#
 ${PROG}: ${PROG}.c
-	${CC} ${CFLAGS} $< -o $@ ${LDFLAGS}
+	${CC} ${CFLAGS} -O0 $< -o $@ ${LDFLAGS}
 
 ag: ${PROG}
 	${RM} -f $@
diff --git a/1992/gson/README.md b/1992/gson/README.md
index 743386ab9..914027a1c 100644
--- a/1992/gson/README.md
+++ b/1992/gson/README.md
@@ -4,6 +4,10 @@
 make all
 ```
 
+NOTE: we DISABLE the optimiser because having it enabled causes some invocations
+to crash in some systems.
+
+
 ### Bugs and (Mis)features:
 
 The current status of this entry is:
@@ -127,13 +131,14 @@ Instead, it tries to achieve both its speed and its obscurity through a
 careful choice of algorithms.  Some of the finer points of those
 algorithms are outlined in the spoiler below.
 
+
 ### How it works:
 
 Here follows a description of some of the data structures and
 algorithms used by AG.  It is by no means complete, but it may help
 you get an idea about the general principles.
 
---
+---
 
 Internally, AG represents words and sentences as arrays of 32
 4-bit integer elements.  Each element represents the number of
diff --git a/1992/gson/try.sh b/1992/gson/try.sh
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..b6c813483
--- /dev/null
+++ b/1992/gson/try.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,117 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+#
+# try.sh - demonstrate IOCCC winner 1992/gson
+#
+
+# make sure CC is set so that when we do make CC="$CC" it isn't empty. Doing it
+# this way allows us to have the user specify a different compiler in an easy
+# way.
+if [[ -z "$CC" ]]; then
+    CC="cc"
+fi
+
+make CC="$CC" all >/dev/null || exit 1
+
+# clear screen after compilation so that only the entry is shown
+clear
+
+# attempt to find a dictionary file if DICT unset or not a regular readable file
+#
+if [[ -z "$DICT" || ! -f "$DICT" || ! -r "$DICT" ]]; then
+    DICT="/usr/share/dict/words"
+
+    if [[ ! -r "$DICT" ]]; then
+	DICT="/usr/share/lib/spell/words"
+
+	if [[ ! -r "$DICT" ]]; then
+	    DICT="/usr/ucblib/dict/words"
+	    
+	    if [[ ! -r "$DICT" ]]; then
+		DICT="/dev/null"
+	    fi
+	fi
+    fi
+fi
+
+# safety check that DICT is not empty and is a readable file
+#
+if [[ -n "$DICT" && -f "$DICT" && -r "$DICT" ]]; then
+    echo "$ ./ag free software foundation < $DICT" 1>&2
+    read -r -n 1 -p "Press any key to continue (space = next page, q = quit): "
+    echo 1>&2
+    ./ag free software foundation < "$DICT" 2>/dev/null | less -rEXF
+
+    echo "$ ./ag obfuscated c contest < $DICT" 1>&2
+    read -r -n 1 -p "Press any key to continue (space = next page, q = quit): "
+    echo 1>&2
+    ./ag obfuscated c contest < "$DICT" 2>/dev/null | less -rEXF
+
+    echo "$ ./ag unix international	< $DICT" 1>&2
+    read -r -n 1 -p "Press any key to continue (space = next page, q = quit): "
+    echo 1>&2
+    ./ag unix international	< "$DICT" 2>/dev/null | less -rEXF
+
+    echo "$ ./ag george bush < $DICT" 1>&2
+    read -r -n 1 -p "Press any key to continue (space = next page, q = quit): "
+    echo 1>&2
+    ./ag george bush < "$DICT" 2>/dev/null | less -rEXF
+
+    echo "$ ./ag bill clinton < $DICT" 1>&2
+    read -r -n 1 -p "Press any key to continue (space = next page, q = quit): "
+    echo 1>&2
+    ./ag bill clinton < "$DICT" 2>/dev/null | less -rEXF
+
+    echo "$ ./ag ross perot	< $DICT" 1>&2
+    read -r -n 1 -p "Press any key to continue (space = next page, q = quit): "
+    echo 1>&2
+    ./ag ross perot	< "$DICT" 2>/dev/null | less -rEXF
+
+    echo "$ ./ag paul e tsongas < $DICT" 1>&2
+    read -r -n 1 -p "Press any key to continue (space = next page, q = quit): "
+    echo 1>&2
+    ./ag paul e tsongas < "$DICT" 2>/dev/null | less -rEXF
+fi
+
+# now try making our own dictionary with mkdict.sh:
+#
+rm -f words
+cat README.md try.sh Makefile | ./mkdict.sh > words
+DICT="words"
+
+read -r -n 1 -p "Press any key to use our own dict from mkdict.sh: "
+echo 1>&2
+
+echo "$ ./ag free software foundation < $DICT" 1>&2
+read -r -n 1 -p "Press any key to continue (space = next page, q = quit): "
+echo 1>&2
+./ag free software foundation < "$DICT" 2>/dev/null | less -rEXF
+
+echo "$ ./ag obfuscated c contest < $DICT" 1>&2
+read -r -n 1 -p "Press any key to continue (space = next page, q = quit): "
+echo 1>&2
+./ag obfuscated c contest < "$DICT" 2>/dev/null | less -rEXF
+
+echo "$ ./ag unix international	< $DICT" 1>&2
+read -r -n 1 -p "Press any key to continue (space = next page, q = quit): "
+echo 1>&2
+./ag unix international	< "$DICT" 2>/dev/null | less -rEXF
+
+echo "$ ./ag george bush < $DICT" 1>&2
+read -r -n 1 -p "Press any key to continue (space = next page, q = quit): "
+echo 1>&2
+./ag george bush < "$DICT" 2>/dev/null | less -rEXF
+
+echo "$ ./ag bill clinton < $DICT" 1>&2
+read -r -n 1 -p "Press any key to continue (space = next page, q = quit): "
+echo 1>&2
+./ag bill clinton < "$DICT" 2>/dev/null | less -rEXF
+
+echo "$ ./ag ross perot	< $DICT" 1>&2
+read -r -n 1 -p "Press any key to continue (space = next page, q = quit): "
+echo 1>&2
+./ag ross perot	< "$DICT" 2>/dev/null | less -rEXF
+
+echo "$ ./ag paul e tsongas < $DICT" 1>&2
+read -r -n 1 -p "Press any key to continue (space = next page, q = quit): "
+echo 1>&2
+./ag paul e tsongas < "$DICT" 2>/dev/null | less -rEXF
diff --git a/2000/tomx/try.sh b/2000/tomx/try.sh
index e3bb764dc..82e9dcdc8 100755
--- a/2000/tomx/try.sh
+++ b/2000/tomx/try.sh
@@ -15,11 +15,6 @@ make CC="$CC" all >/dev/null || exit 1
 # clear screen after compilation so that only the entry is shown
 clear
 
-if [[ ! -f "tomx" || ! -e "tomx" ]]; then
-    echo "Compiling tomx.c:" 1>&2
-    make all || exit 1
-fi
-
 echo "Running tomx:" 1>&2
 echo "$ ./tomx" 1>&2
 ./tomx
diff --git a/2001/anonymous/Makefile b/2001/anonymous/Makefile
index b22f85dba..ac0ab22e0 100644
--- a/2001/anonymous/Makefile
+++ b/2001/anonymous/Makefile
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ CINCLUDE=
 
 # Optimization
 #
-OPT=
+OPT= -O3
 
 # Default flags for ANSI C compilation
 #
diff --git a/2001/williams/Makefile b/2001/williams/Makefile
index 6e003cf2e..95cf1373a 100644
--- a/2001/williams/Makefile
+++ b/2001/williams/Makefile
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ CINCLUDE= -I ${X11_INCDIR} -I ${X11_INCDIR}/X11
 
 # Optimization
 #
-OPT= -ggdb3
+OPT= -O3
 
 # Default flags for ANSI C compilation
 #
diff --git a/2004/burley/Makefile b/2004/burley/Makefile
index fe20f609b..79bc12f3f 100644
--- a/2004/burley/Makefile
+++ b/2004/burley/Makefile
@@ -66,7 +66,8 @@ CINCLUDE= -include stdio.h -include setjmp.h -include string.h -include time.h -
 
 # Optimization
 #
-OPT=
+# We DISABLE the optimiser because having it enabled BREAKS the program.
+OPT= -O0
 
 # Default flags for ANSI C compilation
 #
@@ -131,8 +132,10 @@ all: data ${TARGET}
 	clean clobber install love haste waste maker easter_egg \
 	sandwich supernova deep_magic magic charon pluto
 
+# NOTE: We FORCE the use of -O0 even if someone overrides it because this entry
+# will not work with it enabled.
 ${PROG}: ${PROG}.c
-	${CC} ${CFLAGS} $< -o $@ ${LDFLAGS}
+	${CC} ${CFLAGS} -O0 $< -o $@ ${LDFLAGS}
 
 # alternative executable
 #
diff --git a/2004/burley/README.md b/2004/burley/README.md
index 8f4e2259e..98c460975 100644
--- a/2004/burley/README.md
+++ b/2004/burley/README.md
@@ -4,6 +4,9 @@
 make
 ```
 
+NOTE: We FORCE the use of -O0 even if someone overrides it because this entry
+will not work with it enabled.
+
 
 ## To use:
 
diff --git a/2004/kopczynski/Makefile b/2004/kopczynski/Makefile
index 589fed63c..a4fdf241e 100644
--- a/2004/kopczynski/Makefile
+++ b/2004/kopczynski/Makefile
@@ -66,7 +66,8 @@ CINCLUDE=
 
 # Optimization
 #
-OPT=
+# We DISABLE the optimiser because having it enabled BREAKS the program.
+OPT= -O0
 
 # Default flags for ANSI C compilation
 #
@@ -129,8 +130,10 @@ all: data ${TARGET}
 	clean clobber install love haste waste maker easter_egg \
 	sandwich supernova deep_magic magic charon pluto
 
+# NOTE: We FORCE the use of -O0 even if someone overrides it because this entry
+# will not work with it enabled.
 ${PROG}: ${PROG}.c
-	${CC} ${CFLAGS} $< -o $@ ${LDFLAGS}
+	${CC} ${CFLAGS} -O0 $< -o $@ ${LDFLAGS}
 
 # alternative executable
 #
diff --git a/2004/kopczynski/README.md b/2004/kopczynski/README.md
index 2ffcef98c..8d585eae1 100644
--- a/2004/kopczynski/README.md
+++ b/2004/kopczynski/README.md
@@ -4,6 +4,9 @@
 make
 ```
 
+NOTE: We FORCE the use of -O0 even if someone overrides it because this entry
+will not work with it enabled.
+
 
 ## To use:
 
@@ -15,22 +18,9 @@ make
 ### Try:
 
 ```sh
-./kopczynski < kopczynski-8a
-./kopczynski < kopczynski-8b
-./kopczynski < kopczynski-8c
-./kopczynski < kopczynski-9
-./kopczynski < kopczynski-10
-./kopczynski < kopczynski-11
+./try
 ```
 
-Also try:
-
-```sh
-./kopczynski < kopczynski-a
-```
-
-What happens?
-
 What happens if you feed the program source to the program? Can you figure out
 why?
 
@@ -38,7 +28,9 @@ why?
 ## Alternate code:
 
 The judges modified the program to print its result.  The original
-program returned the result as an exit code:
+program returned the result as an exit code which is what the alternate version
+does.
+
 
 ### Alternate build:
 
diff --git a/2005/giljade/Makefile b/2005/giljade/Makefile
index df5d6c7ae..cb200f713 100644
--- a/2005/giljade/Makefile
+++ b/2005/giljade/Makefile
@@ -69,8 +69,9 @@ CDEFINE=
 CINCLUDE= -include stdio.h -include string.h -include unistd.h -include stdlib.h
 
 # Optimization
+# We DISABLE the optimiser because having it enabled BREAKS the program.
 #
-OPT=
+OPT= -O0
 
 # Default flags for ANSI C compilation
 #
@@ -135,8 +136,10 @@ all: data ${TARGET}
 	clean clobber install love haste waste maker easter_egg \
 	sandwich supernova deep_magic magic charon pluto
 
+# NOTE: We FORCE the use of -O0 even if someone overrides it because this entry
+# will not work with it enabled.
 ${PROG}: ${PROG}.c
-	${CC} ${CFLAGS} $< -o $@ ${LDFLAGS}
+	${CC} ${CFLAGS} -O0 $< -o $@ ${LDFLAGS}
 
 test: ${PROG} test.sh
 	./test.sh
diff --git a/2005/giljade/README.md b/2005/giljade/README.md
index 19a2f4fe5..652729ac6 100644
--- a/2005/giljade/README.md
+++ b/2005/giljade/README.md
@@ -4,6 +4,9 @@
 make
 ```
 
+NOTE: We FORCE the use of -O0 even if someone overrides it because this entry
+will not work with it enabled.
+
 
 ### Bugs and (Mis)features:
 
diff --git a/2011/richards/Makefile b/2011/richards/Makefile
index d736a7f06..d767f98a4 100644
--- a/2011/richards/Makefile
+++ b/2011/richards/Makefile
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ CINCLUDE= -include stdlib.h -include string.h -include stdio.h -include ctype.h
 
 # Optimization
 #
-OPT=
+OPT= -O3
 
 # Default flags for ANSI C compilation
 #
diff --git a/bugs.md b/bugs.md
index 9e1f65e40..d61bffcaa 100644
--- a/bugs.md
+++ b/bugs.md
@@ -302,6 +302,9 @@ crashes.
 NOTE: this does NOT apply to entries under the INABIAF status (though they're
 not mutually exclusive in some cases).
 
+REMINDER: if you're debugging a crash it will be very helpful to have `-O0 -g`
+or if you can `-ggdb3` when compiling as that will help with debugging symbols.
+
 
 ## STATUS: uses gets() - change to fgets() if possible
 
@@ -667,6 +670,60 @@ Enjoy! :-)
 # 1990
 
 
+## 1990 jaw
+
+### STATUS: known bug - please help us fix
+### Source code: [1990/jaw/jaw.c](1990/jaw/jaw.c)
+### Information: [1990/jaw/README.md](1990/jaw/README.md)
+
+[Cody Boone Ferguson](https://www.ioccc.org/winners.html#Cody_Boone_Ferguson)
+fixed some issues in this program and [Yusuke
+Endoh](https://www.ioccc.org/winners.html#Yusuke_Endoh) provided the `btoa`
+script but it appears there is a bug in this entry. The judges wrote that to
+test the entry one can do:
+
+```sh
+echo "Quartz glyph jocks vend, fix, BMW." | compress | ./btoa | ./jaw
+```
+
+which should apply the identity transformation to a minimal holoalphabetic
+sentence.
+
+But doing this shows instead:
+
+```sh
+echo "Quartz glyph jocks vend, fix, BMW." | compress | ./btoa | ./jaw
+a얖?)V...?????777??hC??h??-?	)SSSSXXX????r?L=???*?-???ppp,,,?R
+?j
+111-)))? '..F@E
+               ???b111?
+..F..F.?n,,,,,L@E$
+```
+
+Notice how there's no newline at the end: that final `$` is the prompt.
+
+If one does, however:
+
+```sh
+echo "Quartz glyph jocks vend, fix, BMW." | compress | ./btoa | ./jaw | ./jaw
+```
+
+they will get just
+
+```
+oops
+```
+
+which seems to be an error message (one of the fixes was to make it not use
+`perror(3)` - this fixed something else though it's no longer known what).
+
+The script [shark.sh](/1990/jaw/shark.sh) has some issues too in that due to
+path not having `.` (this and maybe some other things were fixed) and `tar` not
+wanting to accept reading from `stdin` (this in particular) even with the right
+options used, seemingly, it has to write to disk the tarball which seems to
+defeat the purpose. This would ideally be fixed.
+
+
 ## 1990 theorem
 
 ### STATUS: INABIAF - please **DO NOT** fix
@@ -839,7 +896,18 @@ problem of `gets()` being used in a more complex way.
 
 It would be ideal if it were to use `fgets()` though. This will probably be
 looked at later but you're welcome to try and fix this too! A tip on how
-`gets()` is being used is in the [FAQ](/faq.md#gets) file.
+`gets()` is being used from Cody:
+
+Previously it had a buffer size of 256 which could easily overflow. In this
+entry `gets(3)` is used in a more complicated way: first `m` is set to `*++p` in
+a for loop where `p` is argv. Later `m` is set to point to `h` which was of size
+256. `gets(3)` is called as `m = gets(m)`) but trying to change it to use
+`fgets(3)` proved more a problem. Since the input must come from the command
+line Cody changed the buffer size to `ARG_MAX+1` which should be enough (again
+theoretically) especially since the command expects redirecting a dictionary
+file as part of the command line. This also makes it possible for longer strings
+to be read (in case the `gets(3)` was not used in a loop).
+
 
 
 ## 1992 kivinen
diff --git a/thanks-for-help.md b/thanks-for-help.md
index 5c9298d79..b9dd4193f 100644
--- a/thanks-for-help.md
+++ b/thanks-for-help.md
@@ -1420,25 +1420,19 @@ commands that we suggested and some additional ones that provide for some fun.
 [Cody](#cody) fixed a crash that prevented this entry from working in some cases in some
 systems (like macOS) by disabling the optimiser in the Makefile.
 
-Cody also changed the buffer size in such a way that `gets(3)` should be safe
-(theoretically) as it comes from the command line (though it can also read input
-from stdin after starting the program). Ideally `fgets(3)` would be used but this
-is a more problematic.  Previously it had a buffer size of 256 which could
-easily overflow. In this entry `gets(3)` is used in a more complicated way:
-first `m` is set to `*++p` in a for loop where `p` is argv. Later `m` is set to
-point to `h` which was of size 256. `gets(3)` is called as `m = gets(m)`) but
-trying to change it to use `fgets(3)` proved more a problem. Since the input must
-come from the command line Cody changed the buffer size to `ARG_MAX+1` which
-should be enough (again theoretically) especially since the command expects
-redirecting a dictionary file as part of the command line. This also makes it
-possible for longer strings to be read (in case the `gets(3)` was not used in a
-loop).
+Cody also added the [try.sh](/1992/gson/try.sh) script.
 
 Cody also added the [mkdict.sh](/1992/gson/mkdict.sh) script that the author
 included in their remarks. See the README.md for its purpose. It was NOT fixed
 for [ShellCheck](https://github.com/koalaman/shellcheck)
-because the author deliberately obfuscated it so **PLEASE DO NOT
-FIX THIS**.
+because the author deliberately obfuscated it so **PLEASE *DO NOT* FIX THIS OR
+MODERNISE IT**.
+
+Cody also changed the buffer size in such a way that `gets(3)` should be safe
+(well, theoretically) as it comes from the command line (though it can also read input
+from `stdin` after starting the program). Ideally `fgets(3)` would be used but this
+is a more problematic. See [1992/gson in bugs.md](/bugs.md#1992-gson) for more
+details if you're interested in trying to understand it (or fix?).
 
 
 ## <a name="1992_imc"></a>[1992/imc](/1992/imc/imc.c) ([README.md](/1992/imc/README.md]))
@@ -2671,16 +2665,16 @@ For clang the problem was that `main()` had one arg, a `char *` and this is not
 allowed in any version of clang. In some versions it is allowed if the arg is an
 `int` but never if it's anything else. To get it to work took numerous changes.
 
-First the inclusion of `setjmp.h` was necessary. Without this `longjmp()`
-implicitly returned int which was used for the purpose of binary expression but
+First the inclusion of `setjmp.h` was necessary. Without this `longjmp(3)`
+implicitly returned `int` which was used for the purpose of binary expression but
 this no longer worked.
 
 But by including `setjmp.h` it naturally made the binary expressions invalid (as
-it returns void which no longer is allowed in binary expressions) so the comma
+it returns `void` which is not allowed in binary expressions) so the comma
 operator with `0` (`,0`) had to be used (`,1` was tried first but this did not
 work right).
 
-`longjmp()` was being called with one arg which was an element
+`longjmp(3)` was being called with one arg which was an element
 of an `int[4][1000]` which had to be changed to a `jmp_buf p[4]` (this due to
 the prototype being included).