diff --git a/1988/applin/Makefile b/1988/applin/Makefile
index 173ce47cc..1673422cd 100644
--- a/1988/applin/Makefile
+++ b/1988/applin/Makefile
@@ -131,9 +131,9 @@ all: data ${TARGET}
 #
 # This entry took 75 minutes to compile on a Amdahl 5980-300E
 # (a 55658 Dhyrstone/sec/cpu machine) using the System V cpp.
-# (The GNU cpp when defined as BIG_CPP took only 45 seconds)
+# (The GNU cpp when defined as BIG_CPP took only 45 seconds.)
 # Your cpp may not be able to compile it due to a common bug
-# that results in ${CPP} running out of space.  The routine
+# that results in cpp running out of space.  The routine
 # 'zsmall' is a smaller version of the applin.c entry.
 #
 ${PROG}: ${PROG}.c
diff --git a/1988/applin/README.md b/1988/applin/README.md
index 187729cdf..baee1b29a 100644
--- a/1988/applin/README.md
+++ b/1988/applin/README.md
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 # Best of show
 
-Jack Applin  
-US  
+Jack Applin<br>
+US<br>
 <https://www.cs.colostate.edu/~applin/>
 
 ## To build:
@@ -10,9 +10,10 @@ US
 make all
 ```
 
-A smaller version, originally called `zsmall.c`, of [applin.c](applin.c) can be
-found in [applin.alt.c](applin.alt.c).  Your machine may have an easier time
-with this program.  See the Alternate code section below for details.
+A smaller version, originally called `zsmall.c` (and still exists as such, as
+the source of the alt code), of [applin.c](applin.c), can be found in
+[applin.alt.c](applin.alt.c).  Your machine may have an easier time with this
+program.  See the [Alternate code](#alternate-code) section below for details.
 
 ## Try:
 
@@ -22,8 +23,10 @@ with this program.  See the Alternate code section below for details.
 
 ### Alternate code:
 
-As noted above a smaller version can be used in case your cpp has a hard time
-with this entry. To use:
+As noted above a smaller version can be used in case your `cpp` has a hard time
+with this entry.
+
+#### To build:
 
 ```sh
 make alt
@@ -31,22 +34,34 @@ make alt
 
 Use `applin.alt` as you would `applin` above.
 
+#### History about the smaller version:
+
+Way back in 1988 ..
+
+This entry took 75 minutes to compile on a Amdahl 5980-300E (a 55658
+Dhyrstone/sec/cpu machine) using the System V `cpp`.  (The GNU `cpp` when defined as
+`BIG_CPP` took only 45 seconds.)
+
+Your `cpp` may not be able to compile it due to a common bug that results in
+`cpp` running out of space.  The routine [zsmall](zsmall.c) is a smaller version
+of the [applin.c](applin.c) entry.
+
 
 ## Judges' remarks:
 
 This entry is by far the most unusual abuse of the C preprocessor that
 we have received thus far.  Nearly all of the real work is done in the
-preprocessor!
+C preprocessor!
 
 When we compiled [applin.c](applin.c) on an
 [Amdahl](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amdahl_Corporation) 5890-300E, we found that it
 spent over 75 minutes in the System V C preprocessor!  Besides showing that the
-standard System V cpp is slow, it showed that it contained a memory usage
+standard System V `cpp` is slow, it showed that it contained a memory usage
 problem.  The [applin.c](applin.c) only uses 29 different preprocessor symbols
 (besides `stdio.h`) and yet the preprocessor ran out of space!
 
-The GNU C preprocessor took less than 45 seconds to perform the 2nd pass 
-on the Amdahl 5890-300E.  But due to the ANSI-likeness of GNU cpp (v. 1-21), 
+The GNU C preprocessor took under 45 seconds to perform the 2nd pass
+on the Amdahl 5890-300E.  But due to the ANSI-likeness of GNU `cpp` (v. 1-21),
 it was not able to cleanly substitute a symbol that began with a '#'.
 Clearly the GNU C preprocessor is faster.