diff --git a/xwords4/android/XWords4/jni/utilwrapper.c b/xwords4/android/XWords4/jni/utilwrapper.c
index a2a1a9cef..70fd81b27 100644
--- a/xwords4/android/XWords4/jni/utilwrapper.c
+++ b/xwords4/android/XWords4/jni/utilwrapper.c
@@ -218,16 +218,15 @@ and_util_turnChanged(XW_UtilCtxt* uc)
 static void
 and_util_informMove( XW_UtilCtxt* uc, XWStreamCtxt* expl, XWStreamCtxt* words )
 {
-    UTIL_CBK_HEADER( "informMove", "(Ljava/lang/String;Ljava/lang/String;)V" );
-    jstring jexpl = streamToJString( MPPARM(util->util.mpool) env, expl );
-    jstring jwords = !!words ? 
-        streamToJString( MPPARM(util->util.mpool) env, words ) : NULL;
-    (*env)->CallVoidMethod( env, util->jutil, mid, jexpl, jwords );
-    (*env)->DeleteLocalRef( env, jexpl );
-    if ( !!jwords ) {
+    if ( !!words ) {
+        UTIL_CBK_HEADER( "informMove", "(Ljava/lang/String;Ljava/lang/String;)V" );
+        jstring jexpl = streamToJString( MPPARM(util->util.mpool) env, expl );
+        jstring jwords = streamToJString( MPPARM(util->util.mpool) env, words );
+        (*env)->CallVoidMethod( env, util->jutil, mid, jexpl, jwords );
+        (*env)->DeleteLocalRef( env, jexpl );
         (*env)->DeleteLocalRef( env, jwords );
+        UTIL_CBK_TAIL();
     }
-    UTIL_CBK_TAIL();
 }
 
 static void
diff --git a/xwords4/android/XWords4/src/org/eehouse/android/xw4/NetStateCache.java b/xwords4/android/XWords4/src/org/eehouse/android/xw4/NetStateCache.java
index 2f23bc424..81c7df04b 100644
--- a/xwords4/android/XWords4/src/org/eehouse/android/xw4/NetStateCache.java
+++ b/xwords4/android/XWords4/src/org/eehouse/android/xw4/NetStateCache.java
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ public class NetStateCache {
 
                 NetworkInfo ni = (NetworkInfo)intent.
                     getParcelableExtra(ConnectivityManager.EXTRA_NETWORK_INFO);
-                Utils.logf( "CommsTransport::onReceive: %s", 
+                Utils.logf( "CommsBroadcastReceiver.onReceive: %s", 
                             ni.getState().toString() );
 
                 boolean netAvail;
diff --git a/xwords4/common/board.c b/xwords4/common/board.c
index b279f3fae..8fb40b5cd 100644
--- a/xwords4/common/board.c
+++ b/xwords4/common/board.c
@@ -65,8 +65,6 @@
 #include "dragdrpp.h"
 #include "dbgutil.h"
 
-#define bEND 0x62454e44
-
 #ifndef MAX_BOARD_ZOOM
 /* too big looks bad */
 # define MAX_BOARD_ZOOM 4
@@ -280,7 +278,6 @@ board_makeFromStream( MPFORMAL XWStreamCtxt* stream, ModelCtxt* model,
     board->selInfo = &board->pti[board->selPlayer];
     board->trayVisState = (XW_TrayVisState)stream_getBits( stream, 2 );
 
-    XP_ASSERT( stream_getU32( stream ) == bEND );
     return board;
 } /* board_makeFromStream */
 
@@ -340,10 +337,6 @@ board_writeToStream( BoardCtxt* board, XWStreamCtxt* stream )
 
     stream_putBits( stream, PLAYERNUM_NBITS, board->selPlayer );
     stream_putBits( stream, 2, board->trayVisState );
-
-#ifdef DEBUG
-    stream_putU32( stream, bEND );
-#endif
 } /* board_writeToStream */
 
 void
diff --git a/xwords4/common/comms.c b/xwords4/common/comms.c
index 721e58679..f876a8043 100644
--- a/xwords4/common/comms.c
+++ b/xwords4/common/comms.c
@@ -31,7 +31,6 @@
 #include "xwrelay.h"
 #include "strutils.h"
 
-#define cEND 0x65454e44
 #define HEARTBEAT_NONE 0
 
 #ifndef XWFEATURE_STANDALONE_ONLY
@@ -62,10 +61,6 @@ typedef struct MsgQueueElem {
 typedef struct AddressRecord {
     struct AddressRecord* next;
     CommsAddrRec addr;
-#ifdef DEBUG
-    XP_U16 lastACK;
-    XP_U16 nUniqueBytes;
-#endif
     MsgID nextMsgID;        /* on a per-channel basis */
     MsgID lastMsgRcd;        /* on a per-channel basis */
     /* only used if COMMS_HEARTBEAT set except for serialization (to_stream) */
@@ -137,9 +132,6 @@ struct CommsCtxt {
     } r;
 
     XP_Bool isServer;
-#ifdef DEBUG
-    XP_U16 nUniqueBytes;
-#endif
     MPSLOT
 };
 
@@ -563,9 +555,6 @@ comms_makeFromStream( MPFORMAL XWStreamCtxt* stream, XW_UtilCtxt* util,
                               sizeof(comms->r.connName) );
     }
 
-#ifdef DEBUG
-    comms->nUniqueBytes = stream_getU16( stream );
-#endif
     comms->queueLen = stream_getU8( stream );
 
     nAddrRecs = stream_getU8( stream );
@@ -583,11 +572,6 @@ comms_makeFromStream( MPFORMAL XWStreamCtxt* stream, XW_UtilCtxt* util,
             rec->r.hostID = stream_getU8( stream );
         }
 
-#ifdef DEBUG
-        rec->lastACK = stream_getU16( stream );
-        rec->nUniqueBytes = stream_getU16( stream );
-#endif
-
         *prevsAddrNext = rec;
         prevsAddrNext = &rec->next;
     }
@@ -614,10 +598,6 @@ comms_makeFromStream( MPFORMAL XWStreamCtxt* stream, XW_UtilCtxt* util,
         prevsQueueNext = &msg->next;
     }
 
-#ifdef DEBUG
-    XP_ASSERT( stream_getU32( stream ) == cEND );
-#endif
-
     return comms;
 } /* comms_makeFromStream */
 
@@ -743,10 +723,6 @@ comms_writeToStream( const CommsCtxt* comms, XWStreamCtxt* stream )
         stringToStream( stream, comms->r.connName );
     }
 
-#ifdef DEBUG
-    stream_putU16( stream, comms->nUniqueBytes );
-#endif
-
     XP_ASSERT( comms->queueLen <= 255 );
     stream_putU8( stream, (XP_U8)comms->queueLen );
 
@@ -764,10 +740,6 @@ comms_writeToStream( const CommsCtxt* comms, XWStreamCtxt* stream )
         if ( rec->addr.conType == COMMS_CONN_RELAY ) {
             stream_putU8( stream, rec->r.hostID ); /* unneeded unless RELAY */
         }
-#ifdef DEBUG
-        stream_putU16( stream, rec->lastACK );
-        stream_putU16( stream, rec->nUniqueBytes );
-#endif
     }
 
     for ( msg = comms->msgQueueHead; !!msg; msg = msg->next ) {
@@ -778,9 +750,6 @@ comms_writeToStream( const CommsCtxt* comms, XWStreamCtxt* stream )
         stream_putBytes( stream, msg->msg, msg->len );
     }
 
-#ifdef DEBUG
-    stream_putU32( stream, cEND );
-#endif
 } /* comms_writeToStream */
 
 void
@@ -906,14 +875,6 @@ makeElemWithID( CommsCtxt* comms, MsgID msgID, AddressRecord* rec,
     MsgQueueElem* newMsgElem;
     XWStreamCtxt* msgStream;
 
-#ifdef DEBUG
-    if ( !!rec ) {
-        rec->nUniqueBytes += streamSize;
-    } else {
-        comms->nUniqueBytes += streamSize;
-    }
-#endif
-
     newMsgElem = (MsgQueueElem*)XP_MALLOC( comms->mpool, 
                                            sizeof( *newMsgElem ) );
     newMsgElem->channelNo = channelNo;
@@ -1643,9 +1604,6 @@ validateChannelMessage( CommsCtxt* comms, const CommsAddrRec* addr,
         removeFromQueue( comms, channelNo, lastMsgRcd );
         if ( msgID == rec->lastMsgRcd + 1 ) {
             updateChannelAddress( rec, addr );
-#ifdef DEBUG
-            rec->lastACK = (XP_U16)lastMsgRcd;
-#endif
         } else {
             XP_LOGF( "%s: expected %ld, got %ld", __func__, 
                      rec->lastMsgRcd + 1, msgID );
@@ -1919,11 +1877,6 @@ comms_getStats( CommsCtxt* comms, XWStreamCtxt* stream )
         stream_catString( stream, buf );
     }
 
-    XP_SNPRINTF( (XP_UCHAR*)buf, sizeof(buf), 
-                 (XP_UCHAR*)"channel-less bytes sent: %d\n", 
-                 comms->nUniqueBytes );
-    stream_catString( stream, buf );
-
     now = util_getCurSeconds( comms->util );
     for ( rec = comms->recs; !!rec; rec = rec->next ) {
         XP_SNPRINTF( (XP_UCHAR*)buf, sizeof(buf), 
@@ -1936,19 +1889,10 @@ comms_getStats( CommsCtxt* comms, XWStreamCtxt* stream )
                      rec->nextMsgID );
         stream_catString( stream, buf );
 
-        XP_SNPRINTF( (XP_UCHAR*)buf, sizeof(buf), 
-                     (XP_UCHAR*)"Unique bytes sent: %d\n", 
-                     rec->nUniqueBytes );
-        stream_catString( stream, buf );
-
         XP_SNPRINTF( (XP_UCHAR*)buf, sizeof(buf), 
                      (XP_UCHAR*)"Last message received: %ld\n", 
                      rec->lastMsgRcd );
         stream_catString( stream, buf );
-        XP_SNPRINTF( (XP_UCHAR*)buf, sizeof(buf), 
-                     (XP_UCHAR*)"Last message acknowledged: %d\n", 
-                     rec->lastACK );
-        stream_catString( stream, buf );
     }
 } /* comms_getStats */
 #endif
diff --git a/xwords4/common/engine.c b/xwords4/common/engine.c
index a0dcab4fe..c8f270468 100644
--- a/xwords4/common/engine.c
+++ b/xwords4/common/engine.c
@@ -27,8 +27,6 @@
 extern "C" {
 #endif
 
-#define eEND 0x63454e44
-
 typedef XP_U8 Engine_rack[MAX_UNIQUE_TILES+1];
 
 #ifndef NUM_SAVED_ENGINE_MOVES
@@ -219,16 +217,13 @@ engine_make( MPFORMAL XW_UtilCtxt* util )
 
 void
 engine_writeToStream( EngineCtxt* XP_UNUSED(ctxt), 
-                      XWStreamCtxt* XP_UNUSED_DBG(stream) )
+                      XWStreamCtxt* XP_UNUSED(stream) )
 {
     /* nothing to save; see comment below */
-#ifdef DEBUG
-    stream_putU32( stream, eEND );
-#endif
 } /* engine_writeToStream */
 
 EngineCtxt* 
-engine_makeFromStream( MPFORMAL XWStreamCtxt* XP_UNUSED_DBG(stream), 
+engine_makeFromStream( MPFORMAL XWStreamCtxt* XP_UNUSED(stream), 
                        XW_UtilCtxt* util )
 {
     EngineCtxt* engine = engine_make( MPPARM(mpool) util );
@@ -237,8 +232,6 @@ engine_makeFromStream( MPFORMAL XWStreamCtxt* XP_UNUSED_DBG(stream),
        move.  So if we're willing to have the set of moves found lost across
        a save, there's nothing to do! */
 
-    XP_ASSERT( stream_getU32( stream ) == eEND );
-
     return engine;
 } /* engine_makeFromStream */
 
diff --git a/xwords4/common/model.c b/xwords4/common/model.c
index 25cf81076..94104f598 100644
--- a/xwords4/common/model.c
+++ b/xwords4/common/model.c
@@ -33,8 +33,6 @@
 extern "C" {
 #endif
 
-#define mEND 0x6d454e44
-
 #define MAX_PASSES 2 /* how many times can all players pass? */
 
 /****************************** prototypes ******************************/
@@ -153,8 +151,6 @@ model_makeFromStream( MPFORMAL XWStreamCtxt* stream, DictionaryCtxt* dict,
         invalidateScore( model, i );
     }
 
-    XP_ASSERT( stream_getU32( stream ) == mEND );
-
     return model;
 } /* model_makeFromStream */
 
@@ -174,10 +170,6 @@ model_writeToStream( ModelCtxt* model, XWStreamCtxt* stream )
     for ( i = 0; i < model->nPlayers; ++i ) {
         writePlayerCtxt( stream, &model->players[i] );
     }
-
-#ifdef DEBUG
-    stream_putU32( stream, mEND );
-#endif
 } /* model_writeToStream */
 
 #ifdef TEXT_MODEL
diff --git a/xwords4/common/pool.c b/xwords4/common/pool.c
index b2491d418..7f13ef2b1 100644
--- a/xwords4/common/pool.c
+++ b/xwords4/common/pool.c
@@ -22,8 +22,6 @@
 #include "dictnry.h"
 #include "xwstream.h"
 
-#define pEND 0x70454e44
-
 // #define BLANKS_FIRST 1
 
 struct PoolContext {
@@ -67,9 +65,6 @@ pool_writeToStream( PoolContext* pool, XWStreamCtxt* stream )
     stream_putU16( stream, pool->numFaces );
     stream_putBytes( stream, pool->lettersLeft, 
                      (XP_U16)(pool->numFaces * sizeof(pool->lettersLeft[0])) );
-#ifdef DEBUG
-    stream_putU32( stream, pEND );
-#endif
 } /* pool_writeToStream */
 
 PoolContext*
@@ -84,8 +79,6 @@ pool_makeFromStream( MPFORMAL XWStreamCtxt* stream )
     stream_getBytes( stream, pool->lettersLeft, 
                      (XP_U16)(pool->numFaces * sizeof(pool->lettersLeft[0])) );
 
-    XP_ASSERT( stream_getU32( stream ) == pEND );
-
     return pool;
 } /* pool_makeFromStream */
 
diff --git a/xwords4/common/server.c b/xwords4/common/server.c
index 55f4b5852..5bf254820 100644
--- a/xwords4/common/server.c
+++ b/xwords4/common/server.c
@@ -41,8 +41,6 @@
 extern "C" {
 #endif
 
-#define sEND 0x73454e44
-
 #define LOCAL_ADDR NULL
 
 enum {
@@ -368,7 +366,6 @@ server_makeFromStream( MPFORMAL XWStreamCtxt* stream, ModelCtxt* model,
     if ( version >= STREAM_SAVE_PREVWORDS ) {
         server->nv.prevWordsStream = readStreamIf( server, stream );
     }
-    XP_ASSERT( stream_getU32( stream ) == sEND );
 
     return server;
 } /* server_makeFromStream */
@@ -406,10 +403,6 @@ server_writeToStream( ServerCtxt* server, XWStreamCtxt* stream )
     writeStreamIf( stream, server->nv.prevMoveStream );
     writeStreamIf( stream, server->nv.prevWordsStream );
 
-#ifdef DEBUG
-    stream_putU32( stream, sEND );
-#endif
-
 } /* server_writeToStream */
 
 static void
@@ -872,8 +865,11 @@ showPrevScore( ServerCtxt* server )
 
         util_informMove( util, stream, server->nv.prevWordsStream );
         stream_destroy( stream );
-        stream_destroy( server->nv.prevWordsStream );
-        server->nv.prevWordsStream = NULL;
+
+        if ( !!server->nv.prevWordsStream ) {
+            stream_destroy( server->nv.prevWordsStream );
+            server->nv.prevWordsStream = NULL;
+        }
     }
     SETSTATE( server, server->nv.stateAfterShow );
 } /* showPrevScore */
@@ -882,82 +878,85 @@ XP_Bool
 server_do( ServerCtxt* server, XP_Bool* moreToDoP )
 {
     XP_Bool result = XP_TRUE;
-    XP_Bool moreToDo = XP_FALSE;
 
     if ( server->serverDoing ) {
-        return XP_FALSE;
-    }
-    server->serverDoing = XP_TRUE;
+        result = XP_FALSE;
+    } else {
+        XP_Bool moreToDo = XP_FALSE;
+        server->serverDoing = XP_TRUE;
 
-    switch( server->nv.gameState ) {
-    case XWSTATE_BEGIN:
-        if ( server->nv.pendingRegistrations == 0 ) { /* all players on device */
-            assignTilesToAll( server );
+        switch( server->nv.gameState ) {
+        case XWSTATE_BEGIN:
+            if ( server->nv.pendingRegistrations == 0 ) { /* all players on
+                                                             device */
+                assignTilesToAll( server );
+                SETSTATE( server, XWSTATE_INTURN );
+                setTurn( server, 0 );
+                moreToDo = XP_TRUE;
+            }
+            break;
+
+        case XWSTATE_NEEDSEND_BADWORD_INFO:
+            XP_ASSERT( server->vol.gi->serverRole == SERVER_ISSERVER );
+            badWordMoveUndoAndTellUser( server, &server->illegalWordInfo );
+#ifndef XWFEATURE_STANDALONE_ONLY
+            sendBadWordMsgs( server );
+#endif
+            nextTurn( server, PICK_NEXT ); /* sets server->nv.gameState */
+            //moreToDo = XP_TRUE;   /* why? */
+            break;
+
+#ifndef XWFEATURE_STANDALONE_ONLY
+        case XWSTATE_RECEIVED_ALL_REG:
+            server_sendInitialMessage( server ); 
+            /* PENDING isn't INTURN_OFFDEVICE possible too?  Or just
+               INTURN?  */
             SETSTATE( server, XWSTATE_INTURN );
             setTurn( server, 0 );
             moreToDo = XP_TRUE;
-        }
-        break;
+            break;
 
-    case XWSTATE_NEEDSEND_BADWORD_INFO:
-        XP_ASSERT( server->vol.gi->serverRole == SERVER_ISSERVER );
-        badWordMoveUndoAndTellUser( server, &server->illegalWordInfo );
-#ifndef XWFEATURE_STANDALONE_ONLY
-        sendBadWordMsgs( server );
-#endif
-        nextTurn( server, PICK_NEXT ); /* sets server->nv.gameState */
-        //moreToDo = XP_TRUE;   /* why? */
-        break;
-
-#ifndef XWFEATURE_STANDALONE_ONLY
-    case XWSTATE_RECEIVED_ALL_REG:
-        server_sendInitialMessage( server ); 
-        /* PENDING isn't INTURN_OFFDEVICE possible too?  Or just INTURN?  */
-        SETSTATE( server, XWSTATE_INTURN );
-        setTurn( server, 0 );
-        moreToDo = XP_TRUE;
-        break;
-
-    case XWSTATE_MOVE_CONFIRM_MUSTSEND:
-        XP_ASSERT( server->vol.gi->serverRole == SERVER_ISSERVER );
-        tellMoveWasLegal( server );
-        nextTurn( server, PICK_NEXT );
-        break;
+        case XWSTATE_MOVE_CONFIRM_MUSTSEND:
+            XP_ASSERT( server->vol.gi->serverRole == SERVER_ISSERVER );
+            tellMoveWasLegal( server );
+            nextTurn( server, PICK_NEXT );
+            break;
 
 #endif /* XWFEATURE_STANDALONE_ONLY */
 
-    case XWSTATE_NEEDSEND_ENDGAME:
-        endGameInternal( server, END_REASON_OUT_OF_TILES );
-        break;
+        case XWSTATE_NEEDSEND_ENDGAME:
+            endGameInternal( server, END_REASON_OUT_OF_TILES );
+            break;
 
-    case XWSTATE_NEED_SHOWSCORE:
-        showPrevScore( server );
-        /* state better have changed or we'll infinite loop... */
-        XP_ASSERT( XWSTATE_NEED_SHOWSCORE != server->nv.gameState );
-        /* either process turn or end game should come next... */
-        moreToDo = XWSTATE_NEED_SHOWSCORE != server->nv.gameState;
-        break;
-    case XWSTATE_INTURN:
-        if ( robotMovePending( server ) && !ROBOTWAITING(server) ) {
-            result = makeRobotMove( server );
-            /* if robot was interrupted, we need to schedule again */
-            moreToDo = !result || 
-                (robotMovePending( server ) && !POSTPONEROBOTMOVE(server));
+        case XWSTATE_NEED_SHOWSCORE:
+            showPrevScore( server );
+            /* state better have changed or we'll infinite loop... */
+            XP_ASSERT( XWSTATE_NEED_SHOWSCORE != server->nv.gameState );
+            /* either process turn or end game should come next... */
+            moreToDo = XWSTATE_NEED_SHOWSCORE != server->nv.gameState;
+            break;
+        case XWSTATE_INTURN:
+            if ( robotMovePending( server ) && !ROBOTWAITING(server) ) {
+                result = makeRobotMove( server );
+                /* if robot was interrupted, we need to schedule again */
+                moreToDo = !result || 
+                    (robotMovePending( server ) && !POSTPONEROBOTMOVE(server));
+            }
+            break;
+
+        default:
+            result = XP_FALSE;
+            break;
+        } /* switch */
+
+        if ( NULL != moreToDoP ) {
+            *moreToDoP = moreToDo;
+        } else if ( moreToDo ) {
+            util_requestTime( server->vol.util );
         }
-        break;
 
-    default:
-        result = XP_FALSE;
-        break;
+        server->serverDoing = XP_FALSE;
     }
-
-    if ( NULL != moreToDoP ) {
-        *moreToDoP = moreToDo;
-    } else if ( moreToDo ) {
-        util_requestTime( server->vol.util );
-    }
-
-    server->serverDoing = XP_FALSE;
     return result;
 } /* server_do */
 
diff --git a/xwords4/linux/cursesmain.c b/xwords4/linux/cursesmain.c
index 77d468734..aca2dbcea 100644
--- a/xwords4/linux/cursesmain.c
+++ b/xwords4/linux/cursesmain.c
@@ -1656,11 +1656,14 @@ relay_error_curses( void* XP_UNUSED(closure), XWREASON XP_UNUSED_DBG(relayErr) )
 
 #ifdef USE_GLIBLOOP
 static gboolean
-handle_stdin( GIOChannel* source, GIOCondition condition, gpointer data )
+handle_stdin( GIOChannel* XP_UNUSED_DBG(source), GIOCondition condition, 
+              gpointer data )
 {
     if ( 0 != (G_IO_IN & condition) ) {
+#ifdef DEBUG
         gint fd = g_io_channel_unix_get_fd( source );
         XP_ASSERT( 0 == fd );
+#endif
         CursesAppGlobals* globals = (CursesAppGlobals*)data;
         int ch = wgetch( globals->mainWin );
         remapKey( &ch );