diff --git a/core.moon b/core.moon
index e514b93..f1847c3 100755
--- a/core.moon
+++ b/core.moon
@@ -11,6 +11,9 @@ g\def [[printf %str]], (args)=>
     for s in *args.str do io.write(utils.repr(s))
     io.write("\n")
 
+g\def [[quote %str]], (vars)=>
+    return utils.repr(vars.str, true)
+
 g\defmacro "return %retval", (vars,helpers,ftype)=>
     with helpers
         switch ftype
@@ -25,7 +28,7 @@ g\defmacro "return %retval", (vars,helpers,ftype)=>
 g\defmacro "let %varname = %value", (vars, helpers, ftype)=>
     with helpers
         if ftype == "Expression" then error("Cannot set a variable in an expression.")
-        .lua "vars[#{.ded(.transform(vars.varname))} = #{.ded(.transform(vars.value))}"
+        .lua "vars[#{.ded(.transform(vars.varname))}] = #{.ded(.transform(vars.value))}"
     return nil
 
 singleton = (aliases, value)->
@@ -188,11 +191,15 @@ g\def [[do %action]], (vars)=> return vars.action(self,vars)
 g\defmacro [[lua %lua_code]], (vars,helpers,ftype)=>
     with helpers
         lua_code = vars.lua_code.value
+        escapes = n:"\n", t:"\t", b:"\b", a:"\a", v:"\v", f:"\f", r:"\r"
+        unescape = (s)-> s\gsub("\\(.)", ((c)-> escapes[c] or c))
         switch lua_code.type
             when "List"
-                .lua table.concat[i.value.value for i in *lua_code.value]
-            else
-                .lua(lua_code.value)
+                -- TODO: handle subexpressions
+                .lua table.concat[unescape(i.value.value) for i in *lua_code.value]
+            when "String"
+                .lua(unescape(lua_code.value))
+            else error("Unknown type: #{lua_code.type}")
     return nil
 
 g\defmacro [[macro %spec %body]], (vars,helpers,ftype)=>
diff --git a/game2.moon b/game2.moon
index 18c1f51..d26d368 100755
--- a/game2.moon
+++ b/game2.moon
@@ -247,3 +247,13 @@ if (1 == 1):
 unless (1 > 2):
     say "This one too!"
 ]]
+
+g\simplemacro [[smet %varname = %value]],[[
+lua ["vars[\"", %varname, "\"] = ", %value]
+lua ["vars[\"", %varname, "\"] = 2*vars[\"", %varname, "\"]"]
+]]
+
+g\run[[
+smet "fnord" = 23
+say %fnord
+]]
diff --git a/nomic.moon b/nomic.moon
index 13f99bd..4a7ecf3 100644
--- a/nomic.moon
+++ b/nomic.moon
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ add_indent_tokens = (str)->
     indentflagger = [=[
         file <- line*
         line <- ((string / [^%linebreak])* %linebreak) -> process_line
-        string <- '"' (("\\" .) / [^"])* '"'
+        string <- '"' (("\" .) / [^"])* '"'
     ]=]
     indentflagger = re.compile indentflagger, defs
     indentflagger\match(str.."\n")
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ lingo = [=[
     word <- ({ !number {%wordchar+} }) -> Word
     expression <- ({ (string / number / variable / list / thunk / subexpression) }) -> Expression
 
-    string <- ({ '"' {(("\\" .) / [^"])*} '"' }) -> String
+    string <- ({ '"' {(("\" .) / [^"])*} '"' }) -> String
     number <- ({ {'-'? [0-9]+ ("." [0-9]+)?} }) -> Number
     variable <- ({ ("%" {%wordchar+}) }) -> Var
 
@@ -197,7 +197,7 @@ class Game
         replace_grammar = [[
             stuff <- {~ (var / string / .)+ ~}
             var <- ("%" {%wordchar+}) -> replacer
-            string <- '"' (("\\" .) / [^"])* '"'
+            string <- '"' (("\" .) / [^"])* '"'
         ]]
         replacement = add_indent_tokens replacement
         fn = (vars, helpers, ftype)=>
@@ -206,11 +206,14 @@ class Game
                 return ret
             replacement_grammar = re.compile(replace_grammar, {:wordchar, :replacer})
             replaced = replacement_grammar\match(replacement)
-            tree = lingo\match (replaced)
-            if not tree
-                error "Couldn't match:\n#{replaced}"
-            helpers.lua(helpers.transform(tree.value.body))
-            return code
+            tree = lingo\match replaced
+            if tree.value.errors and #tree.value.errors.value > 0
+                ret = helpers.transform(tree.value.errors)
+                return ret
+            result = helpers.transform(tree.value.body)
+            helpers.lua(result)
+            return
+
         self\defmacro spec, fn
     
     run: (text)=>
@@ -352,7 +355,9 @@ class Game
                     comma_separated_items("game:call(", args, ")")
 
             when "String"
-                lua utils.repr(tree.value, true)
+                escapes = n:"\n", t:"\t", b:"\b", a:"\a", v:"\v", f:"\f", r:"\r"
+                unescaped = tree.value\gsub("\\(.)", ((c)-> escapes[c] or c))
+                lua utils.repr(unescaped, true)
 
             when "Number"
                 lua tree.value