diff --git a/src/main/kotlin/blitz/Either.kt b/src/main/kotlin/blitz/Either.kt
index dbe9b8c..42be82f 100644
--- a/src/main/kotlin/blitz/Either.kt
+++ b/src/main/kotlin/blitz/Either.kt
@@ -62,6 +62,12 @@ class Either<A, B> private constructor(
 fun <A, B, R> Either<A, B>.flatten(): R where A: R, B: R =
     getAOrNull() ?: getB()
 
+fun <A, B> Either<A, Either<A, B>>.partiallyFlatten(): Either<A, B> =
+    mapA<Either<A, B>> { Either.ofA(it) }.flatten()
+
+fun <A, B> Either<Either<A, B>, B>.partiallyFlatten(): Either<A, B> =
+    mapB<Either<A, B>> { Either.ofB(it) }.flatten()
+
 fun <A, BA, BB, BAN> Either<A, Either<BA, BB>>.mapBA(fn: (BA) -> BAN): Either<A, Either<BAN, BB>> =
     mapB { it.mapA(fn) }
 
diff --git a/src/main/kotlin/blitz/Obj.kt b/src/main/kotlin/blitz/Obj.kt
index 425e742..5321fb5 100644
--- a/src/main/kotlin/blitz/Obj.kt
+++ b/src/main/kotlin/blitz/Obj.kt
@@ -30,6 +30,10 @@ fun <I, O> Obj<I>.map(transform: (I) -> O): Obj<O> =
 interface MutObj<T> {
     var v: T
 
+    inline fun modify(fn: (T) -> T) {
+        v = fn(v)
+    }
+
     companion object {
         fun <T> of(v: T): MutObj<T> =
             object : MutObj<T> {
diff --git a/src/main/kotlin/blitz/parse/comb2/Parser.kt b/src/main/kotlin/blitz/parse/comb2/Parser.kt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0a2178d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/main/kotlin/blitz/parse/comb2/Parser.kt
@@ -0,0 +1,146 @@
+package blitz.parse.comb2
+
+import blitz.Either
+import blitz.partiallyFlatten
+
+data class ParseCtx<I>(
+    val input: List<I>,
+    var idx: Int
+) {
+    fun loadFrom(old: ParseCtx<I>) {
+        idx = old.idx
+    }
+}
+
+data class ParseError(
+    val loc: Int,
+    val message: String?,
+)
+
+typealias ParseResult<O> = Either<O, List<ParseError>>
+typealias Parser<I, O> = (ParseCtx<I>) -> ParseResult<O>
+
+inline fun <I, M, O> Parser<I, M>.mapValue(crossinline fn: (M) -> O): Parser<I, O> =
+    { invoke(it).mapA { fn(it) } }
+
+inline fun <I, O> Parser<I, O>.mapErrors(crossinline fn: (List<ParseError>) -> List<ParseError>): Parser<I, O> =
+    { invoke(it).mapB { fn(it) } }
+
+fun <I, M, O> Parser<I, M>.then(other: Parser<I, O>): Parser<I, Pair<M, O>> =
+    { ctx ->
+        invoke(ctx).mapA { first ->
+            other.invoke(ctx)
+                .mapA { first to it }
+        }.partiallyFlatten()
+    }
+
+fun <I, O, T> Parser<I, O>.thenIgnore(other: Parser<I, T>): Parser<I, O> =
+    { ctx ->
+        invoke(ctx).mapA { first ->
+            other.invoke(ctx)
+                .mapA { first }
+        }.partiallyFlatten()
+    }
+
+fun <I, O> Parser<I, O>.orElse(other: Parser<I, O>): Parser<I, O> =
+    {
+        val old = it.copy()
+        this(it).mapB { err ->
+            it.loadFrom(old)
+            other.invoke(it)
+                .mapB { err + it }
+        }.partiallyFlatten()
+    }
+
+fun <I, O> Parser<I, O>.repeated(): Parser<I, List<O>> =
+    { ctx ->
+        val out = mutableListOf<O>()
+        var ret: List<ParseError>? = null
+        while (true) {
+            val old = ctx.copy()
+            val t = invoke(ctx)
+            if (t.isA) {
+                out += t.getA()
+            } else {
+                ctx.loadFrom(old)
+                ret = t.getB()
+                break
+            }
+        }
+        if (ret == null) {
+            Either.ofA(out)
+        } else Either.ofB(ret)
+    }
+
+fun <I, O> Parser<I, O>.delimitedBy(delim: Parser<I, O>): Parser<I, List<O>> =
+    thenIgnore(delim)
+        .repeated()
+        .then(this)
+        .mapValue { (a, b) -> a + b }
+        .orElse(value(listOf()))
+
+inline fun <I, O> Parser<I, O>.verifyValue(crossinline verif: (O) -> String?): Parser<I, O> =
+    { ctx ->
+        invoke(ctx).mapA<ParseResult<O>> {
+            verif(it)?.let { Either.ofB(listOf(ParseError(ctx.idx, it))) }
+                ?: Either.ofA(it)
+        }.partiallyFlatten()
+    }
+
+inline fun <I, O> Parser<I, Pair<IntRange, O>>.verifyValueWithSpan(crossinline fn: (O) -> String?): Parser<I, O> =
+    { ctx ->
+        invoke(ctx).mapA<ParseResult<O>> { (span, v) ->
+            fn(v)?.let { Either.ofB(listOf(ParseError(span.first, it))) }
+                ?: Either.ofA(v)
+        }.partiallyFlatten()
+    }
+
+fun <I, O: Any?> Parser<I, O?>.errIfNull(msg: String = "parser value was null internally"): Parser<I, O> =
+    verifyValue { if (it == null) msg else null }
+        .mapValue { it!! }
+
+inline fun <I, O> location(crossinline fn: (Int) -> O): Parser<I, O> =
+    { Either.ofA(fn(it.idx)) }
+
+fun <I> location(): Parser<I, Int> =
+    location { it }
+
+fun <I, O> withSpan(p: Parser<I, O>): Parser<I, Pair<IntRange, O>> =
+    location<I>()
+        .then(p)
+        .then(location())
+        .mapValue { (beginAndV, end) ->
+            (beginAndV.first..end) to beginAndV.second
+        }
+
+fun <I, O> value(value: O): Parser<I, O> =
+    { Either.ofA(value) }
+
+fun whitespaces(): Parser<Char, String> =
+    regex("\\s+")
+
+fun <I> just(want: I): Parser<I, I> =
+    { ctx ->
+        val i = ctx.input[ctx.idx ++]
+        if (i == want) Either.ofA(i)
+        else Either.ofB(listOf(ParseError(ctx.idx - 1, "expected $want")))
+    }
+
+/** group values 0 is the entire match */
+fun <O> regex(pattern: Regex, fn: (groups: MatchGroupCollection) -> O): Parser<Char, O> =
+    { ctx ->
+        pattern.matchAt(ctx.input.toString(), ctx.idx)?.let {
+            ctx.idx = it.range.last + 1
+            Either.ofA(fn(it.groups))
+        } ?: Either.ofB(listOf(
+            ParseError(ctx.idx, "regular expression \"$pattern\" does not apply")
+        ))
+    }
+
+fun regex(pattern: Regex) = regex(pattern) { it[0]!!.value }
+
+/** group values 0 is the entire match */
+fun <O> regex(pattern: String, fn: (groups: MatchGroupCollection) -> O): Parser<Char, O> =
+    regex(Regex(pattern), fn)
+
+fun regex(pattern: String) = regex(pattern) { it[0]!!.value }
\ No newline at end of file