diff --git a/packages/ludic.base/ecs_map.ludic b/packages/ludic.base/ecs_map.ludic
index ca8e9c8c..2630fccf 100644
--- a/packages/ludic.base/ecs_map.ludic
+++ b/packages/ludic.base/ecs_map.ludic
@@ -75,6 +75,7 @@ export function imap_clear(m: IntMap) -> void {
 }
 
 # room for `n` keys before the map grows, made now
+@alloc_ok("at a world's start: the keys it will need")
 export function imap_reserve(m: IntMap, n: int) -> void {
   if (m.mask + 1) * 3 >= n * 4 { return }
   var cap = m.mask + 1
diff --git a/packages/ludic.base/ecs_table_reserve.ludic b/packages/ludic.base/ecs_table_reserve.ludic
index d3a20d4e..8c0ae0f0 100644
--- a/packages/ludic.base/ecs_table_reserve.ludic
+++ b/packages/ludic.base/ecs_table_reserve.ludic
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 # ludic.base/ecs_table_reserve.ludic - room made at the start: a table sized for its busiest moment
 # never grows in play, and nothing that grows is ever given back. What does grow past it is here
+@alloc_ok("at a world's start: the rows it will need")
 export function tb_reserve<T>(tb: Table<T>, rows: int) -> void {
   let k = rows - tb.n
   if k <= 0 { return }
diff --git a/packages/ludic.base/save.ludic b/packages/ludic.base/save.ludic
index 2510ff07..4e77620e 100644
--- a/packages/ludic.base/save.ludic
+++ b/packages/ludic.base/save.ludic
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ export function save_section(root: Val, key: string, version: int, v: Val) -> vo
 }
 
 # the section at root[key]: found false (and an empty object) when there is none
+@alloc_ok("on load: a section read from the file")
 export function load_section(root: Val, key: string) -> SaveNode {
   let n = new SaveNode
   n.data = Value.object()
diff --git a/packages/ludic.base/save_fields.ludic b/packages/ludic.base/save_fields.ludic
index 1621b231..e9ab7811 100644
--- a/packages/ludic.base/save_fields.ludic
+++ b/packages/ludic.base/save_fields.ludic
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ export function sv_str(v: Val, key: string, fallback: string) -> string {
 }
 
 # a list of ints; a missing key or a non-list is the empty list
+@alloc_ok("on load: a saved list read back")
 export function sv_ints(v: Val, key: string) -> []int {
   let out = new []int
   if not sv_has(v, key) { return out }
diff --git a/packages/ludic.base/system.ludic b/packages/ludic.base/system.ludic
index 2796bd6d..72822b98 100644
--- a/packages/ludic.base/system.ludic
+++ b/packages/ludic.base/system.ludic
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ function cs_all(base_st: mut BaseState) -> []System {
   return base_st.cs_list
 }
 
+@alloc_ok("at start: a system made for the runner")
 export function system_new(key: string, phase: int) -> System {
   let s = new System
   s.key = key
@@ -35,6 +36,7 @@ export function system_new(key: string, phase: int) -> System {
 }
 
 # a key is a save section's name, so two systems may not share one
+@alloc_ok("at start: a system added to the runner")
 export function core_add(base_st: mut BaseState, s: System) -> void {
   let all = cs_all(base_st)
   for i in 0 .. len(all) {
diff --git a/packages/ludic.compass/gather.ludic b/packages/ludic.compass/gather.ludic
index fdedfe57..d9aebbfa 100644
--- a/packages/ludic.compass/gather.ludic
+++ b/packages/ludic.compass/gather.ludic
@@ -2,10 +2,6 @@
 # capture is open the marks go to whoever is listening instead, whatever the tier.
 # a frame's list and marks are the state's own, emptied and reused rather than made again
 export function compass_begin(compass_st: mut CompassState) -> void {
-  if compass_st.cmp_list == null {
-    compass_st.cmp_list = new []CompassMark
-    compass_st.cmp_back = new []CompassMark
-  }
   List.clear(compass_st.cmp_list)
   compass_st.cmp_used = 0
 }
@@ -14,11 +10,11 @@ export function compass_begin(compass_st: mut CompassState) -> void {
 export function compass_mark(compass_st: mut CompassState, x: float, z: float, icon: int, colour: int, tier: int, prio: int, label: string) -> void {
   if compass_st.cmp_list == null { compass_begin(compass_st) }
   if compass_st.cmp_capturing {
-    push(compass_st.cmp_caught, cmp_catch(compass_st, x, z, icon, colour, tier, prio, label))
+    kept_push(compass_st.cmp_caught, cmp_catch(compass_st, x, z, icon, colour, tier, prio, label))
     return
   }
   if CompassWorld.tier() < tier { return }
-  push(compass_st.cmp_list, cmp_take(compass_st, x, z, icon, colour, tier, prio, label))
+  kept_push(compass_st.cmp_list, cmp_take(compass_st, x, z, icon, colour, tier, prio, label))
 }
 
 # highest priority first, the providers' order kept within one; then the cap
@@ -28,7 +24,7 @@ export function compass_end(compass_st: mut CompassState) -> void {
   List.clear(out)
   for p in 0 .. 3 {
     let want = COMPASS_TRACKED - p
-    for i in 0 .. len(compass_st.cmp_list) { if cmp_band(compass_st.cmp_list[i].prio) == want and len(out) < compass_st.cmp_cap { push(out, compass_st.cmp_list[i]) } }
+    for i in 0 .. len(compass_st.cmp_list) { if cmp_band(compass_st.cmp_list[i].prio) == want and len(out) < compass_st.cmp_cap { kept_push(out, compass_st.cmp_list[i]) } }
   }
   compass_st.cmp_back = compass_st.cmp_list
   compass_st.cmp_list = out
diff --git a/packages/ludic.compass/marks.ludic b/packages/ludic.compass/marks.ludic
index 23bc5046..3c2af042 100644
--- a/packages/ludic.compass/marks.ludic
+++ b/packages/ludic.compass/marks.ludic
@@ -24,8 +24,8 @@ export open registry CompassProviders of CompassProvider as COMPASS_FROM
 
 export state CompassState {
   cmp_cap: int = 64
-  cmp_list: []CompassMark = null       # this frame's, sorted and culled
-  cmp_back: []CompassMark = null       # the list the sort fills, then swapped with cmp_list
+  cmp_list: []CompassMark = new []CompassMark   # this frame's, sorted and culled
+  cmp_back: []CompassMark = new []CompassMark   # the list the sort fills, then swapped with cmp_list
   cmp_pool: []CompassMark = cmp_pool__new()   # a frame's marks, made with the state and reused: Ludic frees nothing
   cmp_used: int = 0
   cmp_capturing: bool = false
diff --git a/packages/ludic.compass/radar.ludic b/packages/ludic.compass/radar.ludic
index b4a5145c..65ca2b2a 100644
--- a/packages/ludic.compass/radar.ludic
+++ b/packages/ludic.compass/radar.ludic
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 # radar.ludic - the radar's tiers: a range for each compass tier (0 is no radar), which marks it
 # shows, and where each falls on a unit disc with ahead at the top
 
+@alloc_ok("at start: the radar's rings, once")
 export function compass_config_radar(compass_st: mut CompassState, ranges: []float, from_tier: int) -> void {
   compass_st.cmp_ranges = new []float
   for i in 0 .. len(ranges) { push(compass_st.cmp_ranges, ranges[i]) }
diff --git a/packages/ludic.inventory/state.ludic b/packages/ludic.inventory/state.ludic
index 05434235..bc0fdc66 100644
--- a/packages/ludic.inventory/state.ludic
+++ b/packages/ludic.inventory/state.ludic
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ export state InventoryState {
 }
 
 # the kinds, by the name each is saved under; the pack starts empty
+@alloc_ok("once: the pack's kinds are bound at start")
 export function inv_config(inventory_st: mut InventoryState, keys: []string) -> void {
   inventory_st.iv_keys = keys
   if len(inventory_st.iv_pool) == 0 { for i in 0 .. IV_POOL { push(inventory_st.iv_pool, new ItemChanged) } }
diff --git a/packages/ludic.inventory/verbs.ludic b/packages/ludic.inventory/verbs.ludic
index 392702e9..1197be27 100644
--- a/packages/ludic.inventory/verbs.ludic
+++ b/packages/ludic.inventory/verbs.ludic
@@ -37,6 +37,10 @@ export function inv_set(inventory_st: mut InventoryState, it: int, n: int) -> vo
 
 # everything gone, silently: a new trip, or before a load
 export function inv_clear(inventory_st: mut InventoryState) -> void {
-  inventory_st.iv_counts = new []int
-  for i in 0 .. inv_kinds(inventory_st) { push(inventory_st.iv_counts, 0) }
+  if inventory_st.iv_counts == null {
+    @alloc_ok("once: the counts are made the first time the pack is cleared")
+    inventory_st.iv_counts = new []int
+  }
+  List.clear(inventory_st.iv_counts)
+  for i in 0 .. inv_kinds(inventory_st) { kept_push(inventory_st.iv_counts, 0) }
 }
diff --git a/packages/ludic.shop/state.ludic b/packages/ludic.shop/state.ludic
index 2a3aab4d..d57c0589 100644
--- a/packages/ludic.shop/state.ludic
+++ b/packages/ludic.shop/state.ludic
@@ -68,9 +68,11 @@ export function shop_config_curve(shop_st: mut ShopState, buy_new: float, buy_be
   shop_st.shop_sell_best = sell_best
 }
 
+@alloc_ok("at start: the vendors are bound once")
 export function shop_clear_vendors(shop_st: mut ShopState) -> void { shop_st.shop_vendor_list = new []ShopVendor }
 
 # a vendor; its number is the order added
+@alloc_ok("at start: the vendors are bound once")
 export function shop_add_vendor(shop_st: mut ShopState, stock: []int, buys: []int, refuses: int) -> int {
   if shop_st.shop_vendor_list == null { shop_clear_vendors(shop_st) }
   let v = new ShopVendor
diff --git a/packages/ludic.things/spare.ludic b/packages/ludic.things/spare.ludic
index aa3be26a..0383d776 100644
--- a/packages/ludic.things/spare.ludic
+++ b/packages/ludic.things/spare.ludic
@@ -9,7 +9,10 @@ function th_spare_put(things_st: mut ThingsState, t: Thing) -> void { kept_push(
 # a record for a Thing about to be placed: the oldest spare past the lag, or a new one
 function th_record(things_st: mut ThingsState) -> Thing {
   let l = things_st.th_spare
-  if len(l) - things_st.th_spare_at <= TH_SPARE_LAG { return new Thing }
+  if len(l) - things_st.th_spare_at <= TH_SPARE_LAG {
+    @alloc_ok("a spare miss: only until things_spare_warm's records and the removed ones come round")
+    return new Thing
+  }
   let t = l[things_st.th_spare_at]
   things_st.th_spare_at += 1
   if things_st.th_spare_at >= 64 { th_spare_pack(things_st) }
diff --git a/packages/ludic.things/system.ludic b/packages/ludic.things/system.ludic
index 1aeb22f9..40ffe568 100644
--- a/packages/ludic.things/system.ludic
+++ b/packages/ludic.things/system.ludic
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@ export function things_load(things_st: mut ThingsState, v: Val, version: int) ->
   for i in 0 .. Value.count(l) { th_from_json(things_st, Value.at(l, i)) }
 }
 
+@alloc_ok("on load: a saved Thing read back")
 function th_from_json(things_st: mut ThingsState, o: Val) -> void {
   let k = thing_kind_by_key(sv_str(o, "kind", ""))
   if k < 0 { return }