diff --git a/boilerplate.c b/boilerplate.c
index 2848a59..42c7f40 100644
--- a/boilerplate.c
+++ b/boilerplate.c
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 #include <stdio.h>
+#include <string.h>
 #include "boilerplate.h"
 
 int compare(const void * a, const void * b) {
@@ -16,4 +17,15 @@ uint32_t getsig(char * word) {
         result |= bit;
     }
     return result;
+}
+
+uint32_t rmdups(signature * arr, uint32_t nitems) {
+    // list is already sorted
+    for (uint32_t i = 0; i < nitems; i++) {
+        while (arr[i].sign == arr[i + 1].sign) {
+            memmove( &arr[ i ], &arr[ i + 1 ], (nitems - i) * sizeof(signature));
+            nitems--;
+        }
+    }
+    return nitems;
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/boilerplate.h b/boilerplate.h
index f50033f..e822a31 100644
--- a/boilerplate.h
+++ b/boilerplate.h
@@ -64,5 +64,5 @@ typedef struct signature {
     uint32_t getsig(char*);
 
     void findWords(signature*, uint32_t);
-    signature* rmdups(signature*);
+    uint32_t rmdups(signature*, uint32_t);
 /* </declarations> */
diff --git a/solvedle.c b/solvedle.c
index 2314a06..109f654 100644
--- a/solvedle.c
+++ b/solvedle.c
@@ -5,9 +5,8 @@
 #include "boilerplate.h"
 
 uint32_t
-    rawWC = 0,
-    fiveUniqWC = 0,
-    cookedWC = 0
+    rawWC,
+    fiveUniqWC
 ;
 
 void findWords(signature* sigs, uint32_t len) {
@@ -52,19 +51,6 @@ void findWords(signature* sigs, uint32_t len) {
     return;
 }
 
-signature* rmdups(signature * arr) {
-    // list is already sorted
-    uint32_t nitems = fiveUniqWC;
-    for (uint32_t i = 0; i < nitems; i++) {
-        while (arr[i].sign == arr[i + 1].sign) {
-            memmove( &arr[ i ], &arr[ i + 1 ], (nitems - i) * sizeof(signature));
-            nitems--;
-        }
-    }
-    cookedWC = nitems;
-    return arr;
-}
-
 signature* makeArray(FILE * f) {
     signature* sigs = (signature*) calloc(WORDS, sizeof(signature));
     char word[WORDLEN + sizeof(char)]; // 5 letters + \n
@@ -121,10 +107,10 @@ int main(int argc, char * argv[]) {
     END_TIME
 
     START_TIME("removing duplicates")
-    sigs = rmdups(sigs);
+    uint32_t cookedWC = rmdups(sigs, fiveUniqWC);
     END_TIME
 #else
-    cookedWC = fiveUniqWC;
+    uint32_t cookedWC = fiveUniqWC;
 #endif
 
 #if PRINT_INTERMEDIATES