diff --git a/TODO.org b/TODO.org
index c1ee43de..f20745e3 100644
--- a/TODO.org
+++ b/TODO.org
@@ -10,6 +10,14 @@ pointing at it. A CANCELLED entry carries the one-line reason, because an idea
 rejected without a record is an idea that gets re-proposed.
 
 * Language surface
+** TODO .fln cannot write some forms the prelude needs
+Found porting the prelude (2026-09-26): =declare= has no statement form; a quasiquote
+in the middle of an expression needs =quasiquote(...)=; =if not x= plus a block reads as
+=when=, so a template wanting =(if c (do …))= keeps call syntax; a spliced let binding
+list needs =let([…]):=. Each needs a .fln spelling now that .fln is the only syntax.
+** CANCELLED rand-int returns i64
+Decided 2026-09-26 (134): rand-int stays u64; write rand-int-range(lo, hi) for a signed
+range.
 ** DONE A literal's reading is fixed where it is bound
 CLOSED: [2026-09-26]
 Decision 132, clarifying 117: a vector, map or text literal is typed only when its own
diff --git a/test/syntax/handwritten/algorithms.fln b/test/syntax/handwritten/algorithms.fln
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..ca251681
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/syntax/handwritten/algorithms.fln
@@ -0,0 +1,61 @@
+; A few textbook algorithms written by hand: a substring search and two
+; in-place sorts, one typed and one dyn.
+
+fn find-match(s: str, pattern: str) -> i32
+  for i in range(length(s))
+    let matched = true
+    for j in range(length(pattern))
+      if s[i + j] != pattern[j]
+        matched = false
+    if matched
+      return i
+  -1
+
+fn selection-sort(coll: [$t]) -> () where is-ordered($t)
+  let len = length(coll)
+  for i in range(len)
+    let min-val = i
+    for j in range(i + 1, len)
+      if coll[j] < coll[min-val]
+        min-val = j
+    let tmp = coll[min-val]
+    coll[min-val] = coll[i]
+    coll[i] = tmp
+
+fn insertion-sort(coll: [$t]) -> () where is-ordered($t)
+  let i = 1
+  let length = length(coll)
+  while i < length
+    let j = i
+    while j > 0 and coll[j] < coll[dec(j)]
+      let temp = coll[j]
+      coll[j] = coll[dec(j)]
+      coll[dec(j)] = temp
+      --(j)
+    ++(i)
+
+fn insertion-sort-dyn(coll) -> ()
+  let i = 1
+  let length = length(coll)
+  while i < length
+    let j = i
+    while j > 0 and coll[j] < coll[dec(j)]
+      let temp = coll[j]
+      coll[j] = coll[dec(j)]
+      coll[dec(j)] = temp
+      --(j)
+    ++(i)
+
+fn main() -> i32
+  let nums = [6 2 4 9 1 9 4 5]
+  selection-sort(slice(nums))
+  println("selection-sort", slice(nums))
+  let nums2 = [6 2 4 9 1 9 4 5]
+  insertion-sort(slice(nums2))
+  println("insertion-sort", slice(nums2))
+  let word = bytes("INSERTIONSORT")
+  defer free(word)
+  insertion-sort-dyn(word)
+  println("insertion-sort-dyn", str(word))
+  println("find-match", find-match("aababba", "abba"))
+  0
diff --git a/test/syntax/handwritten/algorithms.out b/test/syntax/handwritten/algorithms.out
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..30927a0c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/syntax/handwritten/algorithms.out
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+selection-sort [1 2 4 4 5 6 9 9]
+insertion-sort [1 2 4 4 5 6 9 9]
+insertion-sort-dyn EIINNOORRSSTT
+find-match 3