diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 3e4bef1..ee6be24 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -5,9 +5,9 @@
 Features:
 
 * Highly optimized for space
-* No zero-page usage   [version](print_uint16.s)    90 ($5A) bytes
-* With zero-page usage [version](print_uint16_zp.s) 78 ($4E) bytes
-* With stack var usage [version](print_uint16_sp.s) 92 ($5C) bytes
+* No zero-page usage   [version](print_uint16.s)    89 ($59) bytes
+* With zero-page usage [version](print_uint16_zp.s) 77 ($4D) bytes
+* With stack var usage [version](print_uint16_sp.s) 91 ($5B) bytes
 * Only 2 ROM entry points: COUT, SCRN2
 * Includes 7 byte demo
 
@@ -19,18 +19,17 @@ Sans-Zero-Page version:
 
 ```asm
 0800:A9 12 A2 34 4C 07 08 8E
-0808:60 08 48 A2 00 8E 5D 08
-0810:8E 5E 08 8E 5F 08 A2 10
-0818:F8 0E 60 08 68 2A 48 A0
-0820:FD B9 60 07 79 60 07 99
-0828:60 07 C8 D0 F4 CA D0 E9
-0830:68 D8 A0 03 B9 5C 08 20
-0838:41 08 88 D0 F7 8A F0 11
+0808:5F 08 48 A2 00 8E 5C 08
+0810:8E 5D 08 8E 5E 08 A2 10
+0818:F8 0E 5F 08 68 2A 48 A0
+0820:FD B9 5F 07 79 5F 07 99
+0828:5F 07 C8 D0 F4 CA D0 E9
+0830:68 D8 A0 03 B9 5B 08 20
+0838:41 08 88 D0 F7 8A F0 0E
 0840:60 48 20 7B F8 20 4B 08
-0848:68 29 0F D0 04 E0 00 F0
+0848:68 29 0F D0 01 CA E8 F0
 0850:EF C9 0A 90 02 69 06 69
-0858:B0 E8 4C ED FD 00 00 00
-0860:00 
+0858:B0 4C ED FD 00 00 00 00
 ```
 
 With-Zero-Page version:
@@ -42,11 +41,11 @@ With-Zero-Page version:
 0918:2A 48 A2 FD B5 00 75 00
 0920:95 00 E8 D0 F7 88 D0 ED
 0928:68 D8 A0 03 B9 FC 00 20
-0930:39 09 88 D0 F7 8A F0 11
+0930:39 09 88 D0 F7 8A F0 0E
 0938:60 48 20 7B F8 20 43 09
-0940:68 29 0F D0 04 E0 00 F0
+0940:68 29 0F D0 01 CA E8 F0
 0948:EF C9 0A 90 02 69 06 69
-0950:B0 E8 4C ED FD 
+0950:B0 4C ED FD 
 ```
 
 With-Stack-Page version:
@@ -59,12 +58,12 @@ With-Stack-Page version:
 0A20:0A 20 3C 0A 88 D0 EA D8
 0A28:BD 00 01 20 47 0A CA E0
 0A30:00 D0 F5 8A 69 04 AA 9A
-0A38:98 F0 1C 60 BD 01 01 7D
+0A38:98 F0 19 60 BD 01 01 7D
 0A40:01 01 9D 01 01 E8 60 48
 0A48:20 7B F8 20 51 0A 68 29
-0A50:0F D0 04 C0 00 F0 E4 C9
-0A58:0A 90 02 69 06 69 B0 C8
-0A60:4C ED FD
+0A50:0F D0 01 88 C8 F0 E4 C9
+0A58:0A 90 02 69 06 69 B0 4C
+0A60:ED FD
 ```
 
 # License
diff --git a/print_uint16 b/print_uint16
index d27e0dd..52d3717 100644
Binary files a/print_uint16 and b/print_uint16 differ
diff --git a/print_uint16.s b/print_uint16.s
index ed5ad29..02a4f88 100644
--- a/print_uint16.s
+++ b/print_uint16.s
@@ -77,17 +77,17 @@ HexA
         AND #$F
 _HexNib
         BNE _HaveLeadingDigit   ; If have leading zero and no output yet ...
-        CPX #0                  ; ... then skip storing it
-        BEQ _PrintDone
+        DEX                     ; ... then skip storing it
 
 _HaveLeadingDigit
+        INX             ; X = flag to specify non-zero leading digit was seen
+        BEQ _PrintDone
+
         CMP #$A         ; n < 10 ?
         BCC _Hex2Asc
         ADC #6          ; n += 6    $A -> +6 + (C=1) = $11
 _Hex2Asc
         ADC #'0' + $80  ; inverse=remove #$80
-PutChar
-        INX             ; X = output string length
         JMP COUT
 
 _bcd    ds  3   ; 6 chars for printing dec
diff --git a/print_uint16_sp b/print_uint16_sp
index 049e095..e945de6 100644
Binary files a/print_uint16_sp and b/print_uint16_sp differ
diff --git a/print_uint16_sp.s b/print_uint16_sp.s
index 2194e8d..989859c 100644
--- a/print_uint16_sp.s
+++ b/print_uint16_sp.s
@@ -85,16 +85,17 @@ HexA
         AND #$F
 _HexNib
         BNE _HaveLeadingDigit   ; If have leading zero and no output yet ...
-        CPY #0                  ; ... then skip storing it
-        BEQ _PrintDone
+        DEY                     ; ... then skip storing it
 
 _HaveLeadingDigit
+        INY             ; Y = output string length
+        BEQ _PrintDone
+
         CMP #$A         ; n < 10 ?
         BCC _Hex2Asc
         ADC #6          ; n += 6    $A -> +6 + (C=1) = $11
 _Hex2Asc
         ADC #'0' + $80  ; inverse=remove #$80
 PutChar
-        INY             ; Y = output string length
         JMP COUT
 
diff --git a/print_uint16_zp b/print_uint16_zp
index b3c5e9a..079b653 100644
Binary files a/print_uint16_zp and b/print_uint16_zp differ
diff --git a/print_uint16_zp.s b/print_uint16_zp.s
index 3714eac..6b924f5 100644
--- a/print_uint16_zp.s
+++ b/print_uint16_zp.s
@@ -81,16 +81,16 @@ HexA
         AND #$F
 _HexNib
         BNE _HaveLeadingDigit   ; If have leading zero and no output yet ...
-        CPX #0                  ; ... then skip storing it
-        BEQ _PrintDone
+        DEX                     ; ... then skip storing it
 
 _HaveLeadingDigit
+        INX             ; X = flag to specify non-zero leading digit was seen
+        BEQ _PrintDone
+
         CMP #$A         ; n < 10 ?
         BCC _Hex2Asc
         ADC #6          ; n += 6    $A -> +6 + (C=1) = $11
 _Hex2Asc
         ADC #'0' + $80  ; inverse=remove #$80
-PutChar
-        INX             ; X = output string length
         JMP COUT