diff --git a/x05-rq/src/rq.erl b/x05-rq/src/rq.erl
index 43fcf39..573572f 100644
--- a/x05-rq/src/rq.erl
+++ b/x05-rq/src/rq.erl
@@ -7,6 +7,8 @@
 -export([start/1]).
 -compile([export_all,nowarn_export_all]).
 
+% TODO: rename "decode" to either "decompose", "compost" or "debug"
+
 % deploy opts
 -record(rdo,
         {deploy_file = "rq.deploy" :: file:filename(),
@@ -42,8 +44,12 @@ help_screen() ->
         rq decode cb_...        deep decode of api string but only the ones i use
         rq decode tx_...        deep decode of api string but only the ones i use
         rq deploy
-        rq deploy --tx          show ContractCreateTx
-        rq deploy --signed      show SignedTx
+        rq deploy --tx          debug ContractCreateTx
+        rq deploy --tx-only
+        rq deploy --tx_only
+        rq deploy --signed      debug SignedTx
+        rq deploy --signed-tx
+        rq deploy --signed_tx
         rq grids URL            only works with the faucet grids
         rq my
         rq my everything        all
@@ -94,7 +100,11 @@ rq_II(Args) ->
         ["decode", ApiStr]      -> rq_decode(ApiStr);
         ["deploy"]              -> rq_deploy(#rdo{});
         ["deploy", "--signed"]  -> rq_deploy(#rdo{op = signed_tx});
+        ["deploy", "--signed-tx"]  -> rq_deploy(#rdo{op = signed_tx});
+        ["deploy", "--signed_tx"]  -> rq_deploy(#rdo{op = signed_tx});
         ["deploy", "--tx"]      -> rq_deploy(#rdo{op = tx});
+        ["deploy", "--tx-only"]      -> rq_deploy(#rdo{op = tx});
+        ["deploy", "--tx_only"]      -> rq_deploy(#rdo{op = tx});
         ["grids", URL]          -> rq_grids(URL);
         ["my"]                  -> rq_my(everything);
         ["my", "everything"]    -> rq_my(everything);
@@ -167,21 +177,7 @@ rq_decode(TxStr = "tx_" ++ _) ->
 rq_decode(TxBin = <<"tx_", _/binary>>) ->
     io:format("TxBin = ~tp~n", [TxBin]),
     {transaction, Bytes} = gmser_api_encoder:decode(TxBin),
-    io:format("Bytes = ~tp~n", [Bytes]),
-    RLP = gmser_rlp:decode(Bytes),
-    io:format("RLP = ~tp~n", [RLP]),
-    [TagBin, VsnBin | RLP_II] = RLP,
-    Tag = binary:decode_unsigned(TagBin),
-    Gat = rev_tag(Tag),
-    Vsn = binary:decode_unsigned(VsnBin),
-    io:format("Tag = ~tp~n", [Tag]),
-    io:format("Gat = ~tp~n", [Gat]),
-    io:format("Vsn = ~tp~n", [Vsn]),
-    Tpl = template(Gat, Vsn),
-    io:format("Template = ~tp~n", [Tpl]),
-    Deser = gmser_chain_objects:deserialize(Gat, Vsn, Tpl, Bytes),
-    io:format("Deserialized = ~tp~n", [Deser]),
-    %Fmt = gmb_fate_data:format(Deser),
+    just_the_tip_decode(Bytes),
     ok;
 rq_decode(CbStr = "cb_" ++ _) ->
     rq_decode(unicode:characters_to_binary(CbStr));
@@ -196,6 +192,53 @@ rq_decode(CbBin = <<"cb_", _/binary>>) ->
     ok.
 
 
+% this is like rq_decode but in the case where the data at hand is
+% NOT api-encoded; a typical example would be debugging a signed
+% transaction; one of the fields is the signatee, which needs to be
+% decomposed
+just_the_tip_decode(Bytes) ->
+    io:format("Bytes = ~tp~n", [Bytes]),
+    RLP = gmser_rlp:decode(Bytes),
+    io:format("RLP = ~tp~n", [RLP]),
+    [TagBin, VsnBin | Fields] = RLP,
+    Tag = binary:decode_unsigned(TagBin),
+    RevTag = rev_tag(Tag),
+    Vsn = binary:decode_unsigned(VsnBin),
+    io:format("Tag = ~tp~n", [Tag]),
+    io:format("RevTag = ~tp~n", [RevTag]),
+    io:format("Vsn = ~tp~n", [Vsn]),
+    io:format("Fields = ~tp~n", [Fields]),
+    Tpl = template(RevTag, Vsn),
+    io:format("Template = ~tp~n", [Tpl]),
+    NFields = gmser_chain_objects:deserialize(RevTag, Vsn, Tpl, Bytes),
+    io:format("NamedFields = ~tp~n", [NFields]),
+    deep_decode(RevTag, Vsn, Fields).
+
+
+deep_decode(signed_tx, 1, [Sigs, Tx]) ->
+    [sig_valid(my_pubkey32(), Sig, Tx) || Sig <- Sigs],
+    just_the_tip_decode(Tx),
+    ok;
+deep_decode(contract_create_tx, 1, _) ->
+    error(nyi);
+deep_decode(_, _, _) ->
+    error(nyi).
+
+
+sig_valid(Pk32, Sig, Tx) ->
+    io:format("Pk32 = ~tp~n", [Pk32]),
+    io:format("Sig = ~tp~n", [Sig]),
+    io:format("Tx = ~tp~n", [Tx]),
+    NetworkId = <<"groot.testnet">>,
+    {ok, Hash} = eblake2:blake2b(32, Tx),
+    Signatee = <<NetworkId/binary, Hash/binary>>,
+    io:format("NetworkId = ~tp~n", [NetworkId]),
+    io:format("Hash = ~tp~n", [Hash]),
+    io:format("Signatee = ~tp~n", [Signatee]),
+    SigValid = ecu_eddsa:sign_verify_detached(Sig, Signatee, Pk32),
+    io:format("SigValid = ~tp~n", [SigValid]),
+    ok.
+
 % hacky to get fund via faucet to work
 rq_grids(URL) ->
     {ok, {{sign, https}, URL_II}} = hz_grids:parse(URL),
@@ -219,10 +262,8 @@ rq_grids_ii00(URL_II, JSONBodyStr) ->
           "payload"    := PayloadStr,
           "public_id"  := false,
           "signature"  := undefined,
-          "type"       := "message"} ->
-            rq_grids_iii(URL_II, Decoded, PayloadStr);
-        _Nah ->
-            error(nah_brah)
+          "type"       := "message"}        -> rq_grids_iii(URL_II, Decoded, PayloadStr);
+        _Nah                                -> error(nah_brah)
     end.
 
 rq_grids_iii(URL_II, Decoded, PayloadStr) ->
@@ -550,6 +591,90 @@ rev_tag(142) -> entry_transfer_tx;
 rev_tag(143) -> entry_destroy_tx;
 rev_tag(200) -> pof.
 
+tag(account) -> 10;
+tag(signed_tx) -> 11;
+tag(spend_tx) -> 12;
+tag(data_extend_tx) -> 13;
+tag(name) -> 30;
+tag(name_commitment) -> 31;
+tag(name_claim_tx) -> 32;
+tag(name_preclaim_tx) -> 33;
+tag(name_update_tx) -> 34;
+tag(name_revoke_tx) -> 35;
+tag(name_transfer_tx) -> 36;
+tag(name_auction) -> 37;
+tag(contract) -> 40;
+tag(contract_call) -> 41;
+tag(contract_create_tx) -> 42;
+tag(contract_call_tx) -> 43;
+tag(contract_source) -> 44;
+tag(channel_create_tx) -> 50;
+tag(channel_set_delegates_tx) -> 501;
+tag(channel_delegates) -> 502;
+tag(channel_deposit_tx) -> 51;
+tag(channel_withdraw_tx) -> 52;
+tag(channel_force_progress_tx) -> 521;
+tag(channel_close_mutual_tx) -> 53;
+tag(channel_close_solo_tx) -> 54;
+tag(channel_slash_tx) -> 55;
+tag(channel_settle_tx) -> 56;
+tag(channel_offchain_tx) -> 57;
+tag(channel_offchain_update_transfer) -> 570;
+tag(channel_offchain_update_deposit) -> 571;
+tag(channel_offchain_update_withdraw) -> 572;
+tag(channel_offchain_update_create_contract) -> 573;
+tag(channel_offchain_update_call_contract) -> 574;
+tag(channel_offchain_update_meta) -> 576;
+tag(channel_client_reconnect_tx) -> 575;
+tag(channel) -> 58;
+tag(channel_snapshot_solo_tx) -> 59;
+tag(trees_poi) -> 60;
+tag(trees_db) -> 61;
+tag(state_trees) -> 62;
+tag(mtree) -> 63;
+tag(mtree_value) -> 64;
+tag(contracts_mtree) -> 621;
+tag(calls_mtree) -> 622;
+tag(channels_mtree) -> 623;
+tag(nameservice_mtree) -> 624;
+tag(accounts_mtree) -> 626;
+tag(acs_mtree) -> 627;
+tag(entries_mtree) -> 628;
+tag(compiler_sophia) -> 70;
+tag(ga_attach_tx) -> 80;
+tag(ga_meta_tx) -> 81;
+tag(paying_for_tx) -> 82;
+tag(ga_meta_tx_auth_data) -> 810;
+tag(associate_chain) -> 90;
+tag(ac_state) -> 91;
+tag(ac_burn) -> 92;
+tag(ac_create_tx) -> 93;
+tag(ac_deposit_tx) -> 94;
+tag(ac_update_cops_tx) -> 95;
+tag(ac_rollup_tx) -> 96;
+tag(ac_proposal_tx) -> 97;
+tag(key_block) -> 100;
+tag(micro_block) -> 101;
+tag(light_micro_block) -> 102;
+tag(testimony) -> 110;
+tag(testimony_tx) -> 111;
+tag(nt_native_token) -> 120;
+tag(nt_create_tx) -> 121;
+tag(nt_mint_tx) -> 122;
+tag(nt_finalize_tx) -> 123;
+tag(nt_trade_tx) -> 124;
+tag(nt_burn_tx) -> 125;
+tag(entry) -> 140;
+tag(entry_create_tx) -> 141;
+tag(entry_transfer_tx) -> 142;
+tag(entry_destroy_tx) -> 143;
+tag(pof) -> 200.
+
+
+
+template(signed_tx, 1) ->
+    [{sigs, [binary]},
+     {tx, binary}];
 template(contract_create_tx, 1) ->
     [{owner_id,   id},
      {nonce,      int},