diff --git a/lang/src/compiler/entry/compiler.hako b/lang/src/compiler/entry/compiler.hako
index f9b67210..c0975838 100644
--- a/lang/src/compiler/entry/compiler.hako
+++ b/lang/src/compiler/entry/compiler.hako
@@ -243,28 +243,74 @@ static box Main {
   }
 
   _parse_expr_simple(tok) {
-    // Stage‑A: number, "string", variable, array/map literal, index read a[0], binary/compare expressions
+    // Stage‑A: number, "string", variable, array/map literal, index read a[0], simple binary expressions
     tok = me._trim(tok)
     
-    // check for binary/compare operators first
-    local op_info = me._find_main_operator(tok)
-    if op_info != "" {
-      local comma = op_info.indexOf(",")
-      local pos_str = op_info.substring(0, comma)
-      local pos = me._parse_number(pos_str)
-      local op = op_info.substring(comma+1, op_info.length())
-      if pos != null && pos >= 0 {
-        local lhs = me._trim(tok.substring(0, pos))
-        local rhs = me._trim(tok.substring(pos + op.length(), tok.length()))
-        if lhs != "" && rhs != "" {
-          local lhs_json = me._parse_expr_simple(lhs)
-          local rhs_json = me._parse_expr_simple(rhs)
-          if me._is_compare_operator(op) {
-            return me._emit_compare(op, lhs_json, rhs_json)
-          } else {
-            return me._emit_binary(op, lhs_json, rhs_json)
-          }
-        }
+    // Simple binary operator check (basic implementation)
+    local plus_pos = tok.indexOf("+")
+    if plus_pos > 0 {
+      local lhs = me._trim(tok.substring(0, plus_pos))
+      local rhs = me._trim(tok.substring(plus_pos + 1, tok.length()))
+      if lhs != "" && rhs != "" {
+        local lhs_json = me._parse_expr_simple(lhs)
+        local rhs_json = me._parse_expr_simple(rhs)
+        return "{\"type\":\"Binary\",\"op\":\"+\",\"lhs\":" + lhs_json + ",\"rhs\":" + rhs_json + "}"
+      }
+    }
+    
+    local minus_pos = tok.indexOf("-")
+    if minus_pos > 0 {
+      local lhs = me._trim(tok.substring(0, minus_pos))
+      local rhs = me._trim(tok.substring(minus_pos + 1, tok.length()))
+      if lhs != "" && rhs != "" {
+        local lhs_json = me._parse_expr_simple(lhs)
+        local rhs_json = me._parse_expr_simple(rhs)
+        return "{\"type\":\"Binary\",\"op\":\"-\",\"lhs\":" + lhs_json + ",\"rhs\":" + rhs_json + "}"
+      }
+    }
+    
+    local mul_pos = tok.indexOf("*")
+    if mul_pos > 0 {
+      local lhs = me._trim(tok.substring(0, mul_pos))
+      local rhs = me._trim(tok.substring(mul_pos + 1, tok.length()))
+      if lhs != "" && rhs != "" {
+        local lhs_json = me._parse_expr_simple(lhs)
+        local rhs_json = me._parse_expr_simple(rhs)
+        return "{\"type\":\"Binary\",\"op\":\"*\",\"lhs\":" + lhs_json + ",\"rhs\":" + rhs_json + "}"
+      }
+    }
+    
+    local div_pos = tok.indexOf("/")
+    if div_pos > 0 {
+      local lhs = me._trim(tok.substring(0, div_pos))
+      local rhs = me._trim(tok.substring(div_pos + 1, tok.length()))
+      if lhs != "" && rhs != "" {
+        local lhs_json = me._parse_expr_simple(lhs)
+        local rhs_json = me._parse_expr_simple(rhs)
+        return "{\"type\":\"Binary\",\"op\":\"/\",\"lhs\":" + lhs_json + ",\"rhs\":" + rhs_json + "}"
+      }
+    }
+    
+    // Simple comparison operator check (check for == first, then others)
+    local eq_pos = tok.indexOf("==")
+    if eq_pos > 0 {
+      local lhs = me._trim(tok.substring(0, eq_pos))
+      local rhs = me._trim(tok.substring(eq_pos + 2, tok.length()))
+      if lhs != "" && rhs != "" {
+        local lhs_json = me._parse_expr_simple(lhs)
+        local rhs_json = me._parse_expr_simple(rhs)
+        return "{\"type\":\"Compare\",\"op\":\"==\",\"lhs\":" + lhs_json + ",\"rhs\":" + rhs_json + "}"
+      }
+    }
+    
+    local gt_pos = tok.indexOf(">")
+    if gt_pos > 0 {
+      local lhs = me._trim(tok.substring(0, gt_pos))
+      local rhs = me._trim(tok.substring(gt_pos + 1, tok.length()))
+      if lhs != "" && rhs != "" {
+        local lhs_json = me._parse_expr_simple(lhs)
+        local rhs_json = me._parse_expr_simple(rhs)
+        return "{\"type\":\"Compare\",\"op\":\">\",\"lhs\":" + lhs_json + ",\"rhs\":" + rhs_json + "}"
       }
     }
     
@@ -313,16 +359,48 @@ static box Main {
     // if(condition) { statement }
     if me._starts_with(s, "if(") {
       local rb = s.indexOf(")")
-      if rb > 0 && me._starts_with(s.substring(rb+1), "{") {
-        local cond = me._trim(s.substring(3, rb))
-        local body_start = rb + 2  // skip ")" and "{"
-        local body_end = s.length() - 1  // skip "}"
-        local body = me._trim(s.substring(body_start, body_end))
-        
-        local cond_json = me._parse_expr_simple(cond)
-        local stmt_json = me._parse_stmt(body)
-        
-        return "{\"type\":\"If\",\"cond\":" + cond_json + ",\"then\":[" + stmt_json + "]}"
+      if rb > 0 {
+        local after_paren = s.substring(rb+1, s.length())
+        if me._starts_with(after_paren, "{") {
+          local cond = me._trim(s.substring(3, rb))
+          local body_start = rb + 2  // skip ")" and "{"
+          local body_end = s.length() - 1  // skip "}"
+          local body = me._trim(s.substring(body_start, body_end))
+          
+          // Check if body is missing closing parenthesis (common issue)
+          if me._starts_with(body, "print(") && body.substring(body.length()-1, body.length()) != ")" {
+            // Add missing closing parenthesis
+            body = body + ")"
+          }
+          
+          // Debug disabled
+          
+          local cond_json = me._parse_expr_simple(cond)
+          
+          local stmt_json = ""
+          // Parse print statements directly in if body
+          if me._starts_with(body, "print(") && body.substring(body.length()-1, body.length()) == ")" {
+            local inner = body.substring(6, body.length()-1)
+            local ej = me._parse_expr_simple(inner)
+            stmt_json = me._emit_stmt_extern_print(ej)
+          } else {
+            // If body doesn't end with semicolon, add it for parsing
+            if body.length() > 0 && body.substring(body.length()-1, body.length()) != ";" {
+              body = body + ";"
+            }
+            stmt_json = me._parse_stmt(body)
+          }
+          
+          // Debug: print stmt_json
+          // print("DEBUG: stmt_json=" + stmt_json)
+          
+          if stmt_json == "" {
+            // Empty statement, return just the if with empty body
+            return "{\"type\":\"If\",\"cond\":" + cond_json + ",\"then\":[]}"
+          }
+          
+          return "{\"type\":\"If\",\"cond\":" + cond_json + ",\"then\":[" + stmt_json + "]}"
+        }
       }
     }
     // index write: NAME[KEY] = EXPR