diff --git a/chameleonic.p8 b/chameleonic.p8
index d91f9e5..498cf3f 100644
--- a/chameleonic.p8
+++ b/chameleonic.p8
@@ -480,16 +480,18 @@ function _mix(mx,my)
   return mx..","..my
 end
 
+-- crate spec:
+-- "up" == 1
+-- "right" == 2
+-- "down" == 4
+-- "left" == 8
+--
+--    +1+
+--    8 2
+--    +4+
 function level:_get_cratedef(s)
- if (s<64 or s>=80) return nil
- 
- local s2=s-64
- return {
-  up=s2&1!=0,
-  right=s2&2!=0,
-  down=s2&4!=0,
-  left=s2&8!=0
- }
+ if (s<64 or s>=80) return
+ return s & 0x000F
 end
 
 function level:get_latch(dx,dy,px,py)
@@ -500,12 +502,11 @@ function level:get_latch(dx,dy,px,py)
  local dx1,dy1=-sgn0(dx),-sgn0(dy)
 
  if crate then
-  if
-   (crate.def.up and dy>0) or
-   (crate.def.down and dy<0) or 
-   (crate.def.left and dx>0) or
-   (crate.def.right and dx<0)
-  then
+  if crate.def & (
+    dy1 >>> 15 | 
+    (dy1 & 0x1) << 2 |
+    (dx1 & 0x8000) >>> 12 |
+    (dx1 & 0x1) << 1) ~= 0 then
    return {
     el="crate",
     dx=dx1,dy=dy1,