diff --git a/doc/progs/run b/doc/progs/run
index 3b07db4cceb..486ef2680c7 100755
--- a/doc/progs/run
+++ b/doc/progs/run
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ echo $alphabet | testit cat "" $alphabet
 echo $alphabet | testit cat_rot13 "--rot13" $rot13
 echo $rot13 | testit cat_rot13 "--rot13" $alphabet
 
-testit sortmain "" "Sunday Monday Tuesday Thursday Friday"
+testit sortmain "" "Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday"
 
 testit print "" "18446744073709551615 -1 18446744073709551615 {77 Sunset Strip} [1 2 3 4] 18446744073709551615 {77 Sunset Strip} [1 2 3 4] 18446744073709551615 {77 Sunset Strip} [1 2 3 4]"
 testit print_string "" "77 Sunset Strip"
diff --git a/doc/progs/sortmain.go b/doc/progs/sortmain.go
index 035ca54427a..3dca9634400 100644
--- a/doc/progs/sortmain.go
+++ b/doc/progs/sortmain.go
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ func days() {
 	Thursday :=  day{ 4, "THU", "Thursday" };
 	Friday :=    day{ 5, "FRI", "Friday" };
 	Saturday :=  day{ 6, "SAT", "Saturday" };
-	data := []*day{&Tuesday, &Thursday, &Sunday, &Monday, &Friday};
+	data := []*day{&Tuesday, &Thursday, &Wednesday, &Sunday, &Monday, &Friday, &Saturday};
 	a := dayArray{data};
 	sort.Sort(&a);
 	if !sort.IsSorted(&a) {
diff --git a/src/pkg/archive/tar/reader.go b/src/pkg/archive/tar/reader.go
index 479d093e042..1c3df6bfd12 100644
--- a/src/pkg/archive/tar/reader.go
+++ b/src/pkg/archive/tar/reader.go
@@ -95,11 +95,10 @@ func (ignoreWriter) Write(b []byte) (n int, err os.Error) {
 func (tr *Reader) skipUnread() {
 	nr := tr.nb + tr.pad;	// number of bytes to skip
 
-	var n int64;
 	if sr, ok := tr.r.(io.Seeker); ok {
-		n, tr.err = sr.Seek(nr, 1);
+		_, tr.err = sr.Seek(nr, 1);
 	} else {
-		n, tr.err = io.Copyn(tr.r, ignoreWriter{}, nr);
+		_, tr.err = io.Copyn(tr.r, ignoreWriter{}, nr);
 	}
 	tr.nb, tr.pad = 0, 0;
 }
@@ -116,14 +115,13 @@ func (tr *Reader) verifyChecksum(header []byte) bool {
 
 func (tr *Reader) readHeader() *Header {
 	header := make([]byte, blockSize);
-	var n int;
-	if n, tr.err = io.ReadFull(tr.r, header); tr.err != nil {
+	if _, tr.err = io.ReadFull(tr.r, header); tr.err != nil {
 		return nil
 	}
 
 	// Two blocks of zero bytes marks the end of the archive.
 	if bytes.Equal(header, zeroBlock[0:blockSize]) {
-		if n, tr.err = io.ReadFull(tr.r, header); tr.err != nil {
+		if _, tr.err = io.ReadFull(tr.r, header); tr.err != nil {
 			return nil
 		}
 		if !bytes.Equal(header, zeroBlock[0:blockSize]) {
diff --git a/src/pkg/archive/tar/writer.go b/src/pkg/archive/tar/writer.go
index b3ce6b5c12c..42e628f5cc7 100644
--- a/src/pkg/archive/tar/writer.go
+++ b/src/pkg/archive/tar/writer.go
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ func (tw *Writer) WriteHeader(hdr *Header) os.Error {
 	s := slicer(header);
 
 	// TODO(dsymonds): handle names longer than 100 chars
-	nr := bytes.Copy(s.next(100), strings.Bytes(hdr.Name));
+	bytes.Copy(s.next(100), strings.Bytes(hdr.Name));
 
 	tw.octal(s.next(8), hdr.Mode);	// 100:108
 	tw.octal(s.next(8), hdr.Uid);	// 108:116
@@ -136,8 +136,7 @@ func (tw *Writer) WriteHeader(hdr *Header) os.Error {
 		return tw.err
 	}
 
-	var n int;
-	n, tw.err = tw.w.Write(header);
+	_, tw.err = tw.w.Write(header);
 
 	return tw.err
 }
@@ -169,8 +168,7 @@ func (tw *Writer) Close() os.Error {
 
 	// trailer: two zero blocks
 	for i := 0; i < 2; i++ {
-		var n int;
-		n, tw.err = tw.w.Write(zeroBlock);
+		_, tw.err = tw.w.Write(zeroBlock);
 		if tw.err != nil {
 			break
 		}
diff --git a/src/pkg/base64/base64_test.go b/src/pkg/base64/base64_test.go
index 255f85c69a0..039c99737b7 100644
--- a/src/pkg/base64/base64_test.go
+++ b/src/pkg/base64/base64_test.go
@@ -80,7 +80,6 @@ func TestEncoder(t *testing.T) {
 func TestEncoderBuffering(t *testing.T) {
 	input := strings.Bytes(bigtest.decoded);
 	for bs := 1; bs <= 12; bs++ {
-		buf := make([]byte, bs);
 		bb := &bytes.Buffer{};
 		encoder := NewEncoder(StdEncoding, bb);
 		for pos := 0; pos < len(input); pos += bs {
diff --git a/src/pkg/bytes/bytes.go b/src/pkg/bytes/bytes.go
index 52aa8cdf40c..d4eb4c7d998 100644
--- a/src/pkg/bytes/bytes.go
+++ b/src/pkg/bytes/bytes.go
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ func explode(s []byte, n int) [][]byte {
 		n = len(s);
 	}
 	a := make([][]byte, n);
-	var size, rune int;
+	var size int;
 	na := 0;
 	for len(s) > 0 {
 		if na+1 >= n {
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ func explode(s []byte, n int) [][]byte {
 			na++;
 			break
 		}
-		rune, size = utf8.DecodeRune(s);
+		_, size = utf8.DecodeRune(s);
 		a[na] = s[0:size];
 		s = s[size:len(s)];
 		na++;
diff --git a/src/pkg/compress/gzip/gunzip.go b/src/pkg/compress/gzip/gunzip.go
index 9a27d0d9b26..88147dacb86 100644
--- a/src/pkg/compress/gzip/gunzip.go
+++ b/src/pkg/compress/gzip/gunzip.go
@@ -138,8 +138,7 @@ func (z *Inflater) readHeader(save bool) os.Error {
 			return err;
 		}
 		data := make([]byte, n);
-		var nn int;
-		if nn, err = io.ReadFull(z.r, data); err != nil {
+		if _, err = io.ReadFull(z.r, data); err != nil {
 			return err;
 		}
 		if save {
diff --git a/src/pkg/container/ring/ring_test.go b/src/pkg/container/ring/ring_test.go
index 4f81d55aa70..ee9ce27a67f 100644
--- a/src/pkg/container/ring/ring_test.go
+++ b/src/pkg/container/ring/ring_test.go
@@ -211,7 +211,6 @@ func TestUnlink(t *testing.T) {
 	s10 := r10.Move(6);
 
 	sum10 := sumN(10);
-	sum6 := sumN(6);
 
 	verify(t, r10, 10, sum10);
 	verify(t, s10, 10, sum10);
diff --git a/src/pkg/datafmt/parser.go b/src/pkg/datafmt/parser.go
index 3e86e0f2dca..245689a0c3f 100644
--- a/src/pkg/datafmt/parser.go
+++ b/src/pkg/datafmt/parser.go
@@ -124,8 +124,7 @@ func (p *parser) parseRuleName() (string, bool) {
 func (p *parser) parseString() string {
 	s := "";
 	if p.tok == token.STRING {
-		var err os.Error;
-		s, err = strconv.Unquote(string(p.lit));
+		s, _ = strconv.Unquote(string(p.lit));
 		// Unquote may fail with an error, but only if the scanner found
 		// an illegal string in the first place. In this case the error
 		// has already been reported.
diff --git a/src/pkg/ebnf/parser.go b/src/pkg/ebnf/parser.go
index d32b1b926a9..03cc4a75662 100644
--- a/src/pkg/ebnf/parser.go
+++ b/src/pkg/ebnf/parser.go
@@ -72,8 +72,7 @@ func (p *parser) parseToken() *Token {
 	pos := p.pos;
 	value := "";
 	if p.tok == token.STRING {
-		var err os.Error;
-		value, err = strconv.Unquote(string(p.lit));
+		value, _ = strconv.Unquote(string(p.lit));
 		// Unquote may fail with an error, but only if the scanner found
 		// an illegal string in the first place. In this case the error
 		// has already been reported.
diff --git a/src/pkg/go/scanner/scanner_test.go b/src/pkg/go/scanner/scanner_test.go
index 2b3c946292d..52a483c521b 100644
--- a/src/pkg/go/scanner/scanner_test.go
+++ b/src/pkg/go/scanner/scanner_test.go
@@ -351,7 +351,6 @@ func TestStdErrorHander(t *testing.T) {
 		"@ @ @"  // original file, line 1 again
 	;
 
-	var s Scanner;
 	v := NewErrorVector();
 	nerrors := Tokenize("File1", strings.Bytes(src), v, 0,
 		func (pos token.Position, tok token.Token, litb []byte) bool {
diff --git a/src/pkg/gob/codec_test.go b/src/pkg/gob/codec_test.go
index c81bd3609ea..9564d8c344b 100644
--- a/src/pkg/gob/codec_test.go
+++ b/src/pkg/gob/codec_test.go
@@ -93,7 +93,6 @@ func verifyInt(i int64, t *testing.T) {
 
 // Test basic encode/decode routines for signed integers
 func TestIntCodec(t *testing.T) {
-	var b = new(bytes.Buffer);
 	for u := uint64(0); ; u = (u+1) * 7 {
 		// Do positive and negative values
 		i := int64(u);
@@ -191,9 +190,6 @@ func TestScalarEncInstructions(t *testing.T) {
 	// int16
 	{
 		b.Reset();
-		v := int16(17);
-		pv := &v;
-		ppv := &pv;
 		data := struct { a int16 } { 17 };
 		instr := &encInstr{ encInt16, 6, 0, 0 };
 		state := newencoderState(b);
diff --git a/src/pkg/gob/decoder.go b/src/pkg/gob/decoder.go
index 9e8aa9c3522..3442f805368 100644
--- a/src/pkg/gob/decoder.go
+++ b/src/pkg/gob/decoder.go
@@ -75,8 +75,7 @@ func (dec *Decoder) Decode(e interface{}) os.Error {
 		dec.state.b = bytes.NewBuffer(dec.buf[0:nbytes]);
 
 		// Read the data
-		var n int;
-		n, dec.state.err = io.ReadFull(dec.r, dec.buf[0:nbytes]);
+		_, dec.state.err = io.ReadFull(dec.r, dec.buf[0:nbytes]);
 		if dec.state.err != nil {
 			if dec.state.err ==  os.EOF {
 				dec.state.err = io.ErrUnexpectedEOF;
diff --git a/src/pkg/gob/type_test.go b/src/pkg/gob/type_test.go
index 7c9a9ba38e0..ed33487ca6f 100644
--- a/src/pkg/gob/type_test.go
+++ b/src/pkg/gob/type_test.go
@@ -64,7 +64,6 @@ func TestReregistration(t *testing.T) {
 func TestArrayType(t *testing.T) {
 	var a3 [3]int;
 	a3int := getTypeUnlocked("foo", reflect.Typeof(a3));
-	var newa3 [3]int;
 	newa3int := getTypeUnlocked("bar", reflect.Typeof(a3));
 	if a3int != newa3int {
 		t.Errorf("second registration of [3]int creates new type");
diff --git a/src/pkg/http/request.go b/src/pkg/http/request.go
index e276deeffc4..2467222bbc1 100644
--- a/src/pkg/http/request.go
+++ b/src/pkg/http/request.go
@@ -431,8 +431,7 @@ func (cr *chunkedReader) Read(b []uint8) (n int, err os.Error) {
 	if cr.n == 0 && cr.err == nil {
 		// end of chunk (CRLF)
 		b := make([]byte, 2);
-		var nb int;
-		if nb, cr.err = io.ReadFull(cr.r, b); cr.err == nil {
+		if _, cr.err = io.ReadFull(cr.r, b); cr.err == nil {
 			if b[0] != '\r' || b[1] != '\n' {
 				cr.err = os.NewError("malformed chunked encoding");
 			}
diff --git a/src/pkg/http/request_test.go b/src/pkg/http/request_test.go
index 86ec0efac0c..4c3cbf8a5c7 100644
--- a/src/pkg/http/request_test.go
+++ b/src/pkg/http/request_test.go
@@ -62,9 +62,8 @@ func TestParseForm(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestQuery(t *testing.T) {
-	var err os.Error;
 	req := &Request{ Method: "GET" };
-	req.Url, err = ParseURL("http://www.google.com/search?q=foo&q=bar");
+	req.Url, _ = ParseURL("http://www.google.com/search?q=foo&q=bar");
 	if q := req.FormValue("q"); q != "foo" {
 		t.Errorf(`req.FormValue("q") = %q, want "foo"`, q);
 	}
diff --git a/src/pkg/json/generic.go b/src/pkg/json/generic.go
index 302b0c9e4de..9fa1ae55052 100644
--- a/src/pkg/json/generic.go
+++ b/src/pkg/json/generic.go
@@ -316,11 +316,10 @@ func (b *_JsonBuilder) Key(k string) Builder {
 // If StringToJson encounters a syntax error, it returns with
 // ok set to false and errtok set to a fragment of the offending syntax.
 func StringToJson(s string) (json Json, ok bool, errtok string) {
-	var errindx int;
 	var j Json;
 	b := new(_JsonBuilder);
 	b.ptr = &j;
-	ok, errindx, errtok = Parse(s, b);
+	ok, _, errtok = Parse(s, b);
 	if !ok {
 		return nil, false, errtok
 	}
diff --git a/src/pkg/json/struct.go b/src/pkg/json/struct.go
index e5b2188f541..680a5af4bec 100644
--- a/src/pkg/json/struct.go
+++ b/src/pkg/json/struct.go
@@ -248,10 +248,8 @@ func (b *_StructBuilder) Key(k string) Builder {
 // On a syntax error, it returns with ok set to false and errtok
 // set to the offending token.
 func Unmarshal(s string, val interface{}) (ok bool, errtok string) {
-	var errindx int;
-	var val1 interface{};
 	b := &_StructBuilder{ reflect.NewValue(val) };
-	ok, errindx, errtok = Parse(s, b);
+	ok, _, errtok = Parse(s, b);
 	if !ok {
 		return false, errtok
 	}
diff --git a/src/pkg/net/dnsclient.go b/src/pkg/net/dnsclient.go
index 859bef33a46..4eade104627 100644
--- a/src/pkg/net/dnsclient.go
+++ b/src/pkg/net/dnsclient.go
@@ -247,7 +247,6 @@ func LookupHost(name string) (cname string, addrs []string, err os.Error) {
 			rname += ".";
 		}
 		// Can try as ordinary name.
-		var dnserr *DNSError;
 		addrs, err = tryOneName(cfg, rname);
 		if err == nil {
 			cname = rname;
@@ -264,7 +263,6 @@ func LookupHost(name string) (cname string, addrs []string, err os.Error) {
 		if rname[len(rname)-1] != '.' {
 			rname += "."
 		}
-		var dnserr *DNSError;
 		addrs, err = tryOneName(cfg, rname);
 		if err == nil {
 			cname = rname;
diff --git a/src/pkg/net/net.go b/src/pkg/net/net.go
index c8d533206e0..c2c835af112 100644
--- a/src/pkg/net/net.go
+++ b/src/pkg/net/net.go
@@ -326,7 +326,6 @@ func socket(net, laddr, raddr string, f, p, t int, la, ra syscall.Sockaddr) (fd
 	// Allow reuse of recently-used addresses.
 	syscall.SetsockoptInt(s, syscall.SOL_SOCKET, syscall.SO_REUSEADDR, 1);
 
-	var r int64;
 	if la != nil {
 		e = syscall.Bind(s, la);
 		if e != 0 {
diff --git a/src/pkg/os/getwd.go b/src/pkg/os/getwd.go
index 5aeeaa0c3a3..081f5e46a71 100644
--- a/src/pkg/os/getwd.go
+++ b/src/pkg/os/getwd.go
@@ -49,7 +49,6 @@ func Getwd() (string, Error) {
 	// General algorithm: find name in parent
 	// and then find name of parent.  Each iteration
 	// adds /name to the beginning of pwd.
-	elem := make([]string, 0, 16);
 	pwd = "";
 	for parent := "..";; parent = "../" + parent {
 		if len(parent) >= 1024 {	// Sanity check
diff --git a/src/pkg/path/path.go b/src/pkg/path/path.go
index ffc6c6920b5..49ea25db677 100644
--- a/src/pkg/path/path.go
+++ b/src/pkg/path/path.go
@@ -125,7 +125,6 @@ func Join(dir, file string) string {
 // in the final slash-separated element of path;
 // it is empty if there is no dot.
 func Ext(path string) string {
-	dot := -1;
 	for i := len(path)-1; i >= 0 && path[i] != '/'; i-- {
 		if path[i] == '.' {
 			return path[i:len(path)];
diff --git a/src/pkg/reflect/tostring_test.go b/src/pkg/reflect/tostring_test.go
index e2f7dbf75f2..eeac5a028c4 100644
--- a/src/pkg/reflect/tostring_test.go
+++ b/src/pkg/reflect/tostring_test.go
@@ -84,7 +84,6 @@ func valueToString(val Value) string {
 		return str;
 	case *MapValue:
 		t := typ.(*MapType);
-		v := val;
 		str = t.String();
 		str += "{";
 		str += "<can't iterate on maps>";
diff --git a/src/pkg/reflect/value.go b/src/pkg/reflect/value.go
index 4ba1c2eec12..727a9c1b808 100644
--- a/src/pkg/reflect/value.go
+++ b/src/pkg/reflect/value.go
@@ -16,7 +16,6 @@ type addr unsafe.Pointer
 // TODO: This will have to go away when
 // the new gc goes in.
 func memmove(adst, asrc addr, n uintptr) {
-	var p uintptr;	// dummy for sizeof
 	dst := uintptr(adst);
 	src := uintptr(asrc);
 	switch {
@@ -680,7 +679,6 @@ func (v *ChanValue) recv(b *bool) Value {
 		panic("recv on send-only channel");
 	}
 	ch := *(**byte)(v.addr);
-	newval := MakeZero(t.Elem());
 	x := MakeZero(t.Elem());
 	chanrecv(ch, (*byte)(x.getAddr()), b);
 	return x;
diff --git a/src/pkg/regexp/regexp.go b/src/pkg/regexp/regexp.go
index 55c8a6325f3..b378a669cf4 100644
--- a/src/pkg/regexp/regexp.go
+++ b/src/pkg/regexp/regexp.go
@@ -972,11 +972,11 @@ func (re *Regexp) allMatches(s string, b []byte, n int, deliver func(int, int))
 				// after a previous match, so ignore it.
 				accept = false;
 			}
-			var rune, width int;
+			var width int;
 			if b == nil {
-				rune, width = utf8.DecodeRuneInString(s[pos:end]);
+				_, width = utf8.DecodeRuneInString(s[pos:end]);
 			} else {
-				rune, width = utf8.DecodeRune(b[pos:end]);
+				_, width = utf8.DecodeRune(b[pos:end]);
 			}
 			if width > 0 {
 				pos += width;
diff --git a/src/pkg/rpc/client.go b/src/pkg/rpc/client.go
index 5846d6b335e..8663ad4425a 100644
--- a/src/pkg/rpc/client.go
+++ b/src/pkg/rpc/client.go
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ func (client *Client) send(c *Call) {
 	if client.shutdown != nil {
 		c.Error = client.shutdown;
 		client.mutex.Unlock();
-		doNotBlock := c.Done <- c;
+		_ = c.Done <- c;	// do not block
 		return;
 	}
 	c.seq = client.seq;
@@ -87,14 +87,14 @@ func (client *Client) input() {
 		c.Error = os.ErrorString(response.Error);
 		// We don't want to block here.  It is the caller's responsibility to make
 		// sure the channel has enough buffer space. See comment in Go().
-		doNotBlock := c.Done <- c;
+		_ = c.Done <- c;	// do not block
 	}
 	// Terminate pending calls.
 	client.mutex.Lock();
 	client.shutdown = err;
 	for seq, call := range client.pending {
 		call.Error = err;
-		doNotBlock := call.Done <- call;
+		_ = call.Done <- call;	// do not block
 	}
 	client.mutex.Unlock();
 	log.Stderr("client protocol error:", err);
@@ -161,7 +161,7 @@ func (client *Client) Go(serviceMethod string, args interface{}, reply interface
 	c.Done = done;
 	if client.shutdown != nil {
 		c.Error = client.shutdown;
-		doNotBlock := c.Done <- c;
+		_ = c.Done <- c;	// do not block
 		return c;
 	}
 	client.send(c);
diff --git a/src/pkg/rpc/server.go b/src/pkg/rpc/server.go
index 37afa774800..c7335a687e7 100644
--- a/src/pkg/rpc/server.go
+++ b/src/pkg/rpc/server.go
@@ -338,7 +338,6 @@ func (server *serverType) input(conn io.ReadWriteCloser) {
 			sendResponse(sending, req, invalidRequest, enc, s);
 			continue;
 		}
-		method := mtype.method;
 		// Decode the argument value.
 		argv := _new(mtype.argType);
 		replyv := _new(mtype.replyType);
diff --git a/src/pkg/strconv/decimal_test.go b/src/pkg/strconv/decimal_test.go
index 1498deaec8c..35fc795ae18 100644
--- a/src/pkg/strconv/decimal_test.go
+++ b/src/pkg/strconv/decimal_test.go
@@ -30,7 +30,6 @@ var shifttests = []shiftTest {
 }
 
 func TestDecimalShift(t *testing.T) {
-	ok := true;
 	for i := 0; i < len(shifttests); i++ {
 		test := &shifttests[i];
 		s := NewDecimal(test.i).Shift(test.shift).String();
diff --git a/src/pkg/syscall/exec.go b/src/pkg/syscall/exec.go
index 91d8a3f8cce..1ba2f93bc96 100644
--- a/src/pkg/syscall/exec.go
+++ b/src/pkg/syscall/exec.go
@@ -228,7 +228,6 @@ func forkExec(argv0 string, argv []string, envv []string, traceme bool, dir stri
 	(pid int, err int)
 {
 	var p [2]int;
-	var r1 int;
 	var n int;
 	var err1 uintptr;
 	var wstatus WaitStatus;
@@ -254,11 +253,10 @@ func forkExec(argv0 string, argv []string, envv []string, traceme bool, dir stri
 	if err = Pipe(&p); err != 0 {
 		goto error;
 	}
-	var val int;
-	if val, err = fcntl(p[0], F_SETFD, FD_CLOEXEC); err != 0 {
+	if _, err = fcntl(p[0], F_SETFD, FD_CLOEXEC); err != 0 {
 		goto error;
 	}
-	if val, err = fcntl(p[1], F_SETFD, FD_CLOEXEC); err != 0 {
+	if _, err = fcntl(p[1], F_SETFD, FD_CLOEXEC); err != 0 {
 		goto error;
 	}
 
diff --git a/src/pkg/testing/testing.go b/src/pkg/testing/testing.go
index 617efa4abff..435d7af4b59 100644
--- a/src/pkg/testing/testing.go
+++ b/src/pkg/testing/testing.go
@@ -116,7 +116,6 @@ func tRunner(t *T, test *Test) {
 // of gotest.
 func Main(tests []Test) {
 	flag.Parse();
-	args := flag.Args();
 	ok := true;
 	if len(tests) == 0 {
 		println("testing: warning: no tests to run");
diff --git a/src/pkg/time/tick.go b/src/pkg/time/tick.go
index 81c38522033..47ee84fc7e2 100644
--- a/src/pkg/time/tick.go
+++ b/src/pkg/time/tick.go
@@ -25,7 +25,6 @@ import (
 //		}
 
 func ticker(ns int64, c chan int64) {
-	var tv syscall.Timeval;
 	now := Nanoseconds();
 	when := now;
 	for {
@@ -44,6 +43,9 @@ func ticker(ns int64, c chan int64) {
 		Sleep(when - now);
 		now = Nanoseconds();
 		c <- now;
+		if closed(c) {
+			return;
+		}
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/src/pkg/time/zoneinfo.go b/src/pkg/time/zoneinfo.go
index a4717c445c8..cd2cef4bdb0 100644
--- a/src/pkg/time/zoneinfo.go
+++ b/src/pkg/time/zoneinfo.go
@@ -94,7 +94,6 @@ func parseinfo(bytes []byte) (zt []zonetime, ok bool) {
 	if p = d.read(16); len(p) != 16 || p[0] != 0 && p[0] != '2' {
 		return nil, false
 	}
-	vers := p[0];
 
 	// six big-endian 32-bit integers:
 	//	number of UTC/local indicators
@@ -213,12 +212,11 @@ func setupZone() {
 	// $TZ="foo" means use /usr/share/zoneinfo/foo.
 
 	tz, err := os.Getenverror("TZ");
-	var ok bool;
 	switch {
 	case err == os.ENOENV:
-		zones, ok = readinfofile("/etc/localtime");
+		zones, _ = readinfofile("/etc/localtime");
 	case len(tz) > 0:
-		zones, ok = readinfofile(zoneDir + tz);
+		zones, _ = readinfofile(zoneDir + tz);
 	case len(tz) == 0:
 		// do nothing: use UTC
 	}
diff --git a/src/pkg/utf8/utf8.go b/src/pkg/utf8/utf8.go
index 2604c554192..735bd8749d4 100644
--- a/src/pkg/utf8/utf8.go
+++ b/src/pkg/utf8/utf8.go
@@ -199,15 +199,13 @@ func FullRuneInString(s string) bool {
 
 // DecodeRune unpacks the first UTF-8 encoding in p and returns the rune and its width in bytes.
 func DecodeRune(p []byte) (rune, size int) {
-	var short bool;
-	rune, size, short = decodeRuneInternal(p);
+	rune, size, _ = decodeRuneInternal(p);
 	return;
 }
 
 // DecodeRuneInString is like DecodeRune but its input is a string.
 func DecodeRuneInString(s string) (rune, size int) {
-	var short bool;
-	rune, size, short = decodeRuneInStringInternal(s);
+	rune, size, _ = decodeRuneInStringInternal(s);
 	return;
 }
 
diff --git a/test/bench/k-nucleotide.go b/test/bench/k-nucleotide.go
index 3206774296f..c6ec3427f7d 100644
--- a/test/bench/k-nucleotide.go
+++ b/test/bench/k-nucleotide.go
@@ -111,7 +111,6 @@ func print(m map[string] int) {
 
 func main() {
 	in = bufio.NewReader(os.Stdin);
-	buf := new(bytes.Buffer);
 	three := strings.Bytes(">THREE ");
 	for {
 		line, err := in.ReadSlice('\n');
diff --git a/test/bench/regex-dna.go b/test/bench/regex-dna.go
index ee4ddfd500a..637cb145426 100644
--- a/test/bench/regex-dna.go
+++ b/test/bench/regex-dna.go
@@ -85,7 +85,6 @@ var substs = [] Subst {
 func countMatches(pat string, bytes []byte) int {
 	re := compile(pat);
 	n := 0;
-	pos := 0;
 	for {
 		e := re.Execute(bytes);
 		if len(e) == 0 {