diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index f1ee379..6b91aef 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -183,7 +183,7 @@ Squib supports various configuration properties that can be specified in an exte
 
 * `progress_bars` (Boolean, default: false).  When set to `true`, long-running operations will show a progress bar on the command line. 
 * `dpi` (Integer, default: 300). Used in calculations when units are used (e.g. for PDF rendering and unit conversion).
-* `hint` (ColorString, default: nil). Text hints are used to show the boundaries of text boxes. Can be enabled/disabled for individual commands, or set globally with the `set` command. This setting is overriden by `set` and individual commands.
+* `hint` (ColorString, default: off). Text hints are used to show the boundaries of text boxes. Can be enabled/disabled for individual commands, or set globally with the `set` command. This setting is overriden by `set` and individual commands.
 * `custom_colors` (Hash of Colors, default: {}). Defines globally-available colors available to the deck that can be specified in commands.
 
 The following sample demonstrates the config file.
diff --git a/lib/squib/api/settings.rb b/lib/squib/api/settings.rb
index 621ecdc..9461aab 100644
--- a/lib/squib/api/settings.rb
+++ b/lib/squib/api/settings.rb
@@ -9,12 +9,11 @@ module Squib
     #   hint text: :cyan
     #   hint text: :cyan, progress_bar: true
     #
-    # @param [String] text the color of the text hint. To turn off use nil or :off. @see README.md 
+    # @param [String] text the color of the text hint. To turn off use :off. @see README.md 
     # @param [Boolean] progress_bar enable progress bars on long-running operations
     # @return [nil] Returns nothing
     # @api public
-    def hint(text: nil)
-      text = nil if text == :off
+    def hint(text: :off)
       @text_hint = text
     end
 
diff --git a/lib/squib/constants.rb b/lib/squib/constants.rb
index c7858cc..e8b505b 100644
--- a/lib/squib/constants.rb
+++ b/lib/squib/constants.rb
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ module Squib
       :format => :png,
       :gap => 0,
       :height => :native,
+      :hint => :off,
       :justify => false,
       :margin => 75,
       :markup => false,
@@ -50,7 +51,7 @@ module Squib
     CONFIG_DEFAULTS = { 
       'custom_colors' => {},
       'dpi' => 300,
-      'hint' => nil,
+      'hint' => :none,
       'progress_bar' => false,
     }
 
diff --git a/lib/squib/graphics/image.rb b/lib/squib/graphics/image.rb
index 465f0e0..07d267b 100644
--- a/lib/squib/graphics/image.rb
+++ b/lib/squib/graphics/image.rb
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ module Squib
     # :nodoc:
     # @api private 
     def svg(file, id, x, y, width, height, alpha, blend)
+      Squib.logger.debug {"Rendering: #{file}, #{id} #{x}, #{y}, #{width}, #{height}, #{alpha}, #{blend}"}
       return if file.nil? or file.eql? ''
       svg = RSVG::Handle.new_from_file(file)
       width = svg.width if width == :native
diff --git a/lib/squib/graphics/text.rb b/lib/squib/graphics/text.rb
index d178d1a..59225ba 100644
--- a/lib/squib/graphics/text.rb
+++ b/lib/squib/graphics/text.rb
@@ -6,8 +6,8 @@ module Squib
     # :nodoc:
     # @api private 
     def draw_text_hint(x,y,layout, color)
-      return if color.nil? && @deck.text_hint.nil? 
       color ||= @deck.text_hint
+      return if color.to_s.eql? 'off'
       # when w,h < 0, it was never set. extents[1] are ink extents
       w = layout.width / Pango::SCALE
       w = layout.extents[1].width / Pango::SCALE if w < 0
diff --git a/lib/squib/input_helpers.rb b/lib/squib/input_helpers.rb
index 711e407..fdaee21 100644
--- a/lib/squib/input_helpers.rb
+++ b/lib/squib/input_helpers.rb
@@ -8,11 +8,10 @@ module Squib
     # :nodoc:
     # @api private
     def needs(opts, params)
-      Squib.logger.debug {"Pre input-helper opts: #{opts}"}
+      Squib.logger.debug {"Given opts: #{opts}"}
       opts = layoutify(opts) if params.include? :layout
       opts = Squib::SYSTEM_DEFAULTS.merge(opts)
       opts = expand_singletons(opts, params)
-      Squib.logger.debug {"Post expand opts: #{opts}"}
       opts = rangeify(opts) if params.include? :range      
       opts = fileify(opts) if params.include? :file
       opts = fileify(opts, false) if params.include? :file_to_save
@@ -40,6 +39,7 @@ module Squib
           end
         end
       end
+      Squib.logger.debug {"After expand_singletons: #{opts}"}
       opts
     end
     module_function :expand_singletons
@@ -56,13 +56,15 @@ module Squib
           entry = @layout[layout.to_s]
           unless entry.nil?
             entry.each do |key, value|
-              opts[key.to_sym] ||= entry[key]
+              opts[key.to_sym] = [] if opts[key.to_sym].nil?
+              opts[key.to_sym][i] ||= entry[key] #don't override if it's already there
             end
           else 
             Squib.logger.warn ("Layout entry '#{layout}' does not exist." )
           end
         end
       end
+      Squib.logger.debug {"After layoutify: #{opts}"}
       opts
     end
     module_function :layoutify
@@ -86,6 +88,7 @@ module Squib
         raise ArgumentError.new("#{range} is outside of deck range of 0..#{@cards.size-1}")
       end
       opts[:range] = range
+      Squib.logger.debug {"After rangeify: #{opts}"}
       opts
     end
     module_function :rangeify
@@ -127,6 +130,7 @@ module Squib
           opts[key][i] = Cairo::Color.parse(color)
         end
       end
+      Squib.logger.debug {"After colorify: #{opts}"}
       opts
     end
     module_function :colorify
@@ -138,6 +142,7 @@ module Squib
         opts[:font][i] = @font if font==:use_set
         opts[:font][i] = Squib::SYSTEM_DEFAULTS[:default_font] if font == :default
       end
+      Squib.logger.debug {"After fontify: #{opts}"}
       opts 
     end
     module_function :fontify 
@@ -151,6 +156,7 @@ module Squib
           opts[:y_radius][i] = radius
         end
       end
+      Squib.logger.debug {"After radiusify: #{opts}"}
       opts
     end
     module_function :radiusify
@@ -163,6 +169,7 @@ module Squib
           opts[:id][i] = '#' << id unless id.start_with? '#'
         end
       end
+      Squib.logger.debug {"After svgidify: #{opts}"}
       opts
     end
     module_function :svgidify
diff --git a/samples/text_options.rb b/samples/text_options.rb
index 509fafd..2de7984 100644
--- a/samples/text_options.rb
+++ b/samples/text_options.rb
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ Squib::Deck.new(width: 825, height: 1125, cards: 3) do
   text str: "Text hints are also globally togglable!",
         x: 65, y: 625,
         font: 'Arial 22'
-  hint text: nil
+  hint text: :off
   text str: "See? No hint here.",
         x: 565, y: 625,
         font: 'Arial 22'
diff --git a/spec/input_helpers_spec.rb b/spec/input_helpers_spec.rb
index f4eee62..32bde75 100644
--- a/spec/input_helpers_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/input_helpers_spec.rb
@@ -18,29 +18,46 @@ describe Squib::InputHelpers do
 
   before(:each) do
     @deck = DummyDeck.new
-    @deck.layout = {'blah' => {x: 25}}
+    @deck.layout = {
+      'blah' => {x: 25}, 
+      'apples' => {x: 35},
+      'oranges' => {y: 45},
+    }
     @deck.cards = %w(a b)
     @deck.custom_colors = {}
   end
 
   context '#layoutify' do
-    it "should warn on the logger when the layout doesn't exist" do
+    it "warns on the logger when the layout doesn't exist" do
       @old_logger = Squib.logger
       Squib.logger = instance_double(Logger)
       expect(Squib.logger).to receive(:warn).with("Layout entry 'foo' does not exist.").twice
+      expect(Squib.logger).to receive(:debug)
       expect(@deck.send(:layoutify, {layout: :foo})).to eq({layout: [:foo,:foo]}) 
       Squib.logger = @old_logger
     end
 
-    it "should apply the layout in a normal situation" do
+    it "applies the layout in a normal situation" do
       expect(@deck.send(:layoutify, {layout: :blah})).to \
-        eq({layout: [:blah, :blah], x: 25}) 
+        eq({layout: [:blah, :blah], x: [25, 25]}) 
     end
 
-    it "also look up based on strings" do
+    it "applies two different layouts for two different situations" do
+      expect(@deck.send(:layoutify, {layout: ['blah', 'apples']})).to \
+        eq({layout: ['blah','apples'], x: [25, 35]}) 
+    end
+
+    it "still has nils when not applied two different layouts differ in structure" do
+      expect(@deck.send(:layoutify, {layout: ['apples', 'oranges']})).to \
+        eq({layout: ['apples','oranges'], x: [35], y: [nil, 45]}) 
+      #...this might behavior that is hard to debug for users. Trying to come up with a warning or something...
+    end
+
+    it "also looks up based on strings" do
       expect(@deck.send(:layoutify, {layout: 'blah'})).to \
-        eq({layout: ['blah','blah'], x: 25}) 
+        eq({layout: ['blah','blah'], x: [25, 25]}) 
     end
+
   end
 
   context '#rangeify' do