diff --git a/words/command.rkt b/words/command.rkt
index fe262e2..d5d4629 100755
--- a/words/command.rkt
+++ b/words/command.rkt
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
   (define combo #false)
   (define min-size #false)
   (define max-size #false)
-  (define max-words #false)
+  (define count #false)
   (define hide-plurals #true)
   (define proper-names #false)
   (command-line
@@ -32,9 +32,9 @@
    [("-c" "--combo") combo-arg
                      "mandatory combo"
                      (set! combo combo-arg)]
-   [("-n" "--number") max-words-arg
+   [("-n" "--number") count-arg
                       "max number of results"
-                      (set! max-words (string->number max-words-arg))]
+                      (set! count (string->number count-arg))]
    [("--min") min-size-arg
               "minimum word lengths"
               (set! min-size (string->number min-size-arg))]
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@
   (displayln (string-join (make-words #:letters letters
                                       #:mandatory mandatory
                                       #:combo combo
-                                      #:max-words max-words
+                                      #:count count
                                       #:min min-size
                                       #:max max-size
                                       #:hide-plurals hide-plurals
diff --git a/words/main.rkt b/words/main.rkt
index 1706976..ceb970a 100644
--- a/words/main.rkt
+++ b/words/main.rkt
@@ -3,16 +3,17 @@
          "index.rkt")
 (provide make-words)
 
-(define (make-words #:letters [letters "etaoinshrdluw"]
+(define (make-words #:letters [letters-arg #f]
                     #:mandatory [mandatory #f]
                     #:combo [combo #f]
                     #:min [min-length-arg 5]
                     #:max [max-length-arg 10]
                     #:hide-plurals [hide-plurals? #t]
                     #:proper-names [proper-names? #f]
-                    #:max-words [max-words 10]
+                    #:count [count 10]
                     #:all-caps [all-caps? #f]
                     #:initial-caps [initial-caps? #f])
+  (define letters (or letters-arg "abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz"))
   (define mandatory-cs
     (if (or mandatory combo)
         (remove-duplicates
@@ -35,13 +36,13 @@
   (define min-length (or min-length-arg 0))
   (define max-length (or max-length-arg +inf.0))
   (for*/fold ([word-acc null]
-              [count 0]
+              [count-acc 0]
               #:result word-acc)
              ([idx (in-list (shuffle (range (vector-length wordrecs))))]
               [rec (in-value (vector-ref wordrecs idx))]
               [word-charidx (in-value (word-rec-charint rec))]
               [word (in-value (word-rec-word rec))]
-              #:break (= count (or max-words +inf.0))
+              #:break (= count-acc (or count +inf.0))
               #:when (and
                       ;; between min and max length
                       ((if (<= min-length max-length) <= >=) min-length (word-rec-length rec) max-length)
@@ -60,10 +61,10 @@
                       ;; maybe hide plurals
                       (or (not hide-plurals?)
                           (not (word-rec-plural? rec)))))
-    (values (cons (caser word) word-acc) (add1 count))))
+    (values (cons (caser word) word-acc) (add1 count-acc))))
 
 (module+ test
   (require rackunit)
   (time (make-words))
-  (check-equal? (sort (make-words #:mandatory "xyz" #:combo #false) string<?)
+  (check-equal? (sort (make-words #:mandatory "xyz" #:combo #false #:letters "etaoinshrdluw") string<?)
                   '("azoxy" "dysoxidize" "isazoxy" "oxytonize" "rhizotaxy" "zootaxy")))
\ No newline at end of file