diff --git a/docs/TODO.txt b/docs/TODO.txt
index 57093d2..044d2d9 100644
--- a/docs/TODO.txt
+++ b/docs/TODO.txt
@@ -37,8 +37,8 @@ DONE: maximum recursion/function depth
 
 
 TODO: nested compound assignment
-TODO: better sugar for _push and _pop
-TODO: ternary operator
+TODO: better sugar for _push, _pop, _length
+TODO: ternary operator?
 TODO: Nullish types?
 TODO: hooks on the external libraries, triggered on import
 TODO: standard library
diff --git a/scripts/test/index-arrays.toy b/scripts/test/index-arrays.toy
index 8908a55..5a7e659 100644
--- a/scripts/test/index-arrays.toy
+++ b/scripts/test/index-arrays.toy
@@ -50,4 +50,15 @@
 }
 
 
+//test indexing with variables
+{
+	var week = ["monday", "tuesday", "wednesday", "thursday", "friday", "saturday", "sunday"];
+
+	var first = 1;
+	var second = 2;
+	var third = -1;
+
+	assert week[first:second:third] == ["wednesday", "tuesday"], "indexing with variables failed";
+}
+
 print "All good";
diff --git a/scripts/test/index-dictionaries.toy b/scripts/test/index-dictionaries.toy
index b929c9e..192d48d 100644
--- a/scripts/test/index-dictionaries.toy
+++ b/scripts/test/index-dictionaries.toy
@@ -50,4 +50,13 @@
 }
 
 
+//test indexing with variables
+{
+	var d = ["one":1, "two":2, "three":3];
+
+	var first = "two";
+
+	assert d[first] == 2, "indexing with variables failed";
+}
+
 print "All good";
diff --git a/scripts/test/index-strings.toy b/scripts/test/index-strings.toy
index e0896eb..64c8648 100644
--- a/scripts/test/index-strings.toy
+++ b/scripts/test/index-strings.toy
@@ -29,4 +29,12 @@ numbers[::-2] = "abc";
 assert numbers == "01234c6b8a", "string weird manipulation failed";
 
 
+//test indexing with variables
+var first = 11;
+var second = 15;
+var third = -1;
+
+assert greeting[first:second:third] == "dlrow", "indexing with variables failed";
+
+
 print "All good";
diff --git a/source/lib_builtin.c b/source/lib_builtin.c
index 58121b7..f3ca621 100644
--- a/source/lib_builtin.c
+++ b/source/lib_builtin.c
@@ -260,6 +260,24 @@ int _index(Interpreter* interpreter, LiteralArray* arguments) {
 
 	//dictionary - no slicing
 	if (IS_DICTIONARY(compound)) {
+		if (IS_IDENTIFIER(first)) {
+			Literal idn = first;
+			parseIdentifierToValue(interpreter, &first);
+			freeLiteral(idn);
+		}
+
+		if (IS_IDENTIFIER(second)) {
+			Literal idn = second;
+			parseIdentifierToValue(interpreter, &second);
+			freeLiteral(idn);
+		}
+
+		if (IS_IDENTIFIER(third)) {
+			Literal idn = third;
+			parseIdentifierToValue(interpreter, &third);
+			freeLiteral(idn);
+		}
+
 		value = getLiteralDictionary(AS_DICTIONARY(compound), first);
 
 		//dictionary
@@ -314,8 +332,6 @@ int _index(Interpreter* interpreter, LiteralArray* arguments) {
 
 	//array - slicing
 	if (IS_ARRAY(compound)) {
-		value = getLiteralArray(AS_ARRAY(compound), first);
-
 		//array slice
 		if (IS_NULL(op)) {
 			//parse out the booleans & their defaults
@@ -324,6 +340,12 @@ int _index(Interpreter* interpreter, LiteralArray* arguments) {
 					freeLiteral(first);
 					first = TO_INTEGER_LITERAL(0);
 				}
+
+				if (IS_IDENTIFIER(first)) {
+					Literal idn = first;
+					parseIdentifierToValue(interpreter, &first);
+					freeLiteral(idn);
+				}
 			}
 
 			if (!IS_NULL(second)) {
@@ -331,6 +353,12 @@ int _index(Interpreter* interpreter, LiteralArray* arguments) {
 					freeLiteral(second);
 					second = TO_INTEGER_LITERAL(AS_ARRAY(compound)->count - 1);
 				}
+
+				if (IS_IDENTIFIER(second)) {
+					Literal idn = second;
+					parseIdentifierToValue(interpreter, &second);
+					freeLiteral(idn);
+				}
 			}
 
 			if (IS_NULL(third) || IS_BOOLEAN(third)) {
@@ -338,6 +366,12 @@ int _index(Interpreter* interpreter, LiteralArray* arguments) {
 				third = TO_INTEGER_LITERAL(1);
 			}
 
+			if (IS_IDENTIFIER(third)) {
+				Literal idn = third;
+				parseIdentifierToValue(interpreter, &third);
+				freeLiteral(idn);
+			}
+
 			//handle each null case
 			if (IS_NULL(first) || !IS_INTEGER(first)) {
 				//something is weird - skip out
@@ -405,13 +439,19 @@ int _index(Interpreter* interpreter, LiteralArray* arguments) {
 		}
 
 		//array slice assignment
-		else if (!strcmp( AS_STRING(op), "=")) {
+		if (IS_STRING(op) && !strcmp( AS_STRING(op), "=")) {
 			//parse out the booleans & their defaults
 			if (!IS_NULL(first)) {
 				if (IS_BOOLEAN(first)) {
 					freeLiteral(first);
 					first = TO_INTEGER_LITERAL(0);
 				}
+
+				if (IS_IDENTIFIER(first)) {
+					Literal idn = first;
+					parseIdentifierToValue(interpreter, &first);
+					freeLiteral(idn);
+				}
 			}
 
 			if (!IS_NULL(second)) {
@@ -419,6 +459,12 @@ int _index(Interpreter* interpreter, LiteralArray* arguments) {
 					freeLiteral(second);
 					second = TO_INTEGER_LITERAL(AS_INTEGER(first));
 				}
+
+				if (IS_IDENTIFIER(second)) {
+					Literal idn = second;
+					parseIdentifierToValue(interpreter, &second);
+					freeLiteral(idn);
+				}
 			}
 
 			if (IS_NULL(third) || IS_BOOLEAN(third)) {
@@ -426,6 +472,12 @@ int _index(Interpreter* interpreter, LiteralArray* arguments) {
 				third = TO_INTEGER_LITERAL(1);
 			}
 
+			if (IS_IDENTIFIER(third)) {
+				Literal idn = third;
+				parseIdentifierToValue(interpreter, &third);
+				freeLiteral(idn);
+			}
+
 			//handle each null case
 			if (IS_NULL(first) || !IS_INTEGER(first)) {
 				//something is weird - skip out
@@ -547,31 +599,39 @@ int _index(Interpreter* interpreter, LiteralArray* arguments) {
 			compound = TO_ARRAY_LITERAL(result);
 		}
 
-		else if (IS_STRING(op) && !strcmp( AS_STRING(op), "+=")) {
+		if (IS_IDENTIFIER(first)) {
+			Literal idn = first;
+			parseIdentifierToValue(interpreter, &first);
+			freeLiteral(idn);
+		}
+
+		value = getLiteralArray(AS_ARRAY(compound), first);
+
+		if (IS_STRING(op) && !strcmp( AS_STRING(op), "+=")) {
 			Literal lit = addition(interpreter, value, assign);
 			setLiteralArray(AS_ARRAY(compound), first, lit);
 			freeLiteral(lit);
 		}
 
-		else if (IS_STRING(op) && !strcmp( AS_STRING(op), "-=")) {
+		if (IS_STRING(op) && !strcmp( AS_STRING(op), "-=")) {
 			Literal lit = subtraction(interpreter, value, assign);
 			setLiteralArray(AS_ARRAY(compound), first, lit);
 			freeLiteral(lit);
 		}
 
-		else if (IS_STRING(op) && !strcmp( AS_STRING(op), "*=")) {
+		if (IS_STRING(op) && !strcmp( AS_STRING(op), "*=")) {
 			Literal lit = multiplication(interpreter, value, assign);
 			setLiteralArray(AS_ARRAY(compound), first, lit);
 			freeLiteral(lit);
 		}
 
-		else if (IS_STRING(op) && !strcmp( AS_STRING(op), "/=")) {
+		if (IS_STRING(op) && !strcmp( AS_STRING(op), "/=")) {
 			Literal lit = division(interpreter, value, assign);
 			setLiteralArray(AS_ARRAY(compound), first, lit);
 			freeLiteral(lit);
 		}
 
-		else if (IS_STRING(op) && !strcmp( AS_STRING(op), "%=")) {
+		if (IS_STRING(op) && !strcmp( AS_STRING(op), "%=")) {
 			Literal lit = modulo(interpreter, value, assign);
 			setLiteralArray(AS_ARRAY(compound), first, lit);
 			freeLiteral(lit);
@@ -588,6 +648,12 @@ int _index(Interpreter* interpreter, LiteralArray* arguments) {
 					freeLiteral(first);
 					first = TO_INTEGER_LITERAL(0);
 				}
+
+				if (IS_IDENTIFIER(first)) {
+					Literal idn = first;
+					parseIdentifierToValue(interpreter, &first);
+					freeLiteral(idn);
+				}
 			}
 
 			if (!IS_NULL(second)) {
@@ -595,6 +661,12 @@ int _index(Interpreter* interpreter, LiteralArray* arguments) {
 					freeLiteral(second);
 					second = TO_INTEGER_LITERAL(strlen(AS_STRING(compound)));
 				}
+
+				if (IS_IDENTIFIER(second)) {
+					Literal idn = second;
+					parseIdentifierToValue(interpreter, &second);
+					freeLiteral(idn);
+				}
 			}
 
 			if (IS_NULL(third) || IS_BOOLEAN(third)) {
@@ -602,6 +674,12 @@ int _index(Interpreter* interpreter, LiteralArray* arguments) {
 				third = TO_INTEGER_LITERAL(1);
 			}
 
+			if (IS_IDENTIFIER(third)) {
+				Literal idn = third;
+				parseIdentifierToValue(interpreter, &third);
+				freeLiteral(idn);
+			}
+
 			//handle each null case
 			if (IS_NULL(first) || !IS_INTEGER(first)) {
 				//something is weird - skip out
@@ -680,6 +758,12 @@ int _index(Interpreter* interpreter, LiteralArray* arguments) {
 					freeLiteral(first);
 					first = TO_INTEGER_LITERAL(0);
 				}
+
+				if (IS_IDENTIFIER(first)) {
+					Literal idn = first;
+					parseIdentifierToValue(interpreter, &first);
+					freeLiteral(idn);
+				}
 			}
 
 			if (!IS_NULL(second)) {
@@ -687,6 +771,12 @@ int _index(Interpreter* interpreter, LiteralArray* arguments) {
 					freeLiteral(second);
 					second = TO_INTEGER_LITERAL(strlen(AS_STRING(compound)));
 				}
+
+				if (IS_IDENTIFIER(second)) {
+					Literal idn = second;
+					parseIdentifierToValue(interpreter, &second);
+					freeLiteral(idn);
+				}
 			}
 
 			if (IS_NULL(third) || IS_BOOLEAN(third)) {
@@ -694,6 +784,12 @@ int _index(Interpreter* interpreter, LiteralArray* arguments) {
 				third = TO_INTEGER_LITERAL(1);
 			}
 
+			if (IS_IDENTIFIER(first)) {
+				Literal idn = first;
+				parseIdentifierToValue(interpreter, &first);
+				freeLiteral(idn);
+			}
+
 			//handle each null case
 			if (IS_NULL(first) || !IS_INTEGER(first)) {
 				//something is weird - skip out
@@ -797,7 +893,7 @@ int _index(Interpreter* interpreter, LiteralArray* arguments) {
 		}
 
 		else if (IS_STRING(op) && !strcmp( AS_STRING(op), "+=")) {
-			Literal tmp = addition(interpreter, compound, value);
+			Literal tmp = addition(interpreter, compound, assign);
 			freeLiteral(compound);
 			compound = tmp; //don't clear tmp
 		}