diff --git a/c/cli/mlrcli.c b/c/cli/mlrcli.c
index c51e5ee5d..121b1f65c 100644
--- a/c/cli/mlrcli.c
+++ b/c/cli/mlrcli.c
@@ -468,7 +468,8 @@ static void main_usage_other_options(FILE* o, char* argv0) {
 	fprintf(o, "                     \"%s cat a.dat b.dat\".\n", argv0);
 	fprintf(o, "  -n                 Process no input files, nor standard input either. Useful\n");
 	fprintf(o, "                     for %s put with begin/end statements only. (Same as --from\n", argv0);
-	fprintf(o, "                     /dev/null.)\n");
+	fprintf(o, "                     /dev/null.) Also useful in \"%s -n put -v '...'\" for\n", argv0);
+	fprintf(o, "                     analyzing abstract syntax trees (if that's your thing).\n");
 }
 
 static void main_usage_then_chaining(FILE* o, char* argv0) {
diff --git a/c/todo.txt b/c/todo.txt
index 1f6fa22b8..a7e028b35 100644
--- a/c/todo.txt
+++ b/c/todo.txt
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ BUGFIXES
 ================================================================
 TOP OF LIST:
 
-! poki syntax for #-links
+? poki syntax for #-links
 * re-do valgrinds before release
 * jb.csv task re cookbook link
 
@@ -19,7 +19,6 @@ FAQ:
 * no triple-for with boundvars, but oosvars & while-loops
 
 MLD:
-* -n can be used as syntax-checker flag for DSLs. and/or for dataless ops all in begin{}.
 * readme note re head dev: announced features ok if build passing (and it is); unannounced features may change
 
 GEN DOC:
diff --git a/doc/mlr.1 b/doc/mlr.1
index fceb0b600..c55cd22f4 100644
--- a/doc/mlr.1
+++ b/doc/mlr.1
@@ -335,7 +335,8 @@ Please use "mlr --help-all-keywords" or "mlr -k" for help on all keywords.
                      "mlr cat a.dat b.dat".
   -n                 Process no input files, nor standard input either. Useful
                      for mlr put with begin/end statements only. (Same as --from
-                     /dev/null.)
+                     /dev/null.) Also useful in "mlr -n put -v '...'" for
+                     analyzing abstract syntax trees (if that's your thing).
 .fi
 .if n \{\
 .RE
diff --git a/doc/reference.html b/doc/reference.html
index 02741da38..86458ddc5 100644
--- a/doc/reference.html
+++ b/doc/reference.html
@@ -527,7 +527,8 @@ Other options:
                      "mlr cat a.dat b.dat".
   -n                 Process no input files, nor standard input either. Useful
                      for mlr put with begin/end statements only. (Same as --from
-                     /dev/null.)
+                     /dev/null.) Also useful in "mlr -n put -v '...'" for
+                     analyzing abstract syntax trees (if that's your thing).
 
 Then-chaining:
 Output of one verb may be chained as input to another using "then", e.g.