diff --git a/lib/operators.js b/lib/operators.js
index 08ec72a..1797b14 100644
--- a/lib/operators.js
+++ b/lib/operators.js
@@ -21,17 +21,15 @@ module.exports = {
     }
     const B_TANGLE = B_TANGLE_MAP.get(tangle)
 
-    function seekTangleRoot(buffer, start, p) {
-      if (p < 0) return -1
-      p = seekKey2(buffer, 0, B_VALUE, 0)
-      if (p < 0) return -1
-      p = seekKey2(buffer, p, B_CONTENT, 0)
-      if (p < 0) return -1
-      p = seekKey2(buffer, p, B_TANGLES, 0)
-      if (p < 0) return -1
-      p = seekKey2(buffer, p, B_TANGLE, 0)
-      if (p < 0) return -1
-      return seekKey2(buffer, p, B_ROOT, 0)
+    function seekTangleRoot(buffer, start, pValue) {
+      if (pValue < 0) return -1
+      const pValueContent = seekKey2(buffer, pValue, B_CONTENT, 0)
+      if (pValueContent < 0) return -1
+      const pValueContentTangles = seekKey2(buffer, pValueContent, B_TANGLES, 0)
+      if (pValueContentTangles < 0) return -1
+      const pValueContentTanglesTangle = seekKey2(buffer, pValueContentTangles, B_TANGLE, 0)
+      if (pValueContentTanglesTangle < 0) return -1
+      return seekKey2(buffer, pValueContentTanglesTangle, B_ROOT, 0)
     }
 
     return equal(seekTangleRoot, value, {
@@ -47,18 +45,18 @@ module.exports = {
   },
 }
 
-function seekFirstRecp(buffer, start, p) {
-  if (p < 0) return -1
-  p = seekKey2(buffer, p, B_CONTENT, 0)
-  if (p < 0) return -1
-  p = seekKey2(buffer, p, B_RECPS, 0)
-  if (p < 0) return -1
+function seekFirstRecp(buffer, start, pValue) {
+  if (pValue < 0) return -1
+  const pValueContent = seekKey2(buffer, pValue, B_CONTENT, 0)
+  if (pValueContent < 0) return -1
+  const pValueContentRecps = seekKey2(buffer, pValueContent, B_RECPS, 0)
+  if (pValueContentRecps < 0) return -1
 
-  let pValueFirstRecp
-  const error = iterate(buffer, p, (_, pointer) => {
-    pValueFirstRecp = pointer
+  let pValueContentRecps0
+  const error = iterate(buffer, pValueContentRecps, (_, pointer) => {
+    pValueContentRecps0 = pointer
     return true
   })
   if (error === -1) return -1
-  return pValueFirstRecp
+  return pValueContentRecps0
 }