diff --git a/examples/python/hs.py b/examples/python/hs.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..740c3a972
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/python/hs.py
@@ -0,0 +1,62 @@
+#
+# Unweighted hitting set maxsat solver.
+#
+
+class Soft:
+    __init__(self, soft):
+        self.formulas = soft
+        self.name2formula = { Bool(f"s{s}") : s for s in soft }
+        self.formula2name = { s : v for (v, s) in self._name2formula.items() }
+
+def improve(hi, mdl, new_model, soft):
+    cost = len([f for f in soft.formulas if not is_true(new_model.eval(f))])
+    if cost <= hi:
+        mdl = new_model
+    if cost < hi:
+        hi = cost
+    return hi, mdl
+
+def pick_hs(K, soft):
+    opt = Optimize()
+    for k in K:
+        opt.add(Or(soft.formula2name[f] for f in k))        
+    for n in soft.formula2name.values():
+        opt.add_soft(Not(n))
+    print(opt.check())
+    mdl = opt.model()
+    hs = [soft.name2formula[n] for n in soft.formula2name.values() if is_true(mdl.eval(n))]
+    return hs, True
+
+def hs(lo, hi, mdl, K, s, soft):    
+    hs, is_min = pick_hs(K, soft)
+    is_sat = s.check(set(soft.formulas) - set(hs))
+    if is_sat == sat:
+        hi, mdl = improve(hi, mdl, s.model(), soft)
+    elif is_sat == unsat:
+        core = s.unsat_core()
+        K += [set(core)]
+        if is_min:
+            lo = max(lo, len(hs))
+    else:
+        print("unknown")
+    print(lo, hi)
+    return lo, hi, mdl, K
+        
+
+def main(file):
+    s = Solver()
+    opt = Optimize()
+    opt.from_file(file)
+    s.add(opt.assertions())
+    soft = [f.arg(0) for f in opt.objectives()[0].children()]
+    K = []
+    lo = 0
+    hi = len(soft)
+    soft = Soft(soft)
+    while lo < hi:
+        lo, hi, mdl, K = hs(lo, hi, None, K, s, soft)
+
+def __main__():
+    main(sys.argv[0])
+        
+    
diff --git a/examples/python/rc2.py b/examples/python/rc2.py
index c4e811eb1..6904b46ea 100644
--- a/examples/python/rc2.py
+++ b/examples/python/rc2.py
@@ -8,8 +8,6 @@
 
 from z3 import *
 
-from z3 import *
-
 def tt(s, f):
     return is_true(s.model().eval(f))
 
diff --git a/src/sat/smt/pb_constraint.h b/src/sat/smt/pb_constraint.h
index 6ab8fcf9d..076151395 100644
--- a/src/sat/smt/pb_constraint.h
+++ b/src/sat/smt/pb_constraint.h
@@ -51,7 +51,6 @@ namespace pb {
     public:
         constraint(tag_t t, unsigned id, literal l, unsigned sz, size_t osz, unsigned k): 
             m_tag(t), m_lit(l), m_size(sz), m_obj_size(osz), m_id(id), m_k(k) {
-            VERIFY(k < 400000000);
         }
         sat::ext_constraint_idx cindex() const { return sat::constraint_base::mem2base(this); }
         void deallocate(small_object_allocator& a) { a.deallocate(obj_size(), sat::constraint_base::mem2base_ptr(this)); }