diff --git a/src/ast/ast_util.cpp b/src/ast/ast_util.cpp
index 8b0b3fa04..d77deca01 100644
--- a/src/ast/ast_util.cpp
+++ b/src/ast/ast_util.cpp
@@ -1,3 +1,21 @@
+/*++
+Copyright (c) 2006 Microsoft Corporation
+
+Module Name:
+
+    ast_util.cpp
+
+Abstract:
+
+    Helper functions
+
+Author:
+
+    Leonardo de Moura (leonardo) 2007-06-08.
+
+Revision History:
+
+--*/
 #include "ast_util.h"
 
 app * mk_list_assoc_app(ast_manager & m, func_decl * f, unsigned num_args, expr * const * args) {
@@ -138,3 +156,38 @@ expr * get_clause_literal(ast_manager & m, expr * cls, unsigned idx) {
     SASSERT(m.is_or(cls));
     return to_app(cls)->get_arg(idx);
 }
+
+expr * mk_and(ast_manager & m, unsigned num_args, expr * const * args) {
+    if (num_args == 0)
+        return m.mk_true();
+    else if (num_args == 1)
+        return args[0];
+    else
+        return m.mk_and(num_args, args);
+}
+
+expr * mk_or(ast_manager & m, unsigned num_args, expr * const * args) {
+    if (num_args == 0)
+        return m.mk_false();
+    else if (num_args == 1)
+        return args[0];
+    else
+        return m.mk_or(num_args, args);
+}
+
+expr * mk_not(ast_manager & m, expr * arg) {
+    expr * atom;
+    if (m.is_not(arg, atom))
+        return atom;
+    else
+        return m.mk_not(arg);
+}
+
+expr * expand_distinct(ast_manager & m, unsigned num_args, expr * const * args) {
+    expr_ref_buffer new_diseqs(m);
+    for (unsigned i = 0; i < num_args; i++) {
+        for (unsigned j = i + 1; j < num_args; j++)
+            new_diseqs.push_back(m.mk_not(m.mk_eq(args[i], args[j])));
+    }
+    return mk_and(m, new_diseqs.size(), new_diseqs.c_ptr());
+}
diff --git a/src/ast/ast_util.h b/src/ast/ast_util.h
index c7f54da01..1e813b1b0 100644
--- a/src/ast/ast_util.h
+++ b/src/ast/ast_util.h
@@ -95,5 +95,36 @@ bool is_clause(ast_manager & m, expr * n);
 unsigned get_clause_num_literals(ast_manager & m, expr * cls);
 expr * get_clause_literal(ast_manager & m, expr * cls, unsigned idx);
 
+// -----------------------------------
+//
+// Goodies for creating Boolean expressions
+//
+// -----------------------------------
+
+/**
+   Return (and args[0] ... args[num_args-1]) if num_args >= 2
+   Return args[0]                            if num_args == 1
+   Return true                               if num_args == 0
+ */
+expr * mk_and(ast_manager & m, unsigned num_args, expr * const * args);
+
+/**
+   Return (or args[0] ... args[num_args-1]) if num_args >= 2
+   Return args[0]                           if num_args == 1
+   Return false                             if num_args == 0
+ */
+expr * mk_or(ast_manager & m, unsigned num_args, expr * const * args);
+
+/**
+   Return a          if arg = (not a)
+   Retur (not arg)   otherwise
+ */
+expr * mk_not(ast_manager & m, expr * arg);
+
+/**
+   Return the expression (and (not (= args[0] args[1])) (not (= args[0] args[2])) ... (not (= args[num_args-2] args[num_args-1])))
+*/
+expr * expand_distinct(ast_manager & m, unsigned num_args, expr * const * args);
+
 #endif /* _AST_UTIL_H_ */
 
diff --git a/src/smt/tactic/ctx_solver_simplify_tactic.cpp b/src/smt/tactic/ctx_solver_simplify_tactic.cpp
index 5668ca455..8cefee8da 100644
--- a/src/smt/tactic/ctx_solver_simplify_tactic.cpp
+++ b/src/smt/tactic/ctx_solver_simplify_tactic.cpp
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ Notes:
 #include"smt_kernel.h"
 #include"ast_pp.h"
 #include"mk_simplified_app.h"
-
+#include"ast_util.h"
 
 class ctx_solver_simplify_tactic : public tactic {
     ast_manager&          m;
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ protected:
             return;
         ptr_vector<expr> fmls;
         g.get_formulas(fmls);
-        fml = m.mk_and(fmls.size(), fmls.c_ptr());
+        fml = mk_and(m, fmls.size(), fmls.c_ptr());
         m_solver.push();
         reduce(fml);
         m_solver.pop(1);
@@ -119,7 +119,7 @@ protected:
         {
             m_solver.push();
             expr_ref fml1(m);
-            fml1 = m.mk_and(fmls.size(), fmls.c_ptr());
+            fml1 = mk_and(m, fmls.size(), fmls.c_ptr());
             fml1 = m.mk_iff(fml, fml1);
             fml1 = m.mk_not(fml1);
             m_solver.assert_expr(fml1);
@@ -218,7 +218,7 @@ protected:
                     else if (m.is_bool(arg)) {
                         res = local_simplify(a, n, id, i);
                         TRACE("ctx_solver_simplify_tactic", 
-                              tout << "Already cached: " << path_r.first << " " << mk_pp(res, m) << "\n";);
+                              tout << "Already cached: " << path_r.first << " " << mk_pp(arg, m) << " |-> " << mk_pp(res, m) << "\n";);
                         args.push_back(res);
                     }
                     else {
@@ -327,7 +327,7 @@ protected:
         tmp = m.mk_eq(result, n);
         m_solver.assert_expr(tmp);
         if (!simplify_bool(n2, result)) {
-            result = a;
+            result = a->get_arg(index);
         }
         m_solver.pop(1);
         return result;