A compact CRISPR nuclease, CgCas12n, has been engineered into a higher-performance genome-editing platform with a reported 60-fold power boost. In a study published in Molecular Systems Biology, researchers report amino-acid swaps and guide-RNA trimming that improve activity in human cells. The platform engineering is relevant for developers because delivery and editing efficacy are often rate-limiting steps in moving gene-editing tools toward therapeutic use. Improvements in potency while maintaining a compact format can broaden design options for vector constraints. The results also add to the toolbox of Cas variants with distinct PAM requirements and size constraints that may support future therapeutic and in-vivo editing programs.