diff --git a/examples/aoc2023/day01/part2.jou b/examples/aoc2023/day01/part2.jou
index 1ff43ea4..07541bed 100644
--- a/examples/aoc2023/day01/part2.jou
+++ b/examples/aoc2023/day01/part2.jou
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ def parse_prefix_digit(s: byte*) -> int:
     if is_ascii_digit(s[0]):
         return s[0] - '0'
 
-    strings = [NULL as byte*, "one", "two", "three", "four", "five", "six", "seven", "eight", "nine"]
+    strings = ["", "one", "two", "three", "four", "five", "six", "seven", "eight", "nine"]
     for i = 1; i <= 9; i++:
         if starts_with(s, strings[i]):
             return i