diff --git a/src/nfa/limex_compile.cpp b/src/nfa/limex_compile.cpp
index 2c164090..b7ea93d9 100644
--- a/src/nfa/limex_compile.cpp
+++ b/src/nfa/limex_compile.cpp
@@ -788,10 +788,8 @@ u32 getEffectiveAccelStates(const build_info &args,
                 if (!is_subset_of(h[v].reports, h[a].reports)) {
                     continue;
                 }
-                flat_set<NFAVertex> v_succ;
-                flat_set<NFAVertex> a_succ;
-                succ(h, v, &v_succ);
-                succ(h, a, &a_succ);
+                auto v_succ = succs(v, h);
+                auto a_succ = succs(a, h);
                 if (is_subset_of(v_succ, a_succ)) {
                     dominated_by[accel_id] |= 1U << accel_id_map[a];
                 }
diff --git a/src/nfagraph/ng.cpp b/src/nfagraph/ng.cpp
index deca3fd5..071e5c63 100644
--- a/src/nfagraph/ng.cpp
+++ b/src/nfagraph/ng.cpp
@@ -421,6 +421,7 @@ bool NG::addGraph(NGWrapper &w) {
     // Perform a reduction pass to merge sibling character classes together.
     if (cc.grey.performGraphSimplification) {
         removeRedundancy(w, som);
+        prunePathsRedundantWithSuccessorOfCyclics(w, som);
     }
 
     dumpDotWrapper(w, "04_reduced", cc.grey);
diff --git a/src/nfagraph/ng_depth.cpp b/src/nfagraph/ng_depth.cpp
index d7945be9..8afa644a 100644
--- a/src/nfagraph/ng_depth.cpp
+++ b/src/nfagraph/ng_depth.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright (c) 2015, Intel Corporation
+ * Copyright (c) 2015-2016, Intel Corporation
  *
  * Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
  * modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions are met:
@@ -134,8 +134,8 @@ void findLoopReachable(const GraphT &g, const NFAVertex srcVertex,
 
     depth_first_search(g, visitor(be).root_vertex(srcVertex).vertex_index_map(
                               index_map));
-    AcyclicFilter<EdgeSet> af(&deadEdges);
-    filtered_graph<GraphT, AcyclicFilter<EdgeSet> > acyclic_g(g, af);
+    auto af = make_bad_edge_filter(&deadEdges);
+    auto acyclic_g = make_filtered_graph(g, af);
 
     vector<NFAVertex> topoOrder; /* actually reverse topological order */
     topoOrder.reserve(deadNodes.size());
diff --git a/src/nfagraph/ng_extparam.cpp b/src/nfagraph/ng_extparam.cpp
index bc101df2..eeb15299 100644
--- a/src/nfagraph/ng_extparam.cpp
+++ b/src/nfagraph/ng_extparam.cpp
@@ -382,8 +382,7 @@ bool transformMinLengthToRepeat(const ReportManager &rm, NGWrapper &g) {
     while (v != cyclic) {
         DEBUG_PRINTF("vertex %u\n", g[v].index);
         width++;
-        tie(ai, ae) = adjacent_vertices(v, g);
-        set<NFAVertex> succ(ai, ae);
+        auto succ = succs(v, g);
         if (contains(succ, cyclic)) {
             if (succ.size() == 1) {
                 v = cyclic;
@@ -421,8 +420,7 @@ bool transformMinLengthToRepeat(const ReportManager &rm, NGWrapper &g) {
     while (!is_any_accept(v, g)) {
         DEBUG_PRINTF("vertex %u\n", g[v].index);
         width++;
-        tie(ai, ae) = adjacent_vertices(v, g);
-        set<NFAVertex> succ(ai, ae);
+        auto succ = succs(v, g);
         if (succ.size() != 1) {
             DEBUG_PRINTF("bad form\n");
             return false;
diff --git a/src/nfagraph/ng_misc_opt.cpp b/src/nfagraph/ng_misc_opt.cpp
index 2e02933a..3f685226 100644
--- a/src/nfagraph/ng_misc_opt.cpp
+++ b/src/nfagraph/ng_misc_opt.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright (c) 2015, Intel Corporation
+ * Copyright (c) 2015-2016, Intel Corporation
  *
  * Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
  * modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions are met:
@@ -69,8 +69,12 @@
 #include "util/charreach.h"
 #include "util/container.h"
 #include "util/graph_range.h"
+#include "util/ue2_containers.h"
 #include "ue2common.h"
 
+#include <boost/graph/depth_first_search.hpp>
+#include <boost/graph/filtered_graph.hpp>
+
 #include <map>
 #include <set>
 #include <vector>
@@ -94,8 +98,8 @@ void findCandidates(NGHolder &g, const vector<NFAVertex> &ordering,
         // For `v' to be a candidate, its predecessors must all have the same
         // successor set as `v'.
 
-        set<NFAVertex> succ_v, succ_u;
-        succ(g, v, &succ_v);
+        auto succ_v = succs(v, g);
+        flat_set<NFAVertex> succ_u;
 
         for (auto u : inv_adjacent_vertices_range(v, g)) {
             succ_u.clear();
@@ -125,8 +129,8 @@ void findCandidates_rev(NGHolder &g, const vector<NFAVertex> &ordering,
         // For `v' to be a candidate, its predecessors must all have the same
         // successor set as `v'.
 
-        set<NFAVertex> pred_v, pred_u;
-        pred(g, v, &pred_v);
+        auto pred_v = preds(v, g);
+        flat_set<NFAVertex> pred_u;
 
         for (auto u : adjacent_vertices_range(v, g)) {
             pred_u.clear();
@@ -172,8 +176,7 @@ void succCRIntersection(const NGHolder &g, NFAVertex v, CharReach &add) {
 static
 set<NFAVertex> findSustainSet(const NGHolder &g, NFAVertex p,
                               bool ignore_starts, const CharReach &new_cr) {
-    set<NFAVertex> cand;
-    pred(g, p, &cand);
+    auto cand = preds<set<NFAVertex>>(p, g);
     if (ignore_starts) {
         cand.erase(g.startDs);
     }
@@ -209,8 +212,7 @@ set<NFAVertex> findSustainSet(const NGHolder &g, NFAVertex p,
 static
 set<NFAVertex> findSustainSet_rev(const NGHolder &g, NFAVertex p,
                                   const CharReach &new_cr) {
-    set<NFAVertex> cand;
-    succ(g, p, &cand);
+    auto cand = succs<set<NFAVertex>>(p, g);
     /* remove elements from cand until the sustain set property holds */
     bool changed;
     do {
@@ -546,4 +548,139 @@ bool mergeCyclicDotStars(NGHolder &g) {
     return true;
 }
 
+/**
+ * Returns the set of vertices that cannot be on if v is not on.
+ */
+static
+flat_set<NFAVertex> findDependentVertices(const NGHolder &g, NFAVertex v) {
+    auto v_pred = preds(v, g);
+    flat_set<NFAVertex> may_be_on;
+
+    /* We need to exclude any vertex that may be reached on a path which is
+     * incompatible with the vertex v being on. */
+
+    /* A vertex u is bad if:
+     * 1) its reach may be incompatible with v (not a subset)
+     * 2) it if there is an edge from a bad vertex b and there is either not an
+     *     edge v->u or not an edge b->v.
+     * Note: 2) means v is never bad as it has a selfloop
+     *
+     * Can do this with a DFS from all the initial bad states with a conditional
+     * check down edges. Alternately can just filter these edges out of the
+     * graph first.
+     */
+    flat_set<NFAEdge> no_explore;
+    for (NFAVertex t : adjacent_vertices_range(v, g)) {
+        for (NFAEdge e : in_edges_range(t, g)) {
+            NFAVertex s = source(e, g);
+            if (edge(s, v, g).second) {
+                no_explore.insert(e);
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    auto filtered_g = make_filtered_graph(g.g,
+                                          make_bad_edge_filter(&no_explore));
+
+    vector<boost::default_color_type> color_raw(num_vertices(g));
+    auto color = make_iterator_property_map(color_raw.begin(),
+                                  get(&NFAGraphVertexProps::index, g.g));
+    flat_set<NFAVertex> bad;
+    for (NFAVertex b : vertices_range(g)) {
+        if (b != g.start && g[b].char_reach.isSubsetOf(g[v].char_reach)) {
+            continue;
+        }
+        boost::depth_first_visit(filtered_g, b, make_vertex_recorder(bad),
+                                 color);
+    }
+
+    flat_set<NFAVertex> rv;
+    for (NFAVertex u : vertices_range(g)) {
+        if (!contains(bad, u)) {
+            DEBUG_PRINTF("%u is good\n", g[u].index);
+            rv.insert(u);
+        }
+    }
+    return rv;
+}
+
+static
+bool pruneUsingSuccessors(NGHolder &g, NFAVertex u, som_type som) {
+    if (som && (is_virtual_start(u, g) || u == g.startDs)) {
+        return false;
+    }
+
+    bool changed = false;
+    DEBUG_PRINTF("using cyclic %u as base\n", g[u].index);
+    auto children = findDependentVertices(g, u);
+    vector<NFAVertex> u_succs;
+    for (NFAVertex v : adjacent_vertices_range(u, g)) {
+        if (som && is_virtual_start(v, g)) {
+            /* as v is virtual start, its som has been reset so can not override
+             * existing in progress matches. */
+            continue;
+        }
+        u_succs.push_back(v);
+    }
+    sort(u_succs.begin(), u_succs.end(),
+         [&](NFAVertex a, NFAVertex b) {
+             return g[a].char_reach.count() > g[b].char_reach.count();
+         });
+    for (NFAVertex v : u_succs) {
+        DEBUG_PRINTF("    using %u as killer\n", g[v].index);
+        set<NFAEdge> dead;
+        for (NFAVertex s : adjacent_vertices_range(v, g)) {
+            DEBUG_PRINTF("        looking at preds of %u\n", g[s].index);
+            for (NFAEdge e : in_edges_range(s, g)) {
+                NFAVertex p = source(e, g);
+                if (!contains(children, p) || p == v || p == u
+                    || p == g.accept) {
+                    DEBUG_PRINTF("%u not a cand\n", g[p].index);
+                    continue;
+                }
+                if (is_any_accept(s, g) && g[p].reports != g[v].reports) {
+                    DEBUG_PRINTF("%u bad reports\n", g[p].index);
+                    continue;
+                }
+                if (g[p].char_reach.isSubsetOf(g[v].char_reach)) {
+                    dead.insert(e);
+                    changed = true;
+                    DEBUG_PRINTF("removing edge %u->%u\n", g[p].index,
+                                  g[s].index);
+                } else if (is_subset_of(succs(p, g), succs(u, g))) {
+                    if (is_match_vertex(p, g)
+                        && !is_subset_of(g[p].reports, g[v].reports)) {
+                        continue;
+                    }
+                    DEBUG_PRINTF("updating reach on %u\n", g[p].index);
+                    changed |= (g[p].char_reach & g[v].char_reach).any();
+                    g[p].char_reach &= ~g[v].char_reach;
+                }
+
+            }
+        }
+        remove_edges(dead, g);
+    }
+
+    DEBUG_PRINTF("changed %d\n", (int)changed);
+    return changed;
+}
+
+bool prunePathsRedundantWithSuccessorOfCyclics(NGHolder &g, som_type som) {
+    /* TODO: the reverse form of this is also possible */
+    bool changed = false;
+    for (NFAVertex v : vertices_range(g)) {
+        if (hasSelfLoop(v, g) && g[v].char_reach.all()) {
+            changed |= pruneUsingSuccessors(g, v, som);
+        }
+    }
+
+    if (changed) {
+        pruneUseless(g);
+        clearReports(g);
+    }
+
+    return changed;
+}
+
 } // namespace ue2
diff --git a/src/nfagraph/ng_misc_opt.h b/src/nfagraph/ng_misc_opt.h
index 4955c7af..5ed089dc 100644
--- a/src/nfagraph/ng_misc_opt.h
+++ b/src/nfagraph/ng_misc_opt.h
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright (c) 2015, Intel Corporation
+ * Copyright (c) 2015-2016, Intel Corporation
  *
  * Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
  * modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions are met:
@@ -72,6 +72,13 @@ std::vector<CharReach> reduced_cr(const NGHolder &g,
 /** Remove cyclic stars connected to start */
 bool mergeCyclicDotStars(NGHolder &g);
 
+/**
+ * Given a cyclic state 'c' with a broad reach and a later state 'v' that is
+ * only reachable if c is still on, then any edges to a successor of a direct
+ * successor of c with reach a superset of v are redundant.
+ */
+bool prunePathsRedundantWithSuccessorOfCyclics(NGHolder &h, som_type som);
+
 } // namespace ue2
 
 #endif
diff --git a/src/nfagraph/ng_region.cpp b/src/nfagraph/ng_region.cpp
index 124e9fa5..c7472e0d 100644
--- a/src/nfagraph/ng_region.cpp
+++ b/src/nfagraph/ng_region.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright (c) 2015, Intel Corporation
+ * Copyright (c) 2015-2016, Intel Corporation
  *
  * Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
  * modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions are met:
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ using namespace std;
 namespace ue2 {
 
 typedef ue2::unordered_set<NFAEdge> BackEdgeSet;
-typedef boost::filtered_graph<NFAGraph, AcyclicFilter<BackEdgeSet>>
+typedef boost::filtered_graph<NFAGraph, bad_edge_filter<BackEdgeSet>>
     AcyclicGraph;
 
 namespace {
@@ -454,7 +454,7 @@ ue2::unordered_map<NFAVertex, u32> assignRegions(const NGHolder &g) {
                  .color_map(make_iterator_property_map(
                      colours.begin(), get(&NFAGraphVertexProps::index, g.g))));
 
-    AcyclicFilter<BackEdgeSet> af(&deadEdges);
+    auto af = make_bad_edge_filter(&deadEdges);
     AcyclicGraph acyclic_g(g.g, af);
 
     // Build a (reverse) topological ordering.
diff --git a/src/nfagraph/ng_repeat.cpp b/src/nfagraph/ng_repeat.cpp
index 5bff21b0..6eb2a9d7 100644
--- a/src/nfagraph/ng_repeat.cpp
+++ b/src/nfagraph/ng_repeat.cpp
@@ -138,8 +138,7 @@ void buildTopoOrder(const Graph &g, vector<NFAVertex> &topoOrder) {
 
     depth_first_search(g, visitor(BackEdges<EdgeSet>(deadEdges)).
                           color_map(make_assoc_property_map(colours)));
-    AcyclicFilter<EdgeSet> af(&deadEdges);
-    boost::filtered_graph<Graph, AcyclicFilter<EdgeSet> > acyclic_g(g, af);
+    auto acyclic_g = make_filtered_graph(g, make_bad_edge_filter(&deadEdges));
 
     topological_sort(acyclic_g, back_inserter(topoOrder),
                      color_map(make_assoc_property_map(colours)));
diff --git a/src/nfagraph/ng_utf8.cpp b/src/nfagraph/ng_utf8.cpp
index 719e42e2..352359f2 100644
--- a/src/nfagraph/ng_utf8.cpp
+++ b/src/nfagraph/ng_utf8.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright (c) 2015, Intel Corporation
+ * Copyright (c) 2015-2016, Intel Corporation
  *
  * Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
  * modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions are met:
@@ -187,10 +187,9 @@ bool expandCyclic(NGHolder &h, NFAVertex v) {
     DEBUG_PRINTF("inspecting %u\n", h[v].index);
     bool changes = false;
 
-    set<NFAVertex> v_preds;
-    set<NFAVertex> v_succs;
-    pred(h, v, &v_preds);
-    succ(h, v, &v_succs);
+    auto v_preds = preds(v, h);
+    auto v_succs = succs(v, h);
+
     set<NFAVertex> start_siblings;
     set<NFAVertex> end_siblings;
 
@@ -199,8 +198,7 @@ bool expandCyclic(NGHolder &h, NFAVertex v) {
     /* We need to find start vertices which have all of our preds.
      * As we have a self loop, it must be one of our succs. */
     for (auto a : adjacent_vertices_range(v, h)) {
-        set<NFAVertex> a_preds;
-        pred(h, a, &a_preds);
+        auto a_preds = preds(a, h);
 
         if (a_preds == v_preds && isutf8start(h[a].char_reach)) {
             DEBUG_PRINTF("%u is a start v\n", h[a].index);
@@ -211,8 +209,7 @@ bool expandCyclic(NGHolder &h, NFAVertex v) {
     /* We also need to find full cont vertices which have all our own succs;
      * As we have a self loop, it must be one of our preds. */
     for (auto a : inv_adjacent_vertices_range(v, h)) {
-        set<NFAVertex> a_succs;
-        succ(h, a, &a_succs);
+        auto a_succs = succs(a, h);
 
         if (a_succs == v_succs && h[a].char_reach == UTF_CONT_CR) {
             DEBUG_PRINTF("%u is a full tail cont\n", h[a].index);
diff --git a/src/nfagraph/ng_util.cpp b/src/nfagraph/ng_util.cpp
index 71eef7eb..de4ca656 100644
--- a/src/nfagraph/ng_util.cpp
+++ b/src/nfagraph/ng_util.cpp
@@ -403,8 +403,7 @@ vector<NFAVertex> getTopoOrdering(const NGHolder &g) {
                                     colour.begin(), index_map))
                                 .vertex_index_map(index_map));
 
-    AcyclicFilter<EdgeSet> af(&be.backEdges);
-    filtered_graph<NFAGraph, AcyclicFilter<EdgeSet>> acyclic_g(g.g, af);
+    auto acyclic_g = make_filtered_graph(g.g, make_bad_edge_filter(&backEdges));
 
     vector<NFAVertex> ordering;
     ordering.reserve(num_verts);
@@ -435,9 +434,7 @@ void mustBeSetBefore_int(NFAVertex u, const NGHolder &g,
         }
     }
 
-    // The AcyclicFilter is badly named, it's really just an edge-set filter.
-    filtered_graph<NFAGraph, AcyclicFilter<set<NFAEdge>>> prefix(g.g,
-                                    AcyclicFilter<set<NFAEdge>>(&dead));
+    auto prefix = make_filtered_graph(g.g, make_bad_edge_filter(&dead));
 
     depth_first_visit(
         prefix, g.start, make_dfs_visitor(boost::null_visitor()),
diff --git a/src/nfagraph/ng_util.h b/src/nfagraph/ng_util.h
index 6c6907a3..6b5090ce 100644
--- a/src/nfagraph/ng_util.h
+++ b/src/nfagraph/ng_util.h
@@ -70,6 +70,13 @@ void succ(const NGHolder &g, NFAVertex v, U *s) {
     s->insert(ai, ae);
 }
 
+template<class ContTemp = flat_set<NFAVertex>>
+ContTemp succs(NFAVertex u, const NGHolder &g) {
+    ContTemp rv;
+    succ(g, u, &rv);
+    return rv;
+}
+
 /** adds predecessors of v to s */
 template<class U>
 static really_inline
@@ -79,6 +86,13 @@ void pred(const NGHolder &g, NFAVertex v, U *p) {
     p->insert(it, ite);
 }
 
+template<class ContTemp = flat_set<NFAVertex>>
+ContTemp preds(NFAVertex u, const NGHolder &g) {
+    ContTemp rv;
+    pred(g, u, &rv);
+    return rv;
+}
+
 /** returns a vertex with an out edge from v and is not v.
  * v must have exactly one out-edge excluding self-loops.
  * will return NGHolder::null_vertex() if the preconditions don't hold.
@@ -88,6 +102,30 @@ NFAVertex getSoleDestVertex(const NGHolder &g, NFAVertex v);
 /** Like getSoleDestVertex but for in-edges */
 NFAVertex getSoleSourceVertex(const NGHolder &g, NFAVertex v);
 
+/** \brief edge filtered graph.
+ *
+ * This will give you a view over the graph that has none of the edges from
+ * the provided set included.
+ *
+ * If this is provided with the back edges of the graph, this will result in an
+ * acyclic subgraph view. This is useful for topological_sort and other
+ * algorithms that require a DAG.
+ */
+template<typename EdgeSet>
+struct bad_edge_filter {
+    bad_edge_filter() {}
+    explicit bad_edge_filter(const EdgeSet *bad_e) : bad_edges(bad_e) {}
+    bool operator()(const typename EdgeSet::value_type &e) const {
+        return !contains(*bad_edges, e); /* keep edges not in the bad set */
+    }
+    const EdgeSet *bad_edges = nullptr;
+};
+
+template<typename EdgeSet>
+bad_edge_filter<EdgeSet> make_bad_edge_filter(const EdgeSet *e) {
+    return bad_edge_filter<EdgeSet>(e);
+}
+
 /** Visitor that records back edges */
 template <typename BackEdgeSet>
 class BackEdges : public boost::default_dfs_visitor {
@@ -100,23 +138,6 @@ public:
     BackEdgeSet &backEdges;
 };
 
-/** \brief Acyclic filtered graph.
- *
- * This will give you a view over the graph that is directed and acyclic:
- * useful for topological_sort and other algorithms that require a DAG.
- */
-template <typename BackEdgeSet>
-struct AcyclicFilter {
-    AcyclicFilter() {}
-    explicit AcyclicFilter(const BackEdgeSet *edges) : backEdges(edges) {}
-    template <typename EdgeT>
-    bool operator()(const EdgeT &e) const {
-        // Only keep edges that aren't in the back edge set.
-        return (backEdges->find(e) == backEdges->end());
-    }
-    const BackEdgeSet *backEdges = nullptr;
-};
-
 /**
  * Generic code to renumber all the vertices in a graph. Assumes that we're
  * using a vertex_index property of type u32, and that we always have
diff --git a/src/rose/rose_build_convert.cpp b/src/rose/rose_build_convert.cpp
index d3fa1ac6..dfc0ed23 100644
--- a/src/rose/rose_build_convert.cpp
+++ b/src/rose/rose_build_convert.cpp
@@ -733,10 +733,8 @@ bool handleStartDsPrefixCliche(const NGHolder &h, RoseGraph &g, RoseVertex v,
     u32 repeatCount = 0;
     NFAVertex hu = h.startDs;
 
-    set<NFAVertex> start_succ;
-    set<NFAVertex> startds_succ;
-    succ(h, h.start, &start_succ);
-    succ(h, h.startDs, &startds_succ);
+    auto start_succ = succs<set<NFAVertex>>(h.start, h);
+    auto startds_succ = succs<set<NFAVertex>>(h.startDs, h);
 
     if (!is_subset_of(start_succ, startds_succ)) {
         DEBUG_PRINTF("not a simple chain\n");
@@ -790,10 +788,8 @@ bool handleMixedPrefixCliche(const NGHolder &h, RoseGraph &g, RoseVertex v,
     NFAVertex base = anchored ? h.start : h.startDs;
 
     if (!anchored) {
-        set<NFAVertex> start_succ;
-        set<NFAVertex> startds_succ;
-        succ(h, h.start, &start_succ);
-        succ(h, h.startDs, &startds_succ);
+        auto start_succ = succs<set<NFAVertex>>(h.start, h);
+        auto startds_succ = succs<set<NFAVertex>>(h.startDs, h);
 
         if (!is_subset_of(start_succ, startds_succ)) {
             DEBUG_PRINTF("not a simple chain\n");
@@ -852,8 +848,7 @@ bool handleMixedPrefixCliche(const NGHolder &h, RoseGraph &g, RoseVertex v,
     exits = exits_and_repeat_verts;
     erase_all(&exits, rep_verts);
 
-    set<NFAVertex> base_succ;
-    succ(h, base, &base_succ);
+    auto base_succ = succs<set<NFAVertex>>(base, h);
     base_succ.erase(h.startDs);
 
     if (is_subset_of(base_succ, rep_verts)) {
diff --git a/src/util/graph.h b/src/util/graph.h
index 90589f14..d15e77aa 100644
--- a/src/util/graph.h
+++ b/src/util/graph.h
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright (c) 2015, Intel Corporation
+ * Copyright (c) 2015-2016, Intel Corporation
  *
  * Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
  * modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions are met:
@@ -291,6 +291,22 @@ bool is_dag(const Graph &g, bool ignore_self_loops = false) {
     return true;
 }
 
+template<typename Cont>
+class vertex_recorder : public boost::default_dfs_visitor {
+public:
+    explicit vertex_recorder(Cont &o) : out(o) {}
+    template<class G>
+    void discover_vertex(typename Cont::value_type v, const G &) {
+        out.insert(v);
+    }
+    Cont &out;
+};
+
+template<typename Cont>
+vertex_recorder<Cont> make_vertex_recorder(Cont &o) {
+    return vertex_recorder<Cont>(o);
+}
+
 template <class Graph>
 std::pair<typename Graph::edge_descriptor, bool>
 add_edge_if_not_present(typename Graph::vertex_descriptor u,