diff --git a/pantograph/search.py b/pantograph/search.py
index 7f36673..26a9b69 100644
--- a/pantograph/search.py
+++ b/pantograph/search.py
@@ -87,6 +87,7 @@ class Agent:
 
             # Generate tactic for this goal
             tactic = self.next_tactic(search_state.state, goal_id, informal_stmt, informal_proof)
+            print("????next tactic: ", tactic)
             if not tactic:
                 # pop the current state and continue to the next
                 search_stack.pop(-1)
diff --git a/pantograph/search_llm.py b/pantograph/search_llm.py
index b47c1bb..c78eea9 100644
--- a/pantograph/search_llm.py
+++ b/pantograph/search_llm.py
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ class LLMAgent(Agent):
             "assumption",
         ]
 
-    def next_tactic(self, state: GoalState, goal_id: int, informal_stmt:str,  informal_proof:str) -> Optional[Tactic]:
+    def next_tactic(self, state: GoalState, goal_id: int, informal_stmt:str="",  informal_proof:str="") -> Optional[Tactic]:
         key = (state.state_id, goal_id)
         i = self.goal_tactic_id_map[key]
 
@@ -39,21 +39,25 @@ class LLMAgent(Agent):
         else:
             tactics = self.no_space_tactics
         if i >= len(tactics):
+            new_state = None
+            for ii in range(self.n_trials):
+                print(f"===============trail {str(ii)}============")
+                s = select_tactic.run(server = self.server, state=state, goal_id = goal_id, informal_stmt=informal_stmt,  informal_proof=informal_proof)
+                tactic, new_state = s.ret_value
+                for m in s.messages():
+                    print(m["role"], ":", m["content"])
+
+                print("\n-- new state --\n", new_state)
+                if tactic:
+                    return tactic
             return None
-        self.goal_tactic_id_map[key] = i + 1
-        new_state = None
-        for ii in range(self.n_trials):
-            print(f"===============trail {str(ii)}============")
-            s = select_tactic.run(server = self.server, state=state, goal_id = goal_id, informal_stmt=informal_stmt,  informal_proof=informal_proof)
-            tactic, new_state = s.ret_value
-            for m in s.messages():
-                print(m["role"], ":", m["content"])
+    
+        else:
+            self.goal_tactic_id_map[key] = i + 1
+            return tactics[i]
+
 
-            print("\n-- new state --\n", new_state)
-            if tactic:
-                return tactic
 
-        return tactics[i]
 
 class TestSearch(unittest.TestCase):