diff --git a/src/Lexer.hs b/src/Lexer.hs
index 77fc84a..0d46560 100644
--- a/src/Lexer.hs
+++ b/src/Lexer.hs
@@ -82,28 +82,43 @@ lexText = go
     Parsec.optionMaybe Parsec.eof >>= \case
       Just _ -> pure []
       Nothing -> do
-        toks <-
-          choice $
-            Parsec.try
-              <$> [ mathMultiline
-                  , mathInline
-                  , escape -- maths go before escape to avoid mismatch
-                  , headers
-                  , newlineToken
-                  , spaceToken
-                  , link
-                  , labeledLink
-                  , module_
-                  , anchor
-                  , numericEntity
-                  , textElement
-                  , quotes
-                  , birdTrack
-                  , other
-                  ]
+        toks <- topLevel
         rest <- go
         pure (toks <> rest)
 
+{- FOURMOLU_DISABLE -}
+  topLevel =
+    -- backtracking here so we always have a chance to try "other", the "catch-all-leave-to-parser-to-deal-with" choice
+    -- TODO: is this desirable? do we throw lexer error at all?
+    try
+      ( choice
+          -- Sorted in
+          -- - longest to shortest parse path
+          -- - highest frequency to lowest frequency (for performance?)
+          -- - more exact to more freeform (the latter can be the former but not vice versa)
+          [ spaceToken
+          , newlineToken
+
+            -- starts with "\"
+          , try mathMultiline
+          , try mathInline
+
+          , try module_
+          , quotes
+          , birdTrack
+
+          , escape
+          , headers
+          , labeledLink
+          , link
+          , anchor
+          , numericEntity
+          , textElement
+          ]
+      )
+      <|> other
+{- FOURMOLU_ENABLE -}
+
 -- Tokens
 
 textElement :: Parser [LocatedToken]
@@ -239,6 +254,7 @@ mathMultiline = delimited "\\[" "\\]" MathMultilineOpen MathMultilineClose
 mathInline :: Lexer
 mathInline = delimited "\\(" "\\)" MathInlineOpen MathInlineClose
 
+-- TODO: make sure this starts at column 0?
 birdTrack :: Lexer
 birdTrack = delimitedNoTrailing ">> " eol BirdTrack