diff --git a/piker/ui/watchlist.py b/piker/ui/watchlist.py
index 4a876a96..44a61a46 100644
--- a/piker/ui/watchlist.py
+++ b/piker/ui/watchlist.py
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ _kv = (f'''
 
 <Cell>
     font_size: 18
-    text_size: self.size
+    # text_size: self.size
     size: self.texture_size
     color: {colorcode('gray')}
     font_color: {colorcode('gray')}
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ _kv = (f'''
     background_normal: ''
     valign: 'middle'
     halign: 'center'
-    outline_color: [0.1]*4
+    # outline_color: [0.1]*4
 
 <HeaderCell>
     font_size: 20
@@ -87,9 +87,10 @@ _kv = (f'''
     # minimum_width: 200
     # row_force_default: True
     # row_default_height: 75
-    outline_color: [.7]*4
+    # outline_color: [.7]*4
 
 <SearchBar>
+    # part of the `PagerView`
     size_hint: 1, 0.03
     font_size: 25
     background_color: [0.13]*3 + [1]
@@ -172,8 +173,9 @@ class HeaderCell(Button):
     """Column header cell label.
     """
     def on_press(self, value=None):
-        # clicking on a col header indicates to rows by this column
-        # in `update_quotes()`
+        """Clicking on a col header indicates to sort rows by this column
+        in `update_quotes()`.
+        """
         table = self.row.table
         if self.row.is_header:
             table.sort_key = self.key
@@ -215,7 +217,7 @@ class BidAskLayout(StackLayout):
         cell_type = HeaderCell if header else Cell
         top_size = cell_type().font_size
         small_size = top_size - 5
-        top_prop = 0.7
+        top_prop = 0.7  # proportion of size used by top cell
         bottom_prop = 1 - top_prop
         for (key, size_hint, font_size), value in zip(
             [('last', (1, top_prop), top_size),
@@ -375,22 +377,18 @@ class TickerTable(GridLayout):
         ):
             self.add_widget(row)  # row append
 
+    def ticker_search(self, patt):
+        """Return sequence of matches when pattern ``patt`` is in a
+        symbol name. Most naive algo possible for the moment.
+        """
+        for symbol, row in self.symbols2rows.items():
+            if patt in symbol:
+                yield symbol, row
 
-def header_row(headers, **kwargs):
-    """Create a single "header" row from a sequence of keys.
-    """
-    headers_dict = {key: key for key in headers}
-    row = Row(headers_dict, headers=headers, is_header_row=True, **kwargs)
-    return row
-
-
-def ticker_table(quotes, **kwargs):
-    """Create a new ticker table from a list of quote dicts.
-    """
-    table = TickerTable(cols=1, **kwargs)
-    for ticker_record in quotes:
-        table.append_row(ticker_record)
-    return table
+    def search(self, patt):
+        """Search bar api compat.
+        """
+        return dict(self.ticker_search(patt)) or {}
 
 
 async def update_quotes(
@@ -484,21 +482,29 @@ async def _async_main(name, watchlists, brokermod):
             # build out UI
             Window.set_title(f"watchlist: {name}\t(press ? for help)")
             Builder.load_string(_kv)
-            # anchor = AnchorLayout(anchor_x='right', anchor_y='bottom')
             box = BoxLayout(orientation='vertical', padding=5, spacing=5)
-            # anchor.add_widget(box)
-            header = header_row(
-                first_quotes[0].keys(),
+
+            # add header row
+            headers = first_quotes[0].keys()
+            header = Row(
+                {key: key for key in headers},
+                headers=headers,
+                is_header_row=True,
                 size_hint=(1, None),
             )
             box.add_widget(header)
-            grid = ticker_table(
-                first_quotes,
+
+            # build grid
+            grid = TickerTable(
+                cols=1,
                 size_hint=(1, None),
             )
+            for ticker_record in first_quotes:
+                grid.append_row(ticker_record)
             # associate the col headers row with the ticker table even though
             # they're technically wrapped separately in containing BoxLayout
             header.table = grid
+
             # mark the initial sorted column header as bold and underlined
             sort_cell = header.get_cell(grid.sort_key)
             sort_cell.bold = sort_cell.underline = True
@@ -506,8 +512,7 @@ async def _async_main(name, watchlists, brokermod):
 
             # set up a pager view for large ticker lists
             grid.bind(minimum_height=grid.setter('height'))
-            pager = PagerView(box, nursery)
-            pager.add_widget(grid)
+            pager = PagerView(box, grid, nursery)
             box.add_widget(pager)
 
             widgets = {