diff --git a/2024/day-04/main.cpp b/2024/day-04/main.cpp
index 99b69d3..b9badeb 100644
--- a/2024/day-04/main.cpp
+++ b/2024/day-04/main.cpp
@@ -30,13 +30,11 @@ int xmasCountAt(const vector<string> &matrix, const size_t rowIndex, const size_
 
     int xmasCount = 0;
 
-    // Horizontal check
     if (colIndex + 3 < numberOfCols) {
         string horizontalWord = matrix[rowIndex].substr(colIndex, 4);
         xmasCount += wordIsXmas(horizontalWord);
     }
 
-    // Vertical check
     if (rowIndex + 3 < numberOfRows) {
         string verticalWord;
         for (size_t i = 0; i <= 3; i++) {
@@ -45,22 +43,13 @@ int xmasCountAt(const vector<string> &matrix, const size_t rowIndex, const size_
         xmasCount += wordIsXmas(verticalWord);
     }
 
-    // Down-diagonal check
     if (rowIndex + 3 < numberOfRows && colIndex + 3 < numberOfCols) {
-        string downDiagonalWord;
+        string downDiagonalWord, upDiagonalWord;
         for (size_t i = 0; i <= 3; i++) {
             downDiagonalWord += matrix[rowIndex + i][colIndex + i];
-        }
-        xmasCount += wordIsXmas(downDiagonalWord);
-    }
-
-    // Up-diagonal check
-    if (rowIndex + 3 < numberOfRows && colIndex + 3 < numberOfCols) {
-        string upDiagonalWord;
-        for (size_t i = 0; i <= 3; i++) {
             upDiagonalWord += matrix[rowIndex + (3 - i)][colIndex + i];
         }
-        xmasCount += wordIsXmas(upDiagonalWord);
+        xmasCount += wordIsXmas(downDiagonalWord) + wordIsXmas(upDiagonalWord);
     }
 
     return xmasCount;
@@ -75,23 +64,13 @@ bool crossMasExistsAt(const vector<string> &matrix, const size_t rowIndex, const
         return false;
     }
 
-    string downDiagonalWord;
+    string downDiagonalWord, upDiagonalWord;
     for (size_t i = 0; i <= 2; i++) {
         downDiagonalWord += matrix[rowIndex + i][colIndex + i];
-    }
-    if (!wordIsMas(downDiagonalWord)) {
-        return false;
-    }
-
-    string upDiagonalWord;
-    for (size_t i = 0; i <= 2; i++) {
         upDiagonalWord += matrix[rowIndex + (2 - i)][colIndex + i];
     }
-    if (!wordIsMas(upDiagonalWord)) {
-        return false;
-    }
 
-    return true;
+    return wordIsMas(downDiagonalWord) && wordIsMas(upDiagonalWord);
 }
 
 int main()