diff --git a/nfa.go b/nfa.go
index 8b98ee7..9bc9ae9 100644
--- a/nfa.go
+++ b/nfa.go
@@ -136,7 +136,7 @@ func (s State) checkAssertion(str []rune, idx int) bool {
 			strToMatch = string(runesToMatch)
 		}
 
-		matchIndices := findAllMatches(Reg{startState, s.lookaroundNumCaptureGroups}, strToMatch)
+		matchIndices := FindAllMatches(Reg{startState, s.lookaroundNumCaptureGroups}, strToMatch)
 
 		numMatchesFound := 0
 		for _, matchIdx := range matchIndices {
@@ -314,3 +314,18 @@ func question(s1 *State) *State { // Use the fact that ab? == a(b|)
 	s3 := alternate(s1, s2)
 	return s3
 }
+
+// Creates and returns a new state with the 'default' values.
+func newState() State {
+	ret := State{
+		output:          make([]*State, 0),
+		transitions:     make(map[int][]*State),
+		assert:          NONE,
+		except:          append([]rune{}, 0),
+		lookaroundRegex: "",
+		groupEnd:        false,
+		groupBegin:      false,
+	}
+	ret.output = append(ret.output, &ret)
+	return ret
+}