diff --git a/include/extern.h b/include/extern.h
index 23a0a484d..db6f401f9 100644
--- a/include/extern.h
+++ b/include/extern.h
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
 #if 0
 E long *FDECL(alloc, (unsigned int));
 #endif
-E char *FDECL(fmt_ptr, (const genericptr,char *));
+E char *FDECL(fmt_ptr, (const genericptr));
 
 /* This next pre-processor directive covers almost the entire file,
  * interrupted only occasionally to pick up specific functions as needed. */
diff --git a/include/tradstdc.h b/include/tradstdc.h
index 8a8874e43..ccd4e7d67 100644
--- a/include/tradstdc.h
+++ b/include/tradstdc.h
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/*	SCCS Id: @(#)tradstdc.h 3.5	2006/06/28	*/
+/*	SCCS Id: @(#)tradstdc.h 3.5	2006/07/07	*/
 /* Copyright (c) Stichting Mathematisch Centrum, Amsterdam, 1985. */
 /* NetHack may be freely redistributed.  See license for details. */
 
@@ -195,16 +195,15 @@ typedef genericptr genericptr_t;	/* (void *) or (char *) */
 #endif
 
 #if defined(MICRO) || defined(WIN32)
-/* we actually want to know which systems have an ANSI run-time library
- * to know which support the new %p format for printing pointers.
- * due to the presence of things like gcc, NHSTDC is not a good test.
- * so we assume microcomputers have all converted to ANSI and bigger
+/* We actually want to know which systems have an ANSI run-time library
+ * to know which support the %p format for printing pointers.
+ * Due to the presence of things like gcc, NHSTDC is not a good test.
+ * So we assume microcomputers have all converted to ANSI and bigger
  * computers which may have older libraries give reasonable results with
- * the cast.
+ * casting pointers to unsigned long int (fmt_ptr() in alloc.c).
  */
 # define HAS_PTR_FMT
 #endif
-#define FMT_PTR_BUFSIZ	20	/* buffer size for ptr address as text */
 
 /*
  * According to ANSI, prototypes for old-style declarations must widen the
diff --git a/src/alloc.c b/src/alloc.c
index fc616f8cf..4394f9fdf 100644
--- a/src/alloc.c
+++ b/src/alloc.c
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/*	SCCS Id: @(#)alloc.c	3.5	1995/10/04	*/
+/*	SCCS Id: @(#)alloc.c	3.5	2006/07/07	*/
 /* Copyright (c) Stichting Mathematisch Centrum, Amsterdam, 1985. */
 /* NetHack may be freely redistributed.  See license for details. */
 
@@ -10,9 +10,7 @@
 #define EXTERN_H	/* comment line for pre-compiled headers */
 #include "config.h"
 
-#if defined(MONITOR_HEAP) || defined(WIZARD)
-char *FDECL(fmt_ptr, (const genericptr,char *));
-#endif
+char *FDECL(fmt_ptr, (const genericptr));
 
 #ifdef MONITOR_HEAP
 #undef alloc
@@ -61,12 +59,30 @@ register unsigned int lth;
 #  define PTR_TYP unsigned long
 # endif
 
-/* format a pointer for display purposes; caller supplies the result buffer */
+/* A small pool of static formatting buffers.
+ * PTRBUFSIZ:  We assume that pointers will be formatted as integers in
+ * hexadecimal, requring at least 16+1 characters for each buffer to handle
+ * 64-bit systems, but the standard doesn't mandate that encoding and an
+ * implementation could do something different for %p, so we make some
+ * extra room.
+ * PTRBUFCNT:  Number of formatted values which can be in use at the same
+ * time.  To have more, callers need to make copies of them as they go.
+ */
+#define PTRBUFCNT 4
+#define PTRBUFSIZ 32
+static char ptrbuf[PTRBUFCNT][PTRBUFSIZ];
+static int ptrbufidx = 0;
+
+/* format a pointer for display purposes; returns a static buffer */
 char *
-fmt_ptr(ptr, buf)
+fmt_ptr(ptr)
 const genericptr ptr;
-char *buf;
 {
+	char *buf;
+
+	buf = ptrbuf[ptrbufidx];
+	if (++ptrbufidx >= PTRBUFCNT) ptrbufidx = 0;
+
 	Sprintf(buf, PTR_FMT, (PTR_TYP)ptr);
 	return buf;
 }
@@ -92,13 +108,11 @@ const char *file;
 int line;
 {
 	long *ptr = alloc(lth);
-	char ptr_address[FMT_PTR_BUFSIZ];
 
 	if (!tried_heaplog) heapmon_init();
 	if (heaplog)
 		(void) fprintf(heaplog, "+%5u %s %4d %s\n", lth,
-				fmt_ptr((genericptr_t)ptr, ptr_address),
-				line, file);
+			       fmt_ptr((genericptr_t)ptr), line, file);
 	/* potential panic in alloc() was deferred til here */
 	if (!ptr) panic("Cannot get %u bytes, line %d of %s",
 			lth, line, file);
@@ -112,13 +126,10 @@ genericptr_t ptr;
 const char *file;
 int line;
 {
-	char ptr_address[FMT_PTR_BUFSIZ];
-
 	if (!tried_heaplog) heapmon_init();
 	if (heaplog)
 		(void) fprintf(heaplog, "-      %s %4d %s\n",
-				fmt_ptr((genericptr_t)ptr, ptr_address),
-				line, file);
+			       fmt_ptr((genericptr_t)ptr), line, file);
 
 	free(ptr);
 }
diff --git a/src/botl.c b/src/botl.c
index 5262aba4a..dcf9ddf0d 100644
--- a/src/botl.c
+++ b/src/botl.c
@@ -479,13 +479,11 @@ compare_blstats(bl1, bl2)
 struct istat_s *bl1, *bl2;
 {
 	int anytype, result = 0;
-	char bl1_address[FMT_PTR_BUFSIZ], bl2_address[FMT_PTR_BUFSIZ];
 
 	if (!bl1 || !bl2) {
-		char bl1_address[FMT_PTR_BUFSIZ], bl2_address[FMT_PTR_BUFSIZ];
 		panic("compare_blstat: bad istat pointer %s, %s",
-			fmt_ptr((genericptr_t)bl1, bl1_address),
-			fmt_ptr((genericptr_t)bl2, bl2_address));
+		      fmt_ptr((genericptr_t)bl1),
+		      fmt_ptr((genericptr_t)bl2));
 	}
 
 	anytype = bl1->anytype;
@@ -493,8 +491,8 @@ struct istat_s *bl1, *bl2;
 	    (anytype == ANY_IPTR || anytype == ANY_UPTR ||
 	     anytype == ANY_LPTR || anytype == ANY_ULPTR)) {
 		panic("compare_blstat: invalid pointer %s, %s",
-			fmt_ptr((genericptr_t)bl1->a.a_void, bl1_address),
-			fmt_ptr((genericptr_t)bl2->a.a_void, bl2_address));
+		      fmt_ptr((genericptr_t)bl1->a.a_void),
+		      fmt_ptr((genericptr_t)bl2->a.a_void));
 	}
 
 	switch(anytype) {
@@ -558,11 +556,11 @@ struct istat_s *bl, *maxbl;
 {
 	int result = 0;
 	int anytype;
+
 	if (!bl || !maxbl) {
-		char bl_address[FMT_PTR_BUFSIZ], maxbl_address[FMT_PTR_BUFSIZ];
 		impossible("percentage: bad istat pointer %s, %s",
-			fmt_ptr((genericptr_t)bl, bl_address),
-			fmt_ptr((genericptr_t)maxbl, maxbl_address));
+			   fmt_ptr((genericptr_t)bl),
+			   fmt_ptr((genericptr_t)maxbl));
 		return 0;
 	}
 
diff --git a/src/light.c b/src/light.c
index d970dd543..b63d7aba1 100644
--- a/src/light.c
+++ b/src/light.c
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/*	SCCS Id: @(#)light.c	3.5	1997/04/10	*/
+/*	SCCS Id: @(#)light.c	3.5	2006/07/07	*/
 /* Copyright (c) Dean Luick, 1994					*/
 /* NetHack may be freely redistributed.  See license for details.	*/
 
@@ -91,7 +91,6 @@ del_light_source(type, id)
 {
     light_source *curr, *prev;
     genericptr_t tmp_id;
-    char id_address[FMT_PTR_BUFSIZ];
 
     /* need to be prepared for dealing a with light source which
        has only been partially restored during a level change
@@ -119,7 +118,7 @@ del_light_source(type, id)
 	}
     }
     impossible("del_light_source: not found type=%d, id=%s",
-		type, fmt_ptr((genericptr_t)id, id_address));
+	      type, fmt_ptr((genericptr_t)id));
 }
 
 /* Mark locations that are temporarily lit via mobile light sources. */
@@ -583,7 +582,7 @@ int
 wiz_light_sources()
 {
     winid win;
-    char buf[BUFSZ], arg_address[FMT_PTR_BUFSIZ];
+    char buf[BUFSZ];
     light_source *ls;
 
     win = create_nhwindow(NHW_MENU);	/* corner text window */
@@ -598,14 +597,14 @@ wiz_light_sources()
 	putstr(win, 0, "-------- ----- ------ ----  -------");
 	for (ls = light_base; ls; ls = ls->next) {
 	    Sprintf(buf, "  %2d,%2d   %2d   0x%04x  %s  %s",
-		ls->x, ls->y, ls->range, ls->flags,
-		(ls->type == LS_OBJECT ? "obj" :
-		 ls->type == LS_MONSTER ?
-		    (mon_is_local((struct monst *)ls->id) ? "mon" :
-		     ((struct monst *)ls->id == &youmonst) ? "you" :
-		     "<m>") :		/* migrating monster */
-		 "???"),
-		fmt_ptr(ls->id, arg_address));
+		    ls->x, ls->y, ls->range, ls->flags,
+		    (ls->type == LS_OBJECT ? "obj" :
+		     ls->type == LS_MONSTER ?
+		        (mon_is_local((struct monst *)ls->id) ? "mon" :
+		         ((struct monst *)ls->id == &youmonst) ? "you" :
+		         "<m>") :		/* migrating monster */
+		     "???"),
+		    fmt_ptr(ls->id));
 	    putstr(win, 0, buf);
 	}
     } else
diff --git a/src/mkobj.c b/src/mkobj.c
index 74ecd25cb..6920b374c 100644
--- a/src/mkobj.c
+++ b/src/mkobj.c
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/*	SCCS Id: @(#)mkobj.c	3.5	2006/06/17	*/
+/*	SCCS Id: @(#)mkobj.c	3.5	2006/07/07	*/
 /* Copyright (c) Stichting Mathematisch Centrum, Amsterdam, 1985. */
 /* NetHack may be freely redistributed.  See license for details. */
 
@@ -1840,16 +1840,14 @@ obj_sanity_check()
     struct obj *obj;
     struct monst *mon;
     const char *mesg;
-    char obj_address[FMT_PTR_BUFSIZ],
-	 mon_address[FMT_PTR_BUFSIZ];  /* room for formatted pointers */
 
     mesg = "fobj sanity";
     for (obj = fobj; obj; obj = obj->nobj) {
 	if (obj->where != OBJ_FLOOR) {
 	    pline("%s obj %s %s@(%d,%d): %s\n", mesg,
-		fmt_ptr((genericptr_t)obj, obj_address),
-		where_name(obj->where),
-		obj->ox, obj->oy, doname(obj));
+		  fmt_ptr((genericptr_t)obj),
+		  where_name(obj->where),
+		  obj->ox, obj->oy, doname(obj));
 	}
 	check_contained(obj, mesg);
     }
@@ -1860,17 +1858,17 @@ obj_sanity_check()
 	    for (obj = level.objects[x][y]; obj; obj = obj->nexthere)
 		if (obj->where != OBJ_FLOOR) {
 		    pline("%s obj %s %s@(%d,%d): %s\n", mesg,
-			fmt_ptr((genericptr_t)obj, obj_address),
-			where_name(obj->where),
-			obj->ox, obj->oy, doname(obj));
+			  fmt_ptr((genericptr_t)obj),
+			  where_name(obj->where),
+			  obj->ox, obj->oy, doname(obj));
 		}
 
     mesg = "invent sanity";
     for (obj = invent; obj; obj = obj->nobj) {
 	if (obj->where != OBJ_INVENT) {
 	    pline("%s obj %s %s: %s\n", mesg,
-		fmt_ptr((genericptr_t)obj, obj_address),
-		where_name(obj->where), doname(obj));
+		  fmt_ptr((genericptr_t)obj),
+		  where_name(obj->where), doname(obj));
 	}
 	check_contained(obj, mesg);
     }
@@ -1879,8 +1877,8 @@ obj_sanity_check()
     for (obj = migrating_objs; obj; obj = obj->nobj) {
 	if (obj->where != OBJ_MIGRATING) {
 	    pline("%s obj %s %s: %s\n", mesg,
-		fmt_ptr((genericptr_t)obj, obj_address),
-		where_name(obj->where), doname(obj));
+		  fmt_ptr((genericptr_t)obj),
+		  where_name(obj->where), doname(obj));
 	}
 	check_contained(obj, mesg);
     }
@@ -1889,8 +1887,8 @@ obj_sanity_check()
     for (obj = level.buriedobjlist; obj; obj = obj->nobj) {
 	if (obj->where != OBJ_BURIED) {
 	    pline("%s obj %s %s: %s\n", mesg,
-		fmt_ptr((genericptr_t)obj, obj_address),
-		where_name(obj->where), doname(obj));
+		  fmt_ptr((genericptr_t)obj),
+		  where_name(obj->where), doname(obj));
 	}
 	check_contained(obj, mesg);
     }
@@ -1899,14 +1897,14 @@ obj_sanity_check()
     for (obj = billobjs; obj; obj = obj->nobj) {
 	if (obj->where != OBJ_ONBILL) {
 	    pline("%s obj %s %s: %s\n", mesg,
-		fmt_ptr((genericptr_t)obj, obj_address),
-		where_name(obj->where), doname(obj));
+		  fmt_ptr((genericptr_t)obj),
+		  where_name(obj->where), doname(obj));
 	}
 	/* shouldn't be a full container on the bill */
 	if (obj->cobj) {
 	    pline("%s obj %s contains %s! %s\n", mesg,
-		fmt_ptr((genericptr_t)obj, obj_address),
-		something, doname(obj));
+		  fmt_ptr((genericptr_t)obj),
+		  something, doname(obj));
 	}
     }
 
@@ -1915,15 +1913,13 @@ obj_sanity_check()
 	for (obj = mon->minvent; obj; obj = obj->nobj) {
 	    if (obj->where != OBJ_MINVENT) {
 		pline("%s obj %s %s: %s\n", mesg,
-			fmt_ptr((genericptr_t)obj, obj_address),
-			where_name(obj->where), doname(obj));
+		      fmt_ptr((genericptr_t)obj),
+		      where_name(obj->where), doname(obj));
 	    }
 	    if (obj->ocarry != mon) {
 		pline("%s obj %s (%s) not held by mon %s (%s)\n", mesg,
-			fmt_ptr((genericptr_t)obj, obj_address),
-			doname(obj),
-			fmt_ptr((genericptr_t)mon, mon_address),
-			mon_nam(mon));
+		      fmt_ptr((genericptr_t)obj), doname(obj),
+		      fmt_ptr((genericptr_t)mon), mon_nam(mon));
 	    }
 	    check_contained(obj, mesg);
 	}
@@ -1949,17 +1945,16 @@ check_contained(container, mesg)
     const char *mesg;
 {
     struct obj *obj;
-    char obj1_address[FMT_PTR_BUFSIZ], obj2_address[FMT_PTR_BUFSIZ];
 
     for (obj = container->cobj; obj; obj = obj->nobj) {
 	if (obj->where != OBJ_CONTAINED)
 	    pline("contained %s obj %s: %s\n", mesg,
-		fmt_ptr((genericptr_t)obj, obj1_address),
-		where_name(obj->where));
+		  fmt_ptr((genericptr_t)obj),
+		  where_name(obj->where));
 	else if (obj->ocontainer != container)
 	    pline("%s obj %s not in container %s\n", mesg,
-		fmt_ptr((genericptr_t)obj, obj1_address),
-		fmt_ptr((genericptr_t)container, obj2_address));
+		  fmt_ptr((genericptr_t)obj),
+		  fmt_ptr((genericptr_t)container));
     }
 }
 #endif /* WIZARD */
diff --git a/src/mondata.c b/src/mondata.c
index a453e9349..c651b36c8 100644
--- a/src/mondata.c
+++ b/src/mondata.c
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/*	SCCS Id: @(#)mondata.c	3.5	2005/10/05	*/
+/*	SCCS Id: @(#)mondata.c	3.5	2006/07/07	*/
 /* Copyright (c) Stichting Mathematisch Centrum, Amsterdam, 1985. */
 /* NetHack may be freely redistributed.  See license for details. */
 
@@ -482,9 +482,8 @@ monsndx(ptr)		/* return an index into the mons array */
 
 	i = (int)(ptr - &mons[0]);
 	if (i < LOW_PM || i >= NUMMONS) {
-	    char ptr_address[FMT_PTR_BUFSIZ];
 	    panic("monsndx - could not index monster (%s)",
-		  fmt_ptr((genericptr_t)ptr, ptr_address));
+		  fmt_ptr((genericptr_t)ptr));
 	    return NON_PM;		/* will not get here */
 	}
 
diff --git a/src/timeout.c b/src/timeout.c
index 1616e90fb..b40959078 100644
--- a/src/timeout.c
+++ b/src/timeout.c
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/*	SCCS Id: @(#)timeout.c	3.5	2006/04/14	*/
+/*	SCCS Id: @(#)timeout.c	3.5	2006/07/07	*/
 /* Copyright (c) Stichting Mathematisch Centrum, Amsterdam, 1985. */
 /* NetHack may be freely redistributed.  See license for details. */
 
@@ -1368,7 +1368,7 @@ print_queue(win, base)
     timer_element *base;
 {
     timer_element *curr;
-    char buf[BUFSZ], arg_address[FMT_PTR_BUFSIZ];
+    char buf[BUFSZ];
 
     if (!base) {
 	putstr(win, 0, "<empty>");
@@ -1377,14 +1377,14 @@ print_queue(win, base)
 	for (curr = base; curr; curr = curr->next) {
 #ifdef VERBOSE_TIMER
 	    Sprintf(buf, " %4ld   %4ld  %-6s %s(%s)",
-		curr->timeout, curr->tid, kind_name(curr->kind),
-		timeout_funcs[curr->func_index].name,
-		fmt_ptr((genericptr_t)curr->arg, arg_address));
+		    curr->timeout, curr->tid, kind_name(curr->kind),
+		    timeout_funcs[curr->func_index].name,
+		    fmt_ptr((genericptr_t)curr->arg));
 #else
 	    Sprintf(buf, " %4ld   %4ld  %-6s #%d(%s)",
-		curr->timeout, curr->tid, kind_name(curr->kind),
-		curr->func_index,
-		fmt_ptr((genericptr_t)curr->arg, arg_address));
+		    curr->timeout, curr->tid, kind_name(curr->kind),
+		    curr->func_index,
+		    fmt_ptr((genericptr_t)curr->arg));
 #endif
 	    putstr(win, 0, buf);
 	}
@@ -1417,7 +1417,6 @@ void
 timer_sanity_check()
 {
     timer_element *curr;
-    char obj_address[FMT_PTR_BUFSIZ];
 
     /* this should be much more complete */
     for (curr = timer_base; curr; curr = curr->next)
@@ -1425,7 +1424,7 @@ timer_sanity_check()
 	    struct obj *obj = (struct obj *) curr->arg;
 	    if (obj->timed == 0) {
 		pline("timer sanity: untimed obj %s, timer %ld",
-		      fmt_ptr((genericptr_t)obj, obj_address), curr->tid);
+		      fmt_ptr((genericptr_t)obj), curr->tid);
 	    }
 	}
 }