After being grown, the embedded code is copied into the child pattern, and the process repeats. For this particular rule the embedded code comprises of signals traveling around a wire loop. The loop acts purely as a memory device to hold the signals. Each wire also has an age value, an identity and a set of growth fields for growing wires into neighboring cells. The signal is further divided into an operator code, target wire identity and a data value.
Terminals allow wires to be connected .
Fuses allow wires to be disconnected. Signals propagate along wires, 'operating' upon a wire when the target wire identity of the signal matches the identity of the wire cell. Some signals can cause a wire to grow. Other signals can change an existing wire cell's identity, direction or even kill it. At every clock tick there is a small random probability that a wire will corrupt a signal, or delete it, or spontaneously create a new signal.