diff --git a/app/controllers/metacode_sets_controller.rb b/app/controllers/metacode_sets_controller.rb
index 4ac60a60..2f81c7f4 100644
--- a/app/controllers/metacode_sets_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/metacode_sets_controller.rb
@@ -5,84 +5,64 @@ class MetacodeSetsController < ApplicationController
   before_action :require_admin, except: :index
 
   # GET /metacode_sets
-  # GET /metacode_sets.json
   def index
     @metacode_sets = MetacodeSet.order('name').all
-
-    respond_to do |format|
-      format.json { render json: metacode_sets_json }
-    end
+    render json: metacode_sets_json
   end
 
   # POST /metacode_sets
-  # POST /metacode_sets.json
   def create
     @user = current_user
     @metacode_set = MetacodeSet.new(metacode_set_params)
     @metacode_set.user_id = @user.id
-
-    respond_to do |format|
-      if @metacode_set.save
-        # create the InMetacodeSet for all the metacodes that were selected for the set
-        @metacodes = params[:metacodes][:value].split(',')
-        @metacodes.each do |m|
-          InMetacodeSet.create(metacode_id: m, metacode_set_id: @metacode_set.id)
-        end
-        format.json do
-          render json: @metacode_set, status: :created, location: metacode_sets_url
-        end
-      else
-        format.json { render json: @metacode_set.errors, status: :unprocessable_entity }
+    if @metacode_set.save
+      # create the InMetacodeSet for all the metacodes that were selected for the set
+      @metacodes = params[:metacodes][:value].split(',')
+      @metacodes.each do |m|
+        InMetacodeSet.create(metacode_id: m, metacode_set_id: @metacode_set.id)
       end
+      render json: @metacode_set, status: :created
+    else
+      render json: @metacode_set.errors, status: :unprocessable_entity
     end
   end
 
   # PUT /metacode_sets/1
-  # PUT /metacode_sets/1.json
   def update
     @metacode_set = MetacodeSet.find(params[:id])
+    if @metacode_set.update_attributes(metacode_set_params)
 
-    respond_to do |format|
-      if @metacode_set.update_attributes(metacode_set_params)
+      # build an array of the IDs of the metacodes currently in the set
+      current_metacodes = @metacode_set.metacodes.map { |m| m.id.to_s }
+      # get the list of desired metacodes for the set from the user input and build an array out of it
+      new_metacodes = params[:metacodes][:value].split(',')
 
-        # build an array of the IDs of the metacodes currently in the set
-        current_metacodes = @metacode_set.metacodes.map { |m| m.id.to_s }
-        # get the list of desired metacodes for the set from the user input and build an array out of it
-        new_metacodes = params[:metacodes][:value].split(',')
-
-        # remove the metacodes that were in it, but now aren't
-        removed_metacodes = current_metacodes - new_metacodes
-        removed_metacodes.each do |m|
-          inmetacodeset = InMetacodeSet.find_by(metacode_id: m, metacode_set_id: @metacode_set.id)
-          inmetacodeset.destroy
-        end
-
-        # add the new metacodes
-        added_metacodes = new_metacodes - current_metacodes
-        added_metacodes.each do |m|
-          InMetacodeSet.create(metacode_id: m, metacode_set_id: @metacode_set.id)
-        end
-
-        format.json { head :no_content }
-      else
-        format.json { render json: @metacode_set.errors, status: :unprocessable_entity }
+      # remove the metacodes that were in it, but now aren't
+      removed_metacodes = current_metacodes - new_metacodes
+      removed_metacodes.each do |m|
+        inmetacodeset = InMetacodeSet.find_by(metacode_id: m, metacode_set_id: @metacode_set.id)
+        inmetacodeset.destroy
       end
+
+      # add the new metacodes
+      added_metacodes = new_metacodes - current_metacodes
+      added_metacodes.each do |m|
+        InMetacodeSet.create(metacode_id: m, metacode_set_id: @metacode_set.id)
+      end
+
+      head :no_content
+    else
+      render json: @metacode_set.errors, status: :unprocessable_entity
     end
   end
 
   # DELETE /metacode_sets/1
-  # DELETE /metacode_sets/1.json
   def destroy
     @metacode_set = MetacodeSet.find(params[:id])
-
     # delete everything that tracks what's in the set
     @metacode_set.in_metacode_sets.each(&:destroy)
-
     @metacode_set.destroy
-
-    respond_to do |format|
-      format.json { head :no_content }
-    end
+    head :no_content
   end
 
   private
diff --git a/app/controllers/metacodes_controller.rb b/app/controllers/metacodes_controller.rb
index faf32332..2c379849 100644
--- a/app/controllers/metacodes_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/metacodes_controller.rb
@@ -2,76 +2,39 @@
 
 class MetacodesController < ApplicationController
   before_action :require_admin, except: %i[index show]
-  before_action :set_metacode, only: %i[edit update]
+  before_action :set_metacode, only: %i[update]
 
   # GET /metacodes
-  # GET /metacodes.json
   def index
     @metacodes = Metacode.order('name').all
-
-    respond_to do |format|
-      format.html do
-        return unless require_admin
-        render :index
-      end
-      format.json { render json: @metacodes }
-    end
+    render json: @metacodes
   end
 
-  # GET /metacodes/1.json
-  # GET /metacodes/Action.json
-  # GET /metacodes/action.json
+  # GET /metacodes/1
+  # GET /metacodes/Action
+  # GET /metacodes/action
   def show
     @metacode = Metacode.where('DOWNCASE(name) = ?', downcase(params[:name])).first if params[:name]
     set_metacode unless @metacode
-
-    respond_to do |format|
-      format.json { render json: @metacode }
-    end
-  end
-
-  # GET /metacodes/new
-  # GET /metacodes/new.json
-  def new
-    @metacode = Metacode.new
-
-    respond_to do |format|
-      format.html
-      format.json { render json: @metacode }
-    end
-  end
-
-  # GET /metacodes/1/edit
-  def edit
+    render json: @metacode
   end
 
   # POST /metacodes
-  # POST /metacodes.json
   def create
     @metacode = Metacode.new(metacode_params)
-
-    respond_to do |format|
-      if @metacode.save
-        format.html { redirect_to metacodes_url, notice: 'Metacode was successfully created.' }
-        format.json { render json: @metacode, status: :created, location: metacodes_url }
-      else
-        format.html { render :new }
-        format.json { render json: @metacode.errors, status: :unprocessable_entity }
-      end
+    if @metacode.save
+      render json: @metacode, status: :created
+    else
+      render json: @metacode.errors, status: :unprocessable_entity
     end
   end
 
   # PUT /metacodes/1
-  # PUT /metacodes/1.json
   def update
-    respond_to do |format|
-      if @metacode.update(metacode_params)
-        format.html { redirect_to metacodes_url, notice: 'Metacode was successfully updated.' }
-        format.json { head :no_content }
-      else
-        format.html { render :edit }
-        format.json { render json: @metacode.errors, status: :unprocessable_entity }
-      end
+    if @metacode.update(metacode_params)
+      head :no_content
+    else
+      render json: @metacode.errors, status: :unprocessable_entity
     end
   end
 
diff --git a/config/routes.rb b/config/routes.rb
index d0aafc6a..c95286bd 100644
--- a/config/routes.rb
+++ b/config/routes.rb
@@ -15,7 +15,6 @@ Metamaps::Application.routes.draw do
     get 'starred'
     get 'mapper/:id', action: 'mapper'
   end
-  get :explore, to: redirect('/')
 
   resources :maps, except: %i[index edit] do
     member do
@@ -70,7 +69,7 @@ Metamaps::Application.routes.draw do
 
   resources :metacode_sets, except: [:show]
 
-  resources :metacodes, except: [:destroy]
+  resources :metacodes, except: [:new, :edit, :destroy]
   get 'metacodes/:name', to: 'metacodes#show'
 
   namespace :search do