diff --git a/proselint/checks/cliches/misc.py b/proselint/checks/cliches/misc.py
index ac8c51f0a..8a810a91e 100644
--- a/proselint/checks/cliches/misc.py
+++ b/proselint/checks/cliches/misc.py
@@ -922,7 +922,7 @@ def check_cliches_gnu_diction(text: str) -> list[ResultCheck]:
 
     return existence_check(text, items, err, msg, ignore_case=True)
 
-def check_cliches_nigel(text):
+def check_cliches_nigel(text: str) -> list[ResultCheck]:
     """Check the text.
 
     source:     Nigel Ree's Dictionary of Cliches
diff --git a/proselint/config_base.py b/proselint/config_base.py
index d1277b4f3..97e6bd4e2 100644
--- a/proselint/config_base.py
+++ b/proselint/config_base.py
@@ -79,6 +79,7 @@ def names(cls) -> list[str]:
         "nonwords.misc": True,
         "oxymorons.misc": True,
         "psychology.misc": True,
+        "punctuation_spacing.misc": True,
         "redundancy.misc": True,
         "redundancy.ras_syndrome": True,
         "skunked_terms.misc": True,
diff --git a/proselint/tools.py b/proselint/tools.py
index 482ac34e9..618c4536e 100644
--- a/proselint/tools.py
+++ b/proselint/tools.py
@@ -182,50 +182,10 @@ def lint_path(
     results = {}
     chars = 0
 
-    msg = " ".join(msg.split())
-
-    for w in word_pairs:
-        matches = [
-            [m for m in re.finditer(w[0], text)],
-            [m for m in re.finditer(w[1], text)]
-        ]
-
-        if len(matches[0]) > 0 and len(matches[1]) > 0:
-
-            idx_minority = len(matches[0]) > len(matches[1])
-
-            for m in matches[idx_minority]:
-                errors.append((
-                    m.start() + offset,
-                    m.end() + offset,
-                    err,
-                    msg.format(w[~idx_minority], m.group(0)),
-                    w[~idx_minority]))
-
-    return errors
-
-
-def punctuation_check(text, pattern, err, msg, offset=0):
-    """Build a checker for unnacceptable number of spaces behind puncuation."""
-    errors = []
-
-    period_spaces = re.finditer(pattern, text)
-
-    for inst in period_spaces:
-        errors.append((
-            inst.start() + offset,
-            inst.end() + offset,
-            err,
-            msg,
-            None))
-
-    return errors
-
-
-def preferred_forms_check(text, list, err, msg, ignore_case=True, offset=0):
-    """Build a checker that suggests the preferred form."""
-    if ignore_case:
-        flags = re.IGNORECASE
+    if len(paths) == 0:
+        # Use stdin if no paths were specified
+        log.info("No path specified -> will read from <stdin>")
+        results["<stdin>"] = lint(sys.stdin, config=config, checks=checks)
     else:
         # offer "outer" executor, to make multiprocessing more effective
         exe = ProcessPoolExecutor() if config["parallelize"] else None
diff --git a/tests/test_config_flag_proselintrc b/tests/test_config_flag_proselintrc
deleted file mode 100644
index d0982baa4..000000000
--- a/tests/test_config_flag_proselintrc
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,90 +0,0 @@
-{
-    "max_errors": 1000,
-    "checks": {
-        "airlinese.misc"                : true,
-        "annotations.misc"              : true,
-        "archaism.misc"                 : true,
-        "cliches.hell"                  : true,
-        "cliches.misc"                  : true,
-        "consistency.spacing"           : true,
-        "consistency.spelling"          : true,
-        "corporate_speak.misc"          : true,
-        "cursing.filth"                 : true,
-        "cursing.nfl"                   : false,
-        "cursing.nword"                 : true,
-        "dates_times.am_pm"             : true,
-        "dates_times.dates"             : true,
-        "hedging.misc"                  : true,
-        "hyperbole.misc"                : true,
-        "jargon.misc"                   : true,
-        "lexical_illusions.misc"        : true,
-        "lgbtq.offensive_terms"         : true, 
-        "lgbtq.terms"                   : true,
-        "links.broken"                  : false,
-        "malapropisms.misc"             : true,
-        "misc.apologizing"              : true,
-        "misc.back_formations"          : true,
-        "misc.bureaucratese"            : true,
-        "misc.but"                      : true,
-        "misc.capitalization"           : true,
-        "misc.chatspeak"                : true,
-        "misc.commercialese"            : true,
-        "misc.composition"              : true,
-        "misc.currency"                 : true,
-        "misc.debased"                  : true,
-        "misc.false_plurals"            : true,
-        "misc.illogic"                  : true,
-        "misc.inferior_superior"        : true,
-        "misc.institution_name"	        : true,
-        "misc.latin"                    : true,
-        "misc.many_a"                   : true,
-        "misc.metaconcepts"             : true,
-        "misc.metadiscourse"            : true,
-        "misc.narcissism"               : true,
-        "misc.not_guilty"               : true,
-        "misc.phrasal_adjectives"       : true,
-        "misc.preferred_forms"          : true,
-        "misc.pretension"               : true,
-        "misc.professions"              : true,
-        "misc.punctuation"              : true,
-        "misc.scare_quotes"             : true,
-        "misc.suddenly"                 : true,
-        "misc.tense_present"            : true,
-        "misc.waxed"                    : true,
-        "misc.whence"                   : true,
-        "mixed_metaphors.misc"          : true,
-        "mondegreens.misc"              : true,
-        "needless_variants.misc"        : true,
-        "nonwords.misc"                 : true,
-        "oxymorons.misc"                : true,
-        "psychology.misc"               : true,
-        "redundancy.misc"               : true,
-        "redundancy.ras_syndrome"       : true,
-        "skunked_terms.misc"            : true,
-        "spelling.able_atable"          : true,
-        "spelling.able_ible"            : true,
-        "spelling.ally_ly"              : true,
-        "spelling.ance_ence"            : true,
-        "spelling.athletes"             : true,
-        "spelling.ely_ly"               : true,
-        "spelling.em_im_en_in"          : true,
-        "spelling.er_or"                : true,
-        "spelling.in_un"                : true,
-        "spelling.misc"                 : true,
-        "spelling.ve_of"                : true,
-        "security.credit_card"          : true,
-        "security.password"             : true,
-        "sexism.misc"                   : true,
-        "terms.animal_adjectives"       : true,
-        "terms.denizen_labels"          : true,
-        "terms.eponymous_adjectives"    : true,
-        "terms.venery"                  : true,
-        "typography.diacritical_marks"  : true,
-        "typography.exclamation"        : true,
-        "typography.symbols"            : true,
-        "uncomparables.misc"            : false,
-        "weasel_words.misc"             : true,
-        "weasel_words.very"             : true,
-        "punctuation_spacing.punctuation_spacing" : true
-    }
-}