diff --git a/src/app/clipboard.rs b/src/app/clipboard.rs
index a6d152f..bb2c1e6 100644
--- a/src/app/clipboard.rs
+++ b/src/app/clipboard.rs
@@ -83,6 +83,28 @@ impl Clipboard {
         }
         self.last_paste_cell = (low_x, low_y);
     }
+
+    pub fn clipboard_cut(&mut self, start: (usize, usize), end: (usize, usize), from: &mut Grid) {
+        let (x1, y1) = start;
+        let (x2, y2) = end;
+
+        let (low_x, hi_x) = if x1 < x2 { (x1, x2) } else { (x2, x1) };
+        let (low_y, hi_y) = if y1 < y2 { (y1, y2) } else { (y2, y1) };
+
+        // size the clipboard appropriately
+        self.clipboard.clear();
+        // clone data into clipboard
+        for x in low_x..=hi_x {
+            let mut col = Vec::new();
+            for y in low_y..=hi_y {
+                let a = from.get_cell_raw(x, y);
+                col.push(a.clone());
+                from.set_cell_raw::<CellType>((x,y), None);
+            }
+            self.clipboard.push(col);
+        }
+        self.last_paste_cell = (low_x, low_y);
+    }
 }
 
 #[test]
diff --git a/src/app/mode.rs b/src/app/mode.rs
index 839560e..8374268 100644
--- a/src/app/mode.rs
+++ b/src/app/mode.rs
@@ -182,16 +182,9 @@ impl Mode {
                     // TODO visual copy, paste, etc
                     let (x2, y2) = app.grid.cursor();
 
-                    let (low_x, hi_x) = if x1 < x2 { (x1, x2) } else { (x2, x1) };
-                    let (low_y, hi_y) = if y1 < y2 { (y1, y2) } else { (y2, y1) };
-
                     match key {
-                        'd' => {
-                            for x in low_x..=hi_x {
-                                for y in low_y..=hi_y {
-                                    app.grid.set_cell_raw::<CellType>((x, y), None);
-                                }
-                            }
+                        'd' | 'x' => {
+                            app.clipboard.clipboard_cut((x1,y1), (x2,y2), &mut app.grid);
                             app.mode = Mode::Normal
                         }
                         'y' => {
@@ -237,7 +230,7 @@ impl Mode {
                             // delete cell under cursor
                             ("d", ' ') | ("d", 'w') => {
                                 let loc = app.grid.cursor();
-                                app.grid.set_cell_raw::<CellType>(loc, None);
+                                app.clipboard.clipboard_cut(loc, loc, &mut app.grid);
                                 app.mode = Mode::Normal;
                             }
                             // go to top of row