diff --git a/conway/conway_test.go b/conway/conway_test.go
index 6974f71..8d2848d 100644
--- a/conway/conway_test.go
+++ b/conway/conway_test.go
@@ -30,9 +30,30 @@ func init() {
 	s.Set(15, 15, 1)
 }
 
-func TestLiveCellWithFewerThanTwoLiveNeighborsDies(t *testing.T) {
+func newTestGameState() (*GameState, error) {
+	state := NewGameState(16, 16)
+
+	err := state.Import(TEST_SIMPLE_INITIAL_STATE)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	return state, nil
+}
+
+func newTestGameOfLife() (*GameOfLife, error) {
 	game := NewGameOfLife(16, 16)
+
 	err := game.State.Import(TEST_SIMPLE_INITIAL_STATE)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	return game, nil
+}
+
+func TestLiveCellWithFewerThanTwoLiveNeighborsDies(t *testing.T) {
+	game, err := newTestGameOfLife()
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Error(err)
 		return
@@ -53,8 +74,7 @@ func TestLiveCellWithFewerThanTwoLiveNeighborsDies(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestLiveCellWithTwoOrThreeLiveNeighborsLivesOn(t *testing.T) {
-	game := NewGameOfLife(16, 16)
-	err := game.ImportState(TEST_SIMPLE_INITIAL_STATE)
+	game, err := newTestGameOfLife()
 
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Error(err)
@@ -76,8 +96,7 @@ func TestLiveCellWithTwoOrThreeLiveNeighborsLivesOn(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestLiveCellWithMoreThanThreeLiveNeighborsDies(t *testing.T) {
-	game := NewGameOfLife(16, 16)
-	err := game.ImportState(TEST_SIMPLE_INITIAL_STATE)
+	game, err := newTestGameOfLife()
 
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Error(err)
@@ -99,8 +118,7 @@ func TestLiveCellWithMoreThanThreeLiveNeighborsDies(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestDeadCellWithExactlyThreeLiveNeighborsBecomesAlive(t *testing.T) {
-	game := NewGameOfLife(16, 16)
-	err := game.ImportState(TEST_SIMPLE_INITIAL_STATE)
+	game, err := newTestGameOfLife()
 
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Error(err)
@@ -122,9 +140,8 @@ func TestDeadCellWithExactlyThreeLiveNeighborsBecomesAlive(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestGameOfLifeCanDisplayItself(t *testing.T) {
-	game := NewGameOfLife(16, 16)
+	game, err := newTestGameOfLife()
 
-	err := game.ImportState(TEST_SIMPLE_INITIAL_STATE)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Error(err)
 		return
@@ -140,14 +157,24 @@ func TestGameOfLifeCanDisplayItself(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestNewGameOfLifeHasCorrectDimensions(t *testing.T) {
-	game := NewGameOfLife(16, 16)
+	game, err := newTestGameOfLife()
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Error(err)
+		return
+	}
+
 	if game.State.Height() != 16 || game.State.Width() != 16 {
 		t.Fail()
 	}
 }
 
 func TestNewGameOfLifeHasGameStateOfSameDimensions(t *testing.T) {
-	game := NewGameOfLife(16, 16)
+	game, err := newTestGameOfLife()
+
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Error(err)
+		return
+	}
 
 	if len(game.State.Rows) < 16 {
 		t.Fail()
@@ -159,8 +186,8 @@ func TestNewGameOfLifeHasGameStateOfSameDimensions(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestGameStateCanImportState(t *testing.T) {
-	game := NewGameOfLife(16, 16)
-	err := game.State.Import(TEST_SIMPLE_INITIAL_STATE)
+	game, err := newTestGameOfLife()
+
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fail()
 	}
@@ -187,9 +214,13 @@ func TestGameStateCanImportState(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestGameOfLifeCanImportRandomState(t *testing.T) {
-	game := NewGameOfLife(16, 16)
-	err := game.ImportRandomState()
+	game, err := newTestGameOfLife()
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Error(err)
+		return
+	}
 
+	err = game.ImportRandomState()
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Error(err)
 		return
@@ -217,9 +248,7 @@ func TestGameOfLifeCanImportRandomState(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestGameStateCanDisplayItself(t *testing.T) {
-	state := NewGameState(16, 16)
-
-	err := state.Import(TEST_SIMPLE_INITIAL_STATE)
+	state, err := newTestGameState()
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Error(err)
 		return
@@ -314,9 +343,8 @@ func TestNewGenerationScoreCardIsAllZeros(t *testing.T) {
 
 func TestGenerationScoreCardCalculateResultsInCorrectNeighborCounts(t *testing.T) {
 	genScore := NewGenerationScoreCard(16, 16)
-	state := NewGameState(16, 16)
 
-	err := state.Import(TEST_SIMPLE_INITIAL_STATE)
+	state, err := newTestGameState()
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Error(err)
 		return
@@ -343,9 +371,7 @@ func TestGenerationScoreCardCalculateResultsInCorrectNeighborCounts(t *testing.T
 }
 
 func TestStateCanMutate(t *testing.T) {
-	state := NewGameState(16, 16)
-
-	err := state.Import(TEST_SIMPLE_INITIAL_STATE)
+	state, err := newTestGameState()
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Error(err)
 		return