The problem of checking or optimally simplifying bisimulation formulas is likely to be computationally very hard. We take a different view at the problem: we set out to define a very fast algorithm, and then see what we can obtain. Sometimes our algorithm can simplify a formula perfectly, sometimes it cannot. However, the algorithm is extremely fast and can, therefore, be added to formula-based bisimulation model checkers at practically no cost. When the formula can be simplified by our algorithm, this can have a dramatic positive effect on the better, but also more time consuming, theorem provers which will finish the job. 1 Introduction The need for validity checking or optimal simplification of first order bisimulation formulas has arisen from recent work on symbolic bisimulation checking of value-passing calculi [4, 9, 15]. The NP-completeness of checking satisfiability of propositional formulas [3] implies that validity checking of that class of formulas is co-NP complete. Addit...