diff --git a/doc/03_signals_and_types.md b/doc/03_signals_and_types.md
index 7f9dadd..fbf0c96 100644
--- a/doc/03_signals_and_types.md
+++ b/doc/03_signals_and_types.md
@@ -609,7 +609,7 @@ Signal copper = ("copper-plate", 0);
 Signal iron_limited = iron;
 Signal copper_limited = copper / 3;
 
-# Minimum determines capacity — using conditional values
+# Minimum determines capacity using conditional values
 Signal can_make = ((iron_limited < copper_limited) : iron_limited)
                + ((copper_limited <= iron_limited) : copper_limited);
 ```
diff --git a/doc/06_functions.md b/doc/06_functions.md
index cd2cc4e..682b549 100644
--- a/doc/06_functions.md
+++ b/doc/06_functions.md
@@ -367,12 +367,12 @@ func calc(Signal a, Signal b) { ... }
 
 **Use conditional values (`:`) over multiplication:**
 ```facto
-# Efficient — one decider combinator
+# Efficient: one decider combinator
 func select(Signal cond, Signal a, Signal b) {
     return ((cond != 0) : a) + ((cond == 0) : b);
 }
 
-# Less efficient — extra arithmetic
+# Less efficient: extra arithmetic
 func select_old(Signal cond, Signal a, Signal b) {
     return (cond != 0) * a + (cond == 0) * b;
 }
diff --git a/example_programs/tests/test_markdown_examples.py b/example_programs/tests/test_markdown_examples.py
index ae3d46c..03a2f25 100644
--- a/example_programs/tests/test_markdown_examples.py
+++ b/example_programs/tests/test_markdown_examples.py
@@ -219,7 +219,7 @@ def extract_facto_blocks(markdown_path: Path) -> list[tuple[str, int, str]]:
 
     Returns: List of (code, line_number, first_30_chars) tuples
     """
-    content = markdown_path.read_text()
+    content = markdown_path.read_text(encoding="utf-8")
     blocks = []
 
     # Find all ```facto ... ``` blocks
diff --git a/tests/test_cli.py b/tests/test_cli.py
index d87873b..72aa03f 100644
--- a/tests/test_cli.py
+++ b/tests/test_cli.py
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 """
 
 import json
+import os
 
 import click
 import pytest
@@ -365,13 +366,13 @@ def test_compile_complex_program(self):
         success, result, messages = compile_dsl_source(code)
         assert success is True
 
+    @pytest.mark.skipif(os.name == "nt", reason="chmod permission test not reliable on Windows")
     def test_read_file_error_unreadable_file(self, runner, tmp_path):
         """Cover lines 234-236: error handling when reading input file fails.
 
         Click validates file readability before our code runs, so we test
         that Click properly reports unreadable files.
         """
-        import os
         import stat
 
         # Create a file, then make it unreadable
@@ -395,12 +396,12 @@ def test_read_file_error_nonexistent_file(self, runner, tmp_path):
         result = runner.invoke(main, [str(tmp_path / "nonexistent.facto")])
         assert result.exit_code != 0
 
+    @pytest.mark.skipif(os.name == "nt", reason="chmod permission test not reliable on Windows")
     def test_write_file_error_unwritable_directory(self, runner, tmp_path):
         """Cover lines 261-264: error handling when writing output file fails.
 
         Tests the exception handler for file write errors.
         """
-        import os
         import stat
 
         # Create a valid input file