diff --git a/cv_analysis/utils/connect_rects.py b/cv_analysis/utils/connect_rects.py
index abc1fd2..21de49d 100644
--- a/cv_analysis/utils/connect_rects.py
+++ b/cv_analysis/utils/connect_rects.py
@@ -1,15 +1,17 @@
-from itertools import combinations, starmap, product
+from itertools import combinations, product
 from typing import Iterable
 
 from funcy import lfilter, lmap
 
+from cv_analysis.utils import star
 from cv_analysis.utils.conversion import rectangle_to_box, box_to_rectangle
 from cv_analysis.utils.rectangle import Rectangle
+from cv_analysis.utils.spacial import overlap
 
 
-def is_near_enough(rect_pair, max_gap=14):
-    x1, y1, w1, h1 = rect_pair[0]
-    x2, y2, w2, h2 = rect_pair[1]
+def is_near_enough(alpha: Rectangle, beta: Rectangle, max_gap=14):
+    x1, y1, w1, h1 = alpha
+    x2, y2, w2, h2 = beta
 
     return any(
         [
@@ -21,14 +23,6 @@ def is_near_enough(rect_pair, max_gap=14):
     )
 
 
-def is_overlapping(rect_pair):
-    x1, y1, w1, h1 = rect_pair[0]
-    x2, y2, w2, h2 = rect_pair[1]
-    dx = min(x1 + w1, x2 + w2) - max(x1, x2)
-    dy = min(y1 + h1, y2 + h2) - max(y1, y2)
-    return True if (dx >= 0) and (dy >= 0) else False
-
-
 def is_on_same_line(rect_pair):
     x1, y1, w1, h1 = rect_pair[0]
     x2, y2, w2, h2 = rect_pair[1]
@@ -60,8 +54,8 @@ def has_correct_position(alpha: Rectangle, beta: Rectangle):
     )
 
 
-def is_related(rect_pair):
-    return (is_near_enough(rect_pair) and has_correct_position(*rect_pair)) or is_overlapping(rect_pair)
+def is_related(alpha: Rectangle, beta: Rectangle):
+    return (is_near_enough(alpha, beta) and has_correct_position(alpha, beta)) or overlap(alpha, beta)
 
 
 def fuse_rects(rect1, rect2):
@@ -83,7 +77,7 @@ def rectangles_differ(r):
 
 
 def find_related_rects(rects):
-    rect_pairs = lfilter(is_related, combinations(rects, 2))
+    rect_pairs = lfilter(star(is_related), combinations(rects, 2))
     rect_pairs = lfilter(rectangles_differ, rect_pairs)
     if not rect_pairs:
         return [], rects
@@ -104,7 +98,7 @@ def connect_related_rectangles(rectangles: Iterable[Rectangle]):
         current_rect = boxes.pop(current_idx)
 
         for idx, maybe_related_rect in enumerate(boxes):
-            if is_related((current_rect, maybe_related_rect)):
+            if is_related(current_rect, maybe_related_rect):
                 current_rect = fuse_rects(current_rect, maybe_related_rect)
                 boxes.pop(idx)
                 merge_happened = True
diff --git a/cv_analysis/utils/spacial.py b/cv_analysis/utils/spacial.py
index 2a419c6..3d02340 100644
--- a/cv_analysis/utils/spacial.py
+++ b/cv_analysis/utils/spacial.py
@@ -179,3 +179,12 @@ def intersection_along_axis(alpha, beta, axis):
     min_c1, max_c1, min_c2, max_c2 = lflatten(juxt(sort_first_components, sort_second_components)((alpha, beta)))
     intersection = max(0, min_c2 - max_c1)
     return intersection
+
+
+def overlap(alpha: Rectangle, beta: Rectangle):
+    x1, y1, w1, h1 = alpha
+    x2, y2, w2, h2 = beta
+
+    dx = min(x1 + w1, x2 + w2) - max(x1, x2)
+    dy = min(y1 + h1, y2 + h2) - max(y1, y2)
+    return True if (dx >= 0) and (dy >= 0) else False
diff --git a/cv_analysis/utils/utils.py b/cv_analysis/utils/utils.py
index e62769b..a7f9c4d 100644
--- a/cv_analysis/utils/utils.py
+++ b/cv_analysis/utils/utils.py
@@ -26,3 +26,10 @@ def lift(fn):
         yield from map(fn, coll)
 
     return lifted
+
+
+def star(fn):
+    def starred(*args):
+        return fn(*args)
+
+    return starred