diff --git a/config/ui/vars.cfg b/config/ui/vars.cfg
index 4ae849e9a..a9105f434 100644
--- a/config/ui/vars.cfg
+++ b/config/ui/vars.cfg
@@ -188,8 +188,11 @@ newui "vars" $SURFACE_FOREGROUND [
     uiallowinput 1
 
     local numvars scurflag scurvar searchstr
-    searchstr = (concatword $ui_vars_searchstr (? (|| (>= (strstr $ui_vars_searchstr "*") 0) (>= (strstr $ui_vars_searchstr "?") 0)) "" "*"))
-    numvars = (getvarinfo -1 $ui_vars_types $ui_vars_notypes $ui_vars_flags $ui_vars_noflags $ui_vars_searchstr 3)
+    // Remove the restrictive `?` and `*` checks for flexible matching
+    searchstr = (concatword $ui_vars_searchstr "*")  // Using `*` wildcard for broader match
+
+    // Perform a flexible search using the updated `searchstr`
+    numvars = (getvarinfo -1 $ui_vars_types $ui_vars_notypes $ui_vars_flags $ui_vars_noflags $searchstr 3)
 
     if (>= $ui_vars_num $numvars) [ ui_vars_init ]
 
@@ -205,7 +208,8 @@ newui "vars" $SURFACE_FOREGROUND [
                     uistyle lefttop
                     uivlist $ui_padbutton [
                         uistyle lefttop
-                        uiinput ui_vars_searchstr 32 [ui_vars_num = -1] 1 0 "[click here to enter wildcard search text]" 0 [] [uialtrelease [ui_vars_searchstr = ""]]
+                        // Changed the search function to use `ui_vars_searchstr`
+                        uiinput ui_vars_searchstr 32 [ui_vars_num = -1; ui_vars_page = 0] 1 0 "[click here to enter search text]" 0 [] [uialtrelease [ui_vars_searchstr = ""]]
                         uihlist 0 [
                             uistyle clampx
                             uistyle leftmiddle
@@ -281,7 +285,7 @@ newui "vars" $SURFACE_FOREGROUND [
                                         uihlist 0 [
                                             uistyle clampx
                                             uialign -1
-                                            ui_vars_curname = (getvarinfo $n $ui_vars_types $ui_vars_notypes $ui_vars_flags $ui_vars_noflags $ui_vars_searchstr 3)
+                                            ui_vars_curname = (getvarinfo $n $ui_vars_types $ui_vars_notypes $ui_vars_flags $ui_vars_noflags $searchstr 3)
                                             uiradio $ui_vars_curname (= $ui_vars_num $n) $ui_radiosize [ui_vars_num = @n]
                                         ]
                                     ]
@@ -316,7 +320,7 @@ newui "vars" $SURFACE_FOREGROUND [
                     uistyle lefttop
                     uihlist 0 [uispace 0.3]
                     if (&& (>= $ui_vars_num 0) (< $ui_vars_num $numvars) (> $numvars 0)) [
-                        scurvar = (getvarinfo $ui_vars_num $ui_vars_types $ui_vars_notypes $ui_vars_flags $ui_vars_noflags $ui_vars_searchstr)
+                        scurvar = (getvarinfo $ui_vars_num $ui_vars_types $ui_vars_notypes $ui_vars_flags $ui_vars_noflags $searchstr)
                         uivlist $ui_padbutton [
                             uistyle lefttop
                             ui_vars_display $scurvar