diff --git a/crates/blas-tests/tests/oper.rs b/crates/blas-tests/tests/oper.rs
index f1e1bc42b..a9dca7e83 100644
--- a/crates/blas-tests/tests/oper.rs
+++ b/crates/blas-tests/tests/oper.rs
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ use ndarray::linalg::general_mat_vec_mul;
 use ndarray::Order;
 use ndarray::{Data, Ix, LinalgScalar};
 use ndarray_gen::array_builder::ArrayBuilder;
+use ndarray_gen::array_builder::ElementGenerator;
 
 use approx::assert_relative_eq;
 use defmac::defmac;
@@ -230,7 +231,6 @@ fn gen_mat_mul()
     let sizes = vec![
         (4, 4, 4),
         (8, 8, 8),
-        (10, 10, 10),
         (8, 8, 1),
         (1, 10, 10),
         (10, 1, 10),
@@ -241,19 +241,23 @@ fn gen_mat_mul()
         (4, 17, 3),
         (17, 3, 22),
         (19, 18, 2),
-        (16, 17, 15),
         (15, 16, 17),
-        (67, 63, 62),
+        (67, 50, 62),
     ];
     let strides = &[1, 2, -1, -2];
     let cf_order = [Order::C, Order::F];
+    let generator = [ElementGenerator::Sequential, ElementGenerator::Checkerboard];
 
     // test different strides and memory orders
-    for (&s1, &s2) in iproduct!(strides, strides) {
+    for (&s1, &s2, &gen) in iproduct!(strides, strides, &generator) {
         for &(m, k, n) in &sizes {
             for (ord1, ord2, ord3) in iproduct!(cf_order, cf_order, cf_order) {
-                println!("Case s1={}, s2={}, orders={:?}, {:?}, {:?}", s1, s2, ord1, ord2, ord3);
-                let a = ArrayBuilder::new((m, k)).memory_order(ord1).build() * 0.5;
+                println!("Case s1={}, s2={}, gen={:?}, orders={:?}, {:?}, {:?}", s1, s2, gen, ord1, ord2, ord3);
+                let a = ArrayBuilder::new((m, k))
+                    .memory_order(ord1)
+                    .generator(gen)
+                    .build()
+                    * 0.5;
                 let b = ArrayBuilder::new((k, n)).memory_order(ord2).build();
                 let mut c = ArrayBuilder::new((m, n)).memory_order(ord3).build();
 
diff --git a/crates/ndarray-gen/src/array_builder.rs b/crates/ndarray-gen/src/array_builder.rs
index a021e5252..9351aadc5 100644
--- a/crates/ndarray-gen/src/array_builder.rs
+++ b/crates/ndarray-gen/src/array_builder.rs
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ pub struct ArrayBuilder<D: Dimension>
 pub enum ElementGenerator
 {
     Sequential,
+    Checkerboard,
     Zero,
 }
 
@@ -64,16 +65,14 @@ where D: Dimension
     pub fn build<T>(self) -> Array<T, D>
     where T: Num + Clone
     {
-        let mut current = T::zero();
+        let zero = T::zero();
         let size = self.dim.size();
-        let use_zeros = self.generator == ElementGenerator::Zero;
-        Array::from_iter((0..size).map(|_| {
-            let ret = current.clone();
-            if !use_zeros {
-                current = ret.clone() + T::one();
-            }
-            ret
-        }))
+        (match self.generator {
+            ElementGenerator::Sequential =>
+                Array::from_iter(core::iter::successors(Some(zero), |elt| Some(elt.clone() + T::one())).take(size)),
+            ElementGenerator::Checkerboard => Array::from_iter([T::one(), zero].iter().cycle().take(size).cloned()),
+            ElementGenerator::Zero => Array::zeros(size),
+        })
         .into_shape_with_order((self.dim, self.memory_order))
         .unwrap()
     }