diff --git a/asymmetric.py b/asymmetric.py
index 957f7aa8..449b137f 100644
--- a/asymmetric.py
+++ b/asymmetric.py
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import time
 import gzip
 import os
 import sys
+import re
 import torch
 import argparse
 import pathlib
@@ -56,8 +57,13 @@ def compute_embeddings(entries, bi_encoder, embeddings_file, verbose=False):
     return corpus_embeddings
 
 
-def query_notes(query, corpus_embeddings, entries, bi_encoder, cross_encoder, topk=100):
+def query_notes(raw_query, corpus_embeddings, entries, bi_encoder, cross_encoder, top_k=100):
     "Search all notes for entries that answer the query"
+    # Separate natural query from explicit required, blocked words filters
+    query = " ".join([word for word in raw_query.split() if not word.startswith("+") and not word.startswith("-")])
+    required_words = set([word[1:].lower() for word in raw_query.split() if word.startswith("+")])
+    blocked_words = set([word[1:].lower() for word in raw_query.split() if word.startswith("-")])
+
     # Encode the query using the bi-encoder
     question_embedding = bi_encoder.encode(query, convert_to_tensor=True)
 
@@ -65,6 +71,11 @@ def query_notes(query, corpus_embeddings, entries, bi_encoder, cross_encoder, to
     hits = util.semantic_search(question_embedding, corpus_embeddings, top_k=top_k)
     hits = hits[0]  # Get the hits for the first query
 
+    # Filter results using explicit filters
+    hits = explicit_filter(hits, entries, required_words, blocked_words)
+    if hits is None or len(hits) == 0:
+        return hits
+
     # Score all retrieved entries using the cross-encoder
     cross_inp = [[query, entries[hit['corpus_id']]] for hit in hits]
     cross_scores = cross_encoder.predict(cross_inp)
@@ -76,6 +87,28 @@ def query_notes(query, corpus_embeddings, entries, bi_encoder, cross_encoder, to
     # Order results by cross encoder score followed by biencoder score
     hits.sort(key=lambda x: x['score'], reverse=True) # sort by biencoder score
     hits.sort(key=lambda x: x['cross-score'], reverse=True) # sort by cross encoder score
+
+    return hits
+
+
+def explicit_filter(hits, entries, required_words, blocked_words):
+    hits_by_word_set = [(set(word.lower()
+                             for word
+                             in re.split(
+                                 ',|\.| |\]|\[\(|\)|\{|\}',
+                                 entries[hit['corpus_id']])
+                             if word != ""),
+                         hit)
+                        for hit in hits]
+
+    if len(required_words) == 0 and len(blocked_words) == 0:
+        return hits
+    if len(required_words) > 0:
+        return [hit for (words_in_entry, hit) in hits_by_word_set
+                if required_words.intersection(words_in_entry) and not blocked_words.intersection(words_in_entry)]
+    if len(blocked_words) > 0:
+        return [hit for (words_in_entry, hit) in hits_by_word_set
+                if not blocked_words.intersection(words_in_entry)]
     return hits