Post-transcriptional mRNA regulation is often attained by lengthening or shortening the 3′ poly(A) tail of a transcript. Eukaryotic mRNAs show a spectrum of deadenylation rates, thus allowing intricate control of gene expression, but the mechanisms that determine such rates are unclear. Three new studies highlight the structural and biochemical features of a key enzyme in removing poly(A) tails, the PAN2–PAN3 complex, providing clues to how different mRNA deadenylation rates can be achieved.