diff --git a/lib/spack/spack/solver/asp.py b/lib/spack/spack/solver/asp.py
index c14906f5a23..b562b60417e 100644
--- a/lib/spack/spack/solver/asp.py
+++ b/lib/spack/spack/solver/asp.py
@@ -603,8 +603,11 @@ def solve(
         # Initialize the control object for the solver
         self.control = clingo.Control()
         self.control.configuration.solve.models = nmodels
+        self.control.configuration.asp.trans_ext = 'all'
+        self.control.configuration.asp.eq = '5'
         self.control.configuration.configuration = 'tweety'
-        self.control.configuration.solver.opt_strategy = "bb,dec"
+        self.control.configuration.solve.parallel_mode = '2'
+        self.control.configuration.solver.opt_strategy = "usc,one"
 
         # set up the problem -- this generates facts and rules
         self.assumptions = []