diff --git a/day17/Cargo.toml b/day17/Cargo.toml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7d3f4fa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/day17/Cargo.toml
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+[package]
+name = "day17"
+version = "0.1.0"
+edition = "2021"
+
+[dependencies]
diff --git a/day17/src/main.rs b/day17/src/main.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..33f245d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/day17/src/main.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,257 @@
+use std::collections::HashSet;
+use std::collections::HashMap;
+use std::env;
+use std::fs;
+
+fn main() {
+    println!("Hello, AoC day 13!");
+
+    let args: Vec<String> = env::args().collect();
+    if args.len() != 2 {
+        println!("wrong number of arguments!");
+        std::process::exit(1);
+    }
+
+    let file_path = &args[1];
+
+    let binding = fs::read_to_string(file_path)
+        .expect("should be able to read the file");
+
+    let mut register: [u128; 3] = [0,0,0];
+    let mut program: Vec<u8> = Vec::new();
+    let mut instruction_pointer: usize = 0;
+    let mut stdout: Vec<u8> = Vec::new();
+
+    for line in binding.lines() {
+        if line.contains("Register A: ") {
+            register[0] = line.replace("Register A: ", "").parse().unwrap();
+        }
+        if line.contains("Register B: ") {
+            register[1] = line.replace("Register B: ", "").parse().unwrap();
+        }
+        if line.contains("Register B: ") {
+            register[2] = line.replace("Register B: ", "").parse().unwrap();
+        }
+
+        if line.contains("Program: ") {
+            program = line.replace("Program: ", "")
+                .split(",")
+                .map(|x| x.parse().unwrap())
+                .collect();
+        }
+    }
+
+    println!("initial state:");
+    print_state(&register, &program, &instruction_pointer);
+
+    // part a
+    print!("program output: ");
+    while let Ok(result) = step(&mut register, &program, &mut instruction_pointer) {
+        if let Some(output) = result {
+            stdout.push(output);
+        }
+    }
+    println!("{stdout:?}");
+
+    println!("");
+
+    // part b
+    let mut head = vec![0_u128];
+    let mut suffixes: HashMap<u128, Vec<u8>> = HashMap::new();
+    let mut winners: HashSet<u128> = HashSet::new();
+    while let Some(prefix) = head.pop() {
+        let desired;
+        if prefix == 0 {
+            desired = program[program.len()-1];
+        } else {
+            let length = format!("{prefix:o}").len();
+            if length >= program.len() {
+                winners.insert(prefix);
+                continue;
+            }
+            desired = program[program.len() - length - 1]
+        }
+        if suffixes.contains_key(&prefix) { continue; }
+        let octets = find_octets(prefix, desired);
+        for x in &octets {
+            head.push((prefix << 3) + (*x as u128));
+        }
+        suffixes.insert(prefix, octets);
+    }
+
+    let mut smallest = u128::MAX;
+    
+    for winner in winners {
+        if winner < smallest { 
+            smallest = winner;
+        }
+    }    
+
+    println!("the smallest quining initial value was {smallest} ");
+
+    register[0] = smallest;
+    register[1] = 0;
+    register[2] = 0;
+    
+    instruction_pointer = 0;
+    
+    stdout.drain(..);
+
+    println!("program output: ");
+    while let Ok(result) = step(&mut register, &program, &mut instruction_pointer) {
+        if let Some(output) = result {
+            stdout.push(output);
+        }
+    }
+    println!("{program:?}");
+    println!("{stdout:?}");
+}
+
+fn step(
+    register: &mut [u128; 3], 
+    program: &Vec<u8>, 
+    instruction_pointer: &mut usize) 
+-> Result<Option<u8>, ()> {
+
+    if *instruction_pointer >= program.len() { return Err(()); }
+    let instruction = program[*instruction_pointer];
+    if *instruction_pointer + 1 >= program.len() { return Err(()); }
+    let operand = program[*instruction_pointer + 1];
+
+    let literal_operand = operand;
+    let combo_operand = match operand { 
+        4 => register[0], 
+        5 => register[1], 
+        6 => register[2],
+        anything => anything.into(),
+    };
+    let mut output: Option<u8> = None;
+
+    *instruction_pointer += 2;
+
+    /*
+    println!("executing {} {}",
+        match instruction {0=>"adv",1=>"bxl",2=>"bst",3=>"jnz",4=>"bxc",5=>"out",6=>"bdv",7=>"cdv",_=>"???"},
+        literal_operand);
+    */ 
+
+    match instruction {
+        0 => { register[0] = div_thing(register[0], combo_operand); }, // adv
+        1 => { register[1] = register[1] ^ (literal_operand as u128); }, // bxl
+        2 => { register[1] = combo_operand % 8; }, // bst
+        3 => match register[0] { // jnz
+            0 => {},
+            _ => { *instruction_pointer = literal_operand as usize; }
+        },
+        4 => { register[1] = register[1] ^ register[2]; }, // bxc
+        5 => { output = Some((combo_operand % 8) as u8); }, // out
+        6 => { register[1] = div_thing(register[0], combo_operand); }, // bdv
+        7 => { register[2] = div_thing(register[0], combo_operand); }, // cdv
+        _ => { return Err(()); },
+    }
+    return Ok(output);
+}
+
+fn div_thing(a: u128, b: u128) -> u128 {
+    let power = 2_u128.pow(b.try_into().unwrap());
+    return a / power;
+}
+
+fn print_state(register: &[u128;3], program: &Vec<u8>, instruction_pointer: &usize) {
+    println!("registers: {register:?}");
+    println!("program: {program:?}");
+    println!("current pointer: {instruction_pointer}");
+}
+
+/*
+
+
+2 bst -> modulo combo operand => B
+4 bxc -> B xor C => B
+
+1 bxl -> B xor literal operand => B
+4 bxc -> B xor C => B
+
+7 cdv -> A / 2^(combo operand) => C
+5 out -> print combo operand
+
+4 bxc -> B xor C => B
+1 bxl -> B xor literal operand => B
+
+1 bxl -> B xor literal operand => B
+4 bxc -> B xor C => B
+
+5 out => print combo operand 
+5 out => print combo operand
+
+0 adv => A / 2^(combo operand) => A
+3 jnz => jump literal operand if A != 0
+
+3 jnz => jump literal operand if A != 0
+0 adv => A / 2^(combo operand) => A
+
+2,4,1,4,7,5,4,1,1,4,5,5,0,3,3,0
+
+there is only one JNZ executed in the normal execution, and it goes to the start. 
+all instructions are always aligned.
+
+
+2 bst -> A % 8 => B
+1 bxl -> B xor 4 => B
+7 cdv -> A / 2^B => C
+4 bxc -> B xor C => B
+1 bxl -> B xor 4 => B
+5 out => print B
+0 adv => A / 2^3 => A
+
+halt if A == 0, otherwise repeat
+
+
+B = X % 8
+B = B xor 4 // flip byte 3 (4's position)
+C = A >> B
+B = B xor C
+B = B xor 4 // flip byte 3
+print B
+A = A / 2^3
+treat A as a sequence of octets
+
+0o7654321
+_111_110_101_100_011_010_001
+B = 001
+B = 001 xor 100 = 101 = 0d5
+C = _111_110_101_100_011_010_001 >> 5 = 001_111_101_011_000_110
+B = B xor C = 101 xor 001_111_101_011_000_110 = 001_111_101_011_000_011
+print 011 = 0d3
+A = A >> 3
+
+last octet we want to output is 0 = 000
+
+X = 000...ijk
+B=ijk
+B = i j k xor 4 => ~i j k
+C = i j k >> ~i j k
+B = ~i j k xor C
+B = B xor 4
+print B
+
+*/
+
+fn find_octets(prefix: u128, target: u8) -> Vec<u8> {  
+    // returns all suffixes such that (prefix << 3) + suffix produces target as the output
+    let mut suffixes: Vec<u8> = Vec::with_capacity(3);
+    
+    for candidate in 0..8_u8 {
+        let a = (prefix << 3) + (candidate as u128);
+        let mut b = a % 8;
+        b = b ^ 4;
+        let c = a >> b;
+        b = b ^ c;
+        b = b ^ 4;
+        if b % 8 == target.into() {
+            suffixes.push(candidate);
+        }
+    }
+    
+    suffixes
+}
\ No newline at end of file