diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index b961508..19ed7c4 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 session_cookie.txt
 puzzle_text.md
 input.txt
+Untitled-1.py
 
 # Byte-compiled / optimized / DLL files
 __pycache__/
@@ -162,3 +163,4 @@ cython_debug/
 #  and can be added to the global gitignore or merged into this file.  For a more nuclear
 #  option (not recommended) you can uncomment the following to ignore the entire idea folder.
 #.idea/
+
diff --git a/2024/04/part 1 solution.py b/2024/04/part 1 solution.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a5f10f9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/2024/04/part 1 solution.py	
@@ -0,0 +1,69 @@
+testing = 0
+if not testing:
+    with open(r'2024/04\input.txt', 'r') as file:
+        input = file.read()
+else:
+    input = '''....XXMAS.
+.SAMXMS...
+...S..A...
+..A.A.MS.X
+XMASAMX.MM
+X.....XA.A
+S.S.S.S.SS
+.A.A.A.A.A
+..M.M.M.MM
+.X.X.XMASX'''
+
+# word search, 
+# allows words to be horizontal, vertical, diagonal, written backwards, or even overlapping other words
+# test input has 18 words
+
+def count_occurance(input, WORD = 'XMAS'):
+    rows = len(input)
+    cols = len(input[0])
+    word_len = len(WORD)
+    directions = {
+            'north': (0, -1),
+            'north_east': (1, -1),
+            'east': (1, 0), 
+            'south_east': (1, 1),
+            'south': (0, 1), 
+            'south_west': (-1, 1),
+            'west': (-1, 0),
+            'north_west': (-1, -1),
+        }
+
+    def am_i_still_in_grid(x,y):
+        'Returns True if the coordinates are within the grid'
+        return 0 <= x < rows and 0 <= y < cols
+    
+
+    def search_from(start_x, start_y, delta_x, delta_y):
+        """
+        Check if the word can be found starting from (start_x, start_y) 
+        in the direction specified by (delta_x, delta_y).
+        """
+        for i in range(word_len):
+            # Calculate the new coordinates
+            new_x = start_x + i * delta_x
+            new_y = start_y + i * delta_y
+            
+            # Check if the new coordinates are within the grid and match the word
+            if not am_i_still_in_grid(new_x, new_y) or input[new_x][new_y] != WORD[i]:
+                return False
+        
+        # If all characters match, return True
+        return True
+
+    word_count = 0
+    for x in range(rows):
+        for y in range(cols):
+            for direction in directions.values():
+                if search_from(x, y, direction[0], direction[1]):
+                    word_count += 1
+
+    return word_count
+
+lines = input.split('\n')
+print(count_occurance(lines))
+
diff --git a/2024/04/part 2 solution.py b/2024/04/part 2 solution.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0f169a9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/2024/04/part 2 solution.py	
@@ -0,0 +1,65 @@
+testing = 0
+if not testing:
+    with open(r'2024/04\input.txt', 'r') as file:
+        input = file.read()
+else:
+    input = '''.M.S......
+..A..MSMS.
+.M.S.MAA..
+..A.ASMSM.
+.M.S.M....
+..........
+S.S.S.S.S.
+.A.A.A.A..
+M.M.M.M.M.
+..........'''
+
+# word search, 
+# allows words to be horizontal, vertical, diagonal, written backwards, or even overlapping other words
+# test input has 18 words
+
+# part 2 calls for looking for 2x 'MAS' in the shape of an 'X'
+# we can now ignore the NESW directions
+# we should just check the diagonals of any 'A' we find
+# if it has 2 'MAS' in the diagonals, we have a match
+
+# turn the input into a list of lists so we can grid reference it
+
+lines = input.split('\n')
+grid = [list(line) for line in lines]
+directions = {
+    'north_east': (1, -1),
+    'south_west': (-1, 1),
+
+    'south_east': (1, 1),
+    'north_west': (-1, -1),
+}
+grid_x_len = len(grid[0])
+grid_y_len = len(grid)
+
+# print(grid)
+xmas_count = 0
+
+# search for 'A's
+for y, row in enumerate(grid):
+    for x, cell in enumerate(row):
+        if cell != 'A':
+            continue
+        # we found an 'A', check diagonals for 'M' and 'S'
+        if not (0 <= x + 1 < grid_x_len and 0 <= y + 1 < grid_y_len and
+                0 <= x - 1 < grid_x_len and 0 <= y - 1 < grid_y_len):
+            # we are at the edge of the grid, no need to check
+            continue
+        
+        # take the character from the diagonal, including the middle 'A'
+
+        word_to_check = grid[y + 1][x + 1] + grid[y][x] + grid[y - 1][x - 1]
+        if word_to_check == 'MAS' or word_to_check == 'SAM':
+            # one diagonal has 'MAS', check the other
+            word_to_check = grid[y - 1][x + 1] + grid[y][x] + grid[y + 1][x - 1]
+            if word_to_check == 'MAS' or word_to_check == 'SAM':
+                xmas_count += 1
+            #print(word_to_check)
+
+            
+print(xmas_count)