diff --git a/2024/day06/day06.py b/2024/day06/day06.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1e23390
--- /dev/null
+++ b/2024/day06/day06.py
@@ -0,0 +1,165 @@
+# guard walks forward, turns right if blocked, turn or step = 1 move
+
+
+import time
+
+
+def part1(input: str) -> int:
+    return len(get_full_path(input))
+
+
+# changed this to return the set of all coords on the path to (slightly) speed up part 2
+# so part 2 can just modify things already on the guard's path instead of brute forcing
+# the entire grid
+def get_full_path(input: str) -> set[tuple[int, int]]:
+    lines = input.splitlines()
+
+    row: int = 0
+    col: int = 0
+
+    # find starting row and col
+    for r in range(len(lines)):
+        for c in range(len(lines[0])):
+            if lines[r][c] == "^":
+                row = r
+                col = c
+                break
+
+    # example and my input both have the guard just starting pointing north
+    dir_index: int = 0
+    dirs: list[list[int]] = [
+        [-1, 0],
+        [0, 1],
+        [1, 0],
+        [0, -1],
+    ]
+
+    seen: set[tuple[int, int]] = set()
+
+    # assume that we just have to run off the grid?..
+    while row >= 0 and row < len(lines) and col >= 0 and col < len(lines[0]):
+        coord = (row, col)
+
+        seen.add(coord)
+        dir = dirs[dir_index]
+        nextRow: int = row + dir[0]
+        nextCol: int = col + dir[1]
+        if not (
+            nextRow >= 0
+            and nextRow < len(lines)
+            and nextCol >= 0
+            and nextCol < len(lines[0])
+        ):
+            break
+        if lines[nextRow][nextCol] == "#":
+            # rotate
+            dir_index += 1
+            dir_index %= 4
+        else:
+            row = nextRow
+            col = nextCol
+
+    # return len(seen)
+    return seen
+
+
+def part2(input: str) -> int:
+
+    path = get_full_path(input)
+
+    # list(str) divides the str into individual characters?
+    # can't just use str.split("")
+    # need an actual 2D array so we can modify the grid and add obstacles
+    grid = [list(line) for line in input.splitlines()]
+
+    # for every coord on the guard's path, just make it an obstacle and see if it loops
+    ans: int = 0
+    for coord in path:
+        if grid[coord[0]][coord[1]] == ".":
+            grid[coord[0]][coord[1]] = "#"
+            if does_guard_loop(grid):
+                ans += 1
+            grid[coord[0]][coord[1]] = "."
+
+    return ans
+
+
+# slight modification to getting the entire path by tracking the direction
+# these two could be combined...
+def does_guard_loop(grid: list[list[str]]) -> bool:
+    row: int = 0
+    col: int = 0
+
+    # find starting row and col
+    for r in range(len(grid)):
+        for c in range(len(grid[0])):
+            if grid[r][c] == "^":
+                row = r
+                col = c
+                break
+
+    # example and my input both have the guard just starting pointing north
+    dir_index: int = 0
+    dirs: list[list[int]] = [
+        [-1, 0],
+        [0, 1],
+        [1, 0],
+        [0, -1],
+    ]
+
+    # keys: row, col, dir_index
+    seen: set[tuple[int, int, int]] = set()
+
+    # assume that we just have to run off the grid?..
+    while row >= 0 and row < len(grid) and col >= 0 and col < len(grid[0]):
+        key = (row, col, dir_index)
+
+        if key in seen:
+            return True
+
+        seen.add(key)
+        dir = dirs[dir_index]
+        nextRow: int = row + dir[0]
+        nextCol: int = col + dir[1]
+        if not (
+            nextRow >= 0
+            and nextRow < len(grid)
+            and nextCol >= 0
+            and nextCol < len(grid[0])
+        ):
+            break
+        if grid[nextRow][nextCol] == "#":
+            # rotate
+            dir_index += 1
+            dir_index %= 4
+        else:
+            row = nextRow
+            col = nextCol
+
+    # no loop found
+    return False
+
+
+example = """....#.....
+.........#
+..........
+..#.......
+.......#..
+..........
+.#..^.....
+........#.
+#.........
+......#..."""
+
+input = open("input.txt").read()
+
+
+print(f"part1 example: {part1(example)} want 41")
+print(f"part1: {part1(input)} want 4939")
+
+print(f"part2 example: {part2(example)} want 6")
+
+start_time = time.time()
+print(f"part2: {part2(input)} want 1434")  # slow as heck... ~30s on my laptop
+end_time = time.time()
+print(f"runtime = {end_time - start_time} seconds")