diff --git a/2021/day17/main.go b/2021/day17/main.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..96fc2f2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/2021/day17/main.go
@@ -0,0 +1,156 @@
+package main
+
+import (
+	_ "embed"
+	"flag"
+	"fmt"
+	"strings"
+
+	"github.com/alexchao26/advent-of-code-go/mathy"
+	"github.com/alexchao26/advent-of-code-go/util"
+)
+
+//go:embed input.txt
+var input string
+
+func init() {
+	// do this in init (not main) so test file has same input
+	input = strings.TrimRight(input, "\n")
+	if len(input) == 0 {
+		panic("empty input.txt file")
+	}
+}
+
+func main() {
+	var part int
+	flag.IntVar(&part, "part", 1, "part 1 or 2")
+	flag.Parse()
+	fmt.Println("Running part", part)
+
+	ans := trickShot(input, part)
+	util.CopyToClipboard(fmt.Sprintf("%v", ans))
+	fmt.Println("Output:", ans)
+}
+
+// x = forward
+// y = up/down
+
+// starts at 0,0
+
+// must be within target area (input) EVENTUALLY (aka on some step)
+
+// find MAX Y position that can be reached for a valid initial velocity?
+
+// ACTUAL: target area: x=88..125, y=-157..-103
+// EXAMPLE: target area: x=20..30, y=-10..-5
+
+func trickShot(input string, part int) int {
+	// dummy state just to get some reasonable bounds for starting x velocities
+	dummyState := newState(input, -1, -1)
+	// hypothesis: the starting x velocity will be positive, (likely) under xmax+1 because then it
+	// will pass the entire box within a single "step"
+	// search bounds... (binary?) <- ended up being a trap
+	leftXVel, rightXVel := 0, dummyState.xmax+1
+
+	var highestY int                     // part 1
+	var totalValidStartingVelocities int // part 2
+
+	for xVel := leftXVel; xVel <= rightXVel; xVel++ {
+		// brute force the starting y velocities :/
+		for yVel := -1000; yVel <= 1000; yVel++ {
+			st := newState(input, xVel, yVel)
+			maybeHigherY, inBox := st.run()
+			if inBox {
+				highestY = mathy.MaxInt(highestY, maybeHigherY)
+
+				// part2
+				totalValidStartingVelocities++
+			}
+		}
+	}
+
+	if part == 1 {
+		return highestY
+	}
+
+	return totalValidStartingVelocities
+}
+
+type state struct {
+	xmin, xmax, ymin, ymax int
+	x, y                   int
+	xvel, yvel             int
+	highestY               int
+}
+
+func newState(input string, startingXVel, startingYVel int) *state {
+	//target area: x=88..125, y=-157..-103
+	var xmin, xmax, ymin, ymax int
+	n, err := fmt.Sscanf(input, "target area: x=%d..%d, y=%d..%d", &xmin, &xmax, &ymin, &ymax)
+	if n != 4 || err != nil {
+		panic(fmt.Sprintf("%d read, want 4; error? %s", n, err))
+	}
+
+	return &state{
+		xmin: xmin,
+		xmax: xmax,
+		ymin: ymin,
+		ymax: ymax,
+		xvel: startingXVel,
+		yvel: startingYVel,
+		// zero values handle the rest
+	}
+}
+
+func (s *state) step() (reached, done bool) {
+	// The probe's x position increases by its x velocity.
+	s.x += s.xvel
+	// The probe's y position increases by its y velocity.
+	s.y += s.yvel
+
+	s.highestY = mathy.MaxInt(s.highestY, s.y)
+
+	// the probe's x velocity changes by 1 toward the value 0, stays zero if 0
+	if s.xvel > 0 {
+		s.xvel--
+	} else if s.xvel < 0 {
+		s.xvel++
+	}
+
+	// the probe's y velocity decreases by 1.
+	s.yvel--
+
+	// check if within bounds of (x|y)(min|max)
+	if s.x >= s.xmin && s.x <= s.xmax && s.y >= s.ymin && s.y <= s.ymax {
+		return true, true
+	}
+
+	// done overshot to the right
+	if s.x > s.xmax {
+		return false, true
+	}
+
+	// done: undershot to the left and no velocity to get more right
+	if s.xvel == 0 && s.x < s.xmin {
+		return false, true
+	}
+
+	// done: y is getting lower and lower and will never recover
+	if s.y < s.ymin {
+		return false, true
+	}
+
+	// indicate not reached but also not done, so call again
+	return false, false
+}
+
+func (s *state) run() (maxY int, inBox bool) {
+	var reached, done bool
+	for !done {
+		reached, done = s.step()
+		if reached {
+			return s.highestY, true
+		}
+	}
+	return -1, false
+}
diff --git a/2021/day17/main_test.go b/2021/day17/main_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8a8d9ec
--- /dev/null
+++ b/2021/day17/main_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,49 @@
+package main
+
+import (
+	_ "embed"
+	"testing"
+)
+
+var example = `target area: x=20..30, y=-10..-5`
+
+func Test_trickShot(t *testing.T) {
+	tests := []struct {
+		name  string
+		input string
+		part  int
+		want  int
+	}{
+		{
+			name:  "example",
+			input: example,
+			part:  1,
+			want:  45,
+		},
+		{
+			name:  "actual",
+			input: input,
+			part:  1,
+			want:  12246,
+		},
+		{
+			name:  "part2 example",
+			input: example,
+			part:  2,
+			want:  112,
+		},
+		{
+			name:  "actual",
+			input: input,
+			part:  2,
+			want:  3528,
+		},
+	}
+	for _, tt := range tests {
+		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			if got := trickShot(tt.input, tt.part); got != tt.want {
+				t.Errorf("trickShot() = %v, want %v", got, tt.want)
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}