diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 9e42951..b54e9d0 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
 .envrc
 /inputs/*
 !/inputs/.gitkeep
+/.status.rktd
diff --git a/scripts/aoc-lib.rkt b/scripts/aoc-lib.rkt
index e0532e2..27482d6 100644
--- a/scripts/aoc-lib.rkt
+++ b/scripts/aoc-lib.rkt
@@ -1,19 +1,26 @@
 #lang racket
 
+;; library to interact with the AoC API and track solutions progress
+
 (require net/uri-codec net/http-client)
-(provide aoc-fetch-input aoc-fetch-challenge aoc-submit-answer)
+(provide aoc-fetch-input aoc-fetch-challenge aoc-submit-answer
+         aoc-complete? aoc-set-complete!)
 
 (define *host* "adventofcode.com")
+(define *status-file* ".status.rktd")
 
+;; generates API paths
 (define/contract (puzzle-path year day endpoint)
   (-> string? string? (or/c "input" "answer" false/c) path?)
   (define base (build-path "/" year "day" day))
   (if endpoint (build-path base endpoint) base))
 
+;; sets up necessary headers for API
 (define (make-headers session)
   (list (string-append "Cookie: session=" session)
         "Content-Type: application/x-www-form-urlencoded"))
 
+;; http request helper
 (define (aoc-request year day endpoint session [method 'GET] [data #f])
   (define (parse-headers hlist)
     (for/list ([h (in-list hlist)])
@@ -43,10 +50,12 @@
               (port->bytes content))]))
   (do-request (path->string (puzzle-path year day endpoint)) (make-headers session) method data))
 
+;; gets the input file for a challenge
 (define/contract (aoc-fetch-input year day session)
   (-> string? string? string? input-port?)
   (aoc-request year day "input" session))
 
+;; submits an answer to the server
 (define/contract (aoc-submit-answer year day session part answer)
   (-> string? string? string? (or/c 1 2 "1" "2") string? (or/c symbol? bytes?))
   (define data `((level . ,(~a part))
@@ -55,11 +64,41 @@
     (port->bytes (aoc-request year day "answer" session 'POST (alist->form-urlencoded data))))
 
   (match resp
-    [(pregexp #px"That's the right answer") 'answer-correct]
+    [(pregexp #px"That's the right answer")
+     (aoc-set-complete! day part)
+     'answer-correct]
     [(pregexp #px"That's not the right answer") 'answer-incorrect]
-    [(pregexp #px"Did you already complete it?") 'already-completed]
+    [(pregexp #px"Did you already complete it?")
+     (aoc-set-complete! day part)
+     'already-completed]
     [x x]))
 
+;; fetches the HTML page for a challenge
 (define/contract (aoc-fetch-challenge year day session)
   (-> string? string? string? input-port?)
   (aoc-request year day #f session))
+
+;; helper to generate entries for the challenge status file
+(define (day+part->key day part)
+  (when (string? day)
+    (set! day (string->number day)))
+  (when (string? part)
+    (set! part (string->number part)))
+  (cons day part))
+
+;; get the challenge status file
+(define (aoc-get-status)
+  (cond [(file-exists? *status-file*)
+         (call-with-input-file *status-file* read)]
+        [else '()]))
+
+;; is a challenge complete already?
+(define (aoc-complete? day part)
+  (set-member? (aoc-get-status) (day+part->key day part)))
+
+;; mark a challenge as completed
+(define (aoc-set-complete! day part)
+  (define status (set-add (aoc-get-status) (day+part->key day part)))
+  (call-with-output-file
+    *status-file* (lambda (out) (write status out))
+    #:mode 'binary #:exists 'replace))
diff --git a/scripts/aoc.rkt b/scripts/aoc.rkt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1bd3bc4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/aoc.rkt
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+#lang racket
+
+;; utilities for every challenge script
+
+(require "aoc-lib.rkt")
+(provide answer dbg)
+
+;; in-expression debug print, uwu
+(define (dbg x)
+  (pretty-write x)
+  x)
+
+;; submit a solution to the server if not already submitted
+(define (answer day part answer)
+  (printf "answer ~a.~a: ~s\n" day part answer)
+  (unless (aoc-complete? day part)
+    (printf "submit? [Y/n]: ")
+    (match (string-downcase (string-trim (read-line)))
+      [(or "" "y" "yes")
+       (printf "submitting...\n")
+       (define resp
+         (aoc-submit-answer (getenv "AOC_YEAR") (~a day) (getenv "AOC_SESSION") (~a part)
+                            (~a answer)))
+       (printf "server responded: ~a\n" resp)]
+      [_ (printf "not submitting\n")])))
diff --git a/scripts/make-day b/scripts/make-day
index 187fa40..89df439 100755
--- a/scripts/make-day
+++ b/scripts/make-day
@@ -2,7 +2,8 @@
 #lang racket
 
 (require racket/runtime-path
-         scribble/text (rename-in scribble/text/output [output scribble-output]))
+         scribble/text (rename-in scribble/text/output [output scribble-output])
+         "aoc-lib.rkt")
 
 (define-runtime-path template "template.rktrkt")
 
@@ -17,11 +18,14 @@
       (eval `(include/text (file ,file)))))
   (scribble-output output-exp port))
 
-
 (command-line
   #:program "make-day"
   #:args (day)
+  ;; make solution file
   (call-with-output-file
     (format "~a.rkt" day)
     (lambda (out)
-      (eval-template (path->string template) (hash 'day day) out))))
+      (eval-template (path->string template) (hash 'day day) out)))
+  ;; get input
+  (define in (aoc-fetch-input (getenv "AOC_YEAR") day (getenv "AOC_SESSION")))
+  (call-with-output-file (build-path "inputs" day) (lambda (out) (copy-port in out))))
diff --git a/scripts/template.rktrkt b/scripts/template.rktrkt
index d41469e..943054d 100644
--- a/scripts/template.rktrkt
+++ b/scripts/template.rktrkt
@@ -1,20 +1,30 @@
 #lang racket
 
+(require "scripts/aoc.rkt")
+
 ;; solution for day @day
 
 ;; helper functions here
 
+(define (part1 input)
+  ;; ...
+  (void))
+
+(define (part2 input)
+  ;; ...
+  (void))
+
 (module+ test
   (require rackunit)
   ;; tests here
-  (void))
+  (displayln "no tests :("))
 
 (module+ main
   (define input (file->... "inputs/@day"))
   ;; part 1
-  ;; ...
+  (answer @day 1 (part1 input))
 
   ;; part 2
-  ;; ...
+  (answer @day 2 (part2 input))
 
   (displayln "meow"))