diff --git a/2021/6.zig b/2021/6.zig
index c7e2042..dc89505 100644
--- a/2021/6.zig
+++ b/2021/6.zig
@@ -1,7 +1,14 @@
 const std = @import("std");
+const common = @import("./common.zig");
 
 // TODO: solution to day 6
 pub fn main() !void {
+    var fileContents = try common.readFileContents("/home/daniel/.home/.cache/aoc2021/6.input");
     const stdout = std.io.getStdOut().writer();
-    try stdout.print("Hello, {s}!\n", .{"world"});
+    try stdout.print("{s}", .{fileContents});
+}
+
+/// Calculate lanternFish value
+fn lanternFish() i32 {
+    return 48;
 }
diff --git a/2021/common.zig b/2021/common.zig
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..abefa6d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/2021/common.zig
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+const std = @import("std");
+
+pub fn readFileContents(file_path: []const u8, alloc: *std.mem.Allocator) anyerror![]u8 {
+    var gp = std.heap.GeneralPurposeAllocator(.{.safety = true}){};
+    defer _ = gp.deinit();
+    const alloc = &gp.allocator;
+
+    var path_buffer: [std.fs.MAX_PATH_BYTES]u8 = undefined;
+    const path = try std.fs.realpath(file_path, &path_buffer);
+
+    const file = try std.fs.openFileAbsolute(path, .{ .read = true });
+    defer file.close();
+
+    const fb = try file.readToEndAlloc(alloc, 50000);
+    defer alloc.free(fb);
+
+    return fb;
+}
diff --git a/2021/seven.nim b/2021/seven.nim
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..dce1e78
--- /dev/null
+++ b/2021/seven.nim
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+import std/[strutils, sequtils, tables, strformat]
+import ./common
+
+proc crabsDistance(input: string): int =
+  result = int.high()
+  var max_try = 0
+  let dists = input.split(',').map(parseInt)
+  for d in dists:
+    if d > max_try: max_try = d
+  for t in 0..max_try:
+    let fuel = dists.foldl(a + abs(b - t), 0)
+    if fuel < result: result = fuel
+
+let input = 7.loadInputText()
+time("day 7 part 1"): echo input.crabsDistance()
+# time("day 7 part 2"): echo "?"
+
+when not defined(release):
+  let testInput = "16,1,2,0,4,2,7,1,2,14"
+  doAssert testInput.crabsDistance() == 37