diff --git a/day-6/benches/bench.rs b/day-6/benches/bench.rs
index aa945d1..eb909f5 100644
--- a/day-6/benches/bench.rs
+++ b/day-6/benches/bench.rs
@@ -1,5 +1,9 @@
 #![allow(dead_code)]
 
+// uncomment for unstable version
+// #![allow(unused_attributes, incomplete_features)]
+// #![feature(generic_const_exprs, const_for, const_mut_refs)]
+
 use aoc_lib::AdventOfCode;
 use criterion::{black_box, criterion_group, criterion_main, Criterion};
 
diff --git a/day-6/src/main_unstable.rs b/day-6/src/main_unstable.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8f4a096
--- /dev/null
+++ b/day-6/src/main_unstable.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,154 @@
+#![feature(generic_const_exprs)]
+#![feature(const_for)]
+#![feature(const_mut_refs)]
+
+use aoc_lib::*;
+
+aoc_setup!(Day6, sample 1: 5934, sample 2: 26984457539, part 1: 360268);
+
+pub struct Day6;
+
+impl AdventOfCode for Day6 {
+    type Input = Vec<usize>; // can be u8
+    type Output = u64;
+
+    fn parse_input(s: &str) -> Self::Input {
+        s.split(',').map(|l| l.parse().unwrap()).collect()
+    }
+
+    fn solve_1(input: &Self::Input) -> Self::Output {
+        solve_smart::<80>(input)
+    }
+
+    fn solve_2(input: &Self::Input) -> Self::Output {
+        solve_smart::<256>(input)
+    }
+}
+
+pub fn solve_naive<const DAYS: usize>(input: &[usize]) -> u64 {
+    let mut vec: Vec<usize> = input.iter().copied().collect();
+
+    for _day in 0..DAYS {
+        let start_len = vec.len();
+        for i in 0..start_len {
+            if vec[i] == 0 {
+                vec[i] = 6;
+                vec.push(8);
+            } else {
+                vec[i] -= 1;
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    vec.len() as u64
+}
+
+pub fn solve_smart<const DAYS: usize>(input: &[usize]) -> u64
+where
+    [(); DAYS + 8]: Sized,
+{
+    let map = generate_map::<DAYS>();
+    // println!("map: {:?}", map);
+
+    // for every starting fish, calculate the amount of offspring they generate
+    let birthed_offspring: u64 = input
+        .iter()
+        .map(|&fish| (map[8 - fish + DAYS])) // lower number means born earlier, means more fish
+        .sum();
+
+    birthed_offspring // + (input.len() as u64)
+}
+
+const fn generate_map<const LEN: usize>() -> [u64; LEN + 8]
+where
+    [(); LEN + 8]: Sized,
+{
+    // this map contains the number of offspring that are resultant from a fish born at time 0
+    let mut map = [0u64; LEN + 8];
+
+    let mut day = 0;
+    loop {
+        let added_fish = get_fish_count_from_map_day(&map, day);
+        map[day] = added_fish;
+        // println!("day: {}, added_fish: {}", day, added_fish);
+
+        day += 1;
+
+        if day >= LEN + 8 {
+            break;
+        }
+    }
+
+    map
+}
+
+// rename me
+// also const I think
+const fn get_fish_count_from_map_day(map: &[u64], day: usize) -> u64 {
+    // always start with 1 fish
+    let mut added_fish = 1;
+
+    // look at all days that spawn a fish, see how many fish result from this day
+    // can't use ranges in const fn yet
+    let mut offspring_day = 9;
+
+    loop {
+        if day < offspring_day {
+            break;
+        }
+
+        let remaining_days = day - offspring_day;
+        added_fish += map[remaining_days];
+
+        offspring_day += 7;
+
+        if offspring_day > day {
+            break;
+        }
+    }
+
+    added_fish
+}
+
+#[test]
+pub fn test_map() {
+    let map = generate_map::<{ 30 - 8 }>();
+
+    assert_eq!(
+        map,
+        [
+            1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 3, 3, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 5, 5, 7, 7, 8, 8,
+            8
+        ]
+    );
+}
+
+#[test]
+pub fn test_solve_naive() {
+    assert_eq!(5, solve_naive::<1>(&[3, 4, 3, 1, 2]));
+    assert_eq!(6, solve_naive::<2>(&[3, 4, 3, 1, 2]));
+    assert_eq!(7, solve_naive::<3>(&[3, 4, 3, 1, 2]));
+    assert_eq!(9, solve_naive::<4>(&[3, 4, 3, 1, 2]));
+    assert_eq!(10, solve_naive::<5>(&[3, 4, 3, 1, 2]));
+    assert_eq!(10, solve_naive::<6>(&[3, 4, 3, 1, 2]));
+    assert_eq!(10, solve_naive::<7>(&[3, 4, 3, 1, 2]));
+    assert_eq!(10, solve_naive::<8>(&[3, 4, 3, 1, 2]));
+    assert_eq!(11, solve_naive::<9>(&[3, 4, 3, 1, 2]));
+    assert_eq!(12, solve_naive::<10>(&[3, 4, 3, 1, 2]));
+    assert_eq!(15, solve_naive::<11>(&[3, 4, 3, 1, 2]));
+}
+
+#[test]
+pub fn test_solve_smart() {
+    assert_eq!(5, solve_smart::<1>(&[3, 4, 3, 1, 2]));
+    assert_eq!(6, solve_smart::<2>(&[3, 4, 3, 1, 2]));
+    assert_eq!(7, solve_smart::<3>(&[3, 4, 3, 1, 2]));
+    assert_eq!(9, solve_smart::<4>(&[3, 4, 3, 1, 2]));
+    assert_eq!(10, solve_smart::<5>(&[3, 4, 3, 1, 2]));
+    assert_eq!(10, solve_smart::<6>(&[3, 4, 3, 1, 2]));
+    assert_eq!(10, solve_smart::<7>(&[3, 4, 3, 1, 2]));
+    assert_eq!(10, solve_smart::<8>(&[3, 4, 3, 1, 2]));
+    assert_eq!(11, solve_smart::<9>(&[3, 4, 3, 1, 2])); // fails
+    assert_eq!(12, solve_smart::<10>(&[3, 4, 3, 1, 2]));
+    assert_eq!(15, solve_smart::<11>(&[3, 4, 3, 1, 2]));
+}