Description

It was the Night Before Compile Time ...

Hackweek 25 (December 1-5) perfectly coincides with the first five days of Advent of Code 2025. This project will leverage this overlap to participate in the event in real-time.

To add a layer of challenge and exploration (in the true spirit of Hackweek), the puzzles will be solved using a non-mainstream, modern language like Ruby, D, Crystal, Gleam or Zig.

The primary project intent is not just simply to solve the puzzles, but to exercise result sharing and documentation. I'd create a public-facing repository documenting the process. This involves treating each day's puzzle as a mini-project: solving it, then documenting the solution with detailed write-ups, analysis of the language's performance and ergonomics, and visualizations.

                               |
                             \ ' /
                           -- (*) --
                              >*<
                             >0<@<
                            >>>@<<*
                           >@>*<0<<<
                          >*>>@<<<@<<
                         >@>>0<<<*<<@<
                        >*>>0<<@<<<@<<<
                       >@>>*<<@<>*<<0<*<
         \*/          >0>>*<<@<>0><<*<@<<
     ___\\U//___     >*>>@><0<<*>>@><*<0<<
     |\\ | | \\|    >@>>0<*<0>>@<<0<<<*<@<<
     | \\| | _(UU)_ >((*))_>0><*<0><@<<<0<*<
     |\ \| || / //||.*.*.*.|>>@<<*<<@>><0<<<
     |\\_|_|&&_// ||*.*.*.*|_\\db//_
     """"|'.'.'.|~~|.*.*.*|     ____|_
         |'.'.'.|   ^^^^^^|____|>>>>>>|
         ~~~~~~~~         '""""`------'
------------------------------------------------
This ASCII pic can be found at
https://asciiart.website/art/1831

Goals

Code, Docs, and Memes: An AoC Story

• Have fun!

• Involve more people, play together

• Solve Days 1-5: Successfully solve both parts of the Advent of Code 2025 puzzles for Days 1-5 using the chosen non-mainstream language.

• Daily Documentation & Language Review: Publish a detailed write-up for each day. This documentation will include the solution analysis, the chosen algorithm, and specific commentary on the language's ergonomics, performance, and standard library for the given task.

• Visualization: Create interesting data visualizations for appropriate puzzles (e.g., pathfinding, grid-based problems) to illustrate the solution.

• Share Content: Package the solutions, write-ups, language analysis, visualizations, video, songs, and related media (including unnecessary and horrible memes) in a public repository to share with the SUSE and open-source communities.

Resources

• Advent of Code 2025: https://adventofcode.com/

• Primary Languages: Ruby, D, Crystal, Gleam or Zig ... whatever we feel (one or more to be selected). This includes the compiler, build system, and package manager for that ecosystem.