diff --git a/2024/day16/day16.py b/2024/day16/day16.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..bf4a781
--- /dev/null
+++ b/2024/day16/day16.py
@@ -0,0 +1,117 @@
+from dataclasses import dataclass
+from heapq import heappop, heappush
+
+
+DIRECTIONS = {
+    ">": 1 + 0j,  # EAST
+    "v": 0 + 1j,  # SOUTH
+    "<": -1 + 0j,  # WEST
+    "^": 0 - 1j,  # NORTH
+}
+
+DIRECTIONS_RV = {v: k for k,v in DIRECTIONS.items()}
+
+
+@dataclass(frozen=True)
+class Node:
+    pos: complex
+    direction: complex
+    cost: int = 0
+    parent: "Node" = None
+
+    def __lt__(self, other):
+        return self.cost < other.cost
+
+
+def find_start_and_goal(grid):
+    start, goal = None, None
+    for y, row in enumerate(grid):
+        for x, _ in enumerate(row):
+            if grid[y][x] == "S":
+                start = complex(x, y)
+            elif grid[y][x] == "E":
+                goal = complex(x, y)
+    return start, goal
+
+
+def get_pos(grid, pos):
+    x, y = int(pos.real), int(pos.imag)
+    if 0 <= x < len(grid[0]) and 0 <= y < len(grid):
+        return grid[y][x]
+    return None
+
+
+def search(grid, start_node, end_pos):
+    """
+    Returns the shortest path between start and end using Dijkstra's algorithm
+    """
+    queue = [start_node]
+    visited = set()
+    best_costs = {}
+    while queue != []:
+        node = heappop(queue)
+        visited.add(node)
+
+        if node.pos == end_pos:
+            return node
+
+        if node.cost > best_costs.get((node.pos, node.direction), 99999999):  # already found a better path to this pos
+            continue
+
+        best_costs[(node.pos, node.direction)] = node.cost
+
+        # visit each neighbor
+        # go in the same direction
+        n1 = Node(node.pos + node.direction, node.direction, node.cost + 1, node)
+        if get_pos(grid, n1.pos) != "#" and n1 not in visited:
+            heappush(queue, n1)
+        # turn clockwise
+        turned = node.direction * 1j
+        n2 = Node(node.pos + turned, turned, node.cost + 1000 + 1, node)
+        if get_pos(grid, n2.pos) != "#" and n2 not in visited:
+            heappush(queue, n2)
+        # turn counterclockwise
+        turned = node.direction * -1j
+        n3 = Node(node.pos + turned, turned, node.cost + 1000 + 1, node)
+        if get_pos(grid, n3.pos) != "#" and n3 not in visited:
+            heappush(queue, n3)
+
+    return None
+
+
+def print_grid(grid):
+    for row in grid:
+        print("".join(row))
+
+
+def main(grid, debug=False):
+    start, goal = find_start_and_goal(grid)
+    direction = 1 + 0j  # initial direction is east
+    end_node = search(grid, Node(start, direction), goal)
+    total_cost = end_node.cost
+    print("Part 1: ", total_cost)
+    if debug:
+        # compute path
+        n = end_node
+        path = []
+        if n is not None:
+            while n.parent is not None:
+                path.insert(0, n)
+                n = n.parent
+
+        for n in path:
+            x, y = int(n.pos.real), int(n.pos.imag)
+            grid[y][x] = "O"
+            print(f"Pos {x},{y} Direction {DIRECTIONS_RV[n.direction]} Cost {n.cost}")
+            print_grid(grid)
+            input()
+            print(chr(27) + "[2J")  # clear terminal
+        
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    import sys
+    infile = sys.argv[1] if 1 < len(sys.argv) else "example.txt"
+    with open(infile) as f:
+        grid = [list(l.rstrip()) for l in f.readlines()]
+        main(grid)
+