diff --git a/.idea/vcs.xml b/.idea/vcs.xml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..35eb1dd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.idea/vcs.xml
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
+<project version="4">
+  <component name="VcsDirectoryMappings">
+    <mapping directory="" vcs="Git" />
+  </component>
+</project>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/Main.java b/src/Main.java
index 930198c..9984d6f 100644
--- a/src/Main.java
+++ b/src/Main.java
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+import java.util.ArrayList;
+
 //TIP To <b>Run</b> code, press <shortcut actionId="Run"/> or
 // click the <icon src="AllIcons.Actions.Execute"/> icon in the gutter.
 public class Main {
@@ -11,5 +13,21 @@ public static void main(String[] args) {
             // for you, but you can always add more by pressing <shortcut actionId="ToggleLineBreakpoint"/>.
             System.out.println("i = " + i);
         }
+        // quick test
+        System.out.println("is the word 'water' unique? " + isUnique("water"));
+        System.out.println("is the word 'never' unique? " + isUnique("never"));
+    }
+
+    public static boolean isUnique(String word) {
+        ArrayList<Character> letters = new ArrayList<>();
+        for (char letter : word.toCharArray()) {
+            if(letters.contains(letter)){
+                return false;
+            }
+            else {
+                letters.add(letter);
+            }
+        }
+        return true;
     }
 }
\ No newline at end of file