diff --git a/minebash.py b/minebash.py
index 4a5f745..51aa7f1 100644
--- a/minebash.py
+++ b/minebash.py
@@ -1,39 +1,85 @@
 #!/usr/bin/python
 import readline, random
 
-UNKNOWN = 0
+NOTHING = 0
+MINE = -1
+FLAG = -2
+UNKNOWN = -3
 
 
 width, height = 9, 9
+minecount = 20
 #put logic for program param here
-playfield = [[0 for x in range(width)] for y in range(height)]
+playfield = [[-3 for x in range(width)] for y in range(height)]
 
 headline = '.'
 midline = '|'
 tailline = '\''
 
-def setup_playfield(w, h):
-#do this only once
-    for i in range(w):
+def setup_strings(colcount):
+    #setup lines to print
+    for i in range(colcount):
         global headline, midline, tailline
         headline += '---.'
         midline += '---|'
-        tailline += '---\''    
+        tailline += '---\''
+
+
+def calculate_hint(col, row):
+    hint = 0
+    if playfield[col][row] != MINE:
+        for x in range(col-1, col+2):
+            if x >= 0 and x < len(playfield)-1:
+                for y in range(row-1, row+2):
+                    if y >= 0 and y < len(playfield[0])-1:
+                        if(playfield[x][y] == MINE):
+                            hint+=1
+    else:
+        hint = MINE
+    return hint
+
+def setup_playfield(w, h):
+#do this only once [AFTER THE FIRST GUESS] 
+    #randomly distribute mines across the field
+    global playfield
+    global minecount
+    while minecount > 0:
+        for rowindex, row in enumerate(playfield):
+            for colindex, cell in enumerate(row):
+                if (minecount > 0) and cell != MINE:
+                    if random.random() < 0.1:
+                        minecount -= 1
+                        playfield[colindex][rowindex] = MINE
+                else:
+                    break
+    #now that's done, we'll have to calculate the hint numbers
+    for rowindex, row in enumerate(playfield):
+        for colindex, cell in enumerate(row):
+            playfield[colindex][rowindex] = calculate_hint(colindex, rowindex)
 
 def print_playfield(playfield):
     print headline
     for index, row in enumerate(playfield):
         rowstring = '|'
         for cell in row:
-            rowstring+='[ ]|'
+            # did we find a hint?
+            if cell >= 0:
+                rowstring += '[' + str(cell) + ']|'
+            elif cell == UNKNOWN:
+                rowstring+='[#]|'
+            elif cell == MINE:
+                rowstring+='[X]|'
         print rowstring
         if(index < len(row)-1):
             print midline
-    print(tailline)
+    print tailline
 
 def main():
+    setup_strings(width)
+    #print_playfield(playfield)
+    #TODO: user input
+    #generate mines:
     setup_playfield(width, height)
     print_playfield(playfield)
-
 if __name__ == "__main__":
     main()
\ No newline at end of file