diff --git a/lib/adagrams.rb b/lib/adagrams.rb
index e69de29..3e9b44c 100644
--- a/lib/adagrams.rb
+++ b/lib/adagrams.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,161 @@
+# adds csv gem
+require "csv"
+
+# initialize global variable
+$words_hash = {}
+
+# wave 1
+def draw_letters
+  # draw letters
+
+  # letter pool
+  pool = ('A'*9 + 'B'*2 + 'C'*2 + 'D'*4 + 'E'*12 + 'F'*2 + 'G'*3 + 'H'*2 + 'I'*9 + 'J' + 'K' + 'L'*4 + 'M'*2 + 'N'*6 + 'O'*8 + 'P'*2 + 'Q' + 'R'*6 + 'S'*4 + 'T'*6 + 'U'*4 + 'V'*2 + 'W'*2 + 'X' + 'Y'*2 + 'Z').chars
+
+  # randomize letters
+  # return the first 10 letters from randomized pool
+  return pool.shuffle.pop(10)
+end
+
+# wave 2
+def uses_available_letters?(input, letters)
+  # input --> user's word (string)
+  # letters --> available letters in pool
+
+  # made a clone of letters; previously, we ran into memory location/duplication issues
+  # we don't want to alter letters since it needs to reset with all 10 pulled letters available upon each call
+  letters_copy = letters.clone
+
+  # check through each character; is it available from the letter pool?
+  input.upcase.chars.each do |char|
+    if letters_copy.include? char
+
+      # delete letter once user inputs it to avoid multiple checks on each tile
+      check_index = letters_copy.index(char)
+      letters_copy.delete_at(check_index)
+
+    else
+    # return false if user does NOT have available lettesr for input
+      return false
+    end
+  end
+  # return true if user has available letters for input
+  return true
+end
+
+# wave 3
+def score_word(word)
+  # word --> string; user's input word
+
+  # create scoring chart
+  score_chart = {
+    "A" => 1,
+    "B" => 3,
+    "C" => 3,
+    "D" => 2,
+    "E" => 1,
+    "F" => 4,
+    "G" => 2,
+    "H" => 4,
+    "I" => 1,
+    "J" => 8,
+    "K" => 5,
+    "L" => 1,
+    "M" => 3,
+    "N" => 1,
+    "O" => 1,
+    "P" => 3,
+    "Q" => 10,
+    "R" => 1,
+    "S" => 1,
+    "T" => 1,
+    "U" => 1,
+    "V" => 4,
+    "W" => 4,
+    "X" => 8,
+    "Y" => 4,
+    "Z" => 10
+    }
+
+  # add scores together
+  score = word.upcase.chars.sum { |char| score_chart[char] }
+
+  # add eight extra points for words 7+ in length
+  if word.length >= 7
+    score += 8
+  end
+
+  # return score as int
+  return score
+end
+
+# wave 4
+def highest_score_from(words)
+  # word --> string; user's input word
+
+  # initializing values
+  highest_score = 0
+  best_word = ''
+
+  # loop through each word in array of user input
+  words.each do |word|
+
+    if score_word(word) > highest_score
+
+      # if we have found the highest scoring word, set variable equal to that score and that word
+      highest_score = score_word(word)
+      best_word = word
+
+    # check for score ties AND check if the word lengths are unequal
+    elsif score_word(word) == highest_score && word.length != best_word.length
+
+      # check if word length is 10 -- OR...
+      # check that word length is less than best word's length AND that best word length does not equal 10
+      # if there is a tie between two equally high scoring words (and the current best word is not a length 10), then choose the shorter length
+      if (word.length == 10) || (word.length < best_word.length && best_word.length != 10)
+        highest_score = score_word(word)
+        best_word = word
+      end
+    end
+  end
+
+  # return hash containing highest scoring word AND the score for that word
+  return {word: best_word,
+          score: highest_score}
+end
+
+
+# wave 5 addition
+def create_hash()
+  # we will create a hash for greater efficiency
+  
+  # read csv file
+  english_words = CSV.open("assets/dictionary-english.csv", "r")
+
+  # iterate through each row in csv file
+  english_words.each do |row|
+  # each row is an array, so check the 0th index
+  # create hash key/value pairs: {key, value} --> {"WORD", 0}
+    $words_hash[row[0].upcase] = 0
+  end
+end
+
+# wave 5
+def is_in_english_dict?(input)
+  # input --> string; user's input word
+
+  # if it returns a truthy value --> true
+  # otherwise, false
+  $words_hash.include?(input.upcase) ? true : false
+
+  # NOTE: we did this first, but decided to create a hash for retrieval efficiency and only load it once also for additional enhanced efficiency...
+# english_words = CSV.open("assets/dictionary-english.csv", "r")
+# english_words.each do |row|
+# #   if input.upcase == row[0].upcase
+#     return true
+#   end
+# return false
+
+end
+
+# invoke method to create hash of English words
+create_hash()
diff --git a/specs/adagrams_spec.rb b/specs/adagrams_spec.rb
index ae2ccd0..80ce9d5 100644
--- a/specs/adagrams_spec.rb
+++ b/specs/adagrams_spec.rb
@@ -168,4 +168,57 @@
       expect(best_word[:score]).must_equal 18
     end
   end
+
+
+  describe 'is_in_english_dict? method' do
+
+    it 'returns true for valid english words from csv file' do
+
+      word = 'bladder'
+      result = is_in_english_dict?(word)
+      expect( result ).must_equal true
+
+      word = 'pierce'
+      result = is_in_english_dict?(word)
+      expect( result ).must_equal true
+
+      word = 'CoCoNUTs'
+      result = is_in_english_dict?(word)
+      expect( result ).must_equal true
+
+      word = 'XYLOPHONE'
+      result = is_in_english_dict?(word)
+      expect( result ).must_equal true
+
+    end
+
+
+    it 'returns false for gibberish' do
+
+      word = "jfdks"
+      result = is_in_english_dict?(word)
+      expect(result).must_equal false
+
+      word = "SSSSSSSS"
+      result = is_in_english_dict?(word)
+      expect(result).must_equal false
+
+      word = "iIiIi"
+      result = is_in_english_dict?(word)
+      expect(result).must_equal false
+
+      word = "pupppy"
+      result = is_in_english_dict?(word)
+      expect(result).must_equal false
+
+    end
+
+    it 'returns false if empty string' do
+
+      word = ""
+      result = is_in_english_dict?(word)
+      expect(result).must_equal false
+
+    end
+  end
 end
diff --git a/wave-5-game.rb b/wave-5-game.rb
index 344333e..4ce4bcb 100644
--- a/wave-5-game.rb
+++ b/wave-5-game.rb
@@ -64,11 +64,15 @@ def run_game
 
     while ( (!(uses_available_letters?(user_input_word, letter_bank)) ) || (!(is_in_english_dict?(user_input_word))) )
 
+      # puts "Beginning of while loop, letter_bank = #{letter_bank}"
       if !(uses_available_letters?(user_input_word, letter_bank))
         display_not_in_letter_bank_message
       elsif !(is_in_english_dict?(user_input_word))
         display_not_in_dictionary_message
       end
+
+      # puts "End of while loop, letter_bank = #{letter_bank}"
+
       user_input_word = get_user_input
     end