diff --git a/day_6/parser.y b/day_6/parser.y
index 6a9be01..829674e 100644
--- a/day_6/parser.y
+++ b/day_6/parser.y
@@ -8,14 +8,21 @@
 %code requires {
     #include <stdbool.h>
 
+    #define BUFSIZE 14
+
     typedef void* yyscan_t;
 
     struct parser_state {
-        // for storing the most recently read 4 chars
-        char buffer[4];
+        // for storing the most recently read 14 chars
+        char buffer[BUFSIZE];
         // location tracker
         unsigned long loc;
-        bool found_start;
+
+        bool found_start_of_packet;
+        unsigned long packet_start;
+
+        bool found_start_of_msg;
+        unsigned long msg_start;
 
         bool check_matrix[26];
     };
@@ -76,32 +83,69 @@ msg
 
 bit
     : CHAR              {
-                            if (!state->found_start) {
+                            if (!state->found_start_of_packet || !state->found_start_of_msg) {
                                 state->loc++;
 
                                 // left shift existing data
-                                for (int i = 0; i < 3; i++) {
+                                for (int i = 0; i < (BUFSIZE-1); i++) {
                                     state->buffer[i] = state->buffer[i+1];
                                 }
 
-                                state->buffer[3] = $1;
+                                state->buffer[BUFSIZE-1] = $1;
 
                                 // check whether condition is met
                                 // offset array indices by the base -- 'a'
                                 char offset = 'a';
 
-                                state->found_start = true;
-                                for (int i = 0; i < 4; i++) {
+                                // Search for start of packet
+                                bool search_sop = !state->found_start_of_packet; // sop - start of packet
+                                bool search_som = !state->found_start_of_msg; // som - start of message
+
+                                if (search_sop) {
+                                    state->found_start_of_packet = true;
+                                }
+                                if (search_som) {
+                                    state->found_start_of_msg = true;
+                                }
+
+                                // the start of packet only concerns itself with the last 4 characters read; the start of message with the last 14
+                                // hence, we check the last 4 first, then the rest
+                                for (int i = BUFSIZE - 4; i < BUFSIZE; i++) {
                                     if (!state->check_matrix[state->buffer[i] - offset]) {
                                         state->check_matrix[state->buffer[i] - offset] = true;
                                     } else {
-                                        state->found_start = false;
+                                        if (search_sop) {
+                                            state->found_start_of_packet = false;
+                                        }
+                                        if (search_som) {
+                                            state->found_start_of_msg = false;
+                                        }
                                         break;
                                     }
                                 }
 
+                                // now check the remaining elements
+                                for (int i = 0; i < BUFSIZE - 4; i++) {
+                                    if (!state->check_matrix[state->buffer[i] - offset]) {
+                                        state->check_matrix[state->buffer[i] - offset] = true;
+                                    } else {
+                                        if (search_som) {
+                                            state->found_start_of_msg = false;
+                                        }
+                                        break;
+                                    }
+                                }
+                                
+
+                                if (search_sop && state->found_start_of_packet) {
+                                    state->packet_start = state->loc;
+                                }
+                                if (search_som && state->found_start_of_msg) {
+                                    state->msg_start = state->loc;
+                                }
+
                                 // housekeeping; reset the fields to false
-                                for (int i = 0; i < 4; i++) {
+                                for (int i = 0; i < BUFSIZE; i++) {
                                     state->check_matrix[state->buffer[i] - offset] = false;
                                 }
                             }
@@ -113,11 +157,14 @@ bit
 
 int main(void) {
     struct parser_state parser_state;
-    for (int i = 0; i < 4; i++) {
+    for (int i = 0; i < BUFSIZE; i++) {
         parser_state.buffer[i] = 'a';
     }
     parser_state.loc = 0;
-    parser_state.found_start = false;
+    parser_state.packet_start = 0;
+    parser_state.msg_start = 0;
+    parser_state.found_start_of_packet = false;
+    parser_state.found_start_of_msg = false;
 
     yyscan_t scanner;
     if (yylex_init(&scanner)) {
@@ -133,7 +180,8 @@ int main(void) {
 
     yylex_destroy(scanner);
 
-    printf("First start-of-packet marker detected at: %lu\n", parser_state.loc);
+    printf("First start-of-packet marker detected at: %lu\n", parser_state.packet_start);
+    printf("First start-of-message marker detected at: %lu\n", parser_state.msg_start);
 
     return 0;
 }