From 12b06666105be963aef741a1f17c726a4688edbe Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: bull1210 <bull1210@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 27 Apr 2026 01:40:04 +0530
Subject: [PATCH] add: hints.md for all difficulty-5 exercises (policy
 compliance)

Policy requires a hints.md on every difficulty-5 exercise explaining
that no starter implementation is provided. Students used to getting
stubs hit a blank file with no guidance otherwise.

Adds the standard hints file to all 21 exercises that were missing it.
The two that already had exercise-specific hints (mazy-mice,
parallel-letter-frequency) are unchanged.

Co-Authored-By: bull1210 <bull1210@gmail.com>
---
 exercises/practice/allergies/.docs/hints.md            | 10 ++++++++++
 exercises/practice/atbash-cipher/.docs/hints.md        | 10 ++++++++++
 exercises/practice/bob/.docs/hints.md                  | 10 ++++++++++
 exercises/practice/flatten-array/.docs/hints.md        | 10 ++++++++++
 exercises/practice/game-of-life/.docs/hints.md         | 10 ++++++++++
 exercises/practice/grep/.docs/hints.md                 | 10 ++++++++++
 exercises/practice/knapsack/.docs/hints.md             | 10 ++++++++++
 exercises/practice/ledger/.docs/hints.md               | 10 ++++++++++
 exercises/practice/matching-brackets/.docs/hints.md    | 10 ++++++++++
 exercises/practice/nucleotide-count/.docs/hints.md     | 10 ++++++++++
 exercises/practice/pascals-triangle/.docs/hints.md     | 10 ++++++++++
 exercises/practice/phone-number/.docs/hints.md         | 10 ++++++++++
 exercises/practice/pig-latin/.docs/hints.md            | 10 ++++++++++
 exercises/practice/prime-factors/.docs/hints.md        | 10 ++++++++++
 exercises/practice/relative-distance/.docs/hints.md    | 10 ++++++++++
 exercises/practice/robot-name/.docs/hints.md           | 10 ++++++++++
 exercises/practice/run-length-encoding/.docs/hints.md  | 10 ++++++++++
 exercises/practice/series/.docs/hints.md               | 10 ++++++++++
 exercises/practice/square-root/.docs/hints.md          | 10 ++++++++++
 exercises/practice/state-of-tic-tac-toe/.docs/hints.md | 10 ++++++++++
 exercises/practice/word-count/.docs/hints.md           | 10 ++++++++++
 21 files changed, 210 insertions(+)
 create mode 100644 exercises/practice/allergies/.docs/hints.md
 create mode 100644 exercises/practice/atbash-cipher/.docs/hints.md
 create mode 100644 exercises/practice/bob/.docs/hints.md
 create mode 100644 exercises/practice/flatten-array/.docs/hints.md
 create mode 100644 exercises/practice/game-of-life/.docs/hints.md
 create mode 100644 exercises/practice/grep/.docs/hints.md
 create mode 100644 exercises/practice/knapsack/.docs/hints.md
 create mode 100644 exercises/practice/ledger/.docs/hints.md
 create mode 100644 exercises/practice/matching-brackets/.docs/hints.md
 create mode 100644 exercises/practice/nucleotide-count/.docs/hints.md
 create mode 100644 exercises/practice/pascals-triangle/.docs/hints.md
 create mode 100644 exercises/practice/phone-number/.docs/hints.md
 create mode 100644 exercises/practice/pig-latin/.docs/hints.md
 create mode 100644 exercises/practice/prime-factors/.docs/hints.md
 create mode 100644 exercises/practice/relative-distance/.docs/hints.md
 create mode 100644 exercises/practice/robot-name/.docs/hints.md
 create mode 100644 exercises/practice/run-length-encoding/.docs/hints.md
 create mode 100644 exercises/practice/series/.docs/hints.md
 create mode 100644 exercises/practice/square-root/.docs/hints.md
 create mode 100644 exercises/practice/state-of-tic-tac-toe/.docs/hints.md
 create mode 100644 exercises/practice/word-count/.docs/hints.md

diff --git a/exercises/practice/allergies/.docs/hints.md b/exercises/practice/allergies/.docs/hints.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..06cc18c97
--- /dev/null
+++ b/exercises/practice/allergies/.docs/hints.md
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+# Hints
+
+## General
+
+- Unlike lower-difficulty exercises, this one does not come with a starter implementation file.
+  You will need to create the solution file yourself.
+- Look at the test file to figure out the expected class name and method signatures.
+- If you are not sure how to structure the file, check the [StubTemplate][stub-template] in the repository for a starting point.
+
+[stub-template]: https://github.com/exercism/java/blob/main/resources/exercise-template/src/main/java/ExerciseName.java
diff --git a/exercises/practice/atbash-cipher/.docs/hints.md b/exercises/practice/atbash-cipher/.docs/hints.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..06cc18c97
--- /dev/null
+++ b/exercises/practice/atbash-cipher/.docs/hints.md
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+# Hints
+
+## General
+
+- Unlike lower-difficulty exercises, this one does not come with a starter implementation file.
+  You will need to create the solution file yourself.
+- Look at the test file to figure out the expected class name and method signatures.
+- If you are not sure how to structure the file, check the [StubTemplate][stub-template] in the repository for a starting point.
+
+[stub-template]: https://github.com/exercism/java/blob/main/resources/exercise-template/src/main/java/ExerciseName.java
diff --git a/exercises/practice/bob/.docs/hints.md b/exercises/practice/bob/.docs/hints.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..06cc18c97
--- /dev/null
+++ b/exercises/practice/bob/.docs/hints.md
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+# Hints
+
+## General
+
+- Unlike lower-difficulty exercises, this one does not come with a starter implementation file.
+  You will need to create the solution file yourself.
+- Look at the test file to figure out the expected class name and method signatures.
+- If you are not sure how to structure the file, check the [StubTemplate][stub-template] in the repository for a starting point.
+
+[stub-template]: https://github.com/exercism/java/blob/main/resources/exercise-template/src/main/java/ExerciseName.java
diff --git a/exercises/practice/flatten-array/.docs/hints.md b/exercises/practice/flatten-array/.docs/hints.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..06cc18c97
--- /dev/null
+++ b/exercises/practice/flatten-array/.docs/hints.md
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+# Hints
+
+## General
+
+- Unlike lower-difficulty exercises, this one does not come with a starter implementation file.
+  You will need to create the solution file yourself.
+- Look at the test file to figure out the expected class name and method signatures.
+- If you are not sure how to structure the file, check the [StubTemplate][stub-template] in the repository for a starting point.
+
+[stub-template]: https://github.com/exercism/java/blob/main/resources/exercise-template/src/main/java/ExerciseName.java
diff --git a/exercises/practice/game-of-life/.docs/hints.md b/exercises/practice/game-of-life/.docs/hints.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..06cc18c97
--- /dev/null
+++ b/exercises/practice/game-of-life/.docs/hints.md
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+# Hints
+
+## General
+
+- Unlike lower-difficulty exercises, this one does not come with a starter implementation file.
+  You will need to create the solution file yourself.
+- Look at the test file to figure out the expected class name and method signatures.
+- If you are not sure how to structure the file, check the [StubTemplate][stub-template] in the repository for a starting point.
+
+[stub-template]: https://github.com/exercism/java/blob/main/resources/exercise-template/src/main/java/ExerciseName.java
diff --git a/exercises/practice/grep/.docs/hints.md b/exercises/practice/grep/.docs/hints.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..06cc18c97
--- /dev/null
+++ b/exercises/practice/grep/.docs/hints.md
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+# Hints
+
+## General
+
+- Unlike lower-difficulty exercises, this one does not come with a starter implementation file.
+  You will need to create the solution file yourself.
+- Look at the test file to figure out the expected class name and method signatures.
+- If you are not sure how to structure the file, check the [StubTemplate][stub-template] in the repository for a starting point.
+
+[stub-template]: https://github.com/exercism/java/blob/main/resources/exercise-template/src/main/java/ExerciseName.java
diff --git a/exercises/practice/knapsack/.docs/hints.md b/exercises/practice/knapsack/.docs/hints.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..06cc18c97
--- /dev/null
+++ b/exercises/practice/knapsack/.docs/hints.md
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+# Hints
+
+## General
+
+- Unlike lower-difficulty exercises, this one does not come with a starter implementation file.
+  You will need to create the solution file yourself.
+- Look at the test file to figure out the expected class name and method signatures.
+- If you are not sure how to structure the file, check the [StubTemplate][stub-template] in the repository for a starting point.
+
+[stub-template]: https://github.com/exercism/java/blob/main/resources/exercise-template/src/main/java/ExerciseName.java
diff --git a/exercises/practice/ledger/.docs/hints.md b/exercises/practice/ledger/.docs/hints.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..06cc18c97
--- /dev/null
+++ b/exercises/practice/ledger/.docs/hints.md
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+# Hints
+
+## General
+
+- Unlike lower-difficulty exercises, this one does not come with a starter implementation file.
+  You will need to create the solution file yourself.
+- Look at the test file to figure out the expected class name and method signatures.
+- If you are not sure how to structure the file, check the [StubTemplate][stub-template] in the repository for a starting point.
+
+[stub-template]: https://github.com/exercism/java/blob/main/resources/exercise-template/src/main/java/ExerciseName.java
diff --git a/exercises/practice/matching-brackets/.docs/hints.md b/exercises/practice/matching-brackets/.docs/hints.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..06cc18c97
--- /dev/null
+++ b/exercises/practice/matching-brackets/.docs/hints.md
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+# Hints
+
+## General
+
+- Unlike lower-difficulty exercises, this one does not come with a starter implementation file.
+  You will need to create the solution file yourself.
+- Look at the test file to figure out the expected class name and method signatures.
+- If you are not sure how to structure the file, check the [StubTemplate][stub-template] in the repository for a starting point.
+
+[stub-template]: https://github.com/exercism/java/blob/main/resources/exercise-template/src/main/java/ExerciseName.java
diff --git a/exercises/practice/nucleotide-count/.docs/hints.md b/exercises/practice/nucleotide-count/.docs/hints.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..06cc18c97
--- /dev/null
+++ b/exercises/practice/nucleotide-count/.docs/hints.md
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+# Hints
+
+## General
+
+- Unlike lower-difficulty exercises, this one does not come with a starter implementation file.
+  You will need to create the solution file yourself.
+- Look at the test file to figure out the expected class name and method signatures.
+- If you are not sure how to structure the file, check the [StubTemplate][stub-template] in the repository for a starting point.
+
+[stub-template]: https://github.com/exercism/java/blob/main/resources/exercise-template/src/main/java/ExerciseName.java
diff --git a/exercises/practice/pascals-triangle/.docs/hints.md b/exercises/practice/pascals-triangle/.docs/hints.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..06cc18c97
--- /dev/null
+++ b/exercises/practice/pascals-triangle/.docs/hints.md
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+# Hints
+
+## General
+
+- Unlike lower-difficulty exercises, this one does not come with a starter implementation file.
+  You will need to create the solution file yourself.
+- Look at the test file to figure out the expected class name and method signatures.
+- If you are not sure how to structure the file, check the [StubTemplate][stub-template] in the repository for a starting point.
+
+[stub-template]: https://github.com/exercism/java/blob/main/resources/exercise-template/src/main/java/ExerciseName.java
diff --git a/exercises/practice/phone-number/.docs/hints.md b/exercises/practice/phone-number/.docs/hints.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..06cc18c97
--- /dev/null
+++ b/exercises/practice/phone-number/.docs/hints.md
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+# Hints
+
+## General
+
+- Unlike lower-difficulty exercises, this one does not come with a starter implementation file.
+  You will need to create the solution file yourself.
+- Look at the test file to figure out the expected class name and method signatures.
+- If you are not sure how to structure the file, check the [StubTemplate][stub-template] in the repository for a starting point.
+
+[stub-template]: https://github.com/exercism/java/blob/main/resources/exercise-template/src/main/java/ExerciseName.java
diff --git a/exercises/practice/pig-latin/.docs/hints.md b/exercises/practice/pig-latin/.docs/hints.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..06cc18c97
--- /dev/null
+++ b/exercises/practice/pig-latin/.docs/hints.md
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+# Hints
+
+## General
+
+- Unlike lower-difficulty exercises, this one does not come with a starter implementation file.
+  You will need to create the solution file yourself.
+- Look at the test file to figure out the expected class name and method signatures.
+- If you are not sure how to structure the file, check the [StubTemplate][stub-template] in the repository for a starting point.
+
+[stub-template]: https://github.com/exercism/java/blob/main/resources/exercise-template/src/main/java/ExerciseName.java
diff --git a/exercises/practice/prime-factors/.docs/hints.md b/exercises/practice/prime-factors/.docs/hints.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..06cc18c97
--- /dev/null
+++ b/exercises/practice/prime-factors/.docs/hints.md
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+# Hints
+
+## General
+
+- Unlike lower-difficulty exercises, this one does not come with a starter implementation file.
+  You will need to create the solution file yourself.
+- Look at the test file to figure out the expected class name and method signatures.
+- If you are not sure how to structure the file, check the [StubTemplate][stub-template] in the repository for a starting point.
+
+[stub-template]: https://github.com/exercism/java/blob/main/resources/exercise-template/src/main/java/ExerciseName.java
diff --git a/exercises/practice/relative-distance/.docs/hints.md b/exercises/practice/relative-distance/.docs/hints.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..06cc18c97
--- /dev/null
+++ b/exercises/practice/relative-distance/.docs/hints.md
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+# Hints
+
+## General
+
+- Unlike lower-difficulty exercises, this one does not come with a starter implementation file.
+  You will need to create the solution file yourself.
+- Look at the test file to figure out the expected class name and method signatures.
+- If you are not sure how to structure the file, check the [StubTemplate][stub-template] in the repository for a starting point.
+
+[stub-template]: https://github.com/exercism/java/blob/main/resources/exercise-template/src/main/java/ExerciseName.java
diff --git a/exercises/practice/robot-name/.docs/hints.md b/exercises/practice/robot-name/.docs/hints.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..06cc18c97
--- /dev/null
+++ b/exercises/practice/robot-name/.docs/hints.md
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+# Hints
+
+## General
+
+- Unlike lower-difficulty exercises, this one does not come with a starter implementation file.
+  You will need to create the solution file yourself.
+- Look at the test file to figure out the expected class name and method signatures.
+- If you are not sure how to structure the file, check the [StubTemplate][stub-template] in the repository for a starting point.
+
+[stub-template]: https://github.com/exercism/java/blob/main/resources/exercise-template/src/main/java/ExerciseName.java
diff --git a/exercises/practice/run-length-encoding/.docs/hints.md b/exercises/practice/run-length-encoding/.docs/hints.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..06cc18c97
--- /dev/null
+++ b/exercises/practice/run-length-encoding/.docs/hints.md
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+# Hints
+
+## General
+
+- Unlike lower-difficulty exercises, this one does not come with a starter implementation file.
+  You will need to create the solution file yourself.
+- Look at the test file to figure out the expected class name and method signatures.
+- If you are not sure how to structure the file, check the [StubTemplate][stub-template] in the repository for a starting point.
+
+[stub-template]: https://github.com/exercism/java/blob/main/resources/exercise-template/src/main/java/ExerciseName.java
diff --git a/exercises/practice/series/.docs/hints.md b/exercises/practice/series/.docs/hints.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..06cc18c97
--- /dev/null
+++ b/exercises/practice/series/.docs/hints.md
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+# Hints
+
+## General
+
+- Unlike lower-difficulty exercises, this one does not come with a starter implementation file.
+  You will need to create the solution file yourself.
+- Look at the test file to figure out the expected class name and method signatures.
+- If you are not sure how to structure the file, check the [StubTemplate][stub-template] in the repository for a starting point.
+
+[stub-template]: https://github.com/exercism/java/blob/main/resources/exercise-template/src/main/java/ExerciseName.java
diff --git a/exercises/practice/square-root/.docs/hints.md b/exercises/practice/square-root/.docs/hints.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..06cc18c97
--- /dev/null
+++ b/exercises/practice/square-root/.docs/hints.md
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+# Hints
+
+## General
+
+- Unlike lower-difficulty exercises, this one does not come with a starter implementation file.
+  You will need to create the solution file yourself.
+- Look at the test file to figure out the expected class name and method signatures.
+- If you are not sure how to structure the file, check the [StubTemplate][stub-template] in the repository for a starting point.
+
+[stub-template]: https://github.com/exercism/java/blob/main/resources/exercise-template/src/main/java/ExerciseName.java
diff --git a/exercises/practice/state-of-tic-tac-toe/.docs/hints.md b/exercises/practice/state-of-tic-tac-toe/.docs/hints.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..06cc18c97
--- /dev/null
+++ b/exercises/practice/state-of-tic-tac-toe/.docs/hints.md
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+# Hints
+
+## General
+
+- Unlike lower-difficulty exercises, this one does not come with a starter implementation file.
+  You will need to create the solution file yourself.
+- Look at the test file to figure out the expected class name and method signatures.
+- If you are not sure how to structure the file, check the [StubTemplate][stub-template] in the repository for a starting point.
+
+[stub-template]: https://github.com/exercism/java/blob/main/resources/exercise-template/src/main/java/ExerciseName.java
diff --git a/exercises/practice/word-count/.docs/hints.md b/exercises/practice/word-count/.docs/hints.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..06cc18c97
--- /dev/null
+++ b/exercises/practice/word-count/.docs/hints.md
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+# Hints
+
+## General
+
+- Unlike lower-difficulty exercises, this one does not come with a starter implementation file.
+  You will need to create the solution file yourself.
+- Look at the test file to figure out the expected class name and method signatures.
+- If you are not sure how to structure the file, check the [StubTemplate][stub-template] in the repository for a starting point.
+
+[stub-template]: https://github.com/exercism/java/blob/main/resources/exercise-template/src/main/java/ExerciseName.java