diff --git a/01week/rockPaperScissors.js b/01week/rockPaperScissors.js
index 16f58790a..bae11ba91 100644
--- a/01week/rockPaperScissors.js
+++ b/01week/rockPaperScissors.js
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 'use strict';
 
-const assert = require('assert');
+const assert = require('assert').strict;
 const readline = require('readline');
 const rl = readline.createInterface({
   input: process.stdin,
@@ -8,10 +8,73 @@ const rl = readline.createInterface({
 });
 
 
-function rockPaperScissors(hand1, hand2) {
+function rockPaperScissors(a, b) {
+  
+  // define variables for win states:
+  const tie = "It's a tie!";
+  const player1Wins = "Hand one wins!";
+  const player2Wins = "Hand two wins!";
+  // take the function's arguments (player choices) and make them lowercase so they still run even if a player capitalizes a letter:
+  let hand1 = a.toLowerCase().trim();
+  let hand2 = b.toLowerCase().trim();
 
-  // Write code here
+  // check if the choices are valid/create a boolean so it can be compared in the results stage:
+  function choiceChecker(hand1, hand2) {
+    switch(hand1){
+      // if player 1 picks a valid turn then break and move on to checking player 2, or else return that it's a false move:
+      case 'rock':
+      case 'paper':
+      case 'scissors':
+        break;
+      default: 
+        return false;
+    }
+    // check player 2's choice and if both player's choices are valid then return true, if player 2's choice is not valid then return false:
+    switch(hand2){
+      case 'rock':
+      case 'paper':
+      case 'scissors':
+        return true;
+      default: 
+        return false;
+    }
+  }
+  // define a boolean variable created from the validity checking function:
+  let isValid = choiceChecker(hand1, hand2);
 
+  //     !!!   Win States   !!!
+  // if the choices aren't valid, say so:
+  if (!isValid) {
+    return 'Try again, choose either rock, paper, or scissors!';
+  }
+  // if the choices are the same, the game results in a tie:
+  else if (hand1 === hand2) {
+    return tie;
+  } 
+  // or else if player one picks rock, determine winner based off player 2's choice:
+  else if (hand1 === 'rock') {
+    if (hand2 === 'paper') {
+      return player2Wins;
+    } else {
+      return player1Wins;
+    }
+  }
+  // or else if player 1 picks paper, determine winner based off player 2's choice:
+  else if (hand1 === 'paper') {
+    if(hand2 === 'rock') {
+      return player1Wins;
+    } else {
+      return player2Wins;
+    }
+  }
+  // finally, if player 1 picks scissors, determine winner based off player 2's choice:
+  else if (hand1 === 'scissors') {
+    if (hand2 === 'rock') {
+      return player2Wins;
+    } else {
+      return player1Wins;
+    }
+  }
 }
 
 function getPrompt() {
@@ -29,19 +92,34 @@ if (typeof describe === 'function') {
 
   describe('#rockPaperScissors()', () => {
     it('should detect a tie', () => {
-      assert.equal(rockPaperScissors('rock', 'rock'), "It's a tie!");
-      assert.equal(rockPaperScissors('paper', 'paper'), "It's a tie!");
-      assert.equal(rockPaperScissors('scissors', 'scissors'), "It's a tie!");
+      assert.strictEqual(rockPaperScissors('rock', 'rock'), "It's a tie!");
+      assert.strictEqual(rockPaperScissors('paper', 'paper'), "It's a tie!");
+      assert.strictEqual(rockPaperScissors('scissors', 'scissors'), "It's a tie!");
     });
     it('should detect which hand won', () => {
-      assert.equal(rockPaperScissors('rock', 'paper'), "Hand two wins!");
-      assert.equal(rockPaperScissors('paper', 'scissors'), "Hand two wins!");
-      assert.equal(rockPaperScissors('rock', 'scissors'), "Hand one wins!");
+      assert.strictEqual(rockPaperScissors('rock', 'paper'), "Hand two wins!");
+      assert.strictEqual(rockPaperScissors('paper', 'scissors'), "Hand two wins!");
+      assert.strictEqual(rockPaperScissors('rock', 'scissors'), "Hand one wins!");
     });
     it('should scrub input to ensure lowercase with "trim"ed whitepace', () => {
-      assert.equal(rockPaperScissors('rOcK', ' paper '), "Hand two wins!");
-      assert.equal(rockPaperScissors('Paper', 'SCISSORS'), "Hand two wins!");
-      assert.equal(rockPaperScissors('rock ', 'sCiSsOrs'), "Hand one wins!");
+      assert.strictEqual(rockPaperScissors('rOcK', ' paper '), "Hand two wins!");
+      assert.strictEqual(rockPaperScissors('Paper', 'SCISSORS'), "Hand two wins!");
+      assert.strictEqual(rockPaperScissors('rock ', 'sCiSsOrs'), "Hand one wins!");
+    });
+    it('should detect all scenarios in which hand one wins', () => {
+      assert.strictEqual(rockPaperScissors('rock', 'scissors'), 'Hand one wins!');
+      assert.strictEqual(rockPaperScissors('paper', 'rock'), 'Hand one wins!');
+      assert.strictEqual(rockPaperScissors('scissors', 'paper'), 'Hand one wins!');
+    });
+    it('should detect all scenarios in which hand two wins', () => {
+      assert.strictEqual(rockPaperScissors('rock', 'paper'), 'Hand two wins!');
+      assert.strictEqual(rockPaperScissors('paper', 'scissors'), 'Hand two wins!');
+      assert.strictEqual(rockPaperScissors('scissors', 'rock'), 'Hand two wins!');
+    });
+    it('should only accept valid inputs', () => {
+      assert.strictEqual(rockPaperScissors('wreck', 'paper'), 'Try again, choose either rock, paper, or scissors!');
+      assert.strictEqual(rockPaperScissors('rock', 'proper'), 'Try again, choose either rock, paper, or scissors!');
+      assert.strictEqual(rockPaperScissors('nothing', 'wrong'), 'Try again, choose either rock, paper, or scissors!');
     });
   });
 } else {
diff --git a/package-lock.json b/package-lock.json
index bd07c0e56..1c067a546 100644
--- a/package-lock.json
+++ b/package-lock.json
@@ -300,9 +300,9 @@
       "integrity": "sha1-Ql1opY00R/AqBKqJQYf86K+Le44="
     },
     "browser-stdout": {
-      "version": "1.3.0",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/browser-stdout/-/browser-stdout-1.3.0.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha1-81HTKWnTL6XXpVZxVCY9korjvR8="
+      "version": "1.3.1",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/browser-stdout/-/browser-stdout-1.3.1.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-qhAVI1+Av2X7qelOfAIYwXONood6XlZE/fXaBSmW/T5SzLAmCgzi+eiWE7fUvbHaeNBQH13UftjpXxsfLkMpgw=="
     },
     "browserslist": {
       "version": "1.7.7",
@@ -581,6 +581,11 @@
         "delayed-stream": "~1.0.0"
       }
     },
+    "commander": {
+      "version": "2.15.1",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/commander/-/commander-2.15.1.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-VlfT9F3V0v+jr4yxPc5gg9s62/fIVWsd2Bk2iD435um1NlGMYdVCq+MjcXnhYq2icNOizHr1kK+5TI6H0Hy0ag=="
+    },
     "commandico": {
       "version": "2.0.2",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/commandico/-/commandico-2.0.2.tgz",
@@ -1627,6 +1632,11 @@
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/graceful-fs/-/graceful-fs-4.1.11.tgz",
       "integrity": "sha1-Dovf5NHduIVNZOBOp8AOKgJuVlg="
     },
+    "growl": {
+      "version": "1.10.5",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/growl/-/growl-1.10.5.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-qBr4OuELkhPenW6goKVXiv47US3clb3/IbuWF9KNKEijAy9oeHxU9IgzjvJhHkUzhaj7rOUD7+YGWqUjLp5oSA=="
+    },
     "har-schema": {
       "version": "2.0.0",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/har-schema/-/har-schema-2.0.0.tgz",
@@ -1690,6 +1700,11 @@
         }
       }
     },
+    "he": {
+      "version": "1.1.1",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/he/-/he-1.1.1.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha1-k0EP0hsAlzUVH4howvJx80J+I/0="
+    },
     "hoek": {
       "version": "2.16.3",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/hoek/-/hoek-2.16.3.tgz",
@@ -1728,15 +1743,14 @@
       "version": "github:kevincolten/htmllint-cli#5901ac1f6cd612f484f40c7f4f7515f22a2ba52d",
       "from": "github:kevincolten/htmllint-cli",
       "requires": {
-        "bluebird": "^3.4.7",
-        "chalk": "^1.1.3",
+        "bluebird": "^3.5.1",
+        "chalk": "^2.3.0",
         "cjson": "^0.5.0",
         "glob": "^7.1.1",
-        "htmllint": "^0.6.0",
-        "liftoff": "^2.3.0",
-        "promise": "^7.1.1",
-        "semver": "^5.3.0",
-        "yargs": "^6.6.0"
+        "htmllint": "^0.7.0",
+        "liftoff": "^2.5.0",
+        "semver": "^5.4.1",
+        "yargs": "^10.0.3"
       },
       "dependencies": {
         "ansi-styles": {
@@ -2823,27 +2837,23 @@
       "integrity": "sha1-3j5fiWHIjHh+4TaN+EmsRBPsqNc="
     },
     "mocha": {
-      "version": "5.0.0",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/mocha/-/mocha-5.0.0.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha1-zMrJiLC8VHcRnLoOQ9569tatj04=",
+      "version": "5.2.0",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/mocha/-/mocha-5.2.0.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-2IUgKDhc3J7Uug+FxMXuqIyYzH7gJjXECKe/w43IGgQHTSj3InJi+yAA7T24L9bQMRKiUEHxEX37G5JpVUGLcQ==",
       "requires": {
-        "browser-stdout": "1.3.0",
-        "commander": "2.11.0",
+        "browser-stdout": "1.3.1",
+        "commander": "2.15.1",
         "debug": "3.1.0",
-        "diff": "3.3.1",
+        "diff": "3.5.0",
         "escape-string-regexp": "1.0.5",
         "glob": "7.1.2",
-        "growl": "1.10.3",
+        "growl": "1.10.5",
         "he": "1.1.1",
+        "minimatch": "3.0.4",
         "mkdirp": "0.5.1",
-        "supports-color": "4.4.0"
+        "supports-color": "5.4.0"
       },
       "dependencies": {
-        "commander": {
-          "version": "2.11.0",
-          "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/commander/-/commander-2.11.0.tgz",
-          "integrity": "sha512-b0553uYA5YAEGgyYIGYROzKQ7X5RAqedkfjiZxwi0kL1g3bOaBNNZfYkzt/CL0umgD5wc9Jec2FbB98CjkMRvQ=="
-        },
         "debug": {
           "version": "3.1.0",
           "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/debug/-/debug-3.1.0.tgz",
@@ -2853,24 +2863,14 @@
           }
         },
         "diff": {
-          "version": "3.3.1",
-          "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/diff/-/diff-3.3.1.tgz",
-          "integrity": "sha1-qoVnpu7QPFMfyJ0/cRzQ5SWd7HU="
-        },
-        "growl": {
-          "version": "1.10.3",
-          "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/growl/-/growl-1.10.3.tgz",
-          "integrity": "sha512-hKlsbA5Vu3xsh1Cg3J7jSmX/WaW6A5oBeqzM88oNbCRQFz+zUaXm6yxS4RVytp1scBoJzSYl4YAEOQIt6O8V1Q=="
+          "version": "3.5.0",
+          "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/diff/-/diff-3.5.0.tgz",
+          "integrity": "sha512-A46qtFgd+g7pDZinpnwiRJtxbC1hpgf0uzP3iG89scHk0AUC7A1TGxf5OiiOUv/JMZR8GOt8hL900hV0bOy5xA=="
         },
         "has-flag": {
-          "version": "2.0.0",
-          "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/has-flag/-/has-flag-2.0.0.tgz",
-          "integrity": "sha1-6CB68cx7MNRGzHC3NLXovhj4jVE="
-        },
-        "he": {
-          "version": "1.1.1",
-          "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/he/-/he-1.1.1.tgz",
-          "integrity": "sha1-k0EP0hsAlzUVH4howvJx80J+I/0="
+          "version": "3.0.0",
+          "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/has-flag/-/has-flag-3.0.0.tgz",
+          "integrity": "sha1-tdRU3CGZriJWmfNGfloH87lVuv0="
         },
         "minimist": {
           "version": "0.0.8",
@@ -2886,11 +2886,11 @@
           }
         },
         "supports-color": {
-          "version": "4.4.0",
-          "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/supports-color/-/supports-color-4.4.0.tgz",
-          "integrity": "sha1-iD992rwWUUKyphQn8zUt7RldGj4=",
+          "version": "5.4.0",
+          "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/supports-color/-/supports-color-5.4.0.tgz",
+          "integrity": "sha512-zjaXglF5nnWpsq470jSv6P9DwPvgLkuapYmfDm3JWOm0vkNTVF2tI4UrN2r6jH1qM/uc/WtxYY1hYoA2dOKj5w==",
           "requires": {
-            "has-flag": "^2.0.0"
+            "has-flag": "^3.0.0"
           }
         }
       }
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index aff08712c..59b08f4de 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
     "http-server": "^0.11.1",
     "javascripting": "^2.6.1",
     "jsdom": "^11.6.2",
-    "mocha": "^5.0.0",
+    "mocha": "^5.2.0",
     "postcss-html": "^0.34.0",
     "stylelint": "^7.13.0"
   }