diff --git a/bin/README.md b/bin/README.md
index e5458d0d6..46b3dead5 100644
--- a/bin/README.md
+++ b/bin/README.md
@@ -555,6 +555,25 @@ This tool is used in the [bin/md2html.cfg](%%REPO_URL%%/bin/md2html.cfg) file as
the [md2html tool](index.html#md2html).
+
+### [new_year.sh](%%REPO_URL%%/bin/new_year.sh)
+
+
+This tool is used my the [Judges](../judges.html) as part of the final
+steps to announce a new set of winning IOCCC entries.
+
+For example:
+
+```
+ mkdir -p YYYY
+ chmod +w .top
+ bin/new_year.sh YYYY
+ chmod -w .top
+```
+
+Here, `YYYY` must be a new 4-digit IOCCC year.
+
+
### [output-index-inventory.sh](%%REPO_URL%%/bin/output-index-inventory.sh)
diff --git a/bin/index.html b/bin/index.html
index cfec4efba..754d292a4 100644
--- a/bin/index.html
+++ b/bin/index.html
@@ -704,6 +704,17 @@ page.
1984/anonymous.
This tool is used in the bin/md2html.cfg file as part of
the md2html tool.
+
+This tool is used my the Judges as part of the final
+steps to announce a new set of winning IOCCC entries.
+For example:
+ mkdir -p YYYY
+ chmod +w .top
+ bin/new_year.sh YYYY
+ chmod -w .top
+Here, YYYY must be a new 4-digit IOCCC year.
diff --git a/bin/new_year.sh b/bin/new_year.sh
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..ea7d8011b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bin/new_year.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,359 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+#
+# new_year.sh - add a new IOCCC year
+#
+# We update .top with a new 4-digit IOCCC year if such a sub-directory exists
+# and the IOCCC year is not already in the .top file.
+#
+# Copyright (c) 2024 by Landon Curt Noll. All Rights Reserved.
+#
+# Permission to use, copy, modify, and distribute this software and
+# its documentation for any purpose and without fee is hereby granted,
+# provided that the above copyright, this permission notice and text
+# this comment, and the disclaimer below appear in all of the following:
+#
+# supporting documentation
+# source copies
+# source works derived from this source
+# binaries derived from this source or from derived source
+#
+# LANDON CURT NOLL DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES WITH REGARD TO THIS SOFTWARE,
+# INCLUDING ALL IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS. IN NO
+# EVENT SHALL LANDON CURT NOLL BE LIABLE FOR ANY SPECIAL, INDIRECT OR
+# CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES OR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER RESULTING FROM LOSS OF
+# USE, DATA OR PROFITS, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, NEGLIGENCE OR
+# OTHER TORTIOUS ACTION, ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE USE OR
+# PERFORMANCE OF THIS SOFTWARE.
+#
+# chongo (Landon Curt Noll, http://www.isthe.com/chongo/index.html) /\oo/\
+#
+# Share and enjoy! :-)
+
+# firewall - run only with a bash that is version 5.1.8 or later
+#
+# The "/usr/bin/env bash" command must result in using a bash that
+# is version 5.1.8 or later.
+#
+# We could relax this version and insist on version 4.2 or later. Versions
+# of bash between 4.2 and 5.1.7 might work. However, to be safe, we will require
+# bash version 5.1.8 or later.
+#
+# WHY 5.1.8 and not 4.2? This safely is done because macOS Homebrew bash we
+# often use is "version 5.2.26(1)-release" or later, and the RHEL Linux bash we
+# use often use is "version 5.1.8(1)-release" or later. These versions are what
+# we initially tested. We recommend you either upgrade bash or install a newer
+# version of bash and adjust your $PATH so that "/usr/bin/env bash" finds a bash
+# that is version 5.1.8 or later.
+#
+# NOTE: The macOS shipped, as of 2024 March 15, a version of bash is something like
+# bash "version 3.2.57(1)-release". That macOS shipped version of bash
+# will NOT work. For users of macOS we recommend you install Homebrew,
+# (see https://brew.sh), and then run "brew install bash" which will
+# typically install it into /opt/homebrew/bin/bash, and then arrange your $PATH
+# so that "/usr/bin/env bash" finds "/opt/homebrew/bin" (or whatever the
+# Homebrew bash is).
+#
+# NOTE: And while MacPorts might work, we noticed a number of subtle differences
+# with some of their ported tools to suggest you might be better off
+# with installing Homebrew (see https://brew.sh). No disrespect is intended
+# to the MacPorts team as they do a commendable job. Nevertheless we ran
+# into enough differences with MacPorts environments to suggest you
+# might find a better experience with this tool under Homebrew instead.
+#
+if [[ -z ${BASH_VERSINFO[0]} ||
+ ${BASH_VERSINFO[0]} -lt 5 ||
+ ${BASH_VERSINFO[0]} -eq 5 && ${BASH_VERSINFO[1]} -lt 1 ||
+ ${BASH_VERSINFO[0]} -eq 5 && ${BASH_VERSINFO[1]} -eq 1 && ${BASH_VERSINFO[2]} -lt 8 ]]; then
+ echo "$0: ERROR: bash version needs to be >= 5.1.8: $BASH_VERSION" 1>&2
+ echo "$0: Warning: bash version >= 4.2 might work but 5.1.8 was the minimum we tested" 1>&2
+ echo "$0: Notice: For macOS users: install Homebrew (see https://brew.sh), then run" \
+ ""brew install bash" and then modify your \$PATH so that \"#!/usr/bin/env bash\"" \
+ "finds the Homebrew installed (usually /opt/homebrew/bin/bash) version of bash" 1>&2
+ exit 4
+fi
+
+
+# setup bash file matching
+#
+# We must declare arrays with -ag or -Ag, and we need loops to "export" modified variables.
+# This requires a bash with a version 4.2 or later. See the larger comment above about bash versions.
+#
+shopt -s nullglob # enable expanded to nothing rather than remaining unexpanded
+shopt -u failglob # disable error message if no matches are found
+shopt -u dotglob # disable matching files starting with .
+shopt -u nocaseglob # disable strict case matching
+shopt -u extglob # enable extended globbing patterns
+shopt -s globstar # enable ** to match all files and zero or more directories and subdirectories
+
+
+# set variables referenced in the usage message
+#
+export VERSION="1.0 2024-07-21"
+NAME=$(basename "$0")
+export NAME
+export V_FLAG=0
+GIT_TOOL=$(type -P git)
+export GIT_TOOL
+if [[ -z "$GIT_TOOL" ]]; then
+ echo "$0: FATAL: git tool is not installed or not in \$PATH" 1>&2
+ exit 5
+fi
+"$GIT_TOOL" rev-parse --is-inside-work-tree >/dev/null 2>&1
+status="$?"
+if [[ $status -eq 0 ]]; then
+ TOPDIR=$("$GIT_TOOL" rev-parse --show-toplevel)
+fi
+export TOPDIR
+export REPO_URL="https://github.com/ioccc-src/temp-test-ioccc/blob/master"
+#
+export NOOP=
+export DO_NOT_PROCESS=
+
+
+# usage
+#
+export USAGE="usage: $0 [-h] [-v level] [-V] [-d topdir] [-n] [-N] year
+
+ -h print help message and exit
+ -v level set verbosity level (def level: 0)
+ -V print version string and exit
+
+ -d topdir set topdir (def: $TOPDIR)
+
+ -n go thru the actions, but do not update any files (def: do the action)
+ -N do not process anything, just parse arguments (def: process something)
+
+ year 4 digit IOCCC year
+
+Exit codes:
+ 0 all OK
+ 1 invalid year
+ 2 -h and help string printed or -V and version string printed
+ 3 command line error
+ 4 bash version is too old
+ 5 some internal tool is not found or not an executable file
+ 6 problems found with or in the topdir or topdir/YYYY directory
+ >= 10 internal error
+
+$NAME version: $VERSION"
+
+# parse command line
+#
+while getopts :hv:Vd:nN flag; do
+ case "$flag" in
+ h) echo "$USAGE" 1>&2
+ exit 2
+ ;;
+ v) V_FLAG="$OPTARG"
+ ;;
+ V) echo "$VERSION"
+ exit 2
+ ;;
+ d) TOPDIR="$OPTARG"
+ ;;
+ n) NOOP="-n"
+ ;;
+ N) DO_NOT_PROCESS="-N"
+ ;;
+ \?) echo "$0: ERROR: invalid option: -$OPTARG" 1>&2
+ echo 1>&2
+ print_usage 1>&2
+ exit 3
+ ;;
+ :) echo "$0: ERROR: option -$OPTARG requires an argument" 1>&2
+ echo 1>&2
+ echo "$USAGE" 1>&2
+ exit 3
+ ;;
+ *) echo "$0: ERROR: unexpected value from getopts: $flag" 1>&2
+ echo 1>&2
+ echo "$USAGE" 1>&2
+ exit 3
+ ;;
+ esac
+done
+
+# remove the options
+#
+shift $(( OPTIND - 1 ));
+#
+if [[ $V_FLAG -ge 5 ]]; then
+ echo "$0: debug[5]: file argument count: $#" 1>&2
+fi
+#
+# verify arg count and parse args
+#
+if [[ $# -ne 1 ]]; then
+ echo "$0: ERROR: expected 1 arg, found: $#" 1>&2
+ echo 1>&2
+ echo "$USAGE" 1>&2
+ exit 3
+fi
+YEAR="$1"
+if [[ $YEAR =~ ^[1-9][0-9][0-9][0-9]$ ]]; then
+ if [[ $V_FLAG -ge 3 ]]; then
+ echo "$0: debug[3]: attending to add year: $YEAR" 1>&2
+ fi
+else
+ echo "$0: ERROR: must be a 4 digit year >= 1000 and <= 9999: $YEAR" 1>&2
+ echo 1>&2
+ echo "$USAGE" 1>&2
+ exit 1
+fi
+
+# verify that we have a topdir directory
+#
+REPO_NAME=$(basename "$REPO_URL")
+export REPO_NAME
+if [[ -z $TOPDIR ]]; then
+ echo "$0: ERROR: cannot find top of git repo directory" 1>&2
+ echo "$0: Notice: if needed: $GIT_TOOL clone $REPO_URL; cd $REPO_NAME" 1>&2
+ exit 6
+fi
+if [[ ! -e $TOPDIR ]]; then
+ echo "$0: ERROR: TOPDIR does not exist: $TOPDIR" 1>&2
+ echo "$0: Notice: if needed: $GIT_TOOL clone $REPO_URL; cd $REPO_NAME" 1>&2
+ exit 6
+fi
+if [[ ! -d $TOPDIR ]]; then
+ echo "$0: ERROR: TOPDIR is not a directory: $TOPDIR" 1>&2
+ echo "$0: Notice: if needed: $GIT_TOOL clone $REPO_URL; cd $REPO_NAME" 1>&2
+ exit 6
+fi
+
+# cd to topdir
+#
+if [[ ! -e $TOPDIR ]]; then
+ echo "$0: ERROR: cannot cd to non-existent path: $TOPDIR" 1>&2
+ exit 6
+fi
+if [[ ! -d $TOPDIR ]]; then
+ echo "$0: ERROR: cannot cd to a non-directory: $TOPDIR" 1>&2
+ exit 6
+fi
+export CD_FAILED
+if [[ $V_FLAG -ge 5 ]]; then
+ echo "$0: debug[5]: about to: cd $TOPDIR" 1>&2
+fi
+cd "$TOPDIR" || CD_FAILED="true"
+if [[ -n $CD_FAILED ]]; then
+ echo "$0: ERROR: cd $TOPDIR failed" 1>&2
+ exit 6
+fi
+if [[ $V_FLAG -ge 3 ]]; then
+ echo "$0: debug[3]: now in directory: $(/bin/pwd)" 1>&2
+fi
+
+# verify we have a non-empty writable .top file
+#
+export TOP_FILE=".top"
+if [[ ! -e $TOP_FILE ]]; then
+ echo "$0: ERROR: .top does not exist: $TOP_FILE" 1>&2
+ exit 6
+fi
+if [[ ! -f $TOP_FILE ]]; then
+ echo "$0: ERROR: .top is not a regular file: $TOP_FILE" 1>&2
+ exit 6
+fi
+if [[ ! -w $TOP_FILE ]]; then
+ echo "$0: ERROR: .top is not an writable file: $TOP_FILE" 1>&2
+ exit 6
+fi
+if [[ ! -s $TOP_FILE ]]; then
+ echo "$0: ERROR: .top is not a non-empty writable file: $TOP_FILE" 1>&2
+ exit 6
+fi
+
+# print running info if verbose
+#
+# If -v 3 or higher, print exported variables in order that they were exported.
+#
+if [[ $V_FLAG -ge 3 ]]; then
+ echo "$0: debug[3]: VERSION=$VERSION" 1>&2
+ echo "$0: debug[3]: NAME=$NAME" 1>&2
+ echo "$0: debug[3]: V_FLAG=$V_FLAG" 1>&2
+ echo "$0: debug[3]: GIT_TOOL=$GIT_TOOL" 1>&2
+ echo "$0: debug[3]: TOPDIR=$TOPDIR" 1>&2
+ echo "$0: debug[3]: REPO_URL=$REPO_URL" 1>&2
+ echo "$0: debug[3]: NOOP=$NOOP" 1>&2
+ echo "$0: debug[3]: DO_NOT_PROCESS=$DO_NOT_PROCESS" 1>&2
+ echo "$0: debug[3]: YEAR=$YEAR" 1>&2
+ echo "$0: debug[3]: REPO_NAME=$REPO_NAME" 1>&2
+ echo "$0: debug[3]: CD_FAILED=$CD_FAILED" 1>&2
+ echo "$0: debug[3]: TOP_FILE=$TOP_FILE" 1>&2
+fi
+
+# -N stops early before any processing is performed
+#
+if [[ -n $DO_NOT_PROCESS ]]; then
+ if [[ $V_FLAG -ge 3 ]]; then
+ echo "$0: debug[3]: arguments parsed, -N given, exiting 0" 1>&2
+ fi
+ exit 0
+fi
+
+
+# verify that YEAR is not already in .top
+#
+if grep -E -q "^$YEAR$" "$TOP_FILE"; then
+ echo "$0: notice: YEAR: $YEAR already found in: $TOP_FILE" 1>&2
+fi
+
+# year directory must exist
+#
+if [[ ! -e $YEAR ]]; then
+ echo "$0: ERROR: year directory does not exist: $YEAR" 1>&2
+ exit 1
+fi
+if [[ ! -d $YEAR ]]; then
+ echo "$0: ERROR: year is not a directory: $YEAR" 1>&2
+ exit 1
+fi
+
+
+# case: without -n
+#
+if [[ -z $NOOP ]]; then
+
+ # append year to .top
+ #
+ if [[ $V_FLAG -ge 3 ]]; then
+ echo "$0: debug[3]: appending YEAR: $YEAR to: $TOP_FILE" 1>&2
+ fi
+ echo "$YEAR" >> "$TOP_FILE"
+
+ # sort .top numerically
+ #
+ if [[ $V_FLAG -ge 3 ]]; then
+ echo "$0: debug[3]: about to: sort -n -u $TOP_FILE -o $TOP_FILE" 1>&2
+ fi
+ sort -n -u "$TOP_FILE" -o "$TOP_FILE"
+ status="$?"
+ if [[ $status -ne 0 ]]; then
+ echo "$0: ERROR: sort -n -u $TOP_FILE -o $TOP_FILE failed," \
+ "error code: $status" 1>&2
+ exit 10
+ fi
+
+ # firewall
+ #
+ if grep -E -q "^$YEAR$" "$TOP_FILE"; then
+ if [[ $V_FLAG -ge 1 ]]; then
+ echo "$0: debug[1]: YEAR: $YEAR is in: $TOP_FILE" 1>&2
+ echo "$0: debug[1]: Happy New IOCCC Year!!!" 1>&2
+ fi
+ else
+ echo "$0: ERROR: failed to add YEAR: $YEAR to: $TOP_FILE" 1>&2
+ exit 11
+ fi
+
+# case: with -n
+#
+elif [[ $V_FLAG -ge 3 ]]; then
+ echo "$0: debug[3]: -n disabled adding YEAR: $YEAR to $TOP_FILE" 1>&2
+fi
+
+
+# All Done!!! All Done!!! -- Jessica Noll, Age 2
+#
+exit 0