diff --git a/src/bin/08.rs b/src/bin/08.rs
index ca1a49c..8270aae 100644
--- a/src/bin/08.rs
+++ b/src/bin/08.rs
@@ -1,166 +1,193 @@
-use rayon::prelude::*;
-
 advent_of_code::solution!(8);
 
-/// Union-Find data structure for tracking circuits
-struct UnionFind {
-    parent: Vec<usize>,
-    rank: Vec<usize>,
-    size: Vec<usize>,
-}
-
-impl UnionFind {
-    fn new(n: usize) -> Self {
-        Self {
-            parent: (0..n).collect(),
-            rank: vec![0; n],
-            size: vec![1; n],
-        }
+// Helper function to parse a line like "162,817,812" into (x, y, z)
+fn parse_line(line: &str) -> Option<(i64, i64, i64)> {
+    let parts: Vec<&str> = line.split(',').collect();
+    if parts.len() != 3 {
+        return None;
     }
 
-    fn find(&mut self, x: usize) -> usize {
-        if self.parent[x] != x {
-            self.parent[x] = self.find(self.parent[x]); // Path compression
-        }
-        self.parent[x]
-    }
+    let x = parts[0].parse::<i64>().ok()?;
+    let y = parts[1].parse::<i64>().ok()?;
+    let z = parts[2].parse::<i64>().ok()?;
 
-    fn union(&mut self, x: usize, y: usize) -> bool {
-        let root_x = self.find(x);
-        let root_y = self.find(y);
-
-        if root_x == root_y {
-            return false; // Already in same circuit
-        }
-
-        // Union by rank
-        match self.rank[root_x].cmp(&self.rank[root_y]) {
-            std::cmp::Ordering::Less => {
-                self.parent[root_x] = root_y;
-                self.size[root_y] += self.size[root_x];
-            }
-            std::cmp::Ordering::Greater => {
-                self.parent[root_y] = root_x;
-                self.size[root_x] += self.size[root_y];
-            }
-            std::cmp::Ordering::Equal => {
-                self.parent[root_y] = root_x;
-                self.size[root_x] += self.size[root_y];
-                self.rank[root_x] += 1;
-            }
-        }
-        true
-    }
-
-    fn get_circuit_sizes(&mut self) -> Vec<usize> {
-        let n = self.parent.len();
-        let mut sizes = Vec::new();
-        for i in 0..n {
-            if self.find(i) == i {
-                sizes.push(self.size[i]);
-            }
-        }
-        sizes
-    }
-}
-
-/// Parse a line "X,Y,Z" into coordinates
-fn parse_coord(line: &str) -> Option<(i64, i64, i64)> {
-    let mut parts = line.split(',');
-    let x = parts.next()?.parse().ok()?;
-    let y = parts.next()?.parse().ok()?;
-    let z = parts.next()?.parse().ok()?;
     Some((x, y, z))
 }
 
-/// Calculate squared Euclidean distance (to avoid sqrt)
-#[inline]
-fn distance_squared(a: (i64, i64, i64), b: (i64, i64, i64)) -> i64 {
-    let dx = a.0 - b.0;
-    let dy = a.1 - b.1;
-    let dz = a.2 - b.2;
+// Calculate distance squared between two points (we don't need actual distance for comparing)
+fn get_distance(p1: (i64, i64, i64), p2: (i64, i64, i64)) -> i64 {
+    let dx = p1.0 - p2.0;
+    let dy = p1.1 - p2.1;
+    let dz = p1.2 - p2.2;
     dx * dx + dy * dy + dz * dz
 }
 
-/// Parse coordinates from input
-fn parse_coords(input: &str) -> Vec<(i64, i64, i64)> {
-    input
-        .lines()
-        .filter(|line| !line.trim().is_empty())
-        .filter_map(parse_coord)
-        .collect()
-}
-
-/// Generate all pairs with distances in parallel
-fn generate_pairs_parallel(coords: &[(i64, i64, i64)]) -> Vec<(i64, usize, usize)> {
-    let n = coords.len();
-    (0..n)
-        .into_par_iter()
-        .flat_map_iter(|i| {
-            let coords = coords;
-            ((i + 1)..n).map(move |j| {
-                let dist = distance_squared(coords[i], coords[j]);
-                (dist, i, j)
-            })
-        })
-        .collect()
-}
-
 pub fn part_one(input: &str) -> Option<u64> {
-    let coords = parse_coords(input);
+    // Step 1: Parse all the coordinates
+    let mut coords: Vec<(i64, i64, i64)> = Vec::new();
+    for line in input.lines() {
+        let line = line.trim();
+        if line.is_empty() {
+            continue;
+        }
+        if let Some(coord) = parse_line(line) {
+            coords.push(coord);
+        }
+    }
+
     let n = coords.len();
     if n == 0 {
         return None;
     }
 
-    let mut pairs = generate_pairs_parallel(&coords);
-
-    // Use partial sort - we only need the 1000 smallest pairs
-    if pairs.len() > 1000 {
-        pairs.select_nth_unstable_by_key(999, |&(dist, _, _)| dist);
-        pairs.truncate(1000);
+    // Step 2: Calculate all pair distances
+    // Store as (distance, index1, index2)
+    let mut all_pairs: Vec<(i64, usize, usize)> = Vec::new();
+    for i in 0..n {
+        for j in i + 1..n {
+            let dist = get_distance(coords[i], coords[j]);
+            all_pairs.push((dist, i, j));
+        }
     }
 
-    let mut uf = UnionFind::new(n);
-    for &(_, i, j) in &pairs {
-        uf.union(i, j);
+    // Step 3: Sort by distance (smallest first)
+    all_pairs.sort_by(|a, b| a.0.cmp(&b.0));
+
+    // Step 4: Track which group each junction box belongs to
+    // Initially each box is in its own group (group number = its index)
+    let mut groups: Vec<usize> = (0..n).collect();
+
+    // Step 5: Connect the first 1000 pairs
+    let connections_to_make = 1000;
+    let mut connections_made = 0;
+
+    for (_, i, j) in &all_pairs {
+        if connections_made >= connections_to_make {
+            break;
+        }
+
+        // Merge the groups - put everyone from group j into group i
+        let group_i = groups[*i];
+        let group_j = groups[*j];
+
+        if group_i != group_j {
+            // Merge: change all boxes in group_j to be in group_i
+            for k in 0..n {
+                if groups[k] == group_j {
+                    groups[k] = group_i;
+                }
+            }
+        }
+
+        connections_made += 1;
     }
 
-    // Get circuit sizes and find 3 largest
-    let mut sizes = uf.get_circuit_sizes();
-    sizes.sort_unstable_by(|a, b| b.cmp(a));
+    // Step 6: Count how many boxes are in each group
+    let mut group_sizes: Vec<usize> = Vec::new();
+    let mut counted_groups: Vec<usize> = Vec::new();
 
-    Some(sizes.iter().take(3).map(|&s| s as u64).product())
+    for i in 0..n {
+        let my_group = groups[i];
+        if !counted_groups.contains(&my_group) {
+            // Count how many are in this group
+            let mut count = 0;
+            for j in 0..n {
+                if groups[j] == my_group {
+                    count += 1;
+                }
+            }
+            group_sizes.push(count);
+            counted_groups.push(my_group);
+        }
+    }
+
+    // Step 7: Sort sizes descending and multiply top 3
+    group_sizes.sort_by(|a, b| b.cmp(a));
+
+    let mut result: u64 = 1;
+    for i in 0..3 {
+        if i < group_sizes.len() {
+            result *= group_sizes[i] as u64;
+        }
+    }
+
+    Some(result)
 }
 
 pub fn part_two(input: &str) -> Option<u64> {
-    let coords = parse_coords(input);
+    // Step 1: Parse all the coordinates
+    let mut coords: Vec<(i64, i64, i64)> = Vec::new();
+    for line in input.lines() {
+        let line = line.trim();
+        if line.is_empty() {
+            continue;
+        }
+        if let Some(coord) = parse_line(line) {
+            coords.push(coord);
+        }
+    }
+
     let n = coords.len();
     if n <= 1 {
         return None;
     }
 
-    let mut pairs = generate_pairs_parallel(&coords);
+    // Step 2: Calculate all pair distances
+    let mut all_pairs: Vec<(i64, usize, usize)> = Vec::new();
+    for i in 0..n {
+        for j in i + 1..n {
+            let dist = get_distance(coords[i], coords[j]);
+            all_pairs.push((dist, i, j));
+        }
+    }
 
-    // Full parallel sort needed for part 2 (process in order)
-    pairs.par_sort_unstable_by_key(|&(dist, _, _)| dist);
+    // Step 3: Sort by distance
+    all_pairs.sort_by(|a, b| a.0.cmp(&b.0));
 
-    let mut uf = UnionFind::new(n);
-    let mut num_circuits = n;
-    let mut last_connection: Option<(usize, usize)> = None;
+    // Step 4: Track groups
+    let mut groups: Vec<usize> = (0..n).collect();
 
-    for &(_, i, j) in &pairs {
-        if uf.union(i, j) {
-            num_circuits -= 1;
-            last_connection = Some((i, j));
+    // Step 5: Keep connecting until everyone is in one group
+    let mut last_i = 0;
+    let mut last_j = 0;
 
-            if num_circuits == 1 {
+    for (_, i, j) in &all_pairs {
+        let group_i = groups[*i];
+        let group_j = groups[*j];
+
+        if group_i != group_j {
+            // This connection actually merges two different groups
+            last_i = *i;
+            last_j = *j;
+
+            // Merge the groups
+            for k in 0..n {
+                if groups[k] == group_j {
+                    groups[k] = group_i;
+                }
+            }
+
+            // Check if everyone is now in the same group
+            let first_group = groups[0];
+            let mut all_same = true;
+            for k in 1..n {
+                if groups[k] != first_group {
+                    all_same = false;
+                    break;
+                }
+            }
+
+            if all_same {
                 break;
             }
         }
     }
 
-    last_connection.map(|(i, j)| coords[i].0 as u64 * coords[j].0 as u64)
+    // Step 6: Return X coordinates multiplied
+    let x1 = coords[last_i].0 as u64;
+    let x2 = coords[last_j].0 as u64;
+
+    Some(x1 * x2)
 }
 
 #[cfg(test)]
@@ -169,20 +196,62 @@ mod tests {
 
     #[test]
     fn test_part_one() {
-        // Example uses 10 connections, not 1000 - test the core logic
-        let coords = parse_coords(&advent_of_code::template::read_file("examples", DAY));
-        let n = coords.len();
-        let mut pairs = generate_pairs_parallel(&coords);
-        pairs.select_nth_unstable_by_key(9, |&(dist, _, _)| dist);
-        pairs.truncate(10);
+        // The example uses 10 connections, not 1000
+        // So we need to test the logic differently
+        let input = &advent_of_code::template::read_file("examples", DAY);
 
-        let mut uf = UnionFind::new(n);
-        for &(_, i, j) in &pairs {
-            uf.union(i, j);
+        // Parse coordinates
+        let mut coords: Vec<(i64, i64, i64)> = Vec::new();
+        for line in input.lines() {
+            let line = line.trim();
+            if !line.is_empty() {
+                if let Some(coord) = parse_line(line) {
+                    coords.push(coord);
+                }
+            }
         }
-        let mut sizes = uf.get_circuit_sizes();
-        sizes.sort_unstable_by(|a, b| b.cmp(a));
-        let result: u64 = sizes.iter().take(3).map(|&s| s as u64).product();
+
+        let n = coords.len();
+
+        // Get all pairs sorted
+        let mut all_pairs: Vec<(i64, usize, usize)> = Vec::new();
+        for i in 0..n {
+            for j in i + 1..n {
+                let dist = get_distance(coords[i], coords[j]);
+                all_pairs.push((dist, i, j));
+            }
+        }
+        all_pairs.sort_by(|a, b| a.0.cmp(&b.0));
+
+        // Connect 10 pairs
+        let mut groups: Vec<usize> = (0..n).collect();
+        for k in 0..10 {
+            let (_, i, j) = all_pairs[k];
+            let group_i = groups[i];
+            let group_j = groups[j];
+            if group_i != group_j {
+                for m in 0..n {
+                    if groups[m] == group_j {
+                        groups[m] = group_i;
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+        }
+
+        // Count group sizes
+        let mut group_sizes: Vec<usize> = Vec::new();
+        let mut counted: Vec<usize> = Vec::new();
+        for i in 0..n {
+            if !counted.contains(&groups[i]) {
+                let count = groups.iter().filter(|&&g| g == groups[i]).count();
+                group_sizes.push(count);
+                counted.push(groups[i]);
+            }
+        }
+
+        group_sizes.sort_by(|a, b| b.cmp(a));
+        let result: u64 = group_sizes.iter().take(3).map(|&s| s as u64).product();
+
         assert_eq!(result, 40);
     }
 
@@ -192,3 +261,4 @@ mod tests {
         assert_eq!(result, Some(25272));
     }
 }
+