diff --git a/wizard-work/spark/word_counter_artifact/test_verify.txt b/wizard-work/spark/word_counter_artifact/test_verify.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2f4aba8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/wizard-work/spark/word_counter_artifact/test_verify.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+The quick brown fox
+jumps over the lazy dog.
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/wizard-work/spark/word_counter_artifact/test_verify_trailing.txt b/wizard-work/spark/word_counter_artifact/test_verify_trailing.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2f4aba8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/wizard-work/spark/word_counter_artifact/test_verify_trailing.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+The quick brown fox
+jumps over the lazy dog.
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/wizard-work/spark/word_counter_artifact/word_counter.py b/wizard-work/spark/word_counter_artifact/word_counter.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..812dd17
--- /dev/null
+++ b/wizard-work/spark/word_counter_artifact/word_counter.py
@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
+"""Word counter utility - counts words, lines, and characters in a file or from stdin."""
+
+import sys
+from pathlib import Path
+
+
+def count_words(text: str) -> int:
+    """Count words in text (split on whitespace)."""
+    return len(text.split())
+
+
+def count_lines(text: str) -> int:
+    """Count lines in text."""
+    return len(text.splitlines())
+
+
+def count_chars(text: str) -> int:
+    """Count characters in text."""
+    return len(text)
+
+
+def main():
+    if len(sys.argv) > 1:
+        # Count words in file
+        path = Path(sys.argv[1])
+        if not path.exists():
+            print(f"Error: File not found: {sys.argv[1]}", file=sys.stderr)
+            sys.exit(1)
+        text = path.read_text()
+        lines = count_lines(text)
+        words = count_words(text)
+        chars = count_chars(text)
+        print(f"{lines} {words} {chars} {sys.argv[1]}")
+    else:
+        # Count words from stdin
+        text = sys.stdin.read()
+        print(count_words(text))
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    main()
\ No newline at end of file