diff --git a/config.py b/config.py
index cd8546f..8d44dd2 100644
--- a/config.py
+++ b/config.py
@@ -38,7 +38,8 @@
 INFO_UNSUPPORTED_TEST = '[INFO] Unsupported Test'
 
 # snarky comment control
-SNARKY_SUBMISSION_CNT_THRESHHOLD = 0.9  # be snarky when score < 90%
+SNARKY_SUBMISSION_CNT_THRESHHOLD = 0.9  # be snarky only when score < 90%
+# see also: snarky_submission_comments.py
 
 # cpp compilation config
 CXX = 'g++'
diff --git a/documentation/files.md b/documentation/files.md
index 422ba74..c37dee0 100644
--- a/documentation/files.md
+++ b/documentation/files.md
@@ -2,9 +2,11 @@
 
 | file | description |
 | ---- | ----------- |
+| `config.py` | Constants that are more-or-less configurable. |
 | `documentation/files.md` | descriptions of all files |
 | `documentation/README.md` | links to documentation |
 | `documentation/test_specifications.md` | documentation on the test specification format |
+| `snarky_submission_comments.py` | configuration for snarky comments about the number of submissions |
 | `support/c++/test_compiling.py` | helper methods for compiling c++ tests<br/>contains the method `compile_test(test: Attributes) -> Tuple[bool, str]` |
 | `support/c++/test_running.py` | helper methods for running c++ tests<br/>contains the method `run_test(test: Attributes) -> PartialTestResult` |
 | `support/c++/test_writing.py` | helper methods for writing c++ tests<br/>contains the method `write_test(test: Attributes) -> None` |
diff --git a/run_tests.py b/run_tests.py
index d01d5d9..672ebb5 100644
--- a/run_tests.py
+++ b/run_tests.py
@@ -2,9 +2,8 @@
 
 '''
 TODO(pcr):
-* move configuration stuff to configuration file (and let it be assignment-specific)
+* enable assignment-specific configuration stuff
 * refine attribute requirements
-* add command line option to run a specific test or set of tests
 * use @target attribute for coverage tests and some other test(s) that don't use it but could/should
 '''
 
@@ -12,8 +11,13 @@
 from os.path import exists as path_exists
 import json
 from argparse import ArgumentParser, Namespace
-from config import DEFAULT_STDOUT_VISIBILITY, DEFAULT_VISIBILITY, OCTOTHORPE_LINE, OCTOTHORPE_WALL,\
-    SNARKY_SUBMISSION_CNT_THRESHHOLD
+from config import (
+    DEFAULT_STDOUT_VISIBILITY,
+    DEFAULT_VISIBILITY,
+    OCTOTHORPE_LINE,
+    OCTOTHORPE_WALL,
+    SNARKY_SUBMISSION_CNT_THRESHHOLD)
+from snarky_submission_comments import snarky_comment_about_number_of_submissions
 from results import Result, TestResult
 from test_parsing import read_tests
 from attributes import Attributes
@@ -275,53 +279,6 @@ def main(args: Namespace) -> Result:
         }
     )
 
-def snarky_comment_about_number_of_submissions(num_submissions: int) -> str:
-    '''
-    make a snarky comment based on their number of submissions
-    '''
-    comment = "I'm not even mad, that's amazing."
-    if num_submissions < 4:
-        comment = (
-            "That's OK.  Make sure that you reflect on the feedback and think before you code.  "
-            "Before making another submission, write test cases to reproduce the errors and then "
-            "use your favorite debugging technique to isolate and fix the errors.  You can do it!")
-    elif num_submissions < 7:
-        comment = (
-            "You should take some time before your next submission to think about the errors and "
-            "how to fix them.  Start by reproducing the errors with test cases locally.")
-    elif num_submissions < 10:
-        comment = (
-            "Why don't you take a break, take a walk, take nap, and come back to this "
-            "after you've had a chance to think a bit more.  "
-            "Remember: start by reproducing the error, then isolate it and fix it.")
-    elif num_submissions < 15:
-        comment = (
-            "It looks like you're having difficulty finding and fixing your errors.  "
-            "You should come to office hours.  We can help you.")
-    elif num_submissions < 20:
-        comment = (
-            "If you haven't gone to office hours yet, you really should.  "
-            "We want to help you.  How's your coverage?  You can't test what you don't cover.")
-    elif num_submissions < 30:
-        comment = (
-            "Did you know that you can not only compile locally, but you can also test locally?  "
-            "You should try it.")
-    elif num_submissions < 40:
-        comment = (
-            "literally nobody: \n"
-            "             you: autograder go brrr.")
-    elif num_submissions < 50:
-        comment = (
-            "I'm almost out of snarky ways to comment on how many submissions you've made.  "
-            "That's how many submissions you've made.")
-    elif num_submissions < 75:
-        comment = (
-            "Big yikes.  No cap, fam, take several seats.  This ain't it, chief.  "
-            "Your code and development process are sus AF.  Periodt.")
-    elif num_submissions < 100:
-        comment = "Your number of submissions to this assignment is too damn high."
-    return comment + '\n'
-
 def ordinal_suffix(number: int) -> str:
     '''
     determine the ordinal suffix for the given integer, e.g. 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, etc.
diff --git a/snarky_submission_comments.py b/snarky_submission_comments.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f6da4f2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/snarky_submission_comments.py
@@ -0,0 +1,80 @@
+'''
+configuration for snarky comments about the number of submissions
+'''
+
+# the comment to make when the number of submissions exceeds all threshholds
+ULTIMATE_COMMENT = "I'm not even mad, that's amazing."
+
+# try to keep this in increasing order of threshhold
+# but if you mess it up, there is a sort at the end which will fix it for you
+SNARKY_SUBMISSION_COMMENTS = [
+    # upper submission threshhold, comment
+    (
+        4,
+        ("That's OK.  Make sure that you reflect on the feedback and think before you code.  "
+         "Before making another submission, write test cases to reproduce the errors and then "
+         "use your favorite debugging technique to isolate and fix the errors.  You can do it!")
+    ),
+    (
+        7,
+        ("You should take some time before your next submission to think about the errors and "
+         "how to fix them.  Start by reproducing the errors with test cases locally.")
+    ),
+    (
+        10,
+        ("Why don't you take a break, take a walk, take nap, and come back to this "
+         "after you've had a chance to think a bit more.  "
+         "Remember: start by reproducing the error, then isolate it and fix it.")
+    ),
+    (
+        15,
+        ("It looks like you're having difficulty finding and fixing your errors.  "
+         "You should come to office hours.  We can help you.")
+    ),
+    (
+        20,
+        ("If you haven't gone to office hours yet, you really should.  "
+         "We want to help you.  How's your coverage?  You can't test what you don't cover.")
+    ),
+    (
+        30,
+        ("Did you know that you can not only compile locally, but you can also test locally?  "
+         "You should try it.")
+    ),
+    (
+        40,
+        ("literally nobody: \n"
+         "             you: autograder go brrr.")
+    ),
+    (
+        50,
+        ("I'm almost out of snarky ways to comment on how many submissions you've made.  "
+         "That's how many submissions you've made.")
+    ),
+    (
+        75,
+        ("Big yikes.  No cap, fam, take several seats.  This ain't it, chief.  "
+         "Your code and development process are sus AF.  Periodt.")
+    ),
+    (
+        100,
+        "Your number of submissions to this assignment is too damn high."
+    )
+    ]
+
+# sort the entries by ascending threshhold (just in case)
+SNARKY_SUBMISSION_COMMENTS.sort(key=lambda t : t[0])
+
+def snarky_comment_about_number_of_submissions(num_submissions: int) -> str:
+    """make a snarky comment based on their number of submissions
+
+    Args:
+        num_submissions (int): the number of submissions (i.e. the number of this submission)
+
+    Returns:
+        str: a (snarky) comment about the number of submissions
+    """
+    for submission_threshhold, comment in SNARKY_SUBMISSION_COMMENTS:
+        if num_submissions < submission_threshhold:
+            return comment + '\n'
+    return ULTIMATE_COMMENT + '\n'
diff --git a/tests/test_snarky_submission_comments.py b/tests/test_snarky_submission_comments.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8e424ef
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_snarky_submission_comments.py
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+"""
+tests for snarky_comment_about_number_of_submissions 
+"""
+import unittest
+
+from snarky_submission_comments import snarky_comment_about_number_of_submissions
+
+class TestSnarkyComments(unittest.TestCase):
+    """
+    tests for snarky_comment_about_number_of_submissions 
+    """
+    def test_snarky_comments(self):
+        """
+        tests for snarky_comment_about_number_of_submissions 
+        """
+        self.assertTrue(snarky_comment_about_number_of_submissions(1).startswith('That\'s OK.'))
+        self.assertTrue(snarky_comment_about_number_of_submissions(3).startswith('That\'s OK.'))
+        self.assertTrue(
+            snarky_comment_about_number_of_submissions(4).startswith('You should take some time'))
+        self.assertEqual(
+            snarky_comment_about_number_of_submissions(99),
+            'Your number of submissions to this assignment is too damn high.\n'
+            )
+        self.assertEqual(
+            snarky_comment_about_number_of_submissions(100),
+            'I\'m not even mad, that\'s amazing.\n'
+        )