/* Given a string, return a version without the first 2 chars. Except keep * the first char if it is 'a' and keep the second char if it is 'b'. The * string may be any length. Harder than it looks. */ public String deFront(String str) { if(str.length() == 1 && str.charAt(0) != 'a') return ""; if(str.length() >= 2) { if(str.charAt(0) != 'a' && str.charAt(1) != 'b') { return str.substring(2); } else if(str.charAt(0) != 'a') { return str.substring(1); } else if(str.charAt(1) != 'b') { return "a" + str.substring(2); } } return str; }