diff --git a/src/app_state.rs b/src/app_state.rs
index ea99746..8e43c57 100644
--- a/src/app_state.rs
+++ b/src/app_state.rs
@@ -107,8 +107,7 @@ impl AppState {
                 let path = exercise_info.path().leak();
                 let name = exercise_info.name.leak();
                 let dir = exercise_info.dir.map(|dir| &*dir.leak());
-
-                let hint = exercise_info.hint.trim().to_owned();
+                let hint = exercise_info.hint.leak().trim_ascii();
 
                 Exercise {
                     dir,
@@ -397,7 +396,7 @@ impl AppState {
         clear_terminal(writer)?;
         writer.write_all(FENISH_LINE.as_bytes())?;
 
-        let final_message = self.final_message.trim();
+        let final_message = self.final_message.trim_ascii();
         if !final_message.is_empty() {
             writer.write_all(final_message.as_bytes())?;
             writer.write_all(b"\n")?;
@@ -445,7 +444,7 @@ mod tests {
             path: "exercises/0.rs",
             test: false,
             strict_clippy: false,
-            hint: String::new(),
+            hint: "",
             done: false,
         }
     }
diff --git a/src/dev/check.rs b/src/dev/check.rs
index f01374d..e1e716c 100644
--- a/src/dev/check.rs
+++ b/src/dev/check.rs
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ fn check_info_file_exercises(info_file: &InfoFile) -> Result<hashbrown::HashSet<
             }
         }
 
-        if exercise_info.hint.trim().is_empty() {
+        if exercise_info.hint.trim_ascii().is_empty() {
             bail!("The exercise `{name}` has an empty hint. Please provide a hint or at least tell the user why a hint isn't needed for this exercise");
         }
 
diff --git a/src/exercise.rs b/src/exercise.rs
index 48b9889..7a383bb 100644
--- a/src/exercise.rs
+++ b/src/exercise.rs
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ pub struct Exercise {
     pub path: &'static str,
     pub test: bool,
     pub strict_clippy: bool,
-    pub hint: String,
+    pub hint: &'static str,
     pub done: bool,
 }
 
diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index 1f0afde..2d1d545 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ fn main() -> Result<()> {
                 let mut stdout = io::stdout().lock();
                 clear_terminal(&mut stdout)?;
 
-                let welcome_message = welcome_message.trim();
+                let welcome_message = welcome_message.trim_ascii();
                 write!(stdout, "{welcome_message}\n\nPress ENTER to continue ")?;
                 stdout.flush()?;
                 press_enter_prompt()?;