diff --git a/spec/parse_spec.cr b/spec/parse_spec.cr
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..73d3e4f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/parse_spec.cr
@@ -0,0 +1,62 @@
+require "./spec_helper"
+
+describe Sudoku::Parser do
+
+  it "should parse an empty board" do
+    board_string = "....\n....\n....\n...."
+    board = Sudoku::Parser.parse(board_string, block_size: 2)
+    board.size.should eq 4
+    board.block_size.should eq 2
+
+    (0..3).each { |x|
+      (0..3).each { |y|
+        board.get(x, y).should eq nil
+      }
+    }
+  end
+
+  it "should raise an exception if number of rows and colums is different" do
+    expect_raises(Sudoku::ParseException) do
+      Sudoku::Parser.parse("....\n....", block_size: 2)
+    end
+  end
+
+  it "should put numbers correctly on the board" do
+    board_string = "1...\n.2..\n..3.\n...4"
+    board = Sudoku::Parser.parse(board_string, block_size: 2)
+
+    board.get(0,0).should eq 1
+    board.get(1,1).should eq 2
+    board.get(2,2).should eq 3
+    board.get(3,3).should eq 4
+  end
+
+  it "should raise an exception if a cell contains a character that is not a number or a dot" do
+    expect_raises(Sudoku::ParseException) do
+      Sudoku::Parser.parse(".A..\n....\n....\n....", block_size: 2)
+    end
+  end
+
+  it "should parse 9x9 boards correctly" do
+    board_string =
+    "8........\n" \
+    "..36.....\n" \
+    ".7..9.2..\n" \
+    ".5...7...\n" \
+    "....457..\n" \
+    "...1...3.\n" \
+    "..1....68\n" \
+    "..85...1.\n" \
+    ".9....4.."
+
+    board = Sudoku::Parser.parse(board_string, block_size: 3)
+
+    board.get(0,0).should eq 8
+    board.get(2,1).should eq 3
+    board.get(3,1).should eq 6
+    board.get(1,2).should eq 7
+    board.get(4,2).should eq 9
+    board.get(8,8).should eq nil
+  end
+  
+end
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/board.cr b/src/board.cr
index 24da810..dcd2948 100644
--- a/src/board.cr
+++ b/src/board.cr
@@ -10,9 +10,14 @@ module Sudoku
 
     @grid : Array(Array(Value))
     getter grid
+    
+    getter size
+    getter block_size
 
     def initialize(@size : Int32, @block_size : Int32)
-      raise BoardException.new() unless @size.divisible_by?(@block_size)
+      if !@size.divisible_by?(@block_size)
+        raise BoardException.new("Invalid block size: #{@block_size} for board size: #{@size}")
+      end
       @grid = Array(Array(Value)).new(@size) { Array(Value).new(@size, nil) }
     end
 
diff --git a/src/parser.cr b/src/parser.cr
index 7800c99..955dcdc 100644
--- a/src/parser.cr
+++ b/src/parser.cr
@@ -1,7 +1,41 @@
 module Sudoku
-  # Parse a sudoku board from a string. Return a board.
+
+  class ParseException < Exception
+  end
+
   class Parser
-    def self.parse(board_str)
+
+    # Parse a sudoku board from a string. Return a board.
+    # The string must contain valid board rows. Each row must be separated by a newline.
+    # Blanks are represented by dots.
+    # E.g.:
+    # .1.2
+    # 2..4
+    # .3..
+    # ....
+    def self.parse(board_str, block_size)
+      rows = board_str.split('\n')
+      board_size = rows.size
+      board = Sudoku::Board.new(board_size, block_size)
+
+      rows.each_with_index { |row, y|
+        if row.size != board_size
+          raise ParseException.new("Invalid row size: #{row.size} for row: #{row}")
+        end
+
+        row.each_char_with_index { |c, x|
+          case c
+          when '.'
+            board.put(nil, x, y)
+          when .number?
+            board.put(c.to_s.to_i, x, y)
+          else
+            raise ParseException.new("Invalid character: #{c}")
+          end
+        }
+      }
+
+      board
     end
   end
 end
\ No newline at end of file