diff --git a/common/lib/capa/capa/tests/response_xml_factory.py b/common/lib/capa/capa/tests/response_xml_factory.py
index 5920840ed6..cdf5a5e47f 100644
--- a/common/lib/capa/capa/tests/response_xml_factory.py
+++ b/common/lib/capa/capa/tests/response_xml_factory.py
@@ -382,12 +382,19 @@ class StringResponseXMLFactory(ResponseXMLFactory):
             Uses **kwargs:
 
             *answer*: The correct answer (a string) [REQUIRED]
+
             *case_sensitive*: Whether the response is case-sensitive (True/False)
                             [DEFAULT: True]
+
+            *hints*: List of (hint_prompt, hint_name, hint_text) tuples
+                Where *hint_prompt* is the string for which we show the hint,
+                *hint_name* is an internal identifier for the hint,
+                and *hint_text* is the text we show for the hint.
         """
         # Retrieve the **kwargs
         answer = kwargs.get("answer", None)
         case_sensitive = kwargs.get("case_sensitive", True)
+        hint_list = kwargs.get('hints', None)
         assert(answer)
 
         # Create the <stringresponse> element
@@ -399,6 +406,20 @@ class StringResponseXMLFactory(ResponseXMLFactory):
         # Set the case sensitivity
         response_element.set("type", "cs" if case_sensitive else "ci")
 
+        # Add the hints if specified
+        if hint_list:
+            hintgroup_element = etree.SubElement(response_element, "hintgroup")
+            for (hint_prompt, hint_name, hint_text) in hint_list:
+                stringhint_element = etree.SubElement(hintgroup_element, "stringhint")
+                stringhint_element.set("answer", str(hint_prompt))
+                stringhint_element.set("name", str(hint_name))
+
+                hintpart_element = etree.SubElement(hintgroup_element, "hintpart")
+                hintpart_element.set("on", str(hint_name))
+
+                hint_text_element = etree.SubElement(hintpart_element, "text")
+                hint_text_element.text = str(hint_text)
+
         return response_element
 
     def create_input_element(self, **kwargs):
diff --git a/common/lib/capa/capa/tests/test_responsetypes.py b/common/lib/capa/capa/tests/test_responsetypes.py
index 0c1fe24180..9f6bf7fe4b 100644
--- a/common/lib/capa/capa/tests/test_responsetypes.py
+++ b/common/lib/capa/capa/tests/test_responsetypes.py
@@ -309,6 +309,35 @@ class StringResponseWithHintTest(ResponseTest):
         # Other strings are not allowed
         self.assert_grade(problem, "Other String", "incorrect")
 
+    def test_hints(self):
+        hints = [("wisconsin", "wisc", "The state capital of Wisconsin is Madison"),
+                ("minnesota", "minn", "The state capital of Minnesota is St. Paul")]
+
+        problem = self.build_problem(answer="Michigan", 
+                                    case_sensitive=False, 
+                                    hints=hints)
+
+        # We should get a hint for Wisconsin
+        input_dict = {'1_2_1': 'Wisconsin'}
+        correct_map = problem.grade_answers(input_dict)
+        self.assertEquals(correct_map.get_hint('1_2_1'),
+                        "The state capital of Wisconsin is Madison")
+
+        # We should get a hint for Minnesota
+        input_dict = {'1_2_1': 'Minnesota'}
+        correct_map = problem.grade_answers(input_dict)
+        self.assertEquals(correct_map.get_hint('1_2_1'),
+                        "The state capital of Minnesota is St. Paul")
+
+        # We should NOT get a hint for Michigan (the correct answer)
+        input_dict = {'1_2_1': 'Michigan'}
+        correct_map = problem.grade_answers(input_dict)
+        self.assertEquals(correct_map.get_hint('1_2_1'), "")
+
+        # We should NOT get a hint for any other string
+        input_dict = {'1_2_1': 'California'}
+        correct_map = problem.grade_answers(input_dict)
+        self.assertEquals(correct_map.get_hint('1_2_1'), "")
 
 class CodeResponseTest(unittest.TestCase):
     '''