BufferedReader reader = new BufferedReader(new InputStreamReader(System.in)); ArrayList<String> strings = new ArrayList<>(); int minList = 5; for (int i = 0; i < 5; i++) { strings.add(reader.readLine()); if (minList >= strings.get(i).length()) { minList = strings.get(i).length(); } } for (int i = 0; i < strings.size(); i++) { if (minList == strings.get(i).length()) System.out.println(strings.get(i)); }