8.3.8 Word Ladder CodeHS Answers

The most common answer is:

I stole this code from someone much smarter than me
and it works. . . mostly
def ask_user(message, type_=str, valid=lambda: True, invalid=”Invalid”):
while True:
try:
user_input = type_(input(message))
except ValueError:
print(invalid)
continue
if not valid(user_input):
print(invalid)
continue
return user_input
def play_word_ladder():
word = list(input(“Enter a word: “))
def valid_index(i):
return i in range(-1, len(word))
def valid_character(c):
while True:
index = ask_user(“Enter an index (-1 to quit): “, int, valid_index, “Invalid index”)
if index == -1:
return
char = ask_user(“Enter a letter: “, str, valid_character, “Character must be a lowercase letter!”)
word[index] = char
print(“”.join(word))
if name == “main“:
play_word_ladder()

The Word Ladder game concept is creative and fun! However, there are a few issues in the code snippet you provided, including some syntax errors and logical mistakes.

The core idea of modifying a word by replacing its characters at given indices is intact, but let’s refine the implementation for clarity and correctness:

1. Python’s entry point should be if __name__ == "__main__":.
2. The valid_character function needs a different approach because its current implementation does not match its intended use.
3. The ask_user function seems correctly set up for general input handling but has a minor typo in the valid parameter’s default value.

Here’s a corrected and simplified version of the Word Ladder game:

def ask_user(message, type_=str, valid=lambda x: True, invalid="Invalid"):
    while True:
        try:
            user_input = type_(input(message))
            if valid(user_input):
                return user_input
            else:
                print(invalid)
        except ValueError:
            print(invalid)

def play_word_ladder():
    word = list(input("Enter a word: "))

    def valid_index(i):
        return i in range(len(word))

    while True:
        index = ask_user("Enter an index (-1 to quit): ", int, valid_index, "Invalid index")
        if index == -1:
            break

        def valid_character(c):
            return c.isalpha() and len(c) == 1  # Ensure it's a single alphabetical character

        char = ask_user("Enter a letter: ", str, valid_character, "Character must be a lowercase letter!")
        word[index] = char
        print("".join(word))

if __name__ == "__main__":
    play_word_ladder()

Key Points:

• Adjusted the default valid lambda function in ask_user to accept an input parameter.
• Removed the recursive call to valid_character inside itself and instead used it directly in ask_user when asking for a letter.
• Corrected the Python entry point check to if __name__ == "__main__": for executing play_word_ladder.
• Included basic validation for characters to ensure they are single alphabetical characters.

This version should offer a more stable and understandable implementation of your Word Ladder game idea, where a player can iteratively change characters in a word based on index positions.

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