Python Challenge level 0: “warming up!”
I recently discovered the Python Challenge web site. An interesting way to pick up a programming language. It claims to be the first programming riddle on the net, and I have been told that it’s shaped after another onlin games that predates this one by more than a year, notprOn. It turns out the Python Challenge has been around since 2005, but I had no clue about Python by then anyway. It’s really a pity because I’m addicted to the game as it is, so I’m quite sure I would have started learning a lot earlier for amusement’s sake.
Some of the puzzles are a bit obscure IMHO, but nevertheless it’s worth it. It has 33 levels and it gradually introduces you to Python specifics. Most levels could be solved with other languages, but it’s a good way of showing Python’s impressive resources.
I’ve been talking to some friends about it, and it looks like a whole new bunch of addicts is on the way ;) Since I really do love puzzles, one of them conviced me to post every solution I come up with so that we can all compare our results. I’ll try, at least until I get completely stuck. Hopefully I’ll find enough hints in the forums and among these friends. I’m allready at level 17, by the way. I’ll be posting on a more or less daily basis so that everyone can catch up.
Warning: You should only read these Python Challenge Chronicles of mine if you are really stuck on some point. Otherwise you’ll only end up spoiling your fun. As in every game, the interest is in onvercoming the challenges on your own. When you play in God-mode (prince megahit, anyone?) it get’s boring pretty fast. Besides… the challenges are really well thought. You should give it a try, resort to the forums for hints when you’re stuck, and only after that …
Level 0 doesn’t even need a script to be solved. It’s just a warm up to introduce the player to the game. The hint given is ‘try to change the url’ and an image showing 2^38, so we use our Python interpreter to find out the result:
>>> 2**38 274877906944L
And with that we’re on our way to all the fun on Level 1
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The soltuions are posted in the Python Challenge Wiki. Making the solotions available on the net totally spoils the game. You could just as well have compared your solutions in private or posted them to the Wiki. Thanks for ruining the fun :(
I didn’t realize someone was forcing you to read this. Obviously you didn’t get to the warning above. Let me repost it for you: “Warning: You should only read these Python Challenge Chronicles of mine if you are really stuck on some point. Otherwise you’ll only end up spoiling your fun.”.
Of course I’m not forced to read this — I would have understood that even without the disclaimer! :)
The problem is that the competitive aspect of this game is ruined as there is no (easy) way for me to control whether my colleagues are actually solving the problems at the pace they state, or if they’re simply coming here to read up on the solutions.
It’s also a lot less satisfying to beat the game when noone will really know if you did it for real or if you just read the solutions here (and yes — this is different from just claiming you beat the game without even taking it as you can discuss the solutions).
If one is really stuck (and there is a point in getting past a level in the game without figuring out the solution yourself), maybe a little hint would have sufficed?
This shouldn’t be about competition. Who gives a shit if you can solve these faster than your colleaugues? You should play this game for the personal satisfaction of solving fun problems.