python_solver.py

#!/usr/bin/env python
import itertools

combos = ['a','b','c','d','e','f']
solver_length = 4
#initialize all possible choices
c = []
for i in itertools.permutations(combos, solver_length):
    c.append(i)

print len(c)
print c[0]

print "what is the response?"


def possible_match(guess, place, in_ans, possible):
    '''returns True if possible fits guess pattern'''
    #possible needs to have exact no. letters matching the guess
    off = 0
    for i,v in zip(guess,possible):
        if i != v:
            off += 1
    if off != solver_length - place:
        return False
    else:
        guess_copy = list(guess)
        similar = 0
        for letter in possible:
            if letter in guess_copy:
                similar += 1
                guess_copy.remove(letter)
        if similar != in_ans:
            return False
    if place == 0:
        for i,v in zip(guess, possible):
            if i == v:
                return False
    if in_ans == 0:
        for letter in possible:
            if letter in guess:
                return False
    elif in_ans == solver_length:
        for letter in possible:
            if letter not in guess:
                return False
    return True

guess = 'abcd'
guesses = []
while True:
    print "Your guess should be " + guess
    place, in_ans = raw_input().split()
    place = int(place)
    in_ans = int(in_ans)
    guesses.append((guess, place, in_ans))
    for poss in c:
        for a_guess in guesses:
            if not possible_match(a_guess[0], a_guess[1], a_guess[2], poss):
                c.remove(poss)
                #move to next possible
                break
    print "possible combos: " + str(len(c))
    if len (c) == 1:
        print "Congrats! The answer is " + "".join(c[0])
        break
    elif not c:
        print "No valid solutions (?)"
    elif len(c) < 20:
        for i in c:
            print "".join(i)
    if len(guesses) == 1:
        guess = 'bcde'
    elif len(guesses) == 2 and solver_length == 4:
        guess = 'cdef'
    else:
        guess = "".join(c[0])