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Python Python Basics (2015) Letter Game App Letter Game Introduction

Lewis Tan
Lewis Tan
2,363 Points

Syntax error

import random

#make a list of words
words = ['orange','coconut','mango','cherry','strawberry','durian','apple','blueberry']

while True: 
    start = input("Press enter/return to start, or enter Q to quit")
    if start.lower() == 'q':
        break 


#pick a random word
    secret_word = random.choice(words)
    bad_guesses = []
    good_guesses = [] 

    while len(bad_guesses) < 7 and len(good_guesses) != len(list(secret_word)):
    #draw spaces #draw guessed letters and strikes
        for letter in secret_word:
            if letter in good_guesses:
                print(letter, end='')
            else:
                print('_', end='')

        print('')
        print('Strikes: {}/7'.format(len(bad_guesses)))
        print('')     
    #take guess
        guess = input("Guess a letter: ".lower()

        if len(guess) != 1:
            print("You can only guess a single letter!")
            continue    
        elif guess in bad_guesses or guess in good_guesses:
            print("You've already guessed that letter!")
            continue 
        elif not guess.isalpha():
            print("You can only guess letters!")
            continue

        if guess in secret_word:
            good_guesses.append(guess)
        if len(good_guesses) == len(list(secret_word)):
            print("You win! The word was {}".format(secret_word))
            break
        else: 
            bad_guesses.append(guess)
    else: 
        print("You didn't guess it! My secret word was {}".format(secret_word))
#print win or lose

I keep on getting this

SyntaxError:  File "letter_game.py", line 31                                                                                            
    if len(guess) != 1:                                                                                                     
                      ^                                                                                                     
SyntaxError: invalid syntax     

the ^ is pointing at the colon : and i'm unsure of what the reason is, any help would be greatly appreciated :) soz about the mess of code and stuff up top i don't know how to format it prettily and it's hard to do that when i'm banging my head about my inability to copy code hahaha T_T

[MOD: added ```python formatting -cf]

2 Answers

Chris Freeman
MOD
Chris Freeman
Treehouse Moderator 68,441 Points

Many times the error is caused by an incomplete line just above the reported error. In this case...

        guess = input("Guess a letter: ".lower())  # <-- missing closing paren
Lewis Tan
Lewis Tan
2,363 Points

hahahahaha oh my god thanks!

Ryan Ruscett
Ryan Ruscett
23,309 Points

Can't forget to give props to those who help!

John Faires
John Faires
1,361 Points

Thanks! I also had this exact issue.