Master For and While Loops in Python to Create a Hangman Game

Create your own Hangman Game in Python

You will learn how to loop over a Python list. Further, you will learn the power of a While loop. Finally, you will create a Hangman Game.

In this tutorial, you will:

• Looping Over a Python List: Learn how to iterate over elements in a list using different loop constructs in Python.
• Unleash the Power of While Loops: Understand the versatility of While loops and their ability to execute code repeatedly until a certain condition is met.
• Create a Hangman Game: Apply your newfound knowledge of loops to develop a Hangman game, where you guess letters to reveal a hidden word.

By the end of the tutorial, you will have a strong grasp of iterating over lists, utilizing While loops effectively, and implementing a fun and interactive Hangman game. This hands-on experience will enhance your understanding of loops and equip you with practical programming skills.

Step 1: Loop over a list or sequence

Looping over a list can be done as follows (see more about lists here).

my_list = ['First', 'Second', 'Third']
for item in my_list:
    print(item)

This can also be done over a string, which is a sequence.

s = "Rune"
for c in s:
    print(c)
    print("Inside loop")
print("Outside the loop")

Where we notice the syntax of how the indentation works. What is inside and outside the loop?

Step 2: While loops and how they differ

Notice that for-loops in Python loop over a predetermined length. In the above cases, the length of the list or the length of the string.

If you want a loop that is dependent on something inside the loop.

What do I mean? Let’s take an example.

value = 10
while value > 0:
    value = int(input("Value? "))

As you see – this loop is dependent on input in the loop. If you type zero or a negative value, it will stop.

Step 3: Description of the Hangman Game

A description of the Hangman Game (see wiki for further details)

• The game is as follows.
• Computer has a list of words.
• Computer chooses a random word from the list.
• The player gets 10 wrong guesses (10 turns).
• The game follows this loop
  • Computer prints the word character by character replacing with underscore those not guessed yet (initially no characters have been guessed).
  • Player guesses a character.
  • If a character is not in words, a turn is withdrawn
  • If no one turns left, the computer wins.
  • If Player has guessed all characters, Player wins

Step 4: Implementing the Hangman Game

Let’s try to implement the Hangman Game

import random
words = ['father', 'enterprise', 'science', 'programming', 'resistance', 'fiction', 'condition', 'reverse', 'computer', 'python']
word = random.choice(words)
turns = 10
guesses = ''
while turns > 0:
    print(f"Turns left: {turns}")
    
    guessed_all = True
    for c in word:
        if c in guesses:
            print(c, end=' ')
        else:
            print('_', end=' ')
            guessed_all = False
    print()
    if guessed_all:
        print("You won")
        break
    
    guess = input("Guess a character: ")
    
    if guess in word:
        guesses += guess
    else:
        turns -= 1
else:
    print("You lost")

Step 5: Want more?

In the next lesson you will make a Simple Implementation of Caesar Cipher in Python.

If this is something you like and you want to get started with Python, then this is part of an 8 hours FREE video course with full explanations, projects on each level, and guided solutions.

The course is structured with the following resources to improve your learning experience.

• 17 video lessons teaching you everything you need to know to get started with Python.
• 34 Jupyter Notebooks with lesson code and projects.
• A FREE eBook to support your Python learning.

See the full FREE course page here.

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