My solution for the Reddit /r/dailyprogrammer challenge 277 - Fake Coins

dailyProgrammer-277-FakeCoins.py

#! /usr/bin/python3
# Reddit Daily Programming Challenge 277 - Fake Coins

# The challenge input
challenge = """abcd efgh equal
abci efjk left
abij efgl equal
mnopqrs tuvwxyz equal"""

# Global variables
equal = []
finalEqual = {}
possibilities = []
fake = 0
fakeCheck = 0

# Splits the input up into a list of lists
coins = challenge.split('\n')
for i in range(len(coins)):
    coins[i] = coins[i].split()

def dupeCheck():
    # Defines the inner vars as the global ones
    global equal
    global finalEqual
    global possibilities
    # Checks all inputs for equal ones
    for i in range(len(coins)):
        # Upon finding ones puts it in another list called equal
        if coins[i][2] == 'equal':
            equal.append(coins[i][0] + coins[i][1])
    # For this list find which letters are the same as others
    for j in range(len(equal)):
        for k in range(len(equal[j])):
            # This gives an out of range error at the end so need the try
            try:
                for o in range(len(equal)):
                    if equal[j][k] in equal[j+o]:
                        if equal[j][k] not in finalEqual:
                            for l in range(len(equal[j])):
                                finalEqual[equal[j][l]] = equal[j+o]
                                possibilities.append(equal[j][l])
                                # This just gets rid of duplicates to speed
                                # Up processing
                                possibilities = list(set(possibilities))
            except:
                None
    

    for m in range(len(possibilities)):
        for n in possibilities:
            if possibilities[m] in finalEqual[n]:
                if finalEqual[n] not in finalEqual[possibilities[m]]:
                    finalEqual[possibilities[m]] += finalEqual[n]
                    # Removes all duplicate characters in the finalEqual dict strings
                    finalEqual[possibilities[m]] = "".join(set(finalEqual[possibilities[m]]))


# This subsitutes all the normal a, b, whatever
# for all their possible combinations
# For example: a = abcdf
def subsitute():
    global coins
    for n in finalEqual:
        for i in range(len(coins)):
            for j in range(2):
                coins[i][j] = coins[i][j].replace(str(n), finalEqual[n], 1)
                

# Gets rid of dublicate characters in the coins list, making it possible
# To see by eye which coin is lighter, and much easier to validate the
# correct return. 
def cleanUp():
    for i in range(2):
        for j in range(len(coins)):
            coins[j][i] = "".join(set(coins[j][i]))
    print(coins)


# The main solve function
# Goes through all possibilites and outputs response
def solve():
    global fake
    global fakeCheck
    for i in range(len(coins)):
        if coins[i][2] == 'left':
            for x in coins[i][1]:
                if x not in possibilities:
                    return x + ' is Lighter'
        if coins[i][2] == 'right':
            for x in coins[i][0]:
                if x not in possibilities:
                    return x + ' is Lighter'
        if coins[i][2] == 'left':
            if coins[i][0] == coins[i][1]:
                return 'Data is inconsistent'
        if coins[i][2] == 'right':
            if coins[i][0] == coins[i][1]:
                return 'Data is inconsistent'
        if coins[i][2] == 'equal':
            if coins[i][0] == coins[i][1]:
                # fake is here because it is possible for
                # It to seem like there are no fake coins just because
                # One is equal (happens almost every time)
                # So we must check that there are no other possible
                # Returns
                fake = 1
        # This is the one that makes sure there are no other
        # possible returns
        else: fakeCheck = 1

# The main fuction calls
dupeCheck()
subsitute()
cleanUp()
solve()

# The final incorrect return check and printing
# of result.
if fake == 1:
    if solve() == None:
        print('No fake coins detected')
    else:
        print(solve())
else:
    print(solve())