hangman.py

words = set(open("words.txt").read().splitlines())
word_length = int(input("Enter word length: "))
words = {word.lower() for word in words if len(word) == word_length}
letters = "abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz"


def calc_reduction(letter):
    masks = ["".join([letter if c == letter else " " for c in word]) for word in words]
    counts = dict()
    for item in masks:
        counts[item] = counts.get(item, 0) + 1
    nums_remaining = [remaining**2 for remaining in counts.values()]
    est_remaining = sum(nums_remaining) / len(words) / len(words)
    return 1 - est_remaining


# def calc_chance_of_use(letter):
#     return len([word for word in words if letter in word]) / len(words)


def mask_words(mask, mask_letter):
    return {
        word
        for word in words
        if all([(word[i] == mask_letter) ^ (mask[i] == " ") for i in range(len(word))])
    }


while True:
    if len(words) < 2:
        print("Nothing left to guess! Words:", words)
        break
    print(len(words), "word(s) remaining")
    best_letter = max(
        letters,
        key=lambda letter: calc_reduction(letter),
    )
    print(
        "Try guessing",
        best_letter,
        f"(it eliminates {calc_reduction(best_letter) * 100:.2f}% of words on average)",
    )
    new_mask = ""
    while len(new_mask) != word_length:
        new_mask = input(f"New mask: ")
    words = mask_words(new_mask, best_letter)
    print()