tower_of_hanoi.py

all_plates = 'ABC'

state = {
    'A': [],
    'B': [],
    'C': []
}

def print_state():
    print 'A:', state['A'], 'B:', state['B'], 'C:', state['C'] 
def move_pancakes(n, plate_from, plate_to):
    if n == 1:
        print plate_from, '->', plate_to
        top = state[plate_from][-1]
        state[plate_from] = state[plate_from][:-1]
        state[plate_to].append(top)
        print_state()
    else:
        plate_avail = [x for x in all_plates if x not in [plate_from, plate_to]]
        move_pancakes(n-1, plate_from, plate_avail[0])
        move_pancakes(1, plate_from, plate_to)
        move_pancakes(n-1, plate_avail[0], plate_to)


def move(n):
    print '[%d pancakes]' % n
    state['A'] = list(reversed(range(1,n+1)))
    state['B'] = []
    state['C'] = []
    print_state()
    move_pancakes(n, 'A', 'C')

move(2)
move(3)
move(8)