make_a_universe.py

import networkx as nx
universe = nx.DiGraph()

for line in progdata:
    # use elements in list directly, rather than placeholders
    universe.add_edge(*line.split(')') )
    
paths = dict(nx.all_pairs_shortest_path_length(universe)) 
center = list(nx.topological_sort(universe))[0]
print(center)
total=0
for M in list(universe.nodes()):
    total += paths[center][M]    
print(total)