add solutions week 256 in python

2 files changed, 52 insertions, 0 deletions

diff --git a/challenge-256/steven-wilson/python/ch-1.py b/challenge-256/steven-wilson/python/ch-1.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..c36d2c3f51
--- /dev/null
+++ b/challenge-256/steven-wilson/python/ch-1.py
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
+
+
+def maximum_pairs(*words):
+    ''' Given an array of distinct words.  Find the maximum pairs in the given
+    array. The words $words[i] and $words[j] can be a pair one is reverse of
+    the other.
+    >>> maximum_pairs("ab", "de", "ed", "bc")
+    1
+    >>> maximum_pairs("aa", "ba", "cd", "ed")
+    0
+    >>> maximum_pairs("uv", "qp", "st", "vu", "mn", "pq")
+    2
+    '''
+
+    words_set = set(words)
+    if not len(words) == len(words_set):
+        raise AssertionError("Array of words were not distinct")
+
+    sum_pairs = sum(1 for word in words if word[::-1] in words_set)
+    return int(sum_pairs/2)
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    import doctest
+
+    doctest.testmod()
diff --git a/challenge-256/steven-wilson/python/ch-2.py b/challenge-256/steven-wilson/python/ch-2.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..dea6e0dc6d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/challenge-256/steven-wilson/python/ch-2.py
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
+
+from itertools import chain
+
+
+def merge_strings(first, second):
+    ''' Given two strings, merge the given strings by adding in alternative
+    order starting with the first string. If a string is longer than the other
+    then append the remaining at the end.
+    >>> merge_strings("abcd", "1234")
+    'a1b2c3d4'
+    >>> merge_strings("abc", "12345")
+    'a1b2c345'
+    >>> merge_strings("abcde", "123")
+    'a1b2c3de'
+    '''
+    return ("".join(chain.from_iterable(zip(first, second))) +
+            first[len(second):] +
+            second[len(first):])
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    import doctest
+
+    doctest.testmod()