Python script to generate words from letters and two letter combination

Question

I\'m looking to write a short script that will allow me to generate all possible letter combinations with the parameters I set.

For example:

_ _ b _ a

P

Answer 1

You can create iterables for keeping the possible alternatives for each place:

firsts = ['ph', 'sd', 'nn', 'mm', 'gh']
seconds = fourths = ['a', 'e', 'i', 'o', 'u', 'y', 'rc']
thirds = 'b'
fifths = 'a'

List comprehension

You could use a list comprehension:

print [''.join((first, second, third, fourth, fifth))
       for first in firsts
       for second in seconds
       for third in thirds
       for fourth in fourths
       for fifth in fifths]

Output

['phabaa', 'phabea', 'phabia', 'phaboa', 'phabua', 'phabya', 'phabrca', 'phebaa', 'phebea', 'phebia', 'pheboa', 'phebua', 'phebya', 'phebrca', 'phibaa', 'phibea', 'phibia', 'phiboa', 'phibua', 'phibya', 'phibrca', 'phobaa', 'phobea', 'phobia', 'phoboa', 'phobua', 'phobya', 'phobrca', 'phubaa', 'phubea', 'phubia', 'phuboa', 'phubua', 'phubya', 'phubrca', 'phybaa', 'phybea', 'phybia', 'phyboa', 'phybua', 'phybya', 'phybrca', 'phrcbaa', 'phrcbea', 'phrcbia', 'phrcboa', 'phrcbua', 'phrcbya', 'phrcbrca', 'sdabaa', 'sdabea', 'sdabia', 'sdaboa', 'sdabua', 'sdabya', 'sdabrca', 'sdebaa', 'sdebea', 'sdebia', 'sdeboa', 'sdebua', 'sdebya', 'sdebrca', 'sdibaa', 'sdibea', 'sdibia', 'sdiboa', 'sdibua', 'sdibya', 'sdibrca', 'sdobaa', 'sdobea', 'sdobia', 'sdoboa', 'sdobua', 'sdobya', 'sdobrca', 'sdubaa', 'sdubea', 'sdubia', 'sduboa', 'sdubua', 'sdubya', 'sdubrca', 'sdybaa', 'sdybea', 'sdybia', 'sdyboa', 'sdybua', 'sdybya', 'sdybrca', 'sdrcbaa', 'sdrcbea', 'sdrcbia', 'sdrcboa', 'sdrcbua', 'sdrcbya', 'sdrcbrca', 'nnabaa', 'nnabea', 'nnabia', 'nnaboa', 'nnabua', 'nnabya', 'nnabrca', 'nnebaa', 'nnebea', 'nnebia', 'nneboa', 'nnebua', 'nnebya', 'nnebrca', 'nnibaa', 'nnibea', 'nnibia', 'nniboa', 'nnibua', 'nnibya', 'nnibrca', 'nnobaa', 'nnobea', 'nnobia', 'nnoboa', 'nnobua', 'nnobya', 'nnobrca', 'nnubaa', 'nnubea', 'nnubia', 'nnuboa', 'nnubua', 'nnubya', 'nnubrca', 'nnybaa', 'nnybea', 'nnybia', 'nnyboa', 'nnybua', 'nnybya', 'nnybrca', 'nnrcbaa', 'nnrcbea', 'nnrcbia', 'nnrcboa', 'nnrcbua', 'nnrcbya', 'nnrcbrca', 'mmabaa', 'mmabea', 'mmabia', 'mmaboa', 'mmabua', 'mmabya', 'mmabrca', 'mmebaa', 'mmebea', 'mmebia', 'mmeboa', 'mmebua', 'mmebya', 'mmebrca', 'mmibaa', 'mmibea', 'mmibia', 'mmiboa', 'mmibua', 'mmibya', 'mmibrca', 'mmobaa', 'mmobea', 'mmobia', 'mmoboa', 'mmobua', 'mmobya', 'mmobrca', 'mmubaa', 'mmubea', 'mmubia', 'mmuboa', 'mmubua', 'mmubya', 'mmubrca', 'mmybaa', 'mmybea', 'mmybia', 'mmyboa', 'mmybua', 'mmybya', 'mmybrca', 'mmrcbaa', 'mmrcbea', 'mmrcbia', 'mmrcboa', 'mmrcbua', 'mmrcbya', 'mmrcbrca', 'ghabaa', 'ghabea', 'ghabia', 'ghaboa', 'ghabua', 'ghabya', 'ghabrca', 'ghebaa', 'ghebea', 'ghebia', 'gheboa', 'ghebua', 'ghebya', 'ghebrca', 'ghibaa', 'ghibea', 'ghibia', 'ghiboa', 'ghibua', 'ghibya', 'ghibrca', 'ghobaa', 'ghobea', 'ghobia', 'ghoboa', 'ghobua', 'ghobya', 'ghobrca', 'ghubaa', 'ghubea', 'ghubia', 'ghuboa', 'ghubua', 'ghubya', 'ghubrca', 'ghybaa', 'ghybea', 'ghybia', 'ghyboa', 'ghybua', 'ghybya', 'ghybrca', 'ghrcbaa', 'ghrcbea', 'ghrcbia', 'ghrcboa', 'ghrcbua', 'ghrcbya', 'ghrcbrca']

itertools.product

Another nice way is to use itertools.product:

from itertools import product
print [''.join(letters)
       for letters in product(firsts, seconds, thirds, fourths, fifths)]

Output

['phabaa', 'phabea', 'phabia', 'phaboa', 'phabua', 'phabya', 'phabrca', 'phebaa', 'phebea', 'phebia', 'pheboa', 'phebua', 'phebya', 'phebrca', 'phibaa', 'phibea', 'phibia', 'phiboa', 'phibua', 'phibya', 'phibrca', 'phobaa', 'phobea', 'phobia', 'phoboa', 'phobua', 'phobya', 'phobrca', 'phubaa', 'phubea', 'phubia', 'phuboa', 'phubua', 'phubya', 'phubrca', 'phybaa', 'phybea', 'phybia', 'phyboa', 'phybua', 'phybya', 'phybrca', 'phrcbaa', 'phrcbea', 'phrcbia', 'phrcboa', 'phrcbua', 'phrcbya', 'phrcbrca', 'sdabaa', 'sdabea', 'sdabia', 'sdaboa', 'sdabua', 'sdabya', 'sdabrca', 'sdebaa', 'sdebea', 'sdebia', 'sdeboa', 'sdebua', 'sdebya', 'sdebrca', 'sdibaa', 'sdibea', 'sdibia', 'sdiboa', 'sdibua', 'sdibya', 'sdibrca', 'sdobaa', 'sdobea', 'sdobia', 'sdoboa', 'sdobua', 'sdobya', 'sdobrca', 'sdubaa', 'sdubea', 'sdubia', 'sduboa', 'sdubua', 'sdubya', 'sdubrca', 'sdybaa', 'sdybea', 'sdybia', 'sdyboa', 'sdybua', 'sdybya', 'sdybrca', 'sdrcbaa', 'sdrcbea', 'sdrcbia', 'sdrcboa', 'sdrcbua', 'sdrcbya', 'sdrcbrca', 'nnabaa', 'nnabea', 'nnabia', 'nnaboa', 'nnabua', 'nnabya', 'nnabrca', 'nnebaa', 'nnebea', 'nnebia', 'nneboa', 'nnebua', 'nnebya', 'nnebrca', 'nnibaa', 'nnibea', 'nnibia', 'nniboa', 'nnibua', 'nnibya', 'nnibrca', 'nnobaa', 'nnobea', 'nnobia', 'nnoboa', 'nnobua', 'nnobya', 'nnobrca', 'nnubaa', 'nnubea', 'nnubia', 'nnuboa', 'nnubua', 'nnubya', 'nnubrca', 'nnybaa', 'nnybea', 'nnybia', 'nnyboa', 'nnybua', 'nnybya', 'nnybrca', 'nnrcbaa', 'nnrcbea', 'nnrcbia', 'nnrcboa', 'nnrcbua', 'nnrcbya', 'nnrcbrca', 'mmabaa', 'mmabea', 'mmabia', 'mmaboa', 'mmabua', 'mmabya', 'mmabrca', 'mmebaa', 'mmebea', 'mmebia', 'mmeboa', 'mmebua', 'mmebya', 'mmebrca', 'mmibaa', 'mmibea', 'mmibia', 'mmiboa', 'mmibua', 'mmibya', 'mmibrca', 'mmobaa', 'mmobea', 'mmobia', 'mmoboa', 'mmobua', 'mmobya', 'mmobrca', 'mmubaa', 'mmubea', 'mmubia', 'mmuboa', 'mmubua', 'mmubya', 'mmubrca', 'mmybaa', 'mmybea', 'mmybia', 'mmyboa', 'mmybua', 'mmybya', 'mmybrca', 'mmrcbaa', 'mmrcbea', 'mmrcbia', 'mmrcboa', 'mmrcbua', 'mmrcbya', 'mmrcbrca', 'ghabaa', 'ghabea', 'ghabia', 'ghaboa', 'ghabua', 'ghabya', 'ghabrca', 'ghebaa', 'ghebea', 'ghebia', 'gheboa', 'ghebua', 'ghebya', 'ghebrca', 'ghibaa', 'ghibea', 'ghibia', 'ghiboa', 'ghibua', 'ghibya', 'ghibrca', 'ghobaa', 'ghobea', 'ghobia', 'ghoboa', 'ghobua', 'ghobya', 'ghobrca', 'ghubaa', 'ghubea', 'ghubia', 'ghuboa', 'ghubua', 'ghubya', 'ghubrca', 'ghybaa', 'ghybea', 'ghybia', 'ghyboa', 'ghybua', 'ghybya', 'ghybrca', 'ghrcbaa', 'ghrcbea', 'ghrcbia', 'ghrcboa', 'ghrcbua', 'ghrcbya', 'ghrcbrca']

The nice part of this second solution is that you don't have to hardcode the logic, and if needed you could just replace the iterables with others, even when you have more or less places:

from itertools import product

def genwords(*iterables):
    return [''.join(letters) for letters in product(*iterables)]

print genwords(firsts, seconds, thirds, fourths, fifths)
print genwords('123', 'abc')

Output

['phabaa', 'phabea', 'phabia', 'phaboa', 'phabua', 'phabya', 'phabrca', 'phebaa', 'phebea', 'phebia', 'pheboa', 'phebua', 'phebya', 'phebrca', 'phibaa', 'phibea', 'phibia', 'phiboa', 'phibua', 'phibya', 'phibrca', 'phobaa', 'phobea', 'phobia', 'phoboa', 'phobua', 'phobya', 'phobrca', 'phubaa', 'phubea', 'phubia', 'phuboa', 'phubua', 'phubya', 'phubrca', 'phybaa', 'phybea', 'phybia', 'phyboa', 'phybua', 'phybya', 'phybrca', 'phrcbaa', 'phrcbea', 'phrcbia', 'phrcboa', 'phrcbua', 'phrcbya', 'phrcbrca', 'sdabaa', 'sdabea', 'sdabia', 'sdaboa', 'sdabua', 'sdabya', 'sdabrca', 'sdebaa', 'sdebea', 'sdebia', 'sdeboa', 'sdebua', 'sdebya', 'sdebrca', 'sdibaa', 'sdibea', 'sdibia', 'sdiboa', 'sdibua', 'sdibya', 'sdibrca', 'sdobaa', 'sdobea', 'sdobia', 'sdoboa', 'sdobua', 'sdobya', 'sdobrca', 'sdubaa', 'sdubea', 'sdubia', 'sduboa', 'sdubua', 'sdubya', 'sdubrca', 'sdybaa', 'sdybea', 'sdybia', 'sdyboa', 'sdybua', 'sdybya', 'sdybrca', 'sdrcbaa', 'sdrcbea', 'sdrcbia', 'sdrcboa', 'sdrcbua', 'sdrcbya', 'sdrcbrca', 'nnabaa', 'nnabea', 'nnabia', 'nnaboa', 'nnabua', 'nnabya', 'nnabrca', 'nnebaa', 'nnebea', 'nnebia', 'nneboa', 'nnebua', 'nnebya', 'nnebrca', 'nnibaa', 'nnibea', 'nnibia', 'nniboa', 'nnibua', 'nnibya', 'nnibrca', 'nnobaa', 'nnobea', 'nnobia', 'nnoboa', 'nnobua', 'nnobya', 'nnobrca', 'nnubaa', 'nnubea', 'nnubia', 'nnuboa', 'nnubua', 'nnubya', 'nnubrca', 'nnybaa', 'nnybea', 'nnybia', 'nnyboa', 'nnybua', 'nnybya', 'nnybrca', 'nnrcbaa', 'nnrcbea', 'nnrcbia', 'nnrcboa', 'nnrcbua', 'nnrcbya', 'nnrcbrca', 'mmabaa', 'mmabea', 'mmabia', 'mmaboa', 'mmabua', 'mmabya', 'mmabrca', 'mmebaa', 'mmebea', 'mmebia', 'mmeboa', 'mmebua', 'mmebya', 'mmebrca', 'mmibaa', 'mmibea', 'mmibia', 'mmiboa', 'mmibua', 'mmibya', 'mmibrca', 'mmobaa', 'mmobea', 'mmobia', 'mmoboa', 'mmobua', 'mmobya', 'mmobrca', 'mmubaa', 'mmubea', 'mmubia', 'mmuboa', 'mmubua', 'mmubya', 'mmubrca', 'mmybaa', 'mmybea', 'mmybia', 'mmyboa', 'mmybua', 'mmybya', 'mmybrca', 'mmrcbaa', 'mmrcbea', 'mmrcbia', 'mmrcboa', 'mmrcbua', 'mmrcbya', 'mmrcbrca', 'ghabaa', 'ghabea', 'ghabia', 'ghaboa', 'ghabua', 'ghabya', 'ghabrca', 'ghebaa', 'ghebea', 'ghebia', 'gheboa', 'ghebua', 'ghebya', 'ghebrca', 'ghibaa', 'ghibea', 'ghibia', 'ghiboa', 'ghibua', 'ghibya', 'ghibrca', 'ghobaa', 'ghobea', 'ghobia', 'ghoboa', 'ghobua', 'ghobya', 'ghobrca', 'ghubaa', 'ghubea', 'ghubia', 'ghuboa', 'ghubua', 'ghubya', 'ghubrca', 'ghybaa', 'ghybea', 'ghybia', 'ghyboa', 'ghybua', 'ghybya', 'ghybrca', 'ghrcbaa', 'ghrcbea', 'ghrcbia', 'ghrcboa', 'ghrcbua', 'ghrcbya', 'ghrcbrca']
['1a', '1b', '1c', '2a', '2b', '2c', '3a', '3b', '3c']

Answer 2

I would approach this as follows, using itertools.product in a generator function (to avoid building the whole list unless you absolutely have to):

from itertools import product

def words(definition):
    for t in product(*definition):
        yield "".join(t)

The only trick is providing the definition in an appropriate format; it must be a list of iterables, each of which provides the options for each "letter". This is easy where each option for a letter is a single character:

>>> list(words(["f", "o", "aeiou"]))
['foa', 'foe', 'foi', 'foo', 'fou']

But with your multiple-character letters you will need to supply a list or tuple:

>>> list(words([['ph', 'sd', 'nn', 'mm', 'gh'], 
                ['a', 'e', 'i', 'o', 'u', 'y', 'rc'], 
                'b', 
                ['a', 'e', 'i', 'o', 'u', 'y', 'rc'], 
                'a']))
['phabaa', 'phabea', 'phabia', ..., 'ghrcbya', 'ghrcbrca']

Note that in Python 3.3 onwards, this can be done in a single line with yield from:

def words(definition):
    yield from map("".join, product(*definition))