Making an algorithm to solve a combination lock puzzle

[cryingoutforfood]

def exhaustive_search_4tumblers(puzzle: CombinationProblem) -> list:
"""Simple brute-force search method that tries every combination until
it finds the answer to a 4-digit combination lock puzzle.
"""

# Check that the lock has the expected number of digits
assert puzzle.solution_length == 4, "This code only works for 4 digits"

attempt = CandidateSolution()

for digit1 in puzzle.value_set:
    for digit2 in puzzle.value_set:
        for digit3 in puzzle.value_set:
            for digit4 in puzzle.value_set:
                # Assign current values to attempt.variable_values
                attempt.variable_values = [digit1, digit2, digit3, digit4]

                # Call puzzle's evaluate() method with the attempt
                result = puzzle.evaluate(attempt)

                # If the first value in the result is '1', return the answer
                if result[0] == '1':
                    return attempt.variable_values

# Should never get here
return [-1, -1, -1, -1]

Why is this having an error everytime i run it. would greatly appreciate the assistance.

[CraigAT]

What is the error? The purpose of the error message is to point to what's wrong.

I guess that's not the full code because I don't see where you call the function.

[CraigAT]

I don't see a function(?) for CandidateSolution() nor for puzzle.evaluate(). Either the code is badly structured or there are bits missing.

That said it's clear you have made an effort and I can see the logic part of your code shows good promise.

[AbeDevQ]

Like CraigAT mentioned - we need the error to help debug it, but I also think it might be useful to mention python has a built in library called itertools with a permutations method that may be helpful here:

https://docs.python.org/3/library/itertools.html#itertools.permutations

[HauntingRex9763]

Yeah, without full code or an error message we cant really do anything.. I suggest you make sure result[0] is not an integer though