with open("06.txt") as f: data = f.read() ex_data = "mjqjpqmgbljsphdztnvjfqwrcgsmlb" ex2_data = "bvwbjplbgvbhsrlpgdmjqwftvncz" def solve(data, marker_len = 4): for i in range(marker_len - 1, len(data)): last4 = data[i-marker_len:i] if len(set(last4)) == marker_len: print(i) break solve(ex_data) solve(ex2_data) solve(data) solve(ex_data, marker_len = 14) solve(ex2_data, marker_len = 14) solve(data, marker_len = 14)