Creates two equal triangles in a hourglass formation-ish

liivakellad.py

# -*- encoding:utf8 -*-

def magic(width):
  lines = []
  oldwidth = width
  
  # going downwards
  width += 2
  while width-2 > 0: 
    lines.append(str.center("* " * (width-2), oldwidth*2))
    width -= 2

  # going back up
  lines = lines + lines[::-1][1:]

  # done!
  return lines

# for line in magic(15): print(line)
# for line in magic(7): print(line)
# for line in magic(8): print(line)

if __name__ == '__main__': 
  while True: 
    lines = input("Sisesta paaritu arv >> ")
    try:
      lines = int(lines)
    except:
      print("Intiks castimine ei õnnestunud kahjuks")
      continue
    for line in magic(lines): 
      print(line)


# programming challenge carl roberti jaoks
# make a python function magic so that magic(5) would return
# magic(5): 
# ['* * * * *',
#  '  * * *  ',
#  '    *    ',
#  '  * * *  ',
#  '* * * * *']