Experiment drawing tic-tag-toe on micro:bit 5x5 LED matrix

tictactoe.py

# Try this at https://python.microbit.org/v/3

# Problem: how to make two distinct "sprites" for each player of tic-tac-toe, if all we have is just a single pixel?
# Solution: I don't know!
# I've tried making each pixel animate (blink) in different brightness ans patterns.
# I'm still not happy with the result, but I didn't want to throw away this code.
# Maybe I should make them blink alternately (i.e. out-of-phase).
# Maybe I should use the intermediate pixels to "join" cells that are of the same type, similar to how Puyo Puyo graphics work.

from microbit import *

def generate_images(board):
    tiles = [
        board[0], '|', board[1], '|', board[2], ':',
        '|'     , '|',   '|'   , '|',      '|', ':',
        board[3], '|', board[4], '|', board[5], ':',
        '|'     , '|',   '|'   , '|',      '|', ':',
        board[6], '|', board[7], '|', board[8], ':',
    ]
    sprites = {
        ' ': '00000000',
        # 'X': '91919191',
        # 'O': '56787654',
        # 'X': '51515151',
        'X': '56565656',
        'O': '98789878',
        '|': '33333333',
        ':': '::::::::',
    }
    return [
        Image(
            ''.join(
                sprites[t][i] for t in tiles
            )
        ) for i in range(len(sprites[' ']))
    ]

b = (
    'X O'
    ' XO'
    'O X'
)

while True:
    display.show(generate_images(b)*20, delay=1000 // 25, wait=True)
    sleep(1000)