Cyclic table in python (for fun) (spiral matrix)

cyclic_table.py

"""
x*y table, number 1 is in lower left corner.
Go in clockwise direction and increase number by one for each cell.
"""

import itertools

x,y = 5,5
table = [[0]*y for dummy in xrange(x)]
order = [
    lambda row, column:(row, column-1), #left
    lambda row, column:(row-1, column), #up
    lambda row, column:(row, column+1), #right
    lambda row, column:(row+1, column)  #down
]

order = itertools.cycle(order) #1,2,3,1,2,3,1,...
next_cell = order.next()  #first we move left
row, column = x-1,y-1
for i in range(1,x*y+1):
    table[row][column] = i
    _row,_column = next_cell(row,column)
    # if new column would be (index out of bounds)
    # or number is already set
    if _column > y-1 or table[_row][_column]:
        next_cell = order.next()
        row,column = next_cell(row,column)
    else:
        row,column = _row,_column
print table