sorting - Split many lists into 2 sections which contain strings and numbers -

i have csv file looks below:

        hussain 1       0       0       3 

i have managed make of them lists created in rows: lists produced follows:

['hussain', '1', '0', '0', '3'] 

i want able sort them names printed alphabetically along each person's greatest score: note 1st number excluded student's class number out of 1, 2 , 3 , not part of score. people in specific class need printed user decide class sort:

if user says class 1 program should print:

hussain:3 

i appreciate have been struggling on part of code though have been working on long period of time. thank you

try this:

tuples = [['hussain', '1', '0', '0', '3'], ['bon', '2', '1', '2', '3'], ['alice', '1', '5', '2', '3'], ['josh', '3', '1', '7', '10'], ['jack', '2', '0', '8', '9'], ['zyra', '3', '5', '1', '6']]  class_to_sort = 1  # reduce classes requested user tuples = filter(lambda tuple: int(tuple[1]) == class_to_sort, tuples)  # sort tuples tuples = sorted(tuples, key=lambda tuple: tuple[0])  # throw out second column , converts strings integers tuples = [[tuple[0]] + map(int, tuple[2:]) tuple in tuples]  # throw out integers aren't maximum per tuple tuples = [[tuple[0]] + [max(tuple[1:])] tuple in tuples]  print tuples 

outputs list of [name, max score], can use want:

[['alice', 5], ['hussain', 3]]