| def isalpha(c, letters=re.compile('[a-zA-Z]')): | return letters.match(c) is not None Is it just me putting the regexp compilation outside of the functions using them?? Or it was just an example? LettersRE=re.compile('[a-zA-Z]') def isalpha(c): return LettersRE.match(c) is not None /Andy -- The eye of the beholder rests on the beauty!