how do you open .txt file in python in one line

Question

I'm trying to open .txt file and am getting confused with which part goes where. I also want that when I open the text file in python, the spaces removed.And when answering could you make the file name 'clues'.

My first try is:

def clues():
    file = open("clues.txt", "r+")
    for line in file:
        string = ("clues.txt")
        print (string) 

my second try is:

def clues():
f = open('clues.txt')
lines = [line.strip('\n') for line in open ('clues.txt')]

The thrid try is:

def clues():
    f = open("clues.txt", "r")
    print f.read()
    f.close()

Answer 1

Building upon @JonKiparsky It would be safer for you to use the python with statement:

with open("clues.txt") as f:
    f.read().replace(" ", "")

Answer 2

If you want to read the whole file with the spaces removed, f.read() is on the right track—unlike your other attempts, that gives you the whole file as a single string, not one line at a time. But you still need to replace the spaces. Which you need to do explicitly. For example:

f.read().replace(' ', '')

Or, if you want to replace all whitespace, not just spaces:

''.join(f.read().split())

Answer 3

This line:

f = open("clues.txt")

will open the file - that is, it returns a filehandle that you can read from

This line:

open("clues.txt").read().replace(" ", "")

will open the file and return its contents, with all spaces removed.