Ditto. Has anyone finished this with Python?

Yes; there are at least 21 Python solutions (didn't check the total count).

Hint: If you use a simple recursive approach you'll end up calling calculating the same entries over and over again. How can you handle this?

Ditto. Has anyone finished this with Python?

You're quite right!

It should be [a-zA-Z] instead of \w.

Thanks for spotting the bug, Don't Panic ;)

I'm sorry, you were right, it didn't show the input values. I have now adjusted this, although it has come a bit too late for you now. Anyway, thank you for notifying me.

are you sure the test did not specify the test numbers, because it should print the test values before testing your code.
Anyway, I'm glad you find the bug

@garudajava We think that we could be clearer in the description maybe with an example of cycle which returns itself.

On the plus side, the directions are creative and tell a nice story.

Thanks (provided the desert-story in rev #8 based on @g964's previous description), but even I don't think the description is that clear anymore. That's why I suggested/issued a new description, see above.

The instructions say clearly that the useless going and coming back must be removed. There is no going and coming back in NESW.

N --> E --> S --> W is a cycle.

But

W --> E
W <-- E

is a going and coming back, you come back to your start point.
Instructions are not the program... If it were the case, there would be no need for programmers.
When one has some difficulty with a kata, better to read the discussions.
Have a good day!

Can you give the kata language you used and the example that didn't work; there are lots of languages used in this kata and random tests so I can't know what you are telling...
Read carefully the instructions, take only account of going and coming.
Read the discussions.
Hope that helps!