>>> i = 5 >>> j = 7 >>> if i <= j: print 'nudge, nudge' else: File "<pyshell#8>", line 3 else: ^ IndentationError: unexpected indent Running in IDLE, all is well until "else:". IDLE seems perplexed about the >>>s. I try to de-dent else via the backspace key, after that there is no way to avoid an error message.