Card game

cards = int(input())

values = [int(x) for x in input().split()]

values = values[1:-1]
valuessorted = [x for x in values]
valuessorted.sort()
total = 0
forbidden = set()

while len(valuessorted) > 1:
    highest = valuessorted.pop(-1)
    indexes = [i for i, x in enumerate(values) if x == highest]
    for index in indexes:
        if index not in forbidden:
            total += highest
            forbidden.update([index-2, index-1, index, index+1, index+2])
            break
    # if values.index(highest) > 0 and values[values.index(highest) - 1] != -1: 
    #     valuessorted.remove(values[values.index(highest) - 1])
    #     values[values.index(highest) - 1] = -1
    # if values.index(highest) > 1 and values[values.index(highest) - 2] != -1: 
    #     valuessorted.remove(values[values.index(highest) - 2])
    #     values[values.index(highest) - 2] = -1
    # if values.index(highest) < len(values) - 1 and values[values.index(highest) + 1] != -1: 
    #     valuessorted.remove(values[values.index(highest) + 1])
    #     values[values.index(highest) + 1] = -1
    # if values.index(highest) < len(values) - 2 and values[values.index(highest) + 2] != -1: 
    #     valuessorted.remove(values[values.index(highest) + 2])
    #     values[values.index(highest) + 2] = -1
    # values[values.index(highest)] = -1

print(total)

Test 1

Verdict: ACCEPTED

Test 2

Verdict: ACCEPTED

Test 3

Verdict: WRONG ANSWER

Test 4

Verdict: WRONG ANSWER

Test 5

Verdict: WRONG ANSWER

Test 6

Verdict: WRONG ANSWER

Test 7

Verdict: TIME LIMIT EXCEEDED

Test 8

Verdict: TIME LIMIT EXCEEDED

Test 9

Verdict: TIME LIMIT EXCEEDED

Test 10

Verdict: TIME LIMIT EXCEEDED

Test 11

Verdict: WRONG ANSWER

Test 12

Verdict: ACCEPTED

Test 13

Verdict: ACCEPTED

Test 14

Verdict: TIME LIMIT EXCEEDED

Test 15

Verdict: TIME LIMIT EXCEEDED