Python creating a dictionary of lists

You can use defaultdict:

>>> from collections import defaultdict
>>> d = defaultdict(list)
>>> a = ['1', '2']
>>> for i in a:
...   for j in range(int(i), int(i) + 2):
...     d[j].append(i)
...
>>> d
defaultdict(<type 'list'>, {1: ['1'], 2: ['1', '2'], 3: ['2']})
>>> d.items()
[(1, ['1']), (2, ['1', '2']), (3, ['2'])]

Personally, I just use JSON to convert things to strings and back. Strings I understand.

import json
s = [('yellow', 1), ('blue', 2), ('yellow', 3), ('blue', 4), ('red', 1)]
mydict = {}
hash = json.dumps(s)
mydict[hash] = "whatever"
print mydict
#{'[["yellow", 1], ["blue", 2], ["yellow", 3], ["blue", 4], ["red", 1]]': 'whatever'}

You can use setdefault:

d = dict()
a = ['1', '2']
for i in a:
    for j in range(int(i), int(i) + 2): 
        d.setdefault(j, []).append(i)

print d  # prints {1: ['1'], 2: ['1', '2'], 3: ['2']}

The rather oddly-named setdefault function says "Get the value with this key, or if that key isn't there, add this value and then return it."

As others have rightly pointed out, defaultdict is a better and more modern choice. setdefault is still useful in older versions of Python (prior to 2.5).

You can build it with list comprehension like this:

>>> dict((i, range(int(i), int(i) + 2)) for i in ['1', '2'])
{'1': [1, 2], '2': [2, 3]}

And for the second part of your question use defaultdict

>>> from collections import defaultdict
>>> s = [('yellow', 1), ('blue', 2), ('yellow', 3), ('blue', 4), ('red', 1)]
>>> d = defaultdict(list)
>>> for k, v in s:
        d[k].append(v)

>>> d.items()
[('blue', [2, 4]), ('red', [1]), ('yellow', [1, 3])]