Buggy python submission (verdict: Runtime Error):
N = int(input())
A = list(map(int,input().split()))



if A[0] > A[1]:
    status = 'dec'

elif A[1] > A[0]:
    status = 'inc'

else:
    status = 'equal'


cnt = 0

for i in range(2,N):
    if status == 'dec' and A[i] > A[i-1]:
        cnt += 1
        status = 'none'
    
    elif status == 'inc' and A[i] < A[i-1]:
        cnt += 1
        status = 'none'
    
    elif status == 'equal' and A[i] > A[i-1]:
        status = 'inc'
    
    elif status == 'equal' and A[i] < A[i-1]:
        status = 'dec'
    
    elif status == 'none' and A[i] < A[i-1]:
        status = 'dec'
    
    elif status == 'none' and A[i] > A[i-1]:
        status = 'inc'
    
    elif status == 'none' and A[i] == A[i-1]:
        status = 'equal'

print(cnt+1)
    

Fixed submission:
N = int(input())
A = list(map(int,input().split()))

if N == 1:
    print(1)
    exit()

if A[0] > A[1]:
    status = 'dec'

elif A[1] > A[0]:
    status = 'inc'

else:
    status = 'equal'


cnt = 0

for i in range(2,N):
    if status == 'dec' and A[i] > A[i-1]:
        cnt += 1
        status = 'none'
    
    elif status == 'inc' and A[i] < A[i-1]:
        cnt += 1
        status = 'none'
    
    elif status == 'equal' and A[i] > A[i-1]:
        status = 'inc'
    
    elif status == 'equal' and A[i] < A[i-1]:
        status = 'dec'
    
    elif status == 'none' and A[i] < A[i-1]:
        status = 'dec'
    
    elif status == 'none' and A[i] > A[i-1]:
        status = 'inc'
    
    elif status == 'none' and A[i] == A[i-1]:
        status = 'equal'

print(cnt+1)

Buggy python submission (verdict: Time Limit Exceeded):
def cutter(nums):
    if len(nums) < 2:
        return []
    
    for i in xrange(1, len(nums)):
        if int(nums[i]) != int(nums[i-1]):
            pos = i
            flag = int(nums[i]) > int(nums[i-1])  # is asc?
            # print flag
            break
    else:
        return []

    for i in xrange(pos, len(nums)):

        if flag:
            if int(nums[i]) < int(nums[i-1]):
                return nums[i:]
        else:
            if int(nums[i]) > int(nums[i-1]):
                return nums[i:]
    return []


n = int(raw_input())
arr = raw_input().split()
if n < 2:
    print n
else:
    count = 0
    while arr:
        # print arr
        count += 1
        arr = cutter(arr)

    print count

Fixed submission:
def cutter(nums, idx):
    if len(nums) - idx <= 2:
        return len(nums)
    
    for i in xrange(idx+1, len(nums)):
        if int(nums[i]) != int(nums[i-1]):
            pos = i
            flag = int(nums[i]) > int(nums[i-1])  # is asc?
            # print flag
            break
    else:
        return len(nums)

    for i in xrange(pos, len(nums)):

        if flag:
            if int(nums[i]) < int(nums[i-1]):
                return i
        else:
            if int(nums[i]) > int(nums[i-1]):
                return i
    return len(nums)


n = int(raw_input())
idx = 0
arr = raw_input().split()
if n < 2:
    print n
else:
    count = 0
    while idx < n:
        # print arr[idx:]
        count += 1
        idx = cutter(arr, idx)

    print count

Buggy python submission (verdict: Runtime Error):
def cutter(nums):
    if len(nums) < 2:
        return []
    
    for i in xrange(1, len(nums)):
        if int(nums[i]) != int(nums[i-1]):
            pos = i
            flag = int(nums[i]) > int(nums[i-1])  # is asc?
            # print flag
            break
    else:
        return []

    for i in xrange(pos, len(nums)):

        if flag:
            if int(nums[i]) < int(nums[i-1]):
                return nums[i:]
        else:
            if int(nums[i]) > int(nums[i-1]):
                return nums[i:]
    return []


n = int(raw_input())
arr = raw_input().split()
if n < 2:
    print n
else:
    count = 0
    while arr:
        print arr
        count += 1
        arr = cutter(arr)

    print count

Fixed submission:
def cutter(nums, idx):
    if len(nums) - idx <= 2:
        return len(nums)
    
    for i in xrange(idx+1, len(nums)):
        if int(nums[i]) != int(nums[i-1]):
            pos = i
            flag = int(nums[i]) > int(nums[i-1])  # is asc?
            # print flag
            break
    else:
        return len(nums)

    for i in xrange(pos, len(nums)):

        if flag:
            if int(nums[i]) < int(nums[i-1]):
                return i
        else:
            if int(nums[i]) > int(nums[i-1]):
                return i
    return len(nums)


n = int(raw_input())
idx = 0
arr = raw_input().split()
if n < 2:
    print n
else:
    count = 0
    while idx < n:
        # print arr[idx:]
        count += 1
        idx = cutter(arr, idx)

    print count