def adder1(*args):
    print('adder1:', end=' ')
    if type(args[0]) == type(0):              # Integer?
         sum = 0                              # Init to zero
    else:                                     # else sequence:
         sum = args[0][:0]                    # Use empty slice of arg1
    for arg in args:
        sum = sum + arg
    return sum

def adder2(*args):
    print('adder2:', end=' ')
    sum = args[0]                             # Init to arg1
    for next in args[1:]:
        sum += next                           # Add items 2..N
    return sum

for func in (adder1, adder2):
    print(func(2, 3, 4))
    print(func('hack', 'code', 'well'))
    print(func(['a', 'b'], ['c', 'd'], ['e', 'f']))