to-report split [ string ]
  ;; utility reporter to split a string into a list
  report n-values length string [ [ n ] -> item n string ]
end

to-report squeeze [ character string ]
  ;; reporter that actually does the squeeze function
  ;; remote immeadiately repeating instances of character from string
  ifelse ( string = "" )
  [ report "" ] ;; empty input, report empty output
  [ report
      reduce
        [ [ a b ] ->
          ( word a
            ifelse-value b = character and b = last a
            [ "" ]
            [  b ]
          )
        ]
        split string
  ]
end

to-report bracket [ string ]
  ;; utility reporter to enclose a string in brackets
  report ( word "<<<" string ">>>" )
end

to-report format [ string ]
  ;; utility reporter to format the output as required
  report ( word bracket string " " length string )
end

to demo-squeeze [ character string ]
  ;; procedure to display the required output
  output-print bracket character
  output-print format string
  output-print format squeeze character string
end

to demo
  ;; procedure to perform the test cases
  demo-squeeze " " ""
  demo-squeeze "-" "\"If I were two-faced, would I be wearing this one?\" --- Abraham Lincoln "
  demo-squeeze "7" "..1111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111117777888"
  demo-squeeze "." "I never give 'em hell, I just tell the truth, and they think it's hell. "
  demo-squeeze " " "                                                    --- Harry S Truman  "
  demo-squeeze "-" "                                                    --- Harry S Truman  "
  demo-squeeze "r" "                                                    --- Harry S Truman  "
end