Toby Henderson

DECLARE @INPUT AS VARCHAR(MAX)
DECLARE @RESULT AS VARCHAR(MAX)
DECLARE @LENGTH AS INT
DECLARE @x AS INT

SET @INPUT = 'ABCDE'
SET @LENGTH = LEN(@INPUT)
SET @RESULT = ''
SET @x = 0

WHILE ( @x < @LENGTH )
    BEGIN
        SELECT  @RESULT = @RESULT + SPACE(@LENGTH - @x) + SUBSTRING(@INPUT, @x + 1, 1)

        IF ( @x > 0 )
            SELECT  @RESULT = @RESULT + SPACE(( @x * 2 ) - 1)+ SUBSTRING(@INPUT, @x + 1, 1)

        SELECT  @RESULT = @RESULT + CHAR(13) + CHAR(10)
        SET @x = @x + 1
    END

SET @x = @x - 1

WHILE ( @x >= 0 )
    BEGIN
        SET @x = @x - 1
        SELECT  @RESULT = @RESULT + SPACE(@LENGTH - @x) + SUBSTRING(@INPUT, @x + 1, 1)
        IF ( @x > 0 )
            SELECT  @RESULT = @RESULT + SPACE(( @x * 2 ) - 1) + SUBSTRING(@INPUT, @x + 1, 1)

        SELECT  @RESULT = @RESULT + CHAR(13) + CHAR(10)
    END

PRINT @RESULT