import random
# ask the user for an N value
# generate a candidate NQ solution [random.randint(0,n-1) for x in range(n)]
# define a function to count number of conflicts()
# while number of conflicts in NQ > 0
    # randomize (or improve) NQ
# print NQ
# print number of iterations

#ask for n value
n = input("Give me a board dimension: ")
n = int(n)
# generate a candidate NQ solution [random.randint(0,n-1) for x in range(n)]
nq = [random.randint(0,n-1) for x in range(n)]

print(nq)
# define a function to count number of conflicts()
def count_conflicts( nq ):
    for i in range( len(nq)-1):
        for j in range(i+1,len(nq) ):
            if abs(i-j)==abs(nq[i]-nq[j]):
                global conflicts
                conflicts += 1
        return conflicts


#print(conflicts)
x = count_conflicts(nq)
print(x)

# while number of conflicts in NQ > 0
# randomize (or improve) NQ
while (conflicts > 0):
    nq = [random.randint(0,n-1) for x in range(n)]
# print NQ
print(nq)

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "C:/Users/wills/AppData/Local/Programs/Python/Python36-32/lasttry.py", line 25, in <module>
    x = count_conflicts(nq)
  File "C:/Users/wills/AppData/Local/Programs/Python/Python36-32/lasttry.py", line 20, in count_conflicts
    conflicts += 1
NameError: name 'conflicts' is not defined