[kristopolous]

a way that follows the rules and also does what you're trying to do:

    def noloops(n):

      x = lambda n, digits: (n / 1e9, digits + (n >= 10) + (n >= 100) + (n >= 1e3) + (n >= 1e4) + (n >= 1e5) + (n >= 1e6) + (n >= 1e7) + (n >= 1e8) + (n >= 1e9))

      y = lambda n, digits: x(*x(*x(*x(*x(*x(n, digits))))))

      return y(*y(*y(*y(*y(*y(n, 1))))))[1]

Now we have it up to 324 digits without any loops.