code: def sortby(listoflists,sortcols):
      
      newlist = abut(colex(listoflists,sortcols),listoflists)
      newlist.sort()
      try:
          numcols = len(sortcols)
      except TypeError:
          numcols = 1
      crit = '[' + str(numcols) + ':]'
      newlist = colex(newlist,crit)
      return newlist
docs: Sorts a list of lists on the column(s) specified in the sequence
  sortcols.
  
  Usage:   sortby(listoflists,sortcols)
  Returns: sorted list, unchanged column ordering