diff --git a/Lib/idlelib/configDialog.py b/Lib/idlelib/configDialog.py
index d0b21557516..dbaedc76c39 100644
--- a/Lib/idlelib/configDialog.py
+++ b/Lib/idlelib/configDialog.py
@@ -989,16 +989,11 @@ class ConfigDialog(Toplevel):
         self.SetThemeType()
         ##load theme element option menu
         themeNames=self.themeElements.keys()
-        themeNames.sort(self.__ThemeNameIndexCompare)
+        themeNames.sort(key=lambda x: self.themeElements[x][1])
         self.optMenuHighlightTarget.SetMenu(themeNames,themeNames[0])
         self.PaintThemeSample()
         self.SetHighlightTarget()
 
-    def __ThemeNameIndexCompare(self,a,b):
-        if self.themeElements[a][1]<self.themeElements[b][1]: return -1
-        elif self.themeElements[a][1]==self.themeElements[b][1]: return 0
-        else: return 1
-
     def LoadKeyCfg(self):
         ##current keys type radiobutton
         self.keysAreBuiltin.set(idleConf.GetOption('main','Keys','default',
diff --git a/Lib/idlelib/configHandler.py b/Lib/idlelib/configHandler.py
index 8a047454c71..73487d56f31 100644
--- a/Lib/idlelib/configHandler.py
+++ b/Lib/idlelib/configHandler.py
@@ -654,17 +654,9 @@ class IdleConf:
                 helpPath=value[1].strip()
             if menuItem and helpPath: #neither are empty strings
                 helpSources.append( (menuItem,helpPath,option) )
-        helpSources.sort(self.__helpsort)
+        helpSources.sort(key=lambda x: int(x[2]))
         return helpSources
 
-    def __helpsort(self, h1, h2):
-        if int(h1[2]) < int(h2[2]):
-            return -1
-        elif int(h1[2]) > int(h2[2]):
-            return 1
-        else:
-            return 0
-
     def GetAllExtraHelpSourcesList(self):
         """
         Returns a list of tuples containing the details of all additional help