How do I write the top of this while loop as a try/except/else block?

import random

wins_e = 0
losses_e = 0
wins_h = 0
losses_h = 0
hole_in_one = 0
guesses = []

print("""
You can make the mode 'easy' or 'hard'. 
'Easy' mode will let you know whether you guessed too high or too low; 'Hard" mode will not.
""")

while True:
    mode = input("""Enter '1' for easy or '2' for hard. """)
    if mode != "1" and mode != "2" and mode != "creator" and mode != "creator 2":
        print("Please enter '1' or '2'.")

    else:
        secret_num = random.randint(1, 20)

        print("Guess a number between 1 and 20. You have five tries!")
        if mode == "creator" or mode == "creator 2":
            print(secret_num)
        while len(guesses) < 5:
            try:
                player_guess = int(input("> "))

            except ValueError:
                print("Please enter a whole number.")

            else:

                if mode == "1" or mode == "creator":
                    if player_guess == secret_num:
                        print("you win")
                        wins_e += 1
                        break

                    elif player_guess < secret_num and player_guess not in guesses:
                        guesses.append(player_guess)
                        if len(guesses) == 5:
                            print("You're out of guesses. The number was {}.".format(secret_num))
                        else:
                            print("You guessed too low! You have {} guesses left.".format(5 - len(guesses )))


                    elif player_guess > secret_num and player_guess not in guesses:
                        guesses.append(player_guess)
                        if len(guesses) == 5:
                            print("You're out of guesses. The number was {}.".format(secret_num))
                        else:
                            print("You guessed too high! You have {} guesses left.".format(5 - len(guesses )))


                    elif player_guess in guesses:
                        print("You already guessed that.")

                if mode == "2" or mode == "creator 2":
                    if player_guess == secret_num:
                        print("you win")
                        wins_h += 1
                        break                


                    elif player_guess != secret_num and player_guess not in guesses:
                        guesses.append(player_guess)
                        if len(guesses) == 5:
                            print("You're out of guesses. The number was {}.".format(secret_num))
                        else:
                            print("No. You have {} guesses left.".format(5 - len(guesses )))

                    elif player_guess in guesses:
                        print("You already guessed that.")


        if len(guesses) == 0:
            hole_in_one += 1
            print("Amazing! On the first try!")

        if len(guesses) == 5:
            if mode == "1" or mode == "creator":
                losses_e += 1
            elif mode == "2" or mode == "creator 2":
                losses_h += 1

        print("Wins: {}, Losses: {}. Mode = Easy".format(wins_e, losses_e))
        print("Wins: {}, Losses: {}. Mode = Hard".format(wins_h, losses_h))


        play_again = input("Play again? ")

        if play_again != 'n':
            guesses = [] 
        else:
            print("Wins: {}, Losses: {}. Mode = Easy".format(wins_e, losses_e))
            print("Wins: {}, Losses: {}. Mode = Hard".format(wins_h, losses_h))
            break