As part of am exam question (Q21F here), I'm trying to prove that if $X$ and $Y$ are path-connected, locally path-connected spaces with universal covers $\widetilde{X}$ and $\widetilde{Y}$, respectively, then if $X \simeq Y$ then $\widetilde{X} \simeq \widetilde{Y}$.
My attempt might be correct, but it seems too complicated and amongst the jumble I may have made some incorrect assumptions. So what I'm looking for is (a) verification or correction; and (b) ideas as to how I could simplify my argument.
My argument:
Let $p:\widetilde{X} \to X$ and $q:\widetilde{Y} \to Y$ be the covering maps, and let $X \overset{f}{\underset{g}{\leftrightarrows}} Y$ be a homotopy equivalence.
Fix a point $\widetilde{x} \in \widetilde{X}$, let $x=p(x) \in X$ and $y=f(x) \in Y$, and fix $\widetilde{y} \in q^{-1}(\{y\}) \subseteq \widetilde{Y}$. Also let $x' = g(y) \in X$ and fix $\widetilde{x'} \in p^{-1}(\{x'\}) \subseteq \widetilde{X}$.
Define a map $\widetilde{f} : \widetilde{X} \to \widetilde{Y}$ as follows. For $\widetilde{z} \in \widetilde{X}$ let $\widetilde{u}:[0,1] \to \widetilde{X}$ be a path from $\widetilde{x}$ to $\widetilde{z}$. Let $z=p(z)$ so that $u=p\widetilde{u}$ is a path in $X$ from $x$ to $z$. Let $v=fu$, so that $v$ is a path in $Y$ from $y$ to $f(z)$. Lift $v$ to a path $\widetilde{v}$ in $\widetilde{Y}$ with $\widetilde{v}(0) = \widetilde{y}$. Define $\widetilde{f}(\widetilde{z}) = \widetilde{v}(1)$.
Notice that $q\widetilde{v}=v$ so that $q\widetilde{f} = fp$.
Define $\widetilde{g}:Y \to X$ analogously: For $\widetilde{z} \in \widetilde{Y}$ let $\widetilde{a}:[0,1] \to \widetilde{Y}$ be a path from $\widetilde{y}$ to $\widetilde{z}$. Let $z=q(z)$ so that $a=q\widetilde{a}$ is a path in $Y$ from $y$ to $z$. Let $b=fa$, so that $b$ is a path in $X$ from $x'$ to $g(z)$. Lift $b$ to a path $\widetilde{b}$ in $\widetilde{X}$ with $\widetilde{b}(0) = \widetilde{x'}$. Define $\widetilde{g}(\widetilde{z}) = \widetilde{b}(1)$.
Likewise, notice that $p\widetilde{g}=gq$.
Claim: $\widetilde{X} \overset{\widetilde{f}}{\underset{\widetilde{g}}{\leftrightarrows}} \widetilde{Y}$ is a homotopy equivalence.
We have $p\widetilde{g}\widetilde{f} = gq\widetilde{f}=gfp \simeq p$ and $q\widetilde{f}\widetilde{g} = fp\widetilde{g} = fgq \simeq q$.
This shows that $\widetilde{g}\widetilde{f}$ and $\widetilde{f}\widetilde{g}$ are covering translations (deck transformations) and are therefore homotopic to the respective identity maps. So we have a homotopy equivalence.
Any comments would be appreciated.