From: Kero <kero@...>
Date: 2006-01-04T21:27:57+09:00
Subject: Re: Numeric Maze (#60)

>> Here it is, my solution. From mathematical and algorithmic point of 
>> view, you won't find anything new. 
>
> Kero, this is really the quickest solution so far, passing my little 
> test suite. Before you, Ryan Sobol, was the leader, clocking in at 2.376 
> secs with #60.20 on the Quiz list. Your #60.22, clocks in at 1.972 
> seconds, a decrease by 17%.
>
> I'm challenging every quizzer: There is more to fetch!

You don't say? You do 868056 -> 651040 in 76 seconds. I broke my program off
after 15 minutes. I can not accept the title of fastest solution.

However, I need 21 seconds for 868056 -> 27 so I would assume that searching
for prefixes, or the approach from two sides has lots of potential.

> By refactoring Kero's code, I was able to squeeze the execution time to 
> 0.37 seconds, that's another 80%.

Did you do other things than eliminating method calls?

> I'm not submitting this code, as I'm sure there are more improvements to 
> be done.

If you did other things, I'd be interested to see it, still. My mail address
is mangled,
  "kero@chello.single-dot.nl".split(/\./).values_at(0,2).join(".")

Thanks.