spaghetti sort

English
Schematic diagram of spaghetti sorting. The spaghetti can be sorted by removing them from the bundle on the table in the order they stick out.

Etymology

Introduced by A. K. Dewdney in a Scientific American column.

Noun

spaghetti sort (plural spaghetti sorts)

  1. (computing theory) A linear-time algorithm for sorting a sequence of items, analogous to standing a number of strands of spaghetti of different lengths upright on a surface and noting the order in which they are encountered when lowering one's hand from above.
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