Task

Given a jumbled list of the numbers   1   to   9   that are definitely   not   in
ascending order.

Show the list,   and then ask the player how many digits from the
left to reverse.

Reverse those digits,   then ask again,   until all the digits end up in ascending order.



The score is the count of the reversals needed to attain the ascending order.



Note: Assume the player's input does not need extra validation.



Related tasks

   Sorting algorithms/Pancake sort
   Pancake sorting.
   Topswops


Private Function shuffle(ByVal a As Variant) As Variant
    Dim t As Variant, i As Integer
    For i = UBound(a) To LBound(a) + 1 Step -1
        j = Int((UBound(a) - LBound(a) + 1) * Rnd + LBound(a))
        t = a(i)
        a(i) = a(j)
        a(j) = t
    Next i
    shuffle = a
End Function
Private Sub reverse(ByRef a As Variant, n As Integer)
    Dim b As Variant
    b = a
    For i = 1 To n
        a(i) = b(n + 1 - i)
    Next i
End Sub
Public Sub game()
    Debug.Print "Given a jumbled list of the numbers 1 to 9"
    Debug.Print "you must select how many digits from the left to reverse."
    Debug.Print "Your goal is to get the digits in order with 1 on the left and 9 on the right."
 
    inums = [{1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9}]
    Dim nums As Variant
    Dim turns As Integer, flip As Integer
 
    shuffled = False
    Do While Not shuffled
        nums = shuffle(inums)
        For i = LBound(nums) To UBound(nums)
            If nums(i) <> inums(i) Then
                shuffled = True
                Exit For
            End If
        Next i
    Loop
 
 
    Do While True
        Debug.Print turns; ":";
        For Each x In nums: Debug.Print x;: Next x
        Debug.Print
        flag = False
        For i = LBound(nums) To UBound(nums)
            If nums(i) <> inums(i) Then
                flag = True
                Exit For
            End If
        Next i
        If flag Then
            flip = InputBox(" -- How many numbers should be flipped? ")
            reverse nums, flip
            turns = turns + 1
        Else
            Exit Do
        End If
    Loop
 
    Debug.Print "You took"; turns; "turns to put the digits in order."
End Sub