How to randomize letters in a word

Question

According to some controversial story, the odrer of ltteres in a wrod deos not mttaer much for raednig, as lnog as the frist and lsat lteter macth with the orignial wrod.

So, for fun, what would be the shortest function to randomize letter order in a word while keeping the first and the last letter in place?

Here's my stab at it with JavaScript. All whitespace removed it's at 124 130 characters.

function r(w) {
  var l=w.length-1;
  return l<3?w:w[0]+w.slice(1,l).split("").sort(function(){return Math.random()-.5}).join("")+w[l];
}

Shorter JavaScript always welcome.

---

• Edit: length check added. Function should not fail for short words.

Answer 1

Haskell, 110 120 107 characters

import Random
s l=randomRIO(1,length l-2)>>=g.($l).splitAt
g(a:b,c:d)=fmap(a:).s$c:b++d
g(a,b)=return$a++b

An example of a program using this function:

main = getLine >>= s >>= putStrLn

Answer 2

J, 26 24 23 characters

r=:{.,({~?~@#)&}.&}:,{:

Answer 3

Ruby, 44 characters

r=->w{w[h=1..-2]=[*w[h].chars].shuffle*"";w}

Works also for short words, i.e. words with one, two or three characters are returned unaltered.

Edit: Using the array-splat idea of Ventero saves another char.

Answer 4

Ruby 1.9, 46 characters

r=->w{w[0]+[*w[1..-2].chars].shuffle*""+w[-1]}

Answer 5

C++, 79 characters ^{_{(with range check)}}

string f(string s){if(s.size()>3)random_shuffle(&s[1],&s.end()[-1]);return s;}

C++, 81 65 characters ^{_{(without range check)}}

string f(string s){random_shuffle(&s[1],&s.end()[-1]);return s;}

Using pass by reference instead of returning the result shaves off another 10 characters from either solution.

Full program, reading a string of words and shuffling converting them:

#include <iostream>
#include <algorithm>
#include <cstdio>
#include <ctime>
#include <string>

using namespace std;    
string f(string s){if(s.size()>3)random_shuffle(&s[1],&s.end()[-1]);return s;}

int main() {
    std::srand(std::time(0));
    std::string s;
    while(std::cin >> s)
        std::cout << f(s) << " ";
    std::cout << std::endl;
}

Morale: don’t build what’s already there. Oh, and overflow checks are for wusses.

Answer 6

C (K&R) - 88 86 87 chars

r(char*s){int m,j,l=strlen(s)-2,i=l;while(--i>0){j=rand()%l+1;m=s[j];s[j]=s[1];s[1]=m;}}

There's no build-in swap or shuffle function in C, so I had to do it manually :(

Sample Program with Ungolfed r():

#include <stdio.h>
#include <string.h>
#include <time.h>
#include <stdlib.h>

// -----------------------------------------------------------------------
r( char *s )
{
    int m, j, l=strlen(s)-2, i=l;

    while (--i>0)
    {
        j = rand() % l + 1;

        m = s[j];
        s[j] = s[1];
        s[1] = m;
    }

}
// -----------------------------------------------------------------------
int main()
{
    char s[] = "anticipated";

    srand( time(0) );
    r( s );
    puts( s );

    return 0;
}

EDIT: fixed the bug when s consists of less than 3 chars (thanks to user-uknown for noticing it! )

Answer 7

Python, 87 79 75 93 92 chars

from random import*
f=lambda w:w if 4>len(w)else w[0]+''.join(sample(w[1:-1],len(w)-2))+w[-1]

EDIT: Originally thought it was supposed to split string words (which it did at 128 chars; now at 87 chars does requirement). Argh, my bad at reading comprehension.

EDIT 2: Change from def to lambda function from def to save 6 chars. Assuming sample is already imported to the namespace (from random import sample) could bring this down to ~60).

EDIT 3: "len(w[1:-1])" (12 chars) to "len(w)-2" (8 chars) per gnibbler's nice suggestion.

EDIT 4: JBernando saved one char (had considered from random import * and saw it was equivalent -- not realizing the space in import * is unnecessary).; user unknown added 19 chars w if len(w)<4 else to handle 0 and 1 char strings correctly.

EDIT 5: Saved another char per boothby's code golf trick. if len(w)<4 else to if 4>len(w)else.

Answer 8

C++, 111 97 chars

std::string f(std::string s){for(int i=s.size()-1;i>1;std::swap(s[rand()%i+1],s[--i]));return s;}

Here is a full program for those who wish to test it:

#include<string>
#include<iostream>

std::string f(std::string s){for(int i=s.size()-1;i>1;std::swap(s[rand()%i+1],s[--i]));return s;}

int main(){
    for(int i = 0; i<100; ++i)
    std::cout<<f("letters")<<std::endl;
}

Edit

Realised there is no need to random both swap indexes, saved a variable and a few more characters.

Answer 9

php (68 characters)

$r=preg_replace('/^(\w)(\w+)(\w)$/e','$1.str_shuffle($2).$3',trim($w));

shorter (60 characters)

$r=preg_replace('/(.)(.+)(.)/e','$1.str_shuffle($2).$3',$w);

Answer 10

Perl - 96 (or 71) characters 84 (or 59) characters

This is what I came up with in Perl. Went through a few different ways to do it but this seemed shortest from what I can think of so far, at 97 characters.

use List::Util 'shuffle';sub r{($b,@w)=split//,$_[0];$e=pop(@w);return$b.join('',shuffle@w).$e;}

Though, if you cut out the 'use' line (which I guess is valid, since others excluded #include lines in their C programs) I can cut it down further to 71 characters:

sub r{($b,@w)=split//,$_[0];$e=pop(@w);return$b.join('',shuffle@w).$e;}

EDIT It was suggested that I try doing this implementing @tobius' method. This way I got it down to 84 characters, or by removing the use line, 59 characters:

use List::Util 'shuffle';sub r{$_[0]=~m/(.)(.+)(.)/;$1.join'',shuffle split//,$2.$3}

Answer 11

Ruby, 77 75 characters

def r(s);f=s.size-2;1.upto(f){|i|x=rand(f)+1;t=s[i];s[i]=s[x];s[x]=t};s;end

My Scala solution in a slightly less verbose language. I'm not a Ruby expert by any means, so there's probably room for improvement.

Answer 12

Ruby 1.9, 77 48 46 44 chars

r=->w{w[h=1..-2]=[*w[h].chars].shuffle*"";w}

Disclaimer: I tuned this based on the highest ranked answer - noticed the exact same answer later on. You can check the history that I have kept true to my original idea but changed from ruby 1.8 to ruby 1.9 for short lambdas and shuffle.

If empty words are allowed then 56 54 chars

r=->w{w.empty?||w[h=1..-2]=[*w[h].chars].shuffle*"";w}

Answer 13

Python 3, 94 93 91 characters

Using a different technique. Might also work in Python 2.

from random import*
s=lambda x:x[0]+''.join(sample(x[1:-1],len(x)-2))+x[-1]if x[0:-1]else x

The ... if x[0:-1] else x gives x if its length is 1 (otherwise it would be duplicated). The function thereby works for strings of length 0 and 1.

The sample() is from https://stackoverflow.com/questions/2668312/shuffle-string-in-python/2668366#2668366.

Since it's one expression, we can use a lambda (eliminating return, def, and a pair of parentheses).

Edit: from random import* to save 1 character, after the other Python submission.

Answer 14

D, 62 chars

import std.random;void s(char[] s){randomShuffle(s[1..$-1]);}

okay I cheated with a normal char array instead of a real string (which is immutable char[] so no in-place shuffling)

edit with a length check it requires 14 more

import std.random;void s(char[] s){if(s.length>1)randomShuffle(s[1..$-1]);}

Answer 15

php 5.3 (60 chars)

$r=!$w[2]?:$w[0].str_shuffle(substr($w,1,-1)).substr($w,-1);

Improved to 56 chars and no longer requires version 5.3:

$r=substr_replace($w,str_shuffle(substr($w,1,-1)),1,-1);

Answer 16

Python, 86 chars

Slnicig is safe, so no bnouds ckhnceig is neeacrssy. Wkros on all leghtns.

from random import*
def f(x):x=list(x);t=x[1:-1];shuffle(t);x[1:-1]=t;return''.join(x)

Answer 17

JavaScript - 118 122 125 chars

Uses approximately the same algorithm as the OP, but with less chaining. I tried a lot of recursion, and I tried some iteration, but they all tend to get bogged down in some way or another.

function s(w){w=w.split('');var a=w.shift(),z=w.pop();return z?a+(w.sort(function(){return Math.random()-.5}).join(''))+z:a;}

Ungolfed:

function s(w)
{
    w = w.split('');
    var a = w.shift(),
        z = w.pop();
    return z?a + (w.sort(function() { return Math.random() - .5}).join('')) + z:a;
}

Answer 18

Perl - 111 characters (without using any library function)

sub r{($f,@w)=split//,shift;$l=pop@w;while(@w){if(rand(9)>1){push@w,shift@w}else{push@t,pop@w}}join'',$f,@t,$l}

Usage:

$in="randomizethis";
$out = &r($in);
print "\nout: $out";
sub r{($f,@w)=split//,shift;$l=pop@w;while(@w){if(rand(9)>1){push@w,shift@w}else{push@t,pop@w}}join'',$f,@t,$l}

Answer 19

Python

It's 90 89 112 characters of python!

Edit 1: as a function this time!

(thanks gnibbler)

Edit 2: now handles short words

(thanks user unknown)

import random as r
def q(s):
 a=list(s)
 b=a[1:-1]
 r.shuffle(b)
 if len(s)<4:
  return s
 return a[0]+''.join(b)+a[-1]

Answer 20

Scala, 135 139 142 156 characters

def r(s:String)={var(x,o,t,f)=(0,s.toArray,' ',s.size-2)
for(i<-1 to f){t=o(i)
x=util.Random.nextInt(f)+1
o(i)=o(x)
o(x)=t}
o.mkString}

-7: removed ':String' (return type can be inferred)
-7: removed 'return ' (last expression is the return value)
-3: factored s.size-2 out
-4: toCharArray -> toArray

Answer 21

C++11: - 68 66 chars

auto f=[&](){if(s.size()>2)random_shuffle(s.begin()+1,s.end()-1);};

full program:

#include <iostream>
#include <string>
#include <algorithm>

using namespace std;

int main(int argc, char* argv[]){

  string s = "SomestrinG";
  auto f=[&](){if(s.size()>2)random_shuffle(s.begin()+1,s.end()-1);};

  f();
  cout << s << endl;
  return 0;
}

Answer 22

Python - 76 characters

import random as r
def f(w):m=list(w)[1:-1];r.shuffle(m);return w[0]+''.join(m)+w[-1]

Answer 23

R, 104 (126)

f=function(w){s=strsplit(w,"")[[1]];paste(c(s[1],sample(s[2:(length(s)-1)]),s[length(s)]),collapse="")}

Usage:

for (i in 1:10) print(f("parola"))
[1] "plraoa"
[1] "prolaa"
[1] "praola"
[1] "parloa"
[1] "plaora"
[1] "palroa"
[1] "porlaa"
[1] "ploraa"
[1] "porlaa"
[1] "ploraa"

the below function works with words with length less than 3:

f=function(w){s=strsplit(w,"")[[1]];ifelse(length(s)<3,w,paste(c(s[1],sample(s[2:(length(s)-1)]),s[length(s)]),collapse=""))}

f("pl")
[1] "pl"
f("a")
[1] "a"

Answer 24

R, 95 92 91 characters

f=function(w,a=el(strsplit(w,'')),b=length(a))cat(a[1],sample(a[c(1,b)],b-2),a[b],sep="")

Makes use of R's lazy evaluation to compute a and b as function parameters, saving space with re-use later on. Also unlike other R answer this works for all words >1 char long. Example below:

> f("hippopotamus")
hpuoopaitmps

> f("dog")
dog

> f("az")
az

Edit: Replaced unlist() with [[]] Replaced [[1]] with el()

Answer 25

Taxi, 1344 bytes

Go to Post Office:w 1 l 1 r 1 l.Pickup a passenger going to Chop Suey.Go to Chop Suey:n 1 r 1 l 4 r 1 l.Pickup a passenger going to Post Office.[B]Switch to plan C if no one is waiting.Pickup a passenger going to Cyclone.Go to Cyclone:n 1 l 3 l.Pickup a passenger going to Narrow Path Park.Pickup a passenger going to Sunny Skies Park.Go to Zoom Zoom:n.Go to Sunny Skies Park:w 2 l.Go to Narrow Path Park:n 1 r 1 r 1 l 1 r.Go to Chop Suey:e 1 r 1 l 1 r.Switch to plan B.[C]Go to Narrow Path Park:n 1 l 1 r 1 l.Switch to plan H if no one is waiting.Pickup a passenger going to Joyless Park.Go to Joyless Park:e 1 r 3 l.Go to Narrow Path Park:w 1 r 3 l.[D]Switch to plan E if no one is waiting.Pickup a passenger going to Cyclone.Go to Cyclone:w 1 l 1 r 2 l.Pickup a passenger going to Firemouth Grill.Pickup a passenger going to Sunny Skies Park.Go to Zoom Zoom:n.Go to Firemouth Grill:w 1 l 2 r 3 r.Go to Sunny Skies Park:w 1 l 1 r 1 r.Go to Narrow Path Park:n 1 r 1 r 1 l 1 r.Switch to plan D.[E]Go to Firemouth Grill:e 1 r 4 r.[F]Switch to plan G if no one is waiting.Pickup a passenger going to Post Office.Go to Fueler Up:e 1 l.Go to Post Office:s 1 r 1 l.Go to Firemouth Grill:n 1 l.Switch to plan F.[G]Go to Joyless Park:e 1 l 3 r.Pickup a passenger going to Post Office.Go to Post Office:w 1 l 1 r 1 l.[H]Go to Post Office:e 1 r 4 r 1 l.

Try it online!

Try it online with linebreaks!

Errors out by having the boss fire me if the string is 1 character, and by being unable to drive in the current direction otherwise. Don't you just love programs that exit uncleanly like that?

Firemouth Grill is one of two destinations in Townsville that offer randomness. It is like any of the three parks in that any number of passengers can be dropped off for later, but they are picked up in a random and unspecified order. This destination alone does the main part of our job, so the only other thing to do is make sure we're only doing this to the characters in the middle.

Answer 26

D: 55 characters

void f(T)(T s){if(s.length>2)randomShuffle(s[1..$-1]);};

full program:

import std.stdio, std.random, std.conv;

void f(T)(T s){if(s.length>2)randomShuffle(s[1..$-1]);};

void main(){

  char[] s = to!(char[])("SomestrinG");

  f(s);
  writeln(s);
}

Answer 27

Erlang, 188 172 132 chars

f([H|C=[_|_]])->T=[lists:last(C)],[H|s(C--T,T)];f(X)->X. s([],N)->N;s(D,N)->E=[lists:nth(random:uniform(length(D)),D)],s(D--E,E++N).

I'm still learning Erlang so any tips on making this shorter are appreciated.

full code(string_shuffle module):

-module(string_shuffle).
-export([f/1]).

f([H|C=[_|_]])->
    T=[lists:last(C)],
    [H|s(C--T,T)];f(X)->X.
f(X)->X.

s([],N)->N;
s(D,N)->
    E=[lists:nth(random:uniform(length(D)),D)],
    s(D--E,E++N).

Edit

Took the shuffle part out as a seperate function which no longer requires the head and tail of the list to be passed around.

Edit 2

Restructured to remove one of the ffunction patterns, changed the shuffle function to accept only two parameters, changed lists:delete for --[], swapped a lists:reverse call for a lists:last

Answer 28

PowerShell, 93

filter x{if($_.length-lt3){$_}else{$_[0,-1]-join-join($_[1..($a=$_.Length-2)]|random -c $a)}}

Look, double-jointed code!

Answer 29

C#, 128

static string r(string w){var t="";while(w.Length>1){int n=new Random().Next(1,w.Length-1);t+=w[n];w=w.Remove(n,1);}return w+t;}

Answer 30

Scala: 94

def r(w:String)=if(w.size<2)w else w(0)+util.Random.shuffle(w.tail.init.toSeq).mkString+w.last

This is a riff on "user unknowns" answer. Since a String can be implicitly cast to a Seq of chars, we can leverage Seq methods to access the middle and end of the String.