note abitkin <i>Strangely, using my <code>$l=$_[3]--</code> and using <code>a(@_[0,2,1,3])</code> etc. doesn't work at all. @_ is not localised ($_3 ends up very negative and the solution becomes deeply recursive), which makes me wonder if the above solution works. I haven't compared the output to the original solution's output.</i><P> from perlsub:<BR /> <i>The array @_ is a local array, but its elements are aliases for the actual scalar parameters.</i><P> Basically, if you think about it, @_ has to be localized. Otherwise if you called a function inside a function (something I hope most of us do) your @_ array would be wiped out, leaving you with the parameters you sent into the child function you just called. The particular behavior your seeing is probably becuase the @_ array contains aliases to scalars.<P> Second, using 0 based discs is okay, it's easy enough for the user to add 1 in their head (or to start thinking like a cs person.)<p> Third, and this is where it gets interesting, when removing all the whitespace I can I get (for your solution): <code>sub a{if(my$l=pop){a(@_[0,2,1],$l-1);print"Move disc $l from $_[0] to $_[2] ";a(@_[1,0,2],$l-1);}}a 'A'..'C',pop;</code> Which just happens to be the same amount of space as (my solution): <code>sub a{my$l=pop;a(@_[0,2,1],--$l)."Move disc $l from $_[0] to $_[2] ".a(@_[1,0,2],$l)if$l>0;}print a 'A'..'C',pop;</code> so it seems that both solutions are (atleast as far as this little experiment goes) equal. My goal is to squeeze everything that I have now down to 115 or 110 by Tuesday.<P> Oh and I have compared our outputs, and with the exception of the disc number (mine being one less than yours) they are exactly the same.<P> EDIT:<BR /> perlsub not perlvar<P> EDIT2:<BR /> pop instead of shift to remove chars<P> EDIT3 (10/26/04):<BR /> Best I've done, modifing jasper's code, is 111 chars.<BR /> <code>sub a{if(my$l=pop){a(@_[0,2,1],--$l);print"Move disc $l from $_[0] to $_[2] ";a(@_[1,0,2],$l);}}a 'A'..'C',pop;</code> <!-- Node text goes above. Div tags should contain sig only --> <div class="pmsig"><div class="pmsig-188181"> <BR>== <BR>Kwyjibo. A big, dumb, balding North American ape. With no chin. </div></div> 400359 401251