All tests were executed on a dual-processor Xeon 3 GHz machine with 6 GB of RAM. Perl programs were run with 5.8.4, and Python programs were run with 2.4a2. Programs that use Inline were run at least once before the test and their libraries cached, so the test time does not include compilation. The "Web2" dictionary was used for all tests.

The following submissions were not tested:

greg_bacon.scheme - I don't have a Scheme interpreter
ingo_blechschmidt.pir - I don't have parrot
david_b.pl - Blows all of my machine's RAM on "love hate"

Ron Isaacson, 2004/09/01

The following tests are expected to fail:

There is no ladder for "love 10th" or "worship justice".
"zzzz" is not in the dictionary, and "love zesty" are different lengths.

The table shows the amount of time, in seconds, it took for the program to complete (or '**' if it took more than 10 minutes and was aborted).

love
10th worship
justice love
zzzz love
zesty

andrew_dalke.py 0.263 1.365 0.271 0.639

colin_meyer.pl 0.782 1.722 0.709 0.034

colin_meyer_2.pl 0.695 1.562 0.707 0.033

colin_meyer_3.pl 0.703 1.605 0.695 0.032

dan_schmidt.py 0.639 1.175 0.644 0.672

daniel_martin.pl 0.256 0.298 0.255 0.076

ingo_blechschmidt.pl 0.614 1.340 0.595 0.041

james_e_tilley.pl 0.321 1.447 0.321 0.096

jereme_corrado.pl ** 0.276 ** 0.041

john_j_trammell.pl 1.930 0.732 0.627 0.062

julien_quint.pl 1.017 1.817 1.021 0.040

jurgen_pletinckx.pl 16.794 0.605 15.612 0.060

rod_adams.pl 0.237 0.400 0.326 0.270

roger_burton_west.pl 1.111 0.244 1.113 0.034

ron_isaacson.pl 0.469 0.633 0.429 0.341

ronald_j_kimball.pl 0.217 0.265 0.321 0.047

tassilo_von_parseval.pl 8.221 0.741 0.709 9.230

xavier_noria.pl 0.393 0.550 0.364 0.104

yitzchak_scott_thoennes.pl 0.267 1.193 0.323 0.040

zed_lopez.pl 0.216 0.278 0.214 0.047

zsban_ambrus.pl 0.059 1.191 0.508 0.059

The following tests are expected to succeed.

"love love" tests a degenerate case that not everybody accounted for.
"ruby code" succeeds only for case-insensitive searches.
"alcae" doesn't appear in the dictionary, but "Alcae" does; "alcae zesty" succeeds only if the case-insensitivity applies to the start/stop words as well.

For each program, the table shows two things: the number of steps in the ladder (or 'X' if the program failed); and the amount of time, in seconds, the program took to complete (or '**' if it took more than 10 minutes and was aborted).

love
love love
hate idol
upas ruby
code alcae
zesty algae
zesty alure
yasht octavo
herpes peltry
zounds cortina
turjite deadness
thusness

andrew_dalke.py X 0.315 4 0.275 18 0.310 5 0.269 16 0.511 15 0.525 38 0.526 32 1.676 55 1.211 41 3.828 38 2.013

colin_meyer.pl 1 0.709 4 0.724 18 0.754 5 0.715 16 1.032 15 0.990 38 1.005 32 1.618 55 1.558 41 1.776 38 2.148

colin_meyer_2.pl 1 0.702 4 0.710 18 0.735 5 0.699 16 0.993 15 0.934 38 0.970 32 1.477 55 1.417 41 1.616 38 2.020

colin_meyer_3.pl 1 0.700 4 0.702 18 0.738 5 0.719 16 1.004 15 0.931 38 0.983 32 1.484 55 1.419 41 1.620 38 1.922

dan_schmidt.py 1 0.260 4 0.270 18 0.646 5 0.262 16 0.525 15 0.531 38 1.100 32 1.247 55 1.521 41 2.131 38 1.868

daniel_martin.pl 1 0.256 4 0.254 18 0.279 5 0.258 18 0.374 17 0.386 38 0.426 32 0.781 55 0.542 41 0.348 38 0.349

ingo_blechschmidt.pl 1 0.358 4 0.591 18 0.659 5 0.613 16 1.002 15 0.996 38 1.058 32 1.470 55 1.489 41 1.401 38 1.809

james_e_tilley.pl 1 0.337 4 0.336 X 0.826 X 0.333 X 0.497 15 0.616 X 0.508 X 0.956 55 2.266 X 2.139 38 1.984

jereme_corrado.pl X 0.042 4 0.213 X ** 6 0.222 36 0.804 35 0.803 X ** X ** X ** X 0.386 X 21.132

john_j_trammell.pl 1 0.646 4 2.631 18 46.096 5 4.884 16 119.599 15 119.795 38 153.719 32 225.271 55 261.712 41 43.847 38 19.878

julien_quint.pl 1 0.519 4 0.521 18 1.303 5 0.533 16 1.550 15 1.327 38 2.544 32 2.191 55 150.530 41 1.845 38 2.600

jurgen_pletinckx.pl X 0.060 4 1.140 18 15.473 5 0.609 16 85.873 15 85.702 38 103.463 32 235.663 55 328.435 41 66.797 38 30.994

rod_adams.pl 3 0.047 4 0.235 18 0.327 5 0.280 16 0.596 15 0.591 38 0.567 32 1.355 55 1.020 41 1.403 38 1.851

roger_burton_west.pl 1 0.197 4 1.113 18 1.148 5 1.126 16 2.199 15 2.230 38 2.241 32 2.708 55 2.732 41 0.595 38 0.397

ron_isaacson.pl X 46.002 4 1.062 18 46.009 5 1.106 X 0.389 15 94.157 X 0.493 32 186.802 55 273.584 41 41.034 38 19.246

ronald_j_kimball.pl 3 0.227 4 0.234 18 0.620 5 0.242 16 3.397 15 3.292 38 5.110 32 19.465 55 13.182 41 2.579 38 2.565

tassilo_von_parseval.pl 1 0.584 4 0.604 X 2.978 5 0.631 X 1.666 X 1.555 X 4.820 X 34.478 X 205.944 X 0.864 X 2.229

xavier_noria.pl 3 0.367 4 0.429 886 3.807 6 0.390 52 1.226 51 1.221 673 11.234 867 48.269 534 36.271 67 35.578 62 10.390

yitzchak_scott_thoennes.pl 1 0.299 4 0.270 18 0.292 5 0.290 16 0.499 15 0.500 38 0.525 32 1.018 55 0.910 41 1.218 38 1.753

zed_lopez.pl 1 0.216 4 0.221 18 0.296 5 0.222 16 0.619 15 0.559 38 0.486 32 1.767 55 1.446 41 0.594 38 0.346

zsban_ambrus.pl 1 0.059 4 0.071 18 0.413 5 0.369 16 0.662 15 0.635 38 0.613 32 1.168 55 1.185 41 1.470 38 1.693

	love 10th	worship justice	love zzzz	love zesty
andrew_dalke.py	0.263	1.365	0.271	0.639
colin_meyer.pl	0.782	1.722	0.709	0.034
colin_meyer_2.pl	0.695	1.562	0.707	0.033
colin_meyer_3.pl	0.703	1.605	0.695	0.032
dan_schmidt.py	0.639	1.175	0.644	0.672
daniel_martin.pl	0.256	0.298	0.255	0.076
ingo_blechschmidt.pl	0.614	1.340	0.595	0.041
james_e_tilley.pl	0.321	1.447	0.321	0.096
jereme_corrado.pl	**	0.276	**	0.041
john_j_trammell.pl	1.930	0.732	0.627	0.062
julien_quint.pl	1.017	1.817	1.021	0.040
jurgen_pletinckx.pl	16.794	0.605	15.612	0.060
rod_adams.pl	0.237	0.400	0.326	0.270
roger_burton_west.pl	1.111	0.244	1.113	0.034
ron_isaacson.pl	0.469	0.633	0.429	0.341
ronald_j_kimball.pl	0.217	0.265	0.321	0.047
tassilo_von_parseval.pl	8.221	0.741	0.709	9.230
xavier_noria.pl	0.393	0.550	0.364	0.104
yitzchak_scott_thoennes.pl	0.267	1.193	0.323	0.040
zed_lopez.pl	0.216	0.278	0.214	0.047
zsban_ambrus.pl	0.059	1.191	0.508	0.059

	love love		love hate		idol upas		ruby code		alcae zesty		algae zesty		alure yasht		octavo herpes		peltry zounds		cortina turjite		deadness thusness
andrew_dalke.py	X	0.315	4	0.275	18	0.310	5	0.269	16	0.511	15	0.525	38	0.526	32	1.676	55	1.211	41	3.828	38	2.013
colin_meyer.pl	1	0.709	4	0.724	18	0.754	5	0.715	16	1.032	15	0.990	38	1.005	32	1.618	55	1.558	41	1.776	38	2.148
colin_meyer_2.pl	1	0.702	4	0.710	18	0.735	5	0.699	16	0.993	15	0.934	38	0.970	32	1.477	55	1.417	41	1.616	38	2.020
colin_meyer_3.pl	1	0.700	4	0.702	18	0.738	5	0.719	16	1.004	15	0.931	38	0.983	32	1.484	55	1.419	41	1.620	38	1.922
dan_schmidt.py	1	0.260	4	0.270	18	0.646	5	0.262	16	0.525	15	0.531	38	1.100	32	1.247	55	1.521	41	2.131	38	1.868
daniel_martin.pl	1	0.256	4	0.254	18	0.279	5	0.258	18	0.374	17	0.386	38	0.426	32	0.781	55	0.542	41	0.348	38	0.349
ingo_blechschmidt.pl	1	0.358	4	0.591	18	0.659	5	0.613	16	1.002	15	0.996	38	1.058	32	1.470	55	1.489	41	1.401	38	1.809
james_e_tilley.pl	1	0.337	4	0.336	X	0.826	X	0.333	X	0.497	15	0.616	X	0.508	X	0.956	55	2.266	X	2.139	38	1.984
jereme_corrado.pl	X	0.042	4	0.213	X	**	6	0.222	36	0.804	35	0.803	X	**	X	**	X	**	X	0.386	X	21.132
john_j_trammell.pl	1	0.646	4	2.631	18	46.096	5	4.884	16	119.599	15	119.795	38	153.719	32	225.271	55	261.712	41	43.847	38	19.878
julien_quint.pl	1	0.519	4	0.521	18	1.303	5	0.533	16	1.550	15	1.327	38	2.544	32	2.191	55	150.530	41	1.845	38	2.600
jurgen_pletinckx.pl	X	0.060	4	1.140	18	15.473	5	0.609	16	85.873	15	85.702	38	103.463	32	235.663	55	328.435	41	66.797	38	30.994
rod_adams.pl	3	0.047	4	0.235	18	0.327	5	0.280	16	0.596	15	0.591	38	0.567	32	1.355	55	1.020	41	1.403	38	1.851
roger_burton_west.pl	1	0.197	4	1.113	18	1.148	5	1.126	16	2.199	15	2.230	38	2.241	32	2.708	55	2.732	41	0.595	38	0.397
ron_isaacson.pl	X	46.002	4	1.062	18	46.009	5	1.106	X	0.389	15	94.157	X	0.493	32	186.802	55	273.584	41	41.034	38	19.246
ronald_j_kimball.pl	3	0.227	4	0.234	18	0.620	5	0.242	16	3.397	15	3.292	38	5.110	32	19.465	55	13.182	41	2.579	38	2.565
tassilo_von_parseval.pl	1	0.584	4	0.604	X	2.978	5	0.631	X	1.666	X	1.555	X	4.820	X	34.478	X	205.944	X	0.864	X	2.229
xavier_noria.pl	3	0.367	4	0.429	886	3.807	6	0.390	52	1.226	51	1.221	673	11.234	867	48.269	534	36.271	67	35.578	62	10.390
yitzchak_scott_thoennes.pl	1	0.299	4	0.270	18	0.292	5	0.290	16	0.499	15	0.500	38	0.525	32	1.018	55	0.910	41	1.218	38	1.753
zed_lopez.pl	1	0.216	4	0.221	18	0.296	5	0.222	16	0.619	15	0.559	38	0.486	32	1.767	55	1.446	41	0.594	38	0.346
zsban_ambrus.pl	1	0.059	4	0.071	18	0.413	5	0.369	16	0.662	15	0.635	38	0.613	32	1.168	55	1.185	41	1.470	38	1.693