Sort Yard

Choose how to sort a row of crates and watch the algorithm compare and swap — the bill changes drastically with your choice.

How to play

A conveyor of numbered crates needs ordering. Pick a sorting strategy and run it; the crates compare and swap on the belt while you are charged for every comparison and every swap. The cheapest strategy for this exact row is par — beat it to clear the yard.

• Choose from bubble, insertion, selection and quicksort
• You pay one cost unit per comparison and per swap
• Same crates, very different bills — that gap is algorithmic complexity

Controls

• Desktop: click a strategy button, then Run sort; Reset replays, New crates makes a fresh row in practice
• Phone & tablet: tap the strategy and the Run button

Game modes

• Daily: a shared crate arrangement seeded from today's date
• Practice: generate new arrangements freely

Tips & strategy

• Insertion is cheap when the row is already nearly sorted; quicksort tends to win on big random rows
• Read the arrangement label and match the strategy to it to hit par

What you'll learn

Sort Yard makes sorting-algorithm cost visible by letting you run different strategies on the same data.

• Skills: sorting algorithms, algorithm efficiency, comparing strategies, computational thinking
• Best for: roughly grades 8–12 (ages 13+)
• For parents & teachers: see why some sorts beat others.

About Sort Yard

Sort Yard makes sorting-algorithm cost visible by letting you run different strategies on the same data. It is an original, free browser game built in-house for PlayPendium.

A free, original browser game on PlayPendium — no download, no install. Browse all games →