vertical.rb

#!/usr/bin/ruby
#
# Vertical print
#
# 1.  Print a word vertically.  e.g. "one" should print as:
#
# o
# n
# e
#
# 2. Given a list of words, print them vertically side by side, e.g. ["one", "two" .... "eight", "nine", "ten"] should print as
#
# o t t f f s s e n t
# n w h o i i e i i e
# e o r u v x v g n n
# . . e r e . e h e .
# . . e . . . n t . .
#
# (added dots for visual distinction--not required)
#
# Sample impl:
#
WORDS = %w{one two three four five six seven eight nine ten}
DEFAULT_CHAR = ' '

def naive(words)
	longest_word = words.map {|w| w.length}.max
	longest_word.times { |i|
		words.each { |w|
			print %Q[#{i < w.length ? w[i] : DEFAULT_CHAR} ]
		}
		puts
	}
end

def slightly_less_naive(words)
	index = 0
	while true do
		printed = false
		words.each do |w|
			print "#{w[index] or DEFAULT_CHAR} "
			printed |= !w[index].nil?
		end

		index += 1
		puts
		break if not printed
	end
end

naive(WORDS)
puts "--" * WORDS.length
slightly_less_naive(WORDS)