gistfile1.rb

def sort some_array #  This "wraps" recursive_sort.
  recursive_sort some_array, []
end

def recursive_sort unsorted_array, sorted_array
  # Check to see if there is anything to sort
  if unsorted_array.empty?
    return sorted_array
  else
    # Start  with the  first member  of unsorted  array,
    # just to have a starting point. We want to find the
    # word that would come first  if we cheated and used
    # unsorted_array.sort
    next_member = unsorted_array.first

    # Loop through unsorted array, comparing values.
    # Replace next_member with current value in the
    # loop if it is less than next_member.
    unsorted_array.each do |member|
      if member < next_member
        next_member = member  # assign next_member to value of member
      end
    end

    # At this point, next_member is the 'smallest' word
    # in the  unsorted_array. We need to  remove it from
    # unsorted_array and append  it to the sorted_array.

    # So, delete it from unsorted_array
    unsorted_array.delete(next_member)

    # Add it to the end of sorted_array
    sorted_array.push(next_member)

    # Call  recursive_sort   again,  with   the  changed
    # versions of unsorted_array and sorted_array
    recursive_sort(unsorted_array, sorted_array)
  end
end