Mi implementation is "working". For instance:
./quiz_128.rb "a+b=c"a: 5b: 1c: 6
But./quiz_128.rb "send+more=money" is taking ages!
time ./quiz_128.rb "send+more=money"m: 1y: 2n: 6o: 0d: 7e: 5r: 8s: 9
real    7m17.065suser    2m46.806ssys     0m6.676s

Is there some trick to cut the solution space (I'm just scanning thesolution space) ? I know I have a crappy PC but I have a feeling thatthis is not the real problem! When can I send my solution to bereviewed?
> The three rules of Ruby Quiz:>> 1.  Please do not post any solutions or spoiler discussion for this quiz until> 48 hours have passed from the time on this message.>> 2.  Support Ruby Quiz by submitting ideas as often as you can:>> http://www.rubyquiz.com/>> 3.  Enjoy!>> Suggestion:  A [QUIZ] in the subject of emails about the problem helps everyone> on Ruby Talk follow the discussion.  Please reply to the original quiz message,> if you can.>> -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=>> A famous set of computer problems involve verbal arithmetic.  In these problems,> you are given equations of words like:>>           send>         + more>         ------>          money>> or:>>           forty>             ten>         +   ten>         ------->           sixty>> The goal is to find a single digit for each letter that makes the equation true.> Normal rules of number construction apply, so the first digit of a multi-digit> number should be nonzero and each letter represents a different digit.>> This week's quiz is to build a program that reads in equations and outputs> solutions.  You can decide how complex of an equation you want to support, with> the examples above being the minimum implementation.>> Here's a solution you can test against:>>         $ ruby verbal_arithmetic.rb 'send+more=money'>         s: 9>         e: 5>         n: 6>         d: 7>         m: 1>         o: 0>         r: 8>         y: 2>>

-- "Es también nuestra intención erradicar la corrupción, ofreciendo comonorma la honestidad, la idoneidad y la eficiencia. Con madurez ysentido de unidad es fácil pensar en la recomposición del serargentino. Ese ser argentino, basado en madurez y en sentido deunidad, permitirá inspirar para elevarnos por encima de la miseria quela antinomia nos ha planteado, para dejar, de una vez por todas, eseser "anti" y ser, de una vez por todas, "pro": "Pro argentinos""
Jorge Rafael Videla para el 25 de mayo de 1976