CodebreakersTrial5.java (Stub)

import java.util.*;

public class CodebreakersTrial5 {

// Concept:
// Letters are taken one by one from the first word to the last (TODO: permutations of words)
// Letter n of word m is inserted into scheme as follows:
// Operations are modulo(divider)
// Every time the modulo reaches divider, we restart at [n + 1][0] and continue

private String[] input = { "aspirin", "bread", "butter", "cheese", "edgingshears", "pears", "potatoes", "straws", "toffee" };
private ArrayList<String> bucket;

public void solve(String[] input, int divider) {
    int size = input.size;
    bucket = new ArrayList<String>(size);

    // Init strings (avoids null pointer exception)
    for(int i = 0; i < size; i++)
        bucket.set(i, "");

    // Merge input strings
    String overall = merge(input);
    int totalLetters = overall.length();

    // Pick letter and modify string
    int mod = 0; // Keeps track of row
    int bucketPos = 0; // Keeps track of column
    for(int i = 0; i < totalLetters; i++) {
        char c = overall.charAt(i);
        if(mod < divider) {
            // Put in [n][m + 1]
            String extract = bucket.get(bucketPos).concat(c);
            bucket.set(bucketPos, extract);
            mod++;
            }
        else {
            // Put in [n + 1][0]
            mod = 0;
            bucketPos++;
            String extract = bucket.get(bucketPos).concat(c);
            bucket.set(bucketPos, extract);
            }
        }
    }

// Permutes the strings
private void permute(String[] input) {

    }

// Concat all input strings
private String merge(String[] input) {
    String out = "";
    int size = input.size;
    for(int i = 0; i < size; i++)
        out.concat(input[i]);
    return out;
    }

}