Shuffle lines

Randomly shuffle the order of the lines in a list without changing the values themselves. It is a quick way to vary the order in which items are presented or to prepare an informal activity.

Paste one value per line to get a random permutation of their order. The “Ignore empty lines” option is on at the start; switch it off if blank lines should take part in the shuffle. The values themselves are not changed and duplicates stay in. Running the shuffle again can give a different order, but chance may also leave some items where they were. The tool uses the Fisher–Yates algorithm with the browser’s cryptographic random number generator. It suits an informal running order or a classroom activity. For a regulated draw, an auditable ranking or a fair allocation, use a dedicated procedure: shuffling lines is not proof of a draw. A random shuffle changes the order of presentation without giving any special value to the first positions. In an exercise it varies the questions; in a brainstorming session it helps break away from the original order. Each run is a fresh permutation, but the result may keep some lines in place: randomness does not guarantee a visibly different order. Duplicates remain separate lines, so a value that appears twice can appear twice in the result. The empty-line option decides whether blank lines are shuffled or ignored; when blank lines separate groups in your data, check the output carefully. Do not confuse this shuffle with an official draw: the tool provides no proof of fairness, no reproducible seed and no record of the draw. If the order may need to be justified later, keep the original list and note the method used. For an activity with several groups, shuffle the list before sharing out the items rather than assuming the shuffle creates fair groups by itself. If some lines must stay together, merge them into a single line first: the tool treats each line independently. To check that every value is still there, compare the number of useful lines before and after the shuffle, taking the empty-line option into account.