The Jargon File (version 4.4.7, 29 Dec 2003):

bogo-sort
 /boh`goh?sort'/, n.

    (var.: stupid-sort) The archetypical perversely awful algorithm (as opposed
    to bubble sort, which is merely the generic bad algorithm). Bogo-sort is
    equivalent to repeatedly throwing a deck of cards in the air, picking them
    up at random, and then testing whether they are in order. It serves as a
    sort of canonical example of awfulness. Looking at a program and seeing a
    dumb algorithm, one might say ?Oh, I see, this program uses bogo-sort.?
    Esp. appropriate for algorithms with factorial or super-exponential running
    time in the average case and probabilistically infinite worst-case running
    time. Compare bogus, brute force.

    A spectacular variant of bogo-sort has been proposed which has the
    interesting property that, if the Many Worlds interpretation of quantum
    mechanics is true, it can sort an arbitrarily large array in linear time.
    (In the Many-Worlds model, the result of any quantum action is to split the
    universe-before into a sheaf of universes-after, one for each possible way
    the state vector can collapse; in any one of the universes-after the result
    appears random.) The steps are: 1. Permute the array randomly using a
    quantum process, 2. If the array is not sorted, destroy the universe
    (checking that the list is sorted requires O(n) time). Implementation of
    step 2 is left as an exercise for the reader.


The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (30 December 2018):

bogo-sort
monkey sort

    /boh"goh-sort"/ (Or "stupid-sort") The
   archetypical perversely awful algorithm (as opposed to
   bubble sort, which is merely the generic *bad* algorithm).
   Bogo-sort is equivalent to repeatedly throwing a deck of cards
   in the air, picking them up at random, and then testing
   whether they are in order.  It serves as a sort of canonical
   example of awfulness.  Looking at a program and seeing a dumb
   algorithm, one might say "Oh, I see, this program uses
   bogo-sort."

   Also known as "monkey sort" after the Infinite Monkey
   Theorem.

   Compare brute force, Lasherism.

   An implementation (http://stdout.org/~adam/psort).

   [Jargon File]

   (2002-04-07)