keeps track of words, but obscenely slow

src/main.rs

@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 use std::{
-    collections::{HashMap, hash_map::Entry},
+    collections::HashMap,
     io::{self, BufRead, BufReader},
 };
 
@@ -13,38 +13,43 @@ fn main() {
         .collect::<Result<_, _>>()
         .unwrap();
 
-    let mut min_lengths: HashMap<LetterSet, u16> = HashMap::new();
+    let mut bests = HashMap::new();
-    let min_length = solve(dictionary.as_slice(), &mut min_lengths, LetterSet::FULL);
+    let best = solve(dictionary.as_slice(), &mut bests, LetterSet::FULL);
-    println!("{min_length}");
+    println!("{best:?}");
 }
 
 // length doesn't include spaces. i think that's okay
 fn solve(
     dictionary: &[String],
-    min_lengths: &mut HashMap<LetterSet, u16>,
+    bests: &mut HashMap<LetterSet, (u16, Vec<String>)>,
     remaining: LetterSet,
-) -> u16 {
+) -> (u16, Vec<String>) {
     if remaining.is_empty() {
-        return 0;
+        return (0, Vec::new());
     }
 
-    if let Some(min) = min_lengths.get(&remaining) {
+    if let Some(min) = bests.get(&remaining) {
-        return *min;
+        return min.clone();
     }
 
-    let min_length = dictionary
+    let best = dictionary
         .iter()
         .filter(|word| remaining != remaining.difference(LetterSet::from(word.as_bytes())))
         .map(|word| {
-            (u16::try_from(word.len()).unwrap()).saturating_add(solve(
+            let (score, mut path) = solve(
                 dictionary,
-                min_lengths,
+                bests,
                 remaining.difference(LetterSet::from(word)),
-            ))
+            );
+            path.push(word.clone());
+            (
+                (u16::try_from(word.len()).unwrap()).saturating_add(score),
+                path,
+            )
         })
         .min()
-        .unwrap_or(u16::MAX);
+        .unwrap_or((u16::MAX, Vec::new()));
 
-    min_lengths.insert(remaining, min_length);
+    bests.insert(remaining, best.clone());
-    min_length
+    best
 }