diff --git a/prototyping/sorting_algo.py b/prototyping/sorting_algo.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d9f28d8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/prototyping/sorting_algo.py
@@ -0,0 +1,69 @@
+# %%
+
+from typing import NamedTuple
+
+
+class Rule(NamedTuple):
+    child: str
+    parent: str
+
+
+def sort_by_rules(in_list: list, rules: list[Rule]) -> bool:
+    def is_rule_satisfied(in_list: list, rule: Rule) -> bool:
+        child_val, parent_val = rule
+        child_index = in_list.index(child_val)
+        parent_index = in_list.index(parent_val)
+        return parent_index < child_index
+
+    def move_item_down(in_list: list, index: int):
+        """moves item"""
+        # assert index >
+        in_list[index], in_list[index - 1] = in_list[index - 1], in_list[index]
+
+    for _ in range(10000):
+        rule_satisfied: list[bool] = []
+        for rule in rules:
+            if not is_rule_satisfied(in_list, rule):
+                rule_satisfied.append(False)
+                parent_index = in_list.index(rule.parent)
+                move_item_down(in_list, parent_index)
+            else:
+                rule_satisfied.append(True)
+        if all(rule_satisfied):
+            print("success")
+            return True
+    print("failed")
+    return False
+
+
+in_list = ["a", "b", "c", "d", "e", "f", "g"]
+rules = [  # X depends on Y
+    Rule("a", "e"),
+    Rule("b", "e"),
+    Rule("b", "f"),
+    Rule("c", "e"),
+    Rule("d", "e"),
+    Rule("f", "e"),
+]
+
+print("before", in_list)
+sort_by_rules(in_list, rules)
+print("before", in_list)
+
+
+def test_uniqueness(in_list: list):
+    assert len(set(in_list)) == len(in_list)
+
+
+def test_rules(in_list, rules):
+    rule_satisfied: list[bool] = []
+    for rule in rules:
+        if is_rule_satisfied(in_list, rule):
+            rule_satisfied.append(True)
+        else:
+            rule_satisfied.append(False)
+    assert all(rule_satisfied)
+
+
+test_uniqueness(in_list)
+test_rules(in_list, rules)