backtracking

v. go backwards; retrace one's footsteps or path

Backtracking is a type of algorithm that is a refinement of brute force search. In backtracking, multiple solutions can be eliminated without being explicitly examined, by using specific properties of the problem. It can be a strategy for finding solutions to constraint satisfaction problems. The term "backtrack" was coined by American mathematician D. H. Lehmer in 1950s.
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Verb
1. retrace one's course; "The hikers got into a storm and had to turn back"
(synonym) turn back, double back
(hypernym) return, go back, get back, come back

<algorithm> A scheme for solving a series of sub-problems each of which may have multiple possible solutions and where the solution chosen for one sub-problem may affect the possible solutions of later sub-problems.
To solve the overall problem, we find a solution to the first sub-problem and then attempt to recursively solve the other sub-problems based on this first solution. If we cannot, or we want all possible solutions, we backtrack and try the next possible solution to the first sub-problem and so on. Backtracking terminates when there are no more solutions to the first sub-problem.
This is the algorithm used by logic programming languages such as Prolog to find all possible ways of proving a goal. An optimisation known as "intelligent backtracking" keeps track of the dependencies between sub-problems and only re-solves those which depend on an earlier solution which has changed.
Backtracking is one algorithm which can be used to implement nondeterminism. It is effectively a depth-first search of a problem space.
(1995-04-13)

backtracking
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