while (@work) {
    my $item = pop @work;

    # Create lexicals to save a few dereferencing cycles
    my ($cur_depth, $route, $last_node) = @{$item}[DEPTH, PATH, LAST];

    # Update our high water mark if appropriate
    ($max, $path) = ($cur_depth, $route) if $cur_depth > $max;

    # How many nodes are greater
    my $left = $greater{$last_node}[CNT];

    # Finish if end of the path
    # Or if impossible to exceed current max depth
    next if ! $left || $cur_depth + $left <= $max;

    push @work, map ["$route:$_", $cur_depth + 1, $_], @{$greater{$last_node}[NODE]};
}