Well, using sort{$b-$a} @numbers rather than sort{$b<=>$a} @numbers seems to run quite a bit more quickly and produce the desired result: 

perl> cmpthese -1, {
    '<=>' => q[@s1=sort{$b<=>$a} 1..10000], 
    '-'   => q[@s2=sort{$b - $a} 1..10000] 
};;
       Rate  <=>    -
 <=> 33.8/s   -- -82%
-     183/s 441%   --

[download]

There are probably good reasons why this shoudln't be done outside of golf though.

Examine what is said, not who speaks -- Silence betokens consent -- Love the truth but pardon error.
Lingua non convalesco, consenesco et abolesco. -- Rule 1 has a caveat! -- Who broke the cabal?
"Science is about questioning the status quo. Questioning authority".
The "good enough" maybe good enough for the now, and perfection maybe unobtainable, but that should not preclude us from striving for perfection, when time, circumstance or desire allow.

In reply to Re^4: sort direction by BrowserUk
in thread sort direction by rsiedl

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