Well the snap answer is “Why not?” But more to the point why write code that is less efficient than need be? In fact, you can't even get away with the canonical 'lazy' as a reason, since what I wrote takes less typing. And the declaration of an un-needed variable doesn't do a whole lot for clarity—particularly in a routine which already has the potential for confusion, i.e. the two container arrays, where the second is used for the cross-wired transfer, something that might at casual glance seem a puzzle. So since it is clearer, faster, and shorter, I'd argue a win! Re: Mr. Wulf, nice quote, but in this context it somehow reminds me of

A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds, adored by little statesmen and philosophers and divines. With consistency a great soul has simply nothing to do. – Ralph Waldo Emerson “Self Reliance”

–hsm

"Never try to teach a pig to sing…unless of couse if it's New Year's Eve! Happy New Year to All!."