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<?php $master_array = array(1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6); $n = 2; // This is the number of columns / arrays $pattern_array = array(); $meta_array = array(); for ($i=1, $z=2*n; $i <= $n; ++$i) { $pattern_array[$i] = $i; $pattern_array[$z-i] = $i; $meta_array[] = array(); } foreach ($master_array as $i => $element) { $pattern_index = $i % $z; $meta_index = $pattern_array[$pattern_index] - 1; $meta_array[$meta_index][] = $element; } print_r($meta_array);

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