Randomly removing an array - arrays

Question

just for the record, i'm using AS3.
I have an issue where I would like to remove a sprite randomly in AS3, I have managed to figure out how to create the sprites so that they fill as a grid, just for the life of me I can't figure out how to remove them!
Here's the code i've used to create them:
function showpixels() : void
{
for (var i:int = 0; i < 40; i++)
{
for (var j:int = 0; j < 40; j++)
{
var s:Sprite = new Sprite();
s.graphics.beginFill(0);
s.graphics.drawRect(i*10, j*10, 10, 10);
s.graphics.endFill();
addChild(s);
pixels.push(s);
}
}
}
Basically I need these to be removed randomly until what's underneath can be seen.
Any help would be good, I'm pretty new to this! Thanks!

Answer 1

function removeRandom():void
{
var rand:uint = Math.random()*pixels.length;
var i:Sprite = Sprite(pixels[rand]);
if(i.parent) i.parent.removeChild(i);
pixels.splice(rand, 1);
}
UPDATE: To remove at random intervals you could try something like this:
var _timer:int = 100;
addEventListener(Event.ENTER_FRAME, _handle);
function _handle(e:Event):void
{
if(pixels.length > 0) _timer --;
if(_timer < 1)
{
_timer = 10 + Math.random()*50;
removeRandom();
}
}
function removeRandom():void
{
var rand:uint = Math.random()*pixels.length;
var i:Sprite = Sprite(pixels[rand]);
if(i.parent) i.parent.removeChild(i);
pixels.splice(rand, 1);
}

Answer 2

Marty's idea works. Another option would be to shuffle the array first and then just pop off elements.
To shuffle an Array use pixels.sort(function (...args):int { return int(2*Math.random()-1) }).
And then you can simple remove them like this:
function remove():void {
if (pixels.length) removeChild(pixels.pop());
else clearInterval(this.id);
}
And add this line at the end of showpixels:
this.id = setInterval(remove, 500);