Abstract: A network of N parallel processors are each one cross-connected to each other. Each cross connection includes a nodal weight delay circuit which carries status information as to whether a processor is "on" (=1) or "off" (=0) and whether its weighted influence (w.sub.ij) is excitatory or inhibitory as between the two processors i and j on that cross connection. Additionally, the cross connection influence between a processor i and a processor j is time delayed with a selectively fixed set of machine cycles between any two processor i and j. A monitoring processor-controller senses when the majority of processors have achieved a stable non-changing state which will represent an optimum solution for a combinatorial problem.