Could it be like a lock pick process where you start from the left and see if you get further or can throw away that guess, so by having the "choices" be at the

Could it be like a lock pick process where you start from the left and see if you get further or can throw away that guess, so by having the "choices" be at the beginning you don't have to make them again and again? (and for whatever reason doesn't/can't cache the prefix)? Or could it be like when counting 100000000000 010000000000 110000000000 001000000000 most of the variation is at the left and you only rarely see changes at the right? Would be interesting to get this answer from from someone who knows hashcat and isn't just pulling answers out of the air like me :)