diff -r cf50a352fe22 Lib/heapq.py
--- a/Lib/heapq.py	Sun Sep 30 04:01:31 2012 +0200
+++ b/Lib/heapq.py	Mon Oct 01 21:38:32 2012 +1000
@@ -376,12 +376,22 @@
     # When key is none, use simpler decoration
     if key is None:
         it = zip(iterable, count())                         # decorate
+        # If input is list, make the decorated iterable a list, as _nsmallest
+        # contains useful optimizations for lists.
+        if hasattr(iterable, '__len__'):
+            it = list(it)
         result = _nsmallest(n, it)
         return [r[0] for r in result]                       # undecorate
 
     # General case, slowest method
     in1, in2 = tee(iterable)
     it = zip(map(key, in1), count(), in2)                   # decorate
+
+    # If input is list, make the decorated iterable a list, as _nsmallest
+    # contains useful optimizations for lists.
+    if hasattr(iterable, '__len__'):
+        it = list(it)
+
     result = _nsmallest(n, it)
     return [r[2] for r in result]                           # undecorate
 
diff -r cf50a352fe22 Misc/ACKS
--- a/Misc/ACKS	Sun Sep 30 04:01:31 2012 +0200
+++ b/Misc/ACKS	Mon Oct 01 21:38:32 2012 +1000
@@ -154,6 +154,7 @@
 Jean Brouwers
 Gary S. Brown
 Titus Brown
+Will Haldean Brown
 Oleg Broytmann
 Dave Brueck
 Francisco Martín Brugué