1. A method of solving a problem, the method comprising: establishing an initial solution to the problem; encoding the initial solution in an initial state of at least a portion of a quantum computing system; performing a quantum computation with the quantum computing system that results in a final state of the at least a portion of the quantum computing system, wherein the final state represents an intermediate solution to the problem; evaluating the intermediate solution to the problem against a set of at least one predetermined solution criterion; and for an intermediate solution that does not satisfy the set of at least one predetermined solution criterion, repeating, until the set of at least one predetermined solution criterion is satisfied, the encoding, quantum computing, and evaluating with the intermediate solution encoded as the initial state of the at least a portion of the quantum computing system.