diff --git a/question/type/ordering/amd/src/ordering.js b/question/type/ordering/amd/src/ordering.js
index f2b3aec3abb..c928709dd3e 100644
--- a/question/type/ordering/amd/src/ordering.js
+++ b/question/type/ordering/amd/src/ordering.js
@@ -7,8 +7,8 @@ define(['jquery', 'jqueryui', 'qtype_ordering/jquery.ui.touch-punch-improved'],
                 containment: $('#'+sortableid),
                 opacity    : 0.6,
                 update     : function () {
-                    var ItemsOrder = $(this).sortable('toArray').toString();
-                    $('#' + responseid).attr('value', ItemsOrder);
+                    var items = $(this).sortable('toArray').toString();
+                    $('#' + responseid).attr('value', items);
                 }
             });
         }
diff --git a/question/type/ordering/renderer.php b/question/type/ordering/renderer.php
index 0121de72e88..0401280b0f3 100644
--- a/question/type/ordering/renderer.php
+++ b/question/type/ordering/renderer.php
@@ -125,7 +125,7 @@ class qtype_ordering_renderer extends qtype_with_combined_feedback_renderer {
         $printeditems = false;
         if (count($currentresponse)) {
 
-            // initialize cache of answer md5keys
+            // initialize the cache for the  answers' md5keys
             // this represents the initial position of the items
             $md5keys = array();
 
@@ -194,7 +194,7 @@ class qtype_ordering_renderer extends qtype_with_combined_feedback_renderer {
             $result .= html_writer::empty_tag('input', array('type'  => 'hidden',
                                                              'name'  => $responsename,
                                                              'id'    => $responseid,
-                                                             'value' => ''));
+                                                             'value' => implode(',', $md5keys)));
         }
 
         return $result;
diff --git a/question/type/ordering/version.php b/question/type/ordering/version.php
index 74fd5de77d2..2bd0a0d85b4 100644
--- a/question/type/ordering/version.php
+++ b/question/type/ordering/version.php
@@ -29,5 +29,5 @@ $plugin->cron      = 0;
 $plugin->component = 'qtype_ordering';
 $plugin->maturity  = MATURITY_STABLE;
 $plugin->requires  = 2010112400; // Moodle 2.0
-$plugin->version   = 2018011667;
-$plugin->release   = '2018-01-16 (67)';
+$plugin->version   = 2018011768;
+$plugin->release   = '2018-01-17 (68)';