JSFiddle - React, Tailwind, and code Playground

HTML

<ol class="columns">
  <li data-char="y">y</li>
  <li data-char="1">1</li>
  <li data-char="a">a</li>
  <li data-char="e">e</li>
  <li data-char="c">c</li>
  <li data-char="w">w</li>
  <li data-char="0">0</li>
  <li data-char="9">9</li>
  <li data-char="g">g</li>
</ol>

JavaScript

$(".columns li").sort(sort_li).appendTo('.columns');

function sort_li(a, b){
    return ($(b).data('char')) < ($(a).data('char')) ? 1 : -1;    
}