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Summary
I recently had a coding interview with Zip for a Software Engineer position. The interview focused on problem-solving skills, particularly in handling complex data structures and algorithms. I was asked to find a winning tile that could complete a winning hand in a tile game, which required careful analysis of combinations and patterns.
Full Experience
I was excited to have the opportunity to interview with Zip for a Software Engineer role. The interview process started with a coding challenge that required me to determine the winning tile for a game with specific rules. The problem involved analyzing a set of 13 tiles and finding the one that could complete a winning hand.
The winning hand was defined as being able to group the 14 tiles into 4 valid triples and 1 pair. Valid triples could be either three of a kind or three consecutive numbers. I spent some time understanding the problem and thinking about possible approaches. I realized that I needed to check all possible combinations of tiles and determine which one would satisfy the winning condition.
After working through the problem, I was able to find the correct solution and provide the expected output. The interviewer seemed satisfied with my approach and the final result. Overall, the interview was a great experience, and I felt confident in my ability to solve complex coding problems.
Interview Questions (1)
Given a list of 13 tiles, each represented by a number within the range [1, 9], find the tile that can be added to make a winning hand. A winning hand is when the 14 tiles can be grouped into 4 valid triples and 1 pair. A valid triple is either 3 of a kind or 3 consecutive numbers.
Examples include 11223344555999 which becomes a winning hand when adding 44, and 111667788899 which has valid solutions [7, 8, 9].
Preparation Tips
To prepare for the interview, I focused on practicing coding problems, especially those related to data structures and algorithms. I worked on problems that involved pattern recognition, combinatorics, and efficient data handling. I also reviewed concepts related to string manipulation and frequency counting. Additionally, I practiced solving problems under time constraints to simulate the interview environment.