For a senior Android role, my first coding screen moved from simple substitutions to nested expansion. I had practiced these problems and handled the first two stages.
The third stage required detecting cycles during expansion. I initially proposed scanning the whole dictionary, but the interviewer wanted detection within the existing algorithm. I used a set during recursion but forgot to remove words when returning. The code still had that bug when time ran out.
A few days later, I was given another coding interview. It processed property transactions and reported each seller's realized gain or loss. The unfamiliar, lengthy description initially confused me. I finished near the deadline, leaving no time for follow-ups. A rejection arrived a little over a week later.
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