Medium data structure and algorithm practice puzzle.
Given the scores at the bottom of a game tree and whether the first player is maximizing, return the game's value. Pair up neighboring scores. On the maximizer's turn keep the bigger of each pair, and on the minimizer's turn keep the smaller. Then switch turns and repeat on the new list until one score is left. It assumes both players play perfectly.
Solve it three ways: snap the jigsaw pieces together, fill in the blanks, or type it from scratch against the tests. This one is free.
Every line of the solution comes with a note explaining why it is there, and a step by step replay shows the code running. At level 3, where you type it yourself, you can ask for an AI mock interview on this problem that ends with a hiring manager's scorecard.
Then grow it into a real project with the Software Engineer button: this puzzle becomes the Step Dependency Resolver, a pipeline you can run and download. See every Software Engineer project.
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