In high-stakes technical interviews at major tech companies, candidates must demonstrate not only technical proficiency but also structured thinking and clear communication. Recently, one of our clients sought assistance from CSOAHelp to tackle a Google interview question:
"Consider a deck of normal playing cards. A playing card is represented as a string, where the first part represents the rank (one of Ace A, 2, 3, ....,10, Jack J, Queen Q, King K) and the second part represents the suit (one of Clubs C, Diamonds D, Hearts H, Spades S).
A valid set of playing cards is a set of playing cards that fulfills one of the two following criteria:
Criterion 1: The set has 3 or more cards, all sharing the same rank but with any suit. Examples: "AC", "AD", "AS" (Ace of Clubs, Diamonds, and Spades) or "5C", "5D", "5H", "5S" (Five of Clubs, Diamonds, Spades, and Hearts).
Criterion 2: The set has 3 or more cards, all sharing the same suit and arranged in consecutive ascending ranks. Examples: "2C", "3C", "4C" (2, 3, and 4 of Clubs) or "9H", "10H", "JH", "QH", "KH" (9, 10, Jack, Queen, and King of Hearts).
Write a function that takes as input a list of cards and determines if the input is a valid playing card set."
This problem not only tests programming skills but also the candidate’s ability to analyze and apply rules effectively. However, the candidate did not solve the problem independently but instead relied on CSOAHelp’s real-time support. Throughout the interview, our team provided precise textual guidance on a secondary device, enabling the candidate to follow structured responses seamlessly and ensure a smooth interview experience.
— Key Rule Breakdown: We summarized the problem’s core criteria, ensuring the candidate fully understood the requirements before writing any code. Specific case studies were provided to enhance clarity. — Structured Thinking: We guided the candidate in segmenting information, identifying key attributes of the given cards, and verifying their compliance with the given rules. Additionally, we suggested creating flowcharts to organize the thought process more effectively. — Optimized Coding Approach: Once the candidate drafted an initial solution, CSOAHelp’s team provided real-time improvements, including optimized data structures, sorting techniques, and complexity analysis, helping them present an ideal solution to the interviewer.
At the start of the interview, following CSOAHelp’s guidance, the candidate clarified edge cases with the interviewer—such as handling duplicate cards and case sensitivity. Once the constraints were confirmed, they proceeded to explain the problem-solving approach using the structured response we provided.
During the solution discussion phase, CSOAHelp’s team supplied step-by-step textual guidance, allowing the candidate to confidently explain the use of hash tables for rank verification and sorting for sequence validation. The interviewer then suggested potential optimizations, such as reducing redundant sorting operations.
In the follow-up questioning phase, the interviewer inquired about scalability—whether the solution would still be valid if gaps between sequential cards were permitted. Facing this challenge, the candidate once again relied on CSOAHelp’s real-time guidance. Our team provided an immediate breakdown of the implications of this modification, explaining how the existing logic depended on strict sequential ordering and suggesting a dynamic programming enhancement.
To address this variation, CSOAHelp proposed a solution involving boolean arrays or hash tables to track valid card values dynamically. The candidate, using our provided explanation, described how this iterative approach could efficiently verify valid sequences with gap tolerance while maintaining optimal complexity.
The interviewer, impressed by the structured response, acknowledged the candidate’s ability to handle evolving requirements and articulate solutions clearly. However, in reality, every aspect of the candidate’s response was powered by CSOAHelp’s real-time assistance. By following the provided text-based guidance, they successfully navigated the interview.
In high-pressure, unpredictable interview scenarios, a small yet effective support system can make a significant difference. CSOAHelp offers top-tier interview assistance to ensure you present your best self. Let us be the key to your interview success!
经过csoahelp的面试辅助，候选人获取了良好的面试表现。如果您需要面试辅助或面试代面服务，帮助您进入梦想中的大厂，请随时联系我。
If you need more interview support or interview proxy practice, feel free to contact us. We offer comprehensive interview support services to help you successfully land a job at your dream company.
