Latest Time by Replacing Hidden Digits — LeetCode 1736 Python Solution

The problem

You are given a string time in the form of hh:mm, where some of the digits in the string are hidden (represented by ?). The valid times are those inclusively between 00:00 and 23:59.

Example

Input

time = "2?:?0"

Output

"23:50"

Explanation

The latest hour beginning with the digit '2' is 23 and the latest minute ending with the digit '0' is 50.

Python solution

class Solution:
    def maximumTime(self, time: str) -> str:
        t = list(time)
        if t[0] == '?':
            t[0] = '1' if '4' <= t[1] <= '9' else '2'
        if t[1] == '?':
            t[1] = '3' if t[0] == '2' else '9'
        if t[3] == '?':
            t[3] = '5'
        if t[4] == '?':
            t[4] = '9'
        return ''.join(t)

Complexity

Pattern: Greedy

Take the locally best option every time — when you can prove that never costs you later. LeetCode 1736. Latest Time by Replacing Hidden Digits is filed here on both counts: the reference solution below belongs to the algorithm family this hub collects, and LeetCode tags it Greedy.

The greedy guide has the Python template for the pattern and the 346 LeetCode problems that use it.

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