Leetcode #544: Output Contest Matches
In this guide, we solve Leetcode #544 Output Contest Matches in Python and focus on the core idea that makes the solution efficient.
You will see the intuition, the step-by-step method, and a clean Python implementation you can use in interviews.
Problem Statement
During the NBA playoffs, we always set the rather strong team to play with the rather weak team, like making the rank 1 team play with the rank nth team, which is a good strategy to make the contest more interesting. Given n teams, return their final contest matches in the form of a string.
Quick Facts
- Difficulty: Medium
- Premium: Yes
- Tags: Recursion, String, Simulation
Intuition
We need to scan characters while tracking positions or counts.
A simple state machine keeps the logic precise.
Approach
Iterate through the string once and update the state for each character.
Use a map or array if you need fast lookups.
Steps:
- Iterate through characters.
- Maintain necessary state.
- Build or validate the output.
Example
Input: n = 4
Output: "((1,4),(2,3))"
Explanation:
In the first round, we pair the team 1 and 4, the teams 2 and 3 together, as we need to make the strong team and weak team together.
And we got (1, 4),(2, 3).
In the second round, the winners of (1, 4) and (2, 3) need to play again to generate the final winner, so you need to add the paratheses outside them.
And we got the final answer ((1,4),(2,3)).
Python Solution
class Solution:
def findContestMatch(self, n: int) -> str:
s = [str(i + 1) for i in range(n)]
while n > 1:
for i in range(n >> 1):
s[i] = f"({s[i]},{s[n - i - 1]})"
n >>= 1
return s[0]
Complexity
The time complexity is , and the space complexity is . The space complexity is .
Edge Cases and Pitfalls
Watch for boundary values, empty inputs, and duplicate values where applicable. If the problem involves ordering or constraints, confirm the invariant is preserved at every step.
Summary
This Python solution focuses on the essential structure of the problem and keeps the implementation interview-friendly while meeting the constraints.