Zigzag Conversion — LeetCode 6 Python Solution

The problem

The string "PAYPALISHIRING" is written in a zigzag pattern on a given number of rows like this: (you may want to display this pattern in a fixed font for better legibility) P A H N A P L S I I G Y I R And then read line by line: "PAHNAPLSIIGYIR" Write the code that will take a string and make this conversion given a number of rows: string convert(string s, int numRows);

This statement is abridged. Read the full problem on LeetCode.

Example

P   A   H   N
A P L S I I G
Y   I   R

Python solution

class Solution:
    def convert(self, s: str, numRows: int) -> str:
        if numRows == 1:
            return s
        g = [[] for _ in range(numRows)]
        i, k = 0, -1
        for c in s:
            g[i].append(c)
            if i == 0 or i == numRows - 1:
                k = -k
            i += k
        return ''.join(chain(*g))

Complexity

Pattern: Hash Map

Trade memory for time: remember what you have seen so the second pass never happens. LeetCode 6. Zigzag Conversion is filed here because the reference solution below belongs to the algorithm family this hub collects, even though its LeetCode tags point elsewhere.

The hash map guide has the Python template for the pattern and the 709 LeetCode problems that use it.

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