Detect subsequence in linked list
Last updated: October 28, 2025
Quick Overview
Given a linked list and a sequence of integers, determine if the sequence is a subsequence of the values in the linked list. The function should return true if the sequence can be found in the linked list in the same order, but not necessarily consecutively; otherwise, return false.
Compass
October 28, 202540
5
4,012 solved
Given a linked list and a sequence of integers, determine if the sequence is a subsequence of the values in the linked list. The function should return true if the sequence can be found in the linked list in the same order, but not necessarily consecutively; otherwise, return false.
Coding interviews at Compass focus on problem-solving approach as much as the final solution. The interviewer wants to see you break down the problem, consider edge cases, and optimize iteratively. Communication throughout the process is key.
What the Interviewer Expects
- Recognize the underlying problem pattern (sliding window, two pointers, BFS/DFS, etc.)
- Discuss multiple approaches and trade-offs before coding
- Implement an optimal solution with clean, production-quality code
- Handle all edge cases including boundary conditions and invalid input
- Optimize both time and space complexity with clear justification
- Test your solution systematically with well-chosen examples
Key Topics to Cover
How to Approach This
- Clarify input constraints and edge cases before writing code.
- Walk through your approach verbally and confirm with the interviewer before coding.
- Start with a brute force solution, then optimize. Mention time and space complexity.
- Test your solution with examples, including edge cases like empty input or duplicates.
- Consider common patterns: sliding window, two pointers, hash map, BFS/DFS, dynamic programming.
Possible Follow-up Questions
- How would you modify your solution to handle streaming input?
- How would you parallelize this solution?
- Can you solve this in a single pass?
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Problem Analysis
To determine if a given sequence of integers is a subsequence of the values in a linked list, we can utilize the two-pointer technique. This pattern is suitable here because it allows us to traverse b...
Approach
- Initialize two pointers: one (
ll_pointer) for the linked list and another (seq_pointer) for the sequence. - Traverse the linked list using
ll_pointer. For each node's value, check if it matc...
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