Merge Two Sorted arrays
Last updated: June 12, 2026
Quick Overview
Given k sorted linked lists, merge them into a single sorted result.
CrowdStrike
June 12, 202699
10
1,031 solved
Given k sorted linked lists, merge them into a single sorted result.
This coding problem is frequently asked during Phone Screen at CrowdStrike. The interviewer is testing your ability to translate a problem into clean, working code while discussing time and space complexity. CrowdStrike expects candidates to write production-quality code, not just solve the puzzle.
What the Interviewer Expects
- Identify the correct data structure and algorithm for the problem
- Write clean, bug-free code with proper variable naming
- Analyze time and space complexity correctly
- Handle basic edge cases (empty input, single element)
- Communicate your thought process while coding
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 test this solution thoroughly?
- Can you solve this iteratively instead of recursively (or vice versa)?
- How would your solution change if the input was sorted?
Sharpen Your Skills on Codemia
Practice similar problems with our interactive workspace, get AI feedback, and track your progress.
Practice DSA ProblemsSample Answer
Problem Analysis
To solve the problem of merging k sorted linked lists, we can utilize a min-heap (or priority queue). This approach is effective here because it allows us to efficiently retrieve the smallest element ...
Approach
- Initialize a min-heap (priority queue).
- Insert the head node of each linked list into the min-heap, along with its corresponding list index.
- Create a dummy node to help build the merged linke...
Submit Your Answer
