My LeetCode Journey - 314+ Problems Solved

i’ve been solving leetcode problems for quite some time now, and i’m excited to share my journey with you. as of now, i’ve solved 314+ problems across various difficulty levels and categories. this post is a comprehensive overview of my leetcode experience, achievements, and approach to problem-solving.

My LeetCode Profile

Profile: @1cbyc on LeetCode
Total Problems Solved: 314+
Contest Rating: Check my current rating
Streak: View my solving streak

Problem Distribution

By Difficulty

Easy: ~120 problems
Medium: ~150 problems
Hard: ~44 problems

Notable Achievements

Contest Performance

Weekly Contests: Regular participation with consistent performance
Biweekly Contests: Strong showing in biweekly competitions
Rating Progression: Steady improvement over time

Problem-Solving Streaks

Longest Streak: Check my profile for current streak
Consistent Practice: Daily problem-solving routine
Quality Solutions: Focus on optimal solutions and clean code

My Problem-Solving Approach

1. Understanding the Problem

Read carefully - understand input/output requirements
Identify patterns - look for familiar problem types
Consider edge cases - think about boundary conditions
Clarify constraints - understand time/space complexity requirements

2. Planning the Solution

Brute force first - start with a simple approach
Optimize step by step - improve time/space complexity
Consider multiple approaches - explore different algorithms
Choose the best fit - select optimal solution for the problem

3. Implementation

Clean code - write readable and maintainable solutions
Handle edge cases - account for all possible inputs
Test thoroughly - verify with multiple test cases
Optimize further - look for additional improvements

4. Analysis & Learning

Time complexity - analyze and document complexity
Space complexity - consider memory usage
Alternative solutions - explore different approaches
Learn from others - study community solutions

Favorite Problem Categories

Dynamic Programming

i particularly enjoy dynamic programming problems because they require:

Pattern recognition - identifying optimal substructure
State definition - defining what information to track
Transition logic - determining how states relate
Optimization - finding the most efficient solution

Some of my favorite DP problems:

Graph Algorithms

graph problems are fascinating because they model real-world relationships:

BFS/DFS - traversal and search algorithms
Shortest path - dijkstra’s, bellman-ford algorithms
Topological sorting - dependency resolution
Union-Find - connected components and cycles

Notable graph problems solved:

Binary Search

binary search problems require precise implementation:

Search space reduction - halving the search space
Boundary conditions - handling edge cases carefully
Monotonic functions - identifying searchable properties
Implementation details - avoiding infinite loops

Key binary search problems:

Problem-Solving Strategies

1. Two Pointers Technique

Array problems - efficient traversal and manipulation
String problems - palindrome, substring operations
Linked list - cycle detection, intersection
Sliding window - subarray/substring optimization

2. Sliding Window

Fixed size - window of constant size
Variable size - expanding/contracting window
Optimization - finding min/max subarrays
String problems - substring with constraints

3. Backtracking

State exploration - trying different combinations
Pruning - eliminating invalid paths early
Recursion - natural problem decomposition
Optimization - memoization and pruning

4. Monotonic Stack/Queue

Next greater element - maintaining monotonic order
Histogram problems - area calculations
Temperature problems - waiting time calculations
Stock problems - price analysis

Learning Resources

Books & Materials

“Introduction to Algorithms” - CLRS for fundamental concepts
“Cracking the Coding Interview” - practical problem-solving
“Competitive Programming” - advanced techniques
Online courses - various platforms for structured learning

Practice Platforms

LeetCode - primary platform for practice
HackerRank - additional problem sets
Codeforces - competitive programming
AtCoder - algorithmic contests

Community & Learning

Discussion forums - learn from others’ approaches
Solution explanations - understand different perspectives
Code reviews - improve coding style
Peer learning - collaborate with other programmers

Progress Tracking

Weekly Goals

Solve 5-10 problems per week
Participate in contests regularly
Review past solutions for reinforcement
Learn new techniques continuously

Monthly Reviews

Track improvement in contest ratings
Identify weak areas for focused practice
Set new goals based on performance
Adjust study plan as needed

Future Goals

Short-term (Next 3 months)

Reach 400 problems solved
Improve contest rating consistently
Master advanced DP techniques
Strengthen graph algorithms skills

Long-term (Next 6 months)

Achieve 500+ problems solved
Excel in weekly contests with top rankings
Contribute solutions to help others
Mentor beginners in problem-solving

My Solutions

you can find all my solutions and detailed explanations on my leetcode profile:

Visit My LeetCode Profile

What You’ll Find There:

Complete solution history - all 314+ solved problems
Detailed explanations - step-by-step solution breakdowns
Multiple approaches - different solutions for the same problem
Performance metrics - runtime and memory usage
Contest history - weekly and biweekly contest performance
Rating progression - improvement over time
Solution discussions - community interactions

Key Takeaways

Problem-Solving Mindset

Persistence - keep trying even when stuck
Learning from mistakes - every wrong attempt is a lesson
Consistency - regular practice beats cramming
Curiosity - explore different approaches and techniques

Technical Skills

Algorithm design - choosing the right approach
Data structure selection - using appropriate tools
Code optimization - improving efficiency
Debugging skills - finding and fixing issues

Personal Growth

Analytical thinking - breaking down complex problems
Time management - efficient problem-solving under pressure
Communication - explaining solutions clearly
Continuous learning - staying updated with new techniques

Conclusion

my leetcode journey has been incredibly rewarding, teaching me not just algorithms and data structures, but also problem-solving skills that apply to real-world software development. the 314+ problems i’ve solved represent countless hours of learning, practice, and growth.

whether you’re just starting your leetcode journey or you’re an experienced problem solver, i encourage you to:

Practice consistently - even 1-2 problems daily makes a difference
Learn from others - study different approaches and solutions
Participate in contests - challenge yourself with time pressure
Share your knowledge - help others learn and grow

ready to explore my solutions? check out my complete leetcode profile: @1cbyc on LeetCode

this post is part of my ongoing journey in competitive programming and algorithmic problem-solving. i’m always learning and improving, and i hope this inspires others to start or continue their own leetcode journey.