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Problem solution · Python

The Wording Game

The Wording Game: a Python solution using direct simulation. Learn the idea, check the complexity, and read the full code, with credit to walkccc LeetCode Solutions.

Technique
Direct simulation
Source
walkccc LeetCode Solutions
Length
37 lines
Start with the idea.

Try the problem first. If you get stuck, read the approach below, then write your own solution. The full code is at the bottom.

Approach

Direct simulation

For The Wording Game, the implementation follows the problem’s operations directly while maintaining only the state needed for the next decision.

  1. Translate each rule into one explicit state update.
  2. Maintain the invariant after every processed item.
  3. Return the accumulated state once all relevant input has been handled.

Code notes

  • 37 lines of Python from the credited upstream file 2868.py.
  • The implementation visibly relies on sequence storage.
  • No explicit loop blocks detected.

Complexity

Count the number and nesting of passes over the input, then include the maintained containers in the memory estimate.

Check the problem constraints before deciding whether this complexity will pass.

Source

Code and credit

This code comes from walkccc LeetCode Solutions by P.-Y. Chen (walkccc) and is used under the MIT licence.

Open problem ↗Original source ↗
Full codeThe Wording Game · PythonPython
Use this to learn the idea, then write your own version.
class Solution:  def canAliceWin(self, a: list[str], b: list[str]) -> bool:    # words[0][i] := the biggest word starting with ('a' + i) for Alice    # words[1][i] := the biggest word starting with ('a' + i) for Bob    words = [[''] * 26 for _ in range(2)]     # For each letter, only the biggest word is useful.    for word in a:      words[0][ord(word[0]) - ord('a')] = word     for word in b:      words[1][ord(word[0]) - ord('a')] = word     # Find Alice's smallest word.    i = 0    while not words[0][i]:      i += 1     # 0 := Alice, 1 := Bob    # Start with Alice, so it's Bob's turn now.    turn = 1     # Iterate through each letter until we find a winner.    while True:      # If the current player has a word that having the letter that is greater      # than the opponent's word, choose it.      if words[turn][i] and words[turn][i] > words[1 - turn][i]:        # Choose the current words[turn][i].        pass      elif words[turn][i + 1]:        # Choose the next words[turn][i + 1].        i += 1      else:        # Game over. If it's Bob's turn, Alice wins, and vice versa.        return turn == 1      turn = 1 - turn

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