So far, every problem came with a full spec, tests, and hints. A real interview gives you a two-line problem statement and someone watching you think. In this lesson, you get to practice that part in a short mock interview.
The session runs for about twenty minutes in the chat. Your interviewer presents one new problem that you can solve with hashing, two pointers, or a sliding window, and then waits for you to lead. Here’s what to expect:
- Ask before you code. The problem statement leaves out details on purpose, and your interviewer answers clarifying questions the way a real one would.
- Think out loud. Walk a small example through by hand, describe a first approach, and then improve it. Your reasoning counts as much as your code.
- Write your code in the chat. There’s no editor and no tests, so you check your solution by tracing it with a few inputs.
- Expect a follow-up. Once you have a working solution, your interviewer changes the question slightly and asks what you’d do.
Your interviewer stays in character until the debrief at the end. At any point, type hint for a small nudge, pause to step out and ask a coaching question, or end interview to skip straight to your feedback. The debrief scores how you did, names two strengths and two things to practice, and shows a reference solution.
Grab your pen and paper, and start the interview whenever you’re ready.
