Hash Maps & Sets · 15 min · free with an account

Challenge: Bidirectional Mapping

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Return true when pattern letters map one-to-one onto the words.

Core idea

First make the visible case correct, then test a smallest, duplicate, or adversarial case. Trim whitespace surrounding the complete input before parsing.

Start with the idea

Solve the exact task, not just the visible example: Return true when pattern letters map one-to-one onto the words. On input abba; red blue blue red, predict the output before opening the answer reveal. The revealed output is a test oracle for this case, while private checks exercise other legal cases. Start by stating the input grammar and output format in your own words. Parse the complete input, including surrounding whitespace, before relying on any convenient positions in the example.

Build the solution around one maintained claim: Maintain both key-to-value and value-to-key constraints to enforce a bijection. Decide what state represents that claim, how it is initialized, what a single update does, and when the algorithm stops. A key-derived representation lets later work reuse an earlier fact. It may be a set, a map from keys to state, compressed ranks, or a rolling fingerprint; name which one this pattern uses. Trace the visible input by hand and record at least two intermediate states, not only the final answer. If the trace cannot justify your predicted output, there is a gap between the idea and the implementation.

Use the Rust sketch as a guide, not a substitute for a complete solve function. The supplied Rust sketch is a starting point. Identify what it stores, how one iteration changes it, and whether it already solves the exact task or only demonstrates a related operation. In Rust, use HashSet for presence and HashMap for associated state.

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