LeetCode Question · Jan 2025

Valid FW Patterns

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Question Details

Description: You are given an array nums where each element represents the required count of consecutive F characters. You are also given a string s containing characters F, W, and ?....

Full Details

Description:
You are given an array nums where each element represents the required count of consecutive F characters. You are also given a string s containing characters F, W, and ?. Each ? can be replaced by either F or W. The task is to determine how many valid FW patterns can be formed, where the conditions are:

Each number in nums corresponds to exactly that many consecutive F characters in the string.
Consecutive F groups must be separated by at least one W.
Every ? in the string must be replaced with either F or W.

Example 1:

Input:
nums = [1, 2]
s = "?W??FW"

Output:
1
Explanation:
The only valid pattern is FWWFFW. Other patterns, such as WWFFFW, do not satisfy the condition of exactly 1 and 2 consecutive Fs.

Example 2:

Input:
nums = [1, 1]
s = "?WW??"

Output:
2
Explanation:
The valid patterns are FWWFW and FWWWF.

Example 3:

Input:
nums = [1, 1]
s = "WW??W"

Output:
0
Explanation:
No valid pattern can be formed because the required two separate groups of 1 F cannot be satisfied.

About This Question

This is a reported interview question from a doordash interview for a swe role reported in 2025.

It covers the following topics: Arrays, Strings .