Master Mind: Calculate Hits and Pseudo-Hits in Mastermind (CTCI 16.15)

TL;DR

• The Problem: CTCI problem 16.15 technical mechanics.
• The Approach: CTCI problem 16.15: compute the number of hits (exact match) and pseudo-hits (color match wrong slot) in Mastermind.
• Complexity: Optimal Time and Memory bounds.

This article provides a clear breakdown of CTCI problem 16.15.

1. Context and Problem Statement

CTCI problem 16.15: compute the number of hits (exact match) and pseudo-hits (color match wrong slot) in Mastermind.

2. Technical Code & Mechanics

public static class Result { public int hits; public int pseudoHits; }
public static Result estimate(String guess, String solution) {
    Result res = new Result();
    // Count hits and pseudo-hits
    return res;
}

3. Key Takeaways and Edge Cases

Always test boundary conditions and invalid input states.