Mindeveloped's blog

What can you do when you have much time left in a contest but have nothing to do?
By Mindeveloped, history, 22 months ago, In English

When I participate Div.2 contests, I always solve the easy problems(such as A, B or C) quickly, but then I can't even move on other problems. What should I do in that case?

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22 months ago, # |
← Rev. 2   Vote: I like it -105 Vote: I do not like it

Have you considered sucide?(Just a joke please don't take it seriously)

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22 months ago, # |
  Vote: I like it +19 Vote: I do not like it

Best advice:- Shake well and sleep :)

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22 months ago, # |
  Vote: I like it +4 Vote: I do not like it

You can try learning algorithms/techniques which generally come in D and think for remaining time instead of wasting it

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22 months ago, # |
  Vote: I like it -8 Vote: I do not like it

masturbate

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    22 months ago, # ^ |
      Vote: I like it +54 Vote: I do not like it

    1 month after following his advice:

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    22 months ago, # ^ |
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    I highly doubt if that's even an option to consider during an on going contest? Probably it can cause more harm to us than good as it is a distraction tbh.

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      22 months ago, # ^ |
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      "cause more harm" whatttt tf?? have some life dude

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22 months ago, # |
  Vote: I like it +42 Vote: I do not like it

for me i'll go to sleep because it's midnight in China :)

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22 months ago, # |
  Vote: I like it +53 Vote: I do not like it

Stop doing cp, enjoy your life, find a girlfriend.

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    22 months ago, # ^ |
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    ig solving next problems in contest would be more easier than that

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    22 months ago, # ^ |
      Vote: I like it +6 Vote: I do not like it

    so have you found a girlfriend?

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      22 months ago, # ^ |
        Vote: I like it +12 Vote: I do not like it

      I'll explain.

      First, I'm still doing cp, as you can see.
      Second, I'm not enjoying my life recently.
      So, the only thing I could've done is the third one.

      Man I'm logic xD

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        22 months ago, # ^ |
        ← Rev. 2   Vote: I like it +5 Vote: I do not like it

        Does that mean you have found a girlfriend? I haven't found one yet :(

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22 months ago, # |
  Vote: I like it +8 Vote: I do not like it

Just think about D until the contest is over or try to hack someone

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22 months ago, # |
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anime:)

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22 months ago, # |
  Vote: I like it +2 Vote: I do not like it

go touch some grass.

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22 months ago, # |
  Vote: I like it +19 Vote: I do not like it

Refresh the page infinite times to see how my friends crush is performing.

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    22 months ago, # ^ |
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    Your crush is doing cp that's cool :D

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      22 months ago, # ^ |
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      She has not participated for quite some time now. T_T

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22 months ago, # |
  Vote: I like it 0 Vote: I do not like it

Lock the solved problems and check if there is a submission of those problems that can be hacked.

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22 months ago, # |
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I have exactly the opposite problem: contests tend to end much faster than I run out of ideas.

It's possible that you can't solve the remaining difficult problems during a contest because you are even not seriously trying to do this. And I know that it's tempting to give up in a situation when you solved A and B, but only have 15 minutes left for C. In such situations I don't give up, but keep solving the problem in the remaining time and don't stop even after the end of the contest. This is known as "upsolving". Sometimes not giving up results in successful last minute submissions.

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22 months ago, # |
  Vote: I like it +5 Vote: I do not like it

Push your head to its limit, then let the frustraited be your new motivation and use that to learn to solve that problem when the editorial is out.

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22 months ago, # |
  Vote: I like it +31 Vote: I do not like it

Learn how to use binary search.

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22 months ago, # |
  Vote: I like it 0 Vote: I do not like it

Go to bed.

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22 months ago, # |
  Vote: I like it 0 Vote: I do not like it

Thanks for all your advice!!!

In China, we often study some complicated(at least for me) algorithms and data structures.(e.g. Durable segment tree with finalized lazy) But then I found out that the Codeforces problems require a lot of thinking instead of learning a lot of techniques. So when I found that I can't solve a problem, I tend not to think that I'm in lack of a technique. Instead, I continue to think that problem(and that really helps!).

In daily training, I try not to ever take the editorial before I solve a problem unless the teacher tells us to do so. I think that will help with my situation a lot.

Finally, binary search is really frequent in Codeforces problems!

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    22 months ago, # ^ |
      Vote: I like it +1 Vote: I do not like it

    Actually, the advanced data structures are not that helpful to reach expert or cm. STL, BIT and simple segtree is enough.

    Practicing is important though, as you can quickly think of the algo/ds used to solve the problem.

    (btw, we're the same age lol)

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5 months ago, # |
  Vote: I like it +1 Vote: I do not like it
  • analyze small cases
  • write a brute force solution and look for a pattern
  • try restructuring some formula
  • "guess" the solution
  • go for hacks on problems you already solved
  • give up and go do something else (it doesn't matter anyway)

it really doesn't matter that much, but if you want to reach your full potential you shouldn't do nothing, ever

this question is crazy to me because when faced with a hard problem for me I feel there is so much to think about I'm overwhelmed, it's like I don't know which path to consider because I have so many ideas for how one might try approaching the problem

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