Questions tagged [code-golf]
Code-golf is a competition to solve a particular problem in the fewest bytes of source code.
11,548
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Drawing a gradient in ASCII art
Task description:
Write a program as short as possible to draw a radial gradient in ASCII art. The size of the output grid is predefined. The center point and the characters to be used for the ...
- 12.9k
14
votes
8
answers
795
views
Calculating areas.
The smallest code that gives the area between the curve p(x) = a0 + a1*x + a2*x2 + ..., the line y = 0, the line x = 0 and the line x = C
(i.e. something like this:
)
You can assume that p(x) >= 0 ...
- 5,438
9
votes
9
answers
865
views
Split a word into parts with equal scores
Assuming A=1, B=2... Z=26, and the value of a word is the sum of these letter values, it is possible to split some words into two pieces such that they have equal values.
For example, "wordsplit" can ...
- 3,322
13
votes
10
answers
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Forecast the weather
Write the shortest program to forecast the weather for the next 7 days
The input (from stdin) is the weekday and the season
The output (to stdout) is seven lines weekday and the temperature in ...
- 15k
30
votes
47
answers
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Implement Bogosort
Is solving Sudoku too hard? Even the brute force version? Here's a coding exercise that's a little easier. I hope. :-P
Write the shortest function to implement bogosort. In specific, your function ...
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votes
13
answers
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Implement a Brute Force Sudoku Solver
Implement the shortest Sudoku solver using guessing. Since I have received a few request I have added this as an alternative question for those wishing to implement a brute force sudoku solver.
...
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9
votes
1
answer
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Build an engine for a maze game
This is a follow up of Print a maze question. If you like this question, please add more maze generation algorithms ;).
For this task you'll have to implement a game engine for one player who must ...
- 6,006
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votes
48
answers
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IPv4 Integer Conversion Function
Write the shortest function to convert an IP address into it's integer representation and output it as an integer.
To change an IPv4 address to it's integer representation, the following calculation ...
- 291
78
votes
53
answers
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Tips for golfing in Ruby
What general tips can you give for golfing in Ruby?
I'm looking for ideas that can be applied to code golf problems in general that are specific to Ruby. (For example, "Remove comments" would not be ...
- 1,257
28
votes
4
answers
3k
views
32
votes
54
answers
7k
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Calculate ISBN-13 check digit
Write a function which, given the first 12 digits of an ISBN-13 code, will calculate the entire ISBN via calculating and appending an appropriate check digit.
Your function's input is a string ...
- 6,362
8
votes
4
answers
575
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Binary search ("bisect") tool
Implement the binary search algorithm as used to identify the source code revision that breaks a computer software program. Your tool should take two arguments specifying the earliest and latest ...
- 5,567
9
votes
10
answers
2k
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Crossword numbering
Produce a program to correctly number a crossword grid.
Input
The input will be the name of a file representing the crossword
grid. The input filename may be passed as an argument, on the
standard ...
133
votes
138
answers
43k
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Obfuscated Hello World
Create the shortest possible obfuscated program that displays the text "Hello World".
In order to be considered an obfuscated program, it must meet at least two of the following requirements:
Does ...
- 6,362
16
votes
41
answers
6k
views
Shortest Floor Function
Your task is to implement a floor function in as few bytes as possible.
A floor function is a function that takes a real number and returns the largest integer less than or equal to the input.
Your ...
- 724
49
votes
11
answers
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Write an interpreter for the untyped lambda calculus
The challenge is to write an interpreter for the untyped lambda calculus in as few characters as possible. We define the untyped lambda calculus as follows:
Syntax
There are the following three ...
- 1,809
31
votes
19
answers
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Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
Write a program to play the popular English nursery rhyme.
(This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license. Attribution: Helix84 at the English language ...
- 5,567
67
votes
134
answers
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Reverse stdin and place on stdout
Requirements:
Take an input on stdin including new lines / carriage returns of unlimited length (only bounded by system memory; that is, there is no inherent limit in the program.)
Output the reverse ...
- 3,322
48
votes
47
answers
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Reverse Polish notation
You must evaluate a string written in Reverse Polish notation and output the result.
The program must accept an input and return the output. For programming languages that do not have functions to ...
user11
18
votes
12
answers
874
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Compute modular inverse
Given two positive numbers \$x\$ and \$n\$ with \$x<2^n\$, write the shortest possible function to compute \$x^{-1} \mod 2^n\$. In other words, find \$y\$ such that \$xy=1 \mod 2^n\$.
Your ...
- 20.7k
17
votes
2
answers
1k
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Slot Machine Hacker
Problem: Slot Machine Hacker from Facebook Hacker Cup 2011 Round 1B
Goal: Shortest code in your favourite language using stdin/stdout. You cannot assume ...
- 12.4k
15
votes
4
answers
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Freely available books for code golfing? [closed]
Can you recommend any freely available books about code golfing in general and especially in Java and C++?
49
votes
49
answers
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Tips for golfing in PowerShell
What general tips do you have for golfing in Windows PowerShell? I'm looking for ideas that can be applied to code golf problems in general that are at least somewhat specific to PowerShell (e.g. "...
- 12.9k
34
votes
14
answers
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Drawing a cube in ASCII art
Task description:
Draw a cube in ASCII art in roughly a cabinet projection.
Monospaced fonts often have characters that are about twice as high as they are wide. ...
- 12.9k
6
votes
33
answers
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Print largest integer you can with the fewest characters [closed]
Find a way to output a large integer with few characters. Solutions will be scored based on the magnitude of the number and shortness of code.
EDIT: Let's impose a time limit of a minute on sensible ...
- 12.4k
25
votes
35
answers
3k
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Finding "sub-palindromes".
The shortest code that finds all unique "sub-palindromes" of a string, that is: any substring with length > 1 that is a palindrome.
eg.1
...
- 5,438
72
votes
58
answers
19k
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Tips for code-golfing in C#
What general tips do you have for golfing in C#? I'm looking for ideas that can be applied to code golf problems in general that are at least somewhat specific to C# (e.g. "remove comments" is not an ...
- 1,803
38
votes
54
answers
4k
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196 algorithm code golf
Write a short program for 196-algorithm.
The algorithm starts from an integer, then adds its reverse to it until a palindrome is reached.
e.g.
...
- 5,438
13
votes
1
answer
1k
views
Shortest path in a graph
Write a program to take a graph (from either standard input or a file, your choice) and find a shortest path in the graph.
Graphs are specified using the following format:
...
- 20.7k
6
votes
3
answers
429
views
Compress programs
Write a program/script that decompresses and passes any compressed data appended at the end of the binary/file as standard input to a program specified as arguments.
...
- 6,006
11
votes
1
answer
726
views
Write a compressing util for gzip files
The task of this challenge is as following:
Write a program that reads a file of reasonable size (let's say <16 MB) from stdin or anywhere else (however you like, but must not be hardcoded), and ...
- 10.1k
62
votes
29
answers
18k
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Tips for golfing in C++
What general tips do you have for golfing in C++?
I'm looking for ideas that can be applied to code golf problems in general that are at least somewhat specific to C++ (e.g. "remove comments" is not ...
- 12.4k
37
votes
26
answers
31k
views
Morse code translator
Write the shortest program to transform the standard input into Morse code. Characters not in the table should be printed as they are.
- 6,006
-1
votes
1
answer
5k
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Poisson random number generator [closed]
What is the shortest function (implemented in C) that will return a random draw from a Poisson distribution (given the mean or λ parameter)?
...
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12
votes
2
answers
3k
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Test if a given number is a Vampire Number [duplicate]
EDIT: In the interest of increasing the complexity, i've added more to the challenge.
In mathematics, a vampire number (or
true vampire number) is a composite
natural number v, with an even ...
- 2,190
5
votes
5
answers
918
views
Tree traversal. [closed]
Write the shortest code that traverses a tree, breadth-first.
Input
any way you like
Output
a list of "names" of the nodes in correct order.
- 5,438
35
votes
58
answers
5k
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Sum of primes between given range
Write the shortest code for finding the sum of primes between \$a\$ and \$b\$ (inclusive).
Input
\$a\$ and \$b\$ can be taken from command line or stdin (space seperated)
Assume \$1 \le a \le b \le ...
- 2,190
48
votes
41
answers
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Obfuscated FizzBuzz Golf [closed]
Create the shortest possible obfuscated FizzBuzz implementation.
To be considered obfuscated, it should satisfy at least one of the following:
Does not contain any of the words "Fizz", "Buzz", or "...
- 1,199
148
votes
321
answers
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Fibonacci function or sequence
The Fibonacci sequence is a sequence of numbers, where every number in the sequence is the sum of the two numbers preceding it. The first two numbers in the sequence are both 1. Here are the first ...
- 4,897
141
votes
67
answers
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+500
Interpret brainfuck
Write the shortest program in your favourite language to interpret a brainfuck program. The program is read from a file. Input and output are standard input and standard output.
Cell size: 8bit ...
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24
votes
38
answers
4k
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Reimplementing square root [duplicate]
Define a function, s, which takes a number and returns the square root.
No use of library functions, such as Java's Math.sqrt() or PHP's built in sqrt(), allowed.
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235
votes
427
answers
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Golf you a quine for great good!
Using your language of choice, golf a quine.
A quine is a non-empty computer program which takes no input and produces a copy of its own source code as its only output.
No cheating -- that means ...
- 2,627
321
votes
174
answers
130k
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Tips for golfing in Python
What general tips do you have for golfing in Python? I'm looking for ideas which can be applied to code-golf problems and which are also at least somewhat specific to Python (e.g. "remove comments" is ...
- 12.4k
39
votes
21
answers
7k
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Angle between the hands on a clock [duplicate]
Given the time in 24 hour format (2359 = 11:59pm) return the angle between the minute and hour hands on a standard clock (on the ...
- 1,009
60
votes
63
answers
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The Luhn algorithm for verifying credit card numbers, etc
Challenge
Write the shortest program or function to calculate the Luhn Algorithm for verifying (credit card) numbers.
Luhn algorithm explained
From RosettaCode, this algorithm for the purposes of ...
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25
votes
12
answers
5k
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Hamming numbers
Hamming numbers are numbers which evenly divide a power of 60. Equivalently, their prime factors are all \$ \le 5 \$.
Given a positive integer, print that many Hamming numbers, in order.
Rules:
Input ...
- 1,257
43
votes
65
answers
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ROT-13 transform standard input
Task
Read a string of characters and produce the ROT13 of it. All characters besides [a-zA-Z] should be output verbatim. Each letter in the output may be in any ...
- 727
110
votes
116
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Code Golf Christmas Edition: How to print out a Christmas tree of height N
Given a number N, how can I print out a Christmas tree of height N using the least number of code characters? ...
- 1,445