Problems recommended for Python beginners

onkeltheo 2011-01-18 14:36:31 UTC #1

The judge system seems to care a lot about the speed of the solutions. It does make sense to say that faster is better, but I think that the site should differentiate between the speed of any solution in any language, and the speed within the specific languages (this has already been suggested, I know).

Now, I don't really care (at this point anyway) how fast my solution to a problem is , as long as I use the right algorithm. I just want to learn how to write Python and get training in solving problems, of which there are many fun and challenging ones.

From reading around on the board, it seems that Python is slow when it comes to I/O which, apparently, makes it quite difficult to solve problems with large I/O streams.

So, finally, here's my question: Is there a list of problems recommended for Python users? I don't mean problems which are particular easy to solve in Python because there's some handy module that more or less solves it for you, but problems which can be solved without getting an NLE result due to slow I/O or other Python-specific sluggishness.

Of course, if I at some point manage to solve some problems in Python I'll add to the list

Thank you.

hendrik 2011-01-18 15:04:24 UTC #2

No, such a list does not exist. But you have always the option to go through the problems and check to number of solvers and also the number solvers using Python. To be begin with here is a list of problems which are not too difficult and you should not get TLE. There are still a lot more.
GIRLSNBS, BASE, ADDREV, FAKETSP, BISHOPS, DRAWM, NSTEPS, QUALITY, SBETS, STPAR, INDIPROG
Have fun!

onkeltheo 2011-01-19 03:48:38 UTC #3

I was wondering if there's a faster way than this, but that's what I'll be doing from now on

Thank you!

TripleM_sof 2011-01-19 04:03:03 UTC #4

You could try finding someone who has a Python solution, then looking through at the problems they've solved - they may well have solved lots in Python. Of course, they may have also used specialised input/output routines

onkeltheo 2011-01-19 08:52:37 UTC #5

Good idea. And for those secret I/O routines.. damn them!

system 2011-01-19 09:03:48 UTC #6

See this http://www.spoj.pl/users/numerix. He is the best python coder in SPOJ in my opinion.
Regarding optimization, you can use sys module, fast loops, psyco etc. Go through python docs for more help.

onkeltheo 2011-01-19 10:14:07 UTC #7

Yeah, I've seen this guy... he's usually among the ones with the fastest solutions. So I guess that means he can solve a lot problems using python which I won't be able to .

hendrik 2011-01-19 10:41:32 UTC #8

Well, never say never. You should definitely have the ambition to not just get AC. You learn more if you also try to come up with alternative approaches and then compare. The fasted way to Rome is not always obvious.

gorlum0_sof 2011-01-20 17:40:01 UTC #9

I usually check these profiles:
http://www.spoj.pl/users/numerix/
http://www.spoj.pl/users/hendrik/
http://www.spoj.pl/users/stevec/
Thanks guys by the way!

Both solved and history (for recent).

python > haskell > others (c / c++ / pascal when limits are strict) - seems to be their order of preference

As well as mine:
http://www.spoj.pl/users/gorlum0/
And to be fair I tend to pick easy problems. Shame.

onkeltheo 2011-01-23 13:14:52 UTC #10

Thank you, very helpful .

sit_sof 2015-03-27 02:23:50 UTC #11

Old question, new answer!

Yes, there is! You can find it here: spojindex.herokuapp.com/EN/progr ... T/problems
This list is complete (but some months old): all problems that have been solved in Python and how many users.

For others languages: spojindex.herokuapp.com/programming_languages

Enjoy!