Cadence coding interview
questions, leaked.
6 problems reported across recent Cadence interviews. Top patterns: array, two pointers, hash table. The list below is what most reported candidates actually saw, plus the honest play if you can't grind all of it.
Cadence's coding assessment leans hard on arrays. Five of six reported problems touch arrays, and half the test sits in the easy range, which means speed and accuracy matter more than grinding obscure patterns. You're looking at classic problems like Two Sum, Valid Palindrome, and Island Perimeter mixed with medium-tier work on Merge Intervals and 3Sum. The hard problem, Sudoku Solver, combines arrays, hashing, backtracking, and matrix traversal into one spike. If you blank mid-assessment, StealthCoder runs invisibly behind the proctor's view and surfaces working code in seconds.
Top problems at Cadence
| # | Problem | Diff | Frequency | Pass % | Patterns |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Valid Palindrome | EASY | 100.0 | 51% | Two Pointers · String |
| 02 | Sudoku Solver | HARD | 100.0 | 64% | Array · Hash Table · Backtracking |
| 03 | Island Perimeter | EASY | 100.0 | 74% | Array · Depth-First Search · Breadth-First Search |
| 04 | Two Sum | EASY | 100.0 | 56% | Array · Hash Table |
| 05 | Merge Intervals | MEDIUM | 100.0 | 49% | Array · Sorting |
| 06 | 3Sum | MEDIUM | 100.0 | 37% | Array · Two Pointers · Sorting |
Frequencies derived from public community-tagged interview reports. Click a row to view on LeetCode.
You have a week, maybe less. You can't out-grind the list above. StealthCoder runs invisibly during the actual Cadence OA. The proctor cannot see it. Screen share cannot detect it. Built by an Amazon engineer who realized the OA tests how well you memorized 200 problems, not how well you code.
Get StealthCoder- array5 · 83%
- two pointers2 · 33%
- hash table2 · 33%
- matrix2 · 33%
- sorting2 · 33%
- string1 · 17%
- backtracking1 · 17%
- depth first search1 · 17%
- breadth first search1 · 17%
Array dominance means your prep should start there. Two-pointers, hash-table, and sorting all cluster around array manipulation, so drilling those three patterns in tandem saves study time. Island Perimeter and Valid Palindrome are straightforward if you've done similar problems, but Merge Intervals and 3Sum require clean two-pointer or sorting logic under pressure. Sudoku Solver is the outlier, a backtracking beast that most candidates haven't touched. On the day of the assessment, you'll have time to solve the five easy-to-medium problems cleanly. If the hard problem stalls you or a medium pattern goes fuzzy, StealthCoder is your hedge, feeding solutions invisible to the screen share.
Companies with similar patterns
If you prepped for Cadence, these companies recycle ~60% of the same topics.
You've seen the list.
Now make sure you pass Cadence.
Memorizing every problem above in a week is a fantasy. StealthCoder is the hedge: an AI overlay that's invisible during screen share. It reads the problem on screen and surfaces a working solution in under 2 seconds. Built by an Amazon engineer who realized the OA tests how well you memorized 200 problems, not how well you code. Works on HackerRank, CodeSignal, CoderPad, and Karat.
Cadence interview FAQ
Should I spend more time on backtracking or two-pointers for Cadence?+
Two-pointers appears in three problems (Valid Palindrome, 3Sum, Merge Intervals) versus one backtracking problem. Drill two-pointers first. Backtracking matters for Sudoku Solver, but it's the single hard problem. Get fast at two-pointers and you're covering more ground.
Is hash-table critical for Cadence's assessment?+
Hash-table shows up in two problems: Two Sum and Sudoku Solver. Two Sum is easy and a hash-table bread-and-butter problem. Sudoku Solver is hard and combines hash-table with backtracking. Know hash-tables for Two Sum cold, then study Sudoku once you're solid on arrays and two-pointers.
How many array problems should I solve before the assessment?+
Five of six problems involve arrays. Solve at least 8 to 10 array problems covering two-pointers, sorting, and matrix traversal. Focus on Island Perimeter (DFS/BFS on matrix), Merge Intervals (sorting), and 3Sum (two-pointers) since those are reported at Cadence.
What's the hardest problem I'll face at Cadence?+
Sudoku Solver is the only hard problem reported. It requires backtracking, hash-tables, and array/matrix logic. It's a spike, but it's one problem out of six. Master the five easier problems first and you'll have time to attempt or work through Sudoku.
Can I skip matrix problems for Cadence?+
No. Island Perimeter and Sudoku Solver both involve matrices, and matrix thinking overlaps with array problems. Spend time on DFS/BFS traversal patterns on grids. Island Perimeter is easy and a good entry point before Sudoku.