PayU coding interview
questions, leaked.
2 problems reported across recent PayU interviews. Top patterns: math, simulation, hash table. The list below is what most reported candidates actually saw, plus the honest play if you can't grind all of it.
PayU's technical screen is tight. Two problems across the full difficulty range means you're seeing breadth over depth, and the spread tells you something: they want to catch you off-guard with pattern switches, not grind you down. One easy gimme (Count Operations to Obtain Zero), one medium trap (Longest Repeating Character Replacement). If you blank on the medium during your live assessment, StealthCoder runs invisibly and surfaces the sliding-window solution in seconds. You study the patterns now. The interview itself becomes the safety net.
Top problems at PayU
| # | Problem | Diff | Frequency | Pass % | Patterns |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Count Operations to Obtain Zero | EASY | 100.0 | 75% | Math · Simulation |
| 02 | Longest Repeating Character Replacement | MEDIUM | 66.6 | 57% | Hash Table · String · Sliding Window |
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 PayU 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- math1 · 50%
- simulation1 · 50%
- hash table1 · 50%
- string1 · 50%
- sliding window1 · 50%
Math and simulation anchor the easy problem, but the medium is where the real signal lives: hash-table, string, and sliding-window all converge on Longest Repeating Character Replacement. This isn't accident. Sliding-window is a pattern you either own or you don't, and PayU's putting it front and center. Study the window expansion and character-frequency tracking on that problem first. The easy one primes you to think step-by-step and recognize when math simplifies a loop. Hash-table speed matters for the medium (tracking character counts). If you hit the medium live and the window logic doesn't click, StealthCoder closes that gap invisibly while you keep talking to the interviewer.
Companies with similar patterns
If you prepped for PayU, these companies recycle ~60% of the same topics.
You've seen the list.
Now make sure you pass PayU.
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.
PayU interview FAQ
Should I spend more time on the easy or the medium problem?+
Medium. Longest Repeating Character Replacement is the real bar. The easy problem (Count Operations to Obtain Zero) teaches you to recognize when math beats iteration, but PayU's signal is the sliding-window pattern. Own that before the interview.
Is hash-table something I need to drill separately?+
Not separately. In Longest Repeating Character Replacement, the hash-table (or array for character counts) is a component, not the point. Focus on the sliding-window logic and the character-frequency update inside it. Hash-table speed matters, but the pattern is what kills candidates.
What if I freeze on the medium problem mid-assessment?+
That's where you hedge. You nail the easy one (Count Operations to Obtain Zero), buy yourself time, and if the sliding-window isn't flowing, you have options. StealthCoder runs invisible during your assessment and solves it in real-time while you stay composed.
Should I practice other sliding-window problems before this interview?+
Yes, but start with Longest Repeating Character Replacement. It combines string manipulation and a character-frequency constraint inside the window. Master that one first, then hit related patterns. PayU's assessment will stay in that zone.
Is simulation something I should study as a separate skill?+
Only in context of Count Operations to Obtain Zero. Simulation here means stepping through the algorithm logically. It's the opposite of jumping straight to math. Practice both mindsets: when do you simulate, when do you optimize. PayU's easy problem tests that judgment.