Pure Storage coding interview
questions, leaked.
7 problems reported across recent Pure Storage interviews. Top patterns: dynamic programming, string, math. The list below is what most reported candidates actually saw, plus the honest play if you can't grind all of it.
Pure Storage pulls from a narrow, repeatable set of patterns. You're looking at 7 problems total across their recent OAs, with dynamic programming and strings dominating the surface. One easy warm-up, five mediums that test real depth, one hard design problem that separates the prepared from the panicked. The distribution is tight enough that you can drill exactly what matters. If you hit a wall on a DP string problem mid-assessment, StealthCoder runs invisibly and surfaces a working approach in seconds. That's your safety net for the live OA.
Top problems at Pure Storage
| # | Problem | Diff | Frequency | Pass % | Patterns |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Valid Square | MEDIUM | 100.0 | 44% | Math · Geometry |
| 02 | Palindromic Substrings | MEDIUM | 85.9 | 72% | Two Pointers · String · Dynamic Programming |
| 03 | Design Skiplist | HARD | 84.1 | 58% | Linked List · Design |
| 04 | Maximum Repeating Substring | EASY | 70.9 | 40% | String · Dynamic Programming · String Matching |
| 05 | Longest Palindromic Substring | MEDIUM | 66.6 | 36% | Two Pointers · String · Dynamic Programming |
| 06 | Longest Increasing Subsequence | MEDIUM | 61.2 | 58% | Array · Binary Search · Dynamic Programming |
| 07 | Insert Delete GetRandom O(1) | MEDIUM | 61.2 | 55% | Array · Hash Table · Math |
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 Pure Storage OA. The proctor cannot see it. Screen share cannot detect it. Made by a working FAANG engineer who treats the OA the way companies treat hiring: as a game with rules you should know.
Get StealthCoder- dynamic programming4 · 57%
- string3 · 43%
- math2 · 29%
- array2 · 29%
- two pointers2 · 29%
- design2 · 29%
- string matching1 · 14%
- geometry1 · 14%
- binary search1 · 14%
- linked list1 · 14%
Dynamic programming shows up in 4 of 7 problems, almost always paired with strings. That's your first focus. Strings appear in 3 problems directly, often overlapping with DP. Two-pointers and array-based DP connect Longest Increasing Subsequence and the palindrome problems. Math and geometry appear in Valid Square, which is straightforward but easy to miss edge cases. The hard problem, Design Skiplist, sits alone and tests whether you can code a real data structure under pressure. Most candidates freeze on design. Study the skiplist mechanics early so it doesn't hijack your mental bandwidth on test day. String matching and randomized problems show once each. Don't chase them. Master palindromic substrings and longest repeating substring variants first, drill DP transitions, then revisit design. StealthCoder is your hedge if a DP recurrence doesn't click or you blank on skiplist implementation.
Companies with similar patterns
If you prepped for Pure Storage, these companies recycle ~60% of the same topics.
You've seen the list.
Now make sure you pass Pure Storage.
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. Made by a working FAANG engineer who treats the OA the way companies treat hiring: as a game with rules you should know. Works on HackerRank, CodeSignal, CoderPad, and Karat.
Pure Storage interview FAQ
How many dynamic programming problems should I solve before the Pure Storage OA?+
At least 5 to 8 solid DP problems. DP appears in 4 of their 7 known problems, often layered with strings. Focus on substring and subsequence patterns first. You need muscle memory on recurrence relations because you can't afford to rediscover them live.
Is the one hard problem worth studying before the OA?+
Yes. Design Skiplist is their only hard, and it's a real data structure problem. Most candidates skip it and bomb if it shows up. Spend an hour understanding skiplist mechanics and basic insertion/deletion. That prep pays dividends.
What string topics matter most for Pure Storage?+
Palindromic substrings and repeating substrings. Both appear in their problem set and both rely on DP or two-pointers. Skip fancy string algorithms. Drill substring iteration patterns and how to build DP tables for string problems.
Should I study math and geometry for this OA?+
Valid Square is the only math/geometry problem they've asked. It's medium difficulty and tests coordinate geometry. Solve it once to know the edge cases, then move on. Don't let it consume prep time.
Is one easy problem enough to warm up on?+
No. Maximum Repeating Substring is easy but combines string, DP, and string matching. Use it as a warm-up, but expect the five mediums to be where the work is. The gap between easy and medium here is real.