Practice Arena

Python Coding Challenges

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925 challenges 556 easy 323 medium 46 hard
Python Basics easy

Fancy Index Select

Given a 2D matrix and a list of row indices, select those rows in order and return them as a new 2D list.

indexing lists matrix
+10 pts 10m
Python Basics easy

Reshape array dimensions

Implement a function that reshapes a 1D list into a 2D list with given dimensions.

reshape matrix lists
+8 pts 10m
Python Basics easy

Euclidean Distance Matrix

Write a function to compute the Euclidean distance between every pair of points from two lists.

math lists loops
+10 pts 15m
Lists & Arrays easy

Generate a Multiplication Table

Build a function that returns an n x n multiplication table as a list of lists.

nested-loops list-comprehension matrix
+10 pts 10m
Lists & Arrays easy

Concatenate Horizontally

Write a function that horizontally concatenates two 2D lists into a new 2D list.

lists concatenation matrix
+8 pts 10m
OOP & Classes medium

Matrix addition operator

Implement a Matrix class that supports + and * operators.

OOP dunder matrix
+22 pts 20m
Data Structures & Algorithms medium

Shortest Path in Binary Matrix

Implement BFS to find the shortest path length from (0,0) to (n-1,n-1) in an n x n binary matrix, moving through 0 cells in 8 directions.

bfs grid shortest-path
+30 pts 30m
Data Structures & Algorithms medium

Flood Fill Algorithm

Implement flood fill on a 2D grid using BFS/DFS.

grid bfs dfs
+20 pts 25m
Data Structures & Algorithms hard

Largest Area Histogram Matrix

Given a binary matrix, compute the largest rectangle area consisting entirely of 1s.

stack histogram matrix
+40 pts 35m
Dynamic Programming medium

Maximal square

Given a 2D binary matrix of 0s and 1s, compute the area of the largest square containing only 1s.

dynamic-programming matrix maximal-square
+30 pts 30m
Dynamic Programming medium

Paint House Colors

Given a cost matrix, compute the minimum total cost to paint all houses with no two adjacent houses having the same color.

dynamic-programming optimization arrays
+20 pts 25m
Dynamic Programming medium

Maximal square matrix

Given a 2D binary matrix of 0s and 1s, find the side length of the largest square containing only 1s.

dynamic-programming matrix maximum-square
+25 pts 30m
Dynamic Programming medium

Minimum Falling Path Sum

Compute the minimum falling path sum in an n x n matrix by moving down or diagonally each step.

dynamic programming grid path sum
+25 pts 25m
Dynamic Programming medium

Matrix Chain Multiplication

Given a list of matrix dimensions, compute the minimum multiplication cost using dynamic programming.

matrix dynamic-programming optimization
+30 pts 25m
Dynamic Programming medium

Maximal rectangle in matrix

Given a matrix of 0s and 1s, compute the area of the largest rectangle consisting only of 1s.

dynamic programming binary matrix histogram
+25 pts 30m
Dynamic Programming medium

Minimum Path Sum Matrix

Implement a function that computes the minimum path sum from the top-left to the bottom-right of a grid moving only right or down.

dynamic-programming matrix path
+20 pts 25m
Dynamic Programming medium

Dungeon Game Minimum Health

Compute the minimum initial health needed to reach the bottom-right corner of a dungeon grid without health dropping to zero or below.

dynamic-programming matrix grid
+30 pts 30m
Graphs & Graph Algorithms easy

Clique Detection

Given an undirected graph and a list of vertices, check if every pair of distinct vertices in the list is connected by an edge.

graphs cliques adjacency-matrix
+10 pts 15m
Graphs & Graph Algorithms medium

Surrounded Regions

Given an M×N grid of 'X' and 'O', capture all regions of 'O' that are completely surrounded by 'X'.

graph bfs grid
+25 pts 30m
Graphs & Graph Algorithms medium

Floyd-Warshall: All-Pairs Shortest Paths

Implement the Floyd-Warshall algorithm to find all-pairs shortest path distances in a directed graph with possibly negative weights but no negative cycles.

graph shortest-path dynamic-programming
+25 pts 30m
Recursion & Backtracking medium

Word Search Backtrack

Determine if a given word exists in a 2D board by tracing adjacent cells without reusing any cell.

backtracking matrix dfs
+25 pts 25m
Binary Search hard

Kth Smallest in Sorted Matrix

Implement kth_smallest(matrix, k) to return the kth smallest element in a row- and column-sorted square matrix.

matrix binary-search heap
+40 pts 35m
Binary Search medium

Search 2D Matrix

Given a sorted 2D matrix with sorted rows and first element of each row greater than last of previous, find target efficiently.

binary search 2d matrix searching
+20 pts 25m
Matrix & 2D Arrays medium

Spiral Matrix Order

Given a 2D matrix, return all elements in clockwise spiral order starting from the top-left.

matrix spiral traversal
+25 pts 25m

Showing 1–24 of 52 challenges

Guide: free Python coding challenges

Practice Python by solving problems

PythonSkillset challenges are hands-on coding exercises from beginner to advanced. Open a challenge, read the problem, write Python in the split-pane editor, and run tests with Pyodide — no install required.

How to use the arena

  1. Pick a category — basics, algorithms, strings, and more
  2. Open a challenge, read the statement, and edit the starter code
  3. Run tests, fix failures, then try a related quiz or tutorial lesson

Challenges vs tutorials and quizzes

Challenges test what you can build under constraints. For guided teaching, use our Python tutorials. For quick checks, try quizzes or copy snippets from code samples.