Always identify the "Brute Force" solution first. Even if it’s inefficient, it guarantees a baseline for correctness and helps you see where the bottlenecks are.
Don't jump straight into your IDE. Professional problem solving follows a structured sequence: Problem Solving in Data Structures & Algorithms...
Get it working first, then make it fast, then make it clean. Always identify the "Brute Force" solution first
If you get stuck, explain the logic out loud to an inanimate object (or yourself). Translating abstract thoughts into spoken words often exposes the "logic gap" that your brain was subconsciously skipping over. 4. Implementation & Edge Cases then make it fast
Dealing with "Top K" elements or frequently updated minimums/maximums. 3. The "Rubber Duck" Debugging Technique