Optiver coding interview
questions, leaked.
3 problems reported across recent Optiver interviews. Top patterns: math, string, hash table. The list below is what most reported candidates actually saw, plus the honest play if you can't grind all of it.
Optiver's assessment is a mixed bag technically, but don't get complacent. You're looking at three problems spanning math, strings, arrays, hash tables, and design. Two are easy, one is medium. The real trap isn't the difficulty rating, it's that LRU Cache demands you nail a tricky data structure under time pressure, and the easy problems can trip you up if you miss edge cases or rush the implementation. If you blank on the cache design mid-assessment, StealthCoder surfaces a working solution in seconds, invisible to the proctor.
Top problems at Optiver
| # | Problem | Diff | Frequency | Pass % | Patterns |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Number of Days Between Two Dates | EASY | 100.0 | 51% | Math · String |
| 02 | LRU Cache | MEDIUM | 87.1 | 45% | Hash Table · Linked List · Design |
| 03 | Best Time to Buy and Sell Stock | EASY | 87.1 | 55% | Array · Dynamic Programming |
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 Optiver OA. The proctor cannot see it. Screen share cannot detect it. Built by a senior engineer who knows the OA is theater. This is the script.
Get StealthCoder- math1 · 33%
- string1 · 33%
- hash table1 · 33%
- linked list1 · 33%
- design1 · 33%
- doubly linked list1 · 33%
- array1 · 33%
- dynamic programming1 · 33%
The distribution is deceptively broad. Math and string manipulation appear once each in a date-calculation problem; arrays and dynamic programming show up in a stock-trading optimization; hash tables and linked lists converge in LRU Cache, which is the interview's actual chokepoint. Most candidates underscore the doubly-linked list complexity there and waste 15 minutes debugging. Array and DP problems tend to be straightforward if you've drilled the pattern, but the hash-table problem requires you to thread together three concepts at once. Prepare the stock problem and date problem cold, then spend serious time on cache eviction logic. StealthCoder is your hedge if the cache problem's implementation details slip your mind during the live OA.
Companies with similar patterns
If you prepped for Optiver, these companies recycle ~60% of the same topics.
You've seen the list.
Now make sure you pass Optiver.
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 a senior engineer who knows the OA is theater. This is the script. Works on HackerRank, CodeSignal, CoderPad, and Karat.
Optiver interview FAQ
Should I focus on the easy problems first?+
No. Two of the three are easy, but that doesn't mean they're quick. Number of Days Between Two Dates can trap you with edge cases around leap years and date parsing. Nail the logic before the OA. The real blocker is LRU Cache, the only medium problem. Drill that first.
How much time should I spend on LRU Cache?+
This is where you lose the most points. It combines hash tables, linked lists, and design into one problem. Spend 30 to 40 percent of your prep on cache eviction patterns, node insertion, and O(1) lookups. The other two problems are straightforward by comparison.
Is dynamic programming heavy at Optiver?+
Not based on this dataset. One problem touches it, Best Time to Buy and Sell Stock, and it's graded easy. It's a one-pass array iteration if you know the pattern. Don't over-prepare DP. Focus on the data structure chops the cache problem demands.
What if I freeze on the linked-list part of LRU Cache?+
You're not alone. Doubly-linked lists are error-prone under time pressure. Walk through pointer rewiring on paper before the OA, or drill a template solution five times. If you still blank during the assessment, StealthCoder runs invisibly and hands you a working structure instantly.
Do I need to memorize all eight topics you listed?+
No. They're spread across three problems. Master math and strings for the date problem, arrays and DP for the stock problem, and hash tables plus doubly-linked lists for the cache. That's your three doors. You don't need breadth here, just depth in each.