Spreadsheet / Excel Cell Get and Set with Formula and Cycle Detection

CodingHarvey AILast reported August 2026High Frequency
Reported
16× across candidate reports
First seen
April 2026
Last reported
August 2026
Reported outcome
mixed

Problem Overview

Design and implement a spreadsheet class with the following methods: - set_cell(label, value): Set a cell (identified by an Excel-style label like 'A1', 'B10') to either an integer value or a formula string. Formulas are prefixed with '=' (e.g., '=A1+A2+5') and support addition only (+). Setting a cell may update…

  • 4 candidate-reported follow-ups — the exact probes interviewers asked, with the trigger for each
  • The rest of the problem statement — full requirements, constraints, and edge cases
  • Approach and trade-offs — what passing candidates did, and the mistakes that sink people
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Verified Source
Every question is reconstructed from multiple independent candidate reports. Verbatim follow-ups, not invented ones.
Codex Fact-Checked
Technical claims, formulas, and scale numbers are reviewed against primary sources.
Interviewer Follow-ups
The exact follow-ups reported by candidates, with the trigger that prompts each one — plus the mistakes that sink people.
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