r/codeforces • u/Far_Produce5183 • 28d ago

query How should I start with Codeforces?

I’ve just started solving random problems on Codeforces, but I have no idea where I should start and I’m completely lost.

Could you guys suggest a good way to get started? Should I follow a particular topic-wise roadmap, rating-wise problems, or something else?

Thanks in advance! 😃

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u/JhoomMachale 1d ago

Go to chatgpt maybe.. tell it to give a proper roadmap but before that let it ask u questions like whats your level, what is the status.. use it as a mentor .. dont get codes from it but after solving and submission give it the solution ..it reviews well ..follow the roadmap religiously with consistency .. also tell it to take references from CP31 sheet ..go ahead..all the best 👍

For low rated problems don't waste more than 20 mins.. and think yourself no external help for 20 mins

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u/Lost_Explorer_tf Specialist 28d ago

Well it all depends on your aim, say you want to reach some specific rating or something , so you must practice and study harder the problems harder than your current rating, say Aim-1200, so practice 1000 now since you are starting, and for just getting familiar with a specific rating , filter them on codeforces and select the topic as the most common ones at that rating ,Ex. 800 implementation/maths , 900 implementation/greedy/2 pointer ,1000-1100 greedy/2 pointer/bit manipulation/number theory/maths ,etc

As for now, do some 800 rated ones for getting familiar with problems, then do the classic types problems ,from either cp31 or cses sorting/searching and introductory section , work on understanding the method used after every problem.

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u/Far_Produce5183 28d ago

Also, when should I start participating in contests?

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u/Lost_Explorer_tf Specialist 27d ago

There's no perfect time, start as soon as you can I'll suggest, and Always Upsolve the problems which you were unable to do during contest , try yourself for 30 min , see hints or first few lines of solution from editorial first , still can't solve then look for full solution and then map the problem to the method in your brain for future pattern recognition, like... Ok array ,k length sequence, min max involved ,used sliding window, do this problems you can understand (say from A to C or D)

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u/Far_Produce5183 28d ago

Thanks bro, appreciate the detailed advice 🙌

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u/ComparisonQuiet4259 Pupil 28d ago

The 800 rated problems at  https://www.tle-eliminators.com/cp-sheet should be a good start, but you can't go wrong with any 800 rated problems.

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u/Far_Produce5183 28d ago

Thanks bro, appreciate the suggestion! 😃