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753. Cracking the Safe (Hard)

There is a safe protected by a password. The password is a sequence of n digits where each digit can be in the range [0, k - 1].

The safe has a peculiar way of checking the password. When you enter in a sequence, it checks the most recent n digits that were entered each time you type a digit.

• For example, the correct password is "345" and you enter in "012345":
  • After typing 0, the most recent 3 digits is "0", which is incorrect.
  • After typing 1, the most recent 3 digits is "01", which is incorrect.
  • After typing 2, the most recent 3 digits is "012", which is incorrect.
  • After typing 3, the most recent 3 digits is "123", which is incorrect.
  • After typing 4, the most recent 3 digits is "234", which is incorrect.
  • After typing 5, the most recent 3 digits is "345", which is correct and the safe unlocks.

Return any string of minimum length that will unlock the safe at some point of entering it.

 

Example 1:

Input: n = 1, k = 2
Output: "10"
Explanation: The password is a single digit, so enter each digit. "01" would also unlock the safe.

Example 2:

Input: n = 2, k = 2
Output: "01100"
Explanation: For each possible password:
- "00" is typed in starting from the 4th digit.
- "01" is typed in starting from the 1st digit.
- "10" is typed in starting from the 3rd digit.
- "11" is typed in starting from the 2nd digit.
Thus "01100" will unlock the safe. "01100", "10011", and "11001" would also unlock the safe.

 

Constraints:

• 1 <= n <= 4
• 1 <= k <= 10
• 1 <= kn <= 4096

Related Topics

[Depth-First Search] [Graph] [Eulerian Circuit]

Hints

Hint 1

We can think of this problem as the problem of finding an Euler path (a path visiting every edge exactly once) on the following graph: there are $$k^{n-1}$$ nodes with each node having $$k$$ edges. It turns out this graph always has an Eulerian circuit (path starting where it ends.)

We should visit each node in "post-order" so as to not get stuck in the graph prematurely.