Anthropic·Software Engineer·Technical Phone Screen·Intermediate

IntermediatePrefer not to say

Apr 2026

Summary

This was a coding round for a recipe service problem, specifically the second level of a multi-part design. The core task sounds straightforward but the edge cases are where they actually test you.

Questions Asked (1)

Implement a function that returns chefs sorted by their accumulated recipe ratings, handling ties, chefs with no ratings, chefs with zero recipes, and case-insensitive name comparisons.

Algorithms & Data StructuresTechnical Trade-offs

Author's notes

I got the happy path working fast and felt good about it, then they started asking about ties.

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AI HintsAI Generated

Suggested Approach

Start by clarifying the input data model and edge cases, then propose an efficient algorithm using a hash map to aggregate ratings per chef and a sort with a custom comparator. Discuss tie-breaking rules (e.g., case-insensitive name order) and how to handle chefs with no ratings or zero recipes, ensuring a stable and predictable output.

Pro tip: Explicitly state your assumptions about tie-breaking and missing data, and ask the interviewer if they have a preference; this shows attention to detail and avoids ambiguity in real-world systems.

1. Clarify requirements and edge cases

Ask about the input format, definition of accumulated rating, tie-breaking rules, and how to treat chefs with no ratings or zero recipes. Confirm whether sorting should be ascending or descending.

2. Design the data aggregation

Use a hash map to accumulate total ratings per chef, iterating through recipes once. Handle chefs with no recipes by initializing their total to 0 or excluding them based on requirements.

3. Define the sorting comparator

Sort chefs by total rating descending, then by name case-insensitively ascending. Ensure the comparator is consistent and handles all edge cases.

4. Analyze complexity and trade-offs

Discuss time complexity (O(n + m log m) where n is recipes and m is chefs) and space complexity. Mention alternative approaches like sorting recipes first or using a heap if only top K are needed.

5. Test with edge cases

Walk through examples: chefs with no ratings, zero recipes, ties in ratings, and names differing only by case. Verify the output order matches expectations.

Key Points to Mention

Use a hash map to aggregate ratings efficiently in O(n) time.
Custom comparator for sorting: primary key rating descending, secondary key name case-insensitive ascending.
Handle chefs with no ratings by assigning a default total of 0 or excluding them based on requirements.
Case-insensitive name comparison using lowercasing or locale-aware comparison.
Time and space complexity analysis: O(n + m log m) time, O(m) space.
Discuss trade-offs: e.g., if only top K needed, use a min-heap of size K for O(n log K).

AI-generated suggestions, not part of the candidate's original notes. May be inaccurate — verify before relying on them.