I started with the API surface which felt natural: new_game, reveal, flag, state.
Start by clarifying requirements and constraints, then design the core data model and algorithms for board generation and gameplay. Define clean APIs for game actions and state, and discuss trade-offs around scalability, performance, and user experience.
Pro tip: Emphasize the importance of a clean separation between game logic and presentation, and discuss how you would handle edge cases like first-click safety and efficient mine placement.
Ask questions to understand expected scale, features (e.g., flags, timer, difficulty levels), and constraints (e.g., board size limits, performance targets).
Define how to represent the board, cells, mines, and game state. Consider using a 2D array or sparse representation for large boards.
Outline algorithms for mine placement (ensuring first-click safety), revealing cells (with flood fill for empty regions), and win/loss detection.
List the key operations: create game, reveal cell, toggle flag, get game state, reset. Define inputs, outputs, and error handling.
Talk about performance (time/space), scalability (e.g., multiplayer, persistence), and potential optimizations like lazy mine placement.
AI-generated suggestions, not part of the candidate's original notes. May be inaccurate — verify before relying on them.