Grind 75

Grind 75 is a curated list of 75 LeetCode problems designed to give you maximum interview coverage with minimum time investment. Created by Yangshun Tay, the same engineer behind the Tech Interview Handbook and the original Blind 75, this list represents years of refinement based on real interview data.

The problems are sequenced intentionally. You start with foundational patterns like two pointers, hash maps, and basic tree traversals. By the time you reach the Hard problems in weeks 7-8, you've already built the mental models needed to tackle them. This is not a random collection of problems. It is a curriculum.

Each problem targets a specific pattern that shows up repeatedly in real interviews. Two Sum teaches hash map lookups. Valid Parentheses teaches stack-based matching. Number of Islands teaches graph traversal. Once you internalize these patterns, you can recognize and solve variations you have never seen before.

1. Set a time limit per problem. The time estimates next to each problem are realistic targets. If you cannot solve a problem within the time limit, study the solution. Understanding the pattern matters more than arriving at it yourself.

2. Explain your approach out loud. Solving a problem silently and explaining it to an interviewer are two completely different skills. Practice verbalizing your thought process: what approach you are considering, why, and what the tradeoffs are.

3. Review problems you got wrong. Come back to failed problems after 2-3 days. Spaced repetition is how patterns stick. If you solved a problem but it took too long, that counts as a problem you need to revisit.

4. Simulate real interviews. Once you have solved 20-30 problems, start doing mock interviews. An AI-powered mock interview puts you under real pressure with time constraints, follow-up questions, and a scorecard that shows exactly where you need improvement.

Blind 75 is the original curated list that started the trend. It covers the core patterns but lacks structured ordering and time estimates. Good if you want the classics, but the sequencing is suboptimal for learning.

Grind 75 (this page) is the direct successor to Blind 75, by the same author. It fixes the ordering, adds time estimates, and is customizable. You can adjust the number of weeks and hours per week to fit your schedule. Best for structured, time-boxed preparation.

NeetCode 150 expands to 150 problems for more comprehensive coverage. Good if you have 2-3 months, but can be overwhelming on a tight timeline. Many candidates find that 75 well-practiced problems beat 150 rushed ones.

Our recommendation: start with Grind 75. If you finish with time to spare and want more coverage, expand to NeetCode 150. Quality beats quantity. Check which problems your target company actually asks on our company interview questions page.