Minimum Time Difference Python Solution

Tested Python solution for LeetCode 539 with 15 pytest cases. Generate a practice environment with lcpy.

LeetCode 539, Medium. Topics: Array, Math, String, Sorting. View on LeetCode.

Generate this problem as a practice environment: tested reference solution, 15 parametrized pytest cases, and a playground notebook:

lcpy gen -n 539   # by problem number
lcpy gen -s minimum_time_difference   # by problem name

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Problem

Given a list of 24-hour clock time points in “HH:MM” format, return the minimum minutes difference between any two time-points in the list.

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Examples

Input: timePoints = ["23:59","00:00"]
Output: 1

Input: timePoints = ["00:00","23:59","00:00"]
Output: 0

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Constraints

• 2 <= timePoints.length <= 2 * 10^4
• timePoints[i] is in the format “HH:MM”.

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Solution

Reference implementation from solution.py on GitHub, full suite in test_solution.py:

class Solution:
    # Time: O(n log n)
    # Space: O(n)
    def find_min_difference(self, time_points: list[str]) -> int:
        minutes = sorted(int(t[:2]) * 60 + int(t[3:]) for t in time_points)
        best = 24 * 60 - (minutes[-1] - minutes[0])
        for i in range(len(minutes) - 1):
            best = min(best, minutes[i + 1] - minutes[i])
        return best

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Complexity

Time	Space
O(n log n)	O(n)

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Tags

NeetCode All.