How to Solve Cherry Pickup Problem
Master the Cherry Pickup LeetCode problem with undetectable real-time assistance. Get instant solutions and explanations during your coding interviews.
Interview Coder generates complete solutions and debugging hints that you can use while explaining your approach, so you stay calm and in control.
Cherry Pickup
You are given an n x n grid representing a field of cherries, each cell is one of three possible integers. 0 means the cell is empty, so you can pass through, 1 means the cell contains a cherry that y...
Interview Coder will help you solve this problem in real-time during your interview
✨ Get instant solutions, explanations, and code generation
Understanding the Cherry Pickup Problem
Let's break down this LeetCode problem and understand what makes it challenging in interview settings.
Problem Statement
You are given an n x n grid representing a field of cherries, each cell is one of three possible integers. 0 means the cell is empty, so you can pass through, 1 means the cell contains a cherry that you can pick up and pass through, or -1 means the cell contains a thorn that blocks your way. Return the maximum number of cherries you can collect by following the rules below: Starting at the position (0, 0) and reaching (n - 1, n - 1) by moving right or down through valid path cells (cells with value 0 or 1). After reaching (n - 1, n - 1), returning to (0, 0) by moving left or up through valid path cells. When passing through a path cell containing a cherry, you pick it up, and the cell becomes an empty cell 0. If there is no valid path between (0, 0) and (n - 1, n - 1), then no cherries can be collected.
Cherry Pickup
Related Topics
How Interview Coder Helps
Get real-time assistance for Cherry Pickup problems during coding interviews. Interview Coder provides instant solutions and explanations.
Examples
grid = [[0,1,-1],[1,0,-1],[1,1,1]]
5
The player started at (0, 0) and went down, down, right right to reach (2, 2). 4 cherries were picked up during this single trip, and the matrix becomes [[0,1,-1],[0,0,-1],[0,0,0]]. Then, the player went left, up, up, left to return home, picking up one more cherry. The total number of cherries picked up is 5, and this is the maximum possible.
grid = [[1,1,-1],[1,-1,1],[-1,1,1]]
0
Constraints
n == grid.length
n == grid[i].length
1 <= n <= 50
grid[i][j] is -1, 0, or 1.
grid[0][0] != -1
grid[n - 1][n - 1] != -1
How Interview Coder Helps with Leetcode Problems
Trust anchors reduce friction for conversion. Reinforce undetectability claims, platform compatibility, user counts, and the free trial to remove perceived risk.
See Interview Coder in Action
Watch how Interview Coder helps solve LeetCode problems during live interviews
Undetectability Checklist
Platform Compatibility
User results and traction
More than 87,000 developers use Interview Coder and early launch metrics showed rapid adoption. Social proof signals that this approach helps real candidates land offers across a range of companies.
Undetectability and technical details
Our native desktop architecture avoids common detection vectors used by browser extensions. We provide a clear checklist so you can run basic checks and confirm the app will be invisible during live interviews.
Platform compatibility and limitations
We work with Zoom, HackerRank, CodeSignal, CoderPad and other web based platforms, with a known list of app version caveats. Check the compatibility note and request a browser link if a specific desktop app is unsupported.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about solving Cherry Pickup and using Interview Coder during coding interviews.
Interview Coder generates complete solutions instantly with proper complexity analysis, letting you focus on explaining your approach and demonstrating problem-solving skills rather than getting stuck on implementation details during high-pressure situations.
Ready to Get Started?
Download Interview Coder now and join thousands of developers who have aced their coding interviews