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#3363
Hard Algorithms

Find the maximum number of fruits collected

Array Dynamic Programming Matrix
65.1% acceptance
Feb 24, 2026
450
42
There is a game dungeon comprised of n x n rooms arranged in a grid. You are given a 2D array fruits of size n x n, where fruits[i][j] represents the number of fruits in the room (i, j). Three children will play in the game dungeon, with initial positions at the corner rooms (0, 0), (0, n - 1), and (n - 1, 0). The children will make exactly n - 1 moves according to the following rules to reach the room (n - 1, n - 1): The child starting from (0, 0) must move from their current room (i, j) to one of the rooms (i + 1, j + 1), (i + 1, j), and (i, j + 1) if the target room exists. The child starting from (0, n - 1) must move from their current room (i, j) to one of the rooms (i + 1, j - 1), (i + 1, j), and (i + 1, j + 1) if the target room exists. (Note: must always increment row) The child starting from (n - 1, 0) must move from their current room (i, j) to one of the rooms (i - 1, j + 1), (i, j + 1), and (i + 1, j + 1) if the target room exists. (Note: must always increment col) When a child enters a room, they will collect all the fruits there. If two or more children enter the same room, only one child will collect the fruits, and the room will be emptied after they leave. Return the maximum number of fruits the children can collect from the dungeon.

Solution

Rust
Time O(n³)
Space O(n)
LeetCode
solution.rs
impl Solution {
  pub fn max_collected_fruits(fruits: Vec<Vec<i32>>) -> i32 {
    let n = fruits.len();
    
    // Child 1: starts (0,0), moves right/down/diagonal, always reaches (n-1,n-1).
    //   After step k (0-indexed), must have i+j = k (moving along anti-diagonals).
    //   Actually child 1 can move freely within the grid; path length = 2*(n-1) steps but problem says n-1 moves.
    //   Wait: the child makes exactly n-1 moves. Each move from (i,j) to one of {(i+1,j+1),(i+1,j),(i,j+1)}.
    //   Starting (0,0), after n-1 moves: i+j >= n-1 and i <= n-1, j <= n-1.
    //   To reach (n-1,n-1): need i=n-1,j=n-1, so i+j=2(n-1), but only n-1 moves - each increases i+j by at most 2.
    //   Max i+j increase = 2(n-1), so child 1 MUST always move diagonally: (i+1,j+1) each step.
    //   Path is exactly (0,0)->(1,1)->...->( n-1,n-1). Diagonal!
    
    // Child 2: starts (0,n-1), moves (i+1,j-1),(i+1,j),(i+1,j+1). Always increases row.
    //   n-1 moves, starts row 0, ends row n-1. Column: starts n-1, ends n-1.
    //   After n-1 steps, col changes by (moves right - moves left). Net col change = 0. Ends at (n-1, n-1). ✓
    
    // Child 3: starts (n-1,0), moves (i-1,j+1),(i,j+1),(i+1,j+1). Always increases col.
    //   n-1 moves, col starts 0 ends n-1. Row: starts n-1, ends n-1. Net row change = 0. Ends at (n-1,n-1). ✓
    
    // Child 1: fixed diagonal path. Collect all fruits[i][i].
    let child1: i32 = (0..n).map(|i| fruits[i][i]).sum();
    
    // Child 2 (row-by-row DP): at step i (row i), position (i, j2).
    // From (i,j2) can go to (i+1, j2-1), (i+1, j2), (i+1, j2+1).
    // Collect fruits[i][j2] if j2 != i (diagonal already taken by child 1).
    let mut dp2 = vec![i64::MIN; n];
    dp2[n-1] = fruits[0][n-1] as i64;
    for row in 1..n {
      let mut ndp = vec![i64::MIN; n];
      for j in 0..n {
        if dp2[j] == i64::MIN { continue; }
        for dj in -1i32..=1 {
          let nj = j as i32 + dj;
          if nj < 0 || nj >= n as i32 { continue; }
          let nj = nj as usize;
          // Collect fruits[row][nj], but if nj == row (diagonal), child1 already took it
          let gain = if nj == row { 0 } else { fruits[row][nj] as i64 };
          if ndp[nj] < dp2[j] + gain { ndp[nj] = dp2[j] + gain; }
        }
      }
      dp2 = ndp;
    }
    let best2 = dp2[n-1].max(0);
    
    // Child 3 (col-by-col DP): at step j (col j), position (i3, j).
    // From (i3, j) go to (i3-1, j+1), (i3, j+1), (i3+1, j+1).
    // Collect fruits[i3][j] if i3 != j (diagonal) and not already claimed by child2 at end.
    // Actually we need to track overlap between child2 and child3 too. This is complex.
    // But given the paths:
    // - Child 1: diagonal (k,k)
    // - Child 2: row k, some column j2
    // - Child 3: col k, some row i3
    // Overlap between 2 and 3 only at (n-1,n-1) which both paths end.
    // The grids are separate enough; children 2 and 3 can share cells only at (n-1,n-1).
    // DP for child3:
    let mut dp3 = vec![i64::MIN; n];
    dp3[n-1] = fruits[n-1][0] as i64;
    for col in 1..n {
      let mut ndp = vec![i64::MIN; n];
      for i in 0..n {
        if dp3[i] == i64::MIN { continue; }
        for di in -1i32..=1 {
          let ni = i as i32 + di;
          if ni < 0 || ni >= n as i32 { continue; }
          let ni = ni as usize;
          // Collect if not diagonal
          let gain = if ni == col { 0 } else { fruits[ni][col] as i64 };
          if ndp[ni] < dp3[i] + gain { ndp[ni] = dp3[i] + gain; }
        }
      }
      dp3 = ndp;
    }
    let best3 = dp3[n-1].max(0);
    
    (child1 as i64 + best2 + best3) as i32
  }
}