LeetCode Weekly Contest

Particulars

Organiser

LeetCode

Mode

Fully online, weekly plus biweekly

Prize / outcome

Rating progression; LeetCoins/merchandise for top performers in some contests

Team size

Individual

Application fee

Free

Rounds

3

What it is

LeetCode's Weekly Contest is a fixed-format, 90-minute timed round with four problems of increasing difficulty, held on a predictable weekly schedule (with a separate Biweekly Contest on alternating weeks). Ranking is based on total points and how fast you solved them, with a time penalty for each wrong submission. New participants don't get the standard ELO-style rating update on their first contest - their rating is instead set by their percentile rank in that first contest before the ongoing rating formula kicks in for subsequent ones.

Rounds

1. 01. Contest window opens

   The Weekly Contest opens at its scheduled time and runs for a fixed 90 minutes.

2. 02. Problem solving

   Four problems, increasing in difficulty, attempted in any order - score is based on points earned and speed, with a 5-minute penalty per wrong submission.

3. 03. Rating update

   Contest rating updates shortly after the window closes, based on your rank relative to other participants in that specific contest.

Who can enter

• Open to anyone with a LeetCode account - no academic or age restriction
• Free to enter

What you actually get

A LeetCode contest rating, widely referenced informally in tech interview preparation circles as a rough proxy for problem-solving speed under time pressure - plus, since the same problems recur in study/practice long after the contest, a growing personal archive of solved problems at increasing difficulty.

Frequently asked questions

How long is a LeetCode Weekly Contest?+−

90 minutes, with four problems of increasing difficulty that can be attempted in any order.

How is a LeetCode contest ranked?+−

By total points from problems solved and how quickly you solved them, with a 5-minute time penalty added for each wrong submission on a problem.

What's the difference between LeetCode's Weekly and Biweekly contests?+−

Same format and scoring - the Weekly Contest runs every week, and the Biweekly Contest runs on alternating weeks as an additional contest, giving roughly one and a half contests per week on average.

Is LeetCode's contest free to enter?+−

Yes, participation in the Weekly and Biweekly contests is free with a LeetCode account, separate from LeetCode's paid subscription tiers for other site features.

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