Statistics

Problem Statement

Definition

Class:

TwoStringMasks

Method:

shortestCommon

Parameters:

String, String

Returns:

String

Method signature:

String shortestCommon(String s1, String s2)

(be sure your method is public)

Constraints

• s1 will contain between 1 and 50 characters, inclusive.
• s2 will contain between 1 and 50 characters, inclusive.
• s1 and s2 will contain only uppercase letters ('A'-'Z') and asterisks ('*').
• s1 and s2 will contain exactly one asterisk each.

Examples

1. "TOPC*DER"

   "T*PCODER"

   Returns: "TOPCODER"

   Each of the asterisks should be replaced with an "O".

2. "HELLO*"

   "HI*"

   Returns: "impossible"

   No matter how you replace the asterisks, the second characters of the strings will differ. So it is impossible to make the strings equal.

3. "GOOD*LUCK"

   "*"

   Returns: "GOODLUCK"

   The first asterisk should be replaced with an empty string.

4. "*SAMPLETEST"

   "THIRDSAMPLE*"

   Returns: "THIRDSAMPLETEST"

5. "*"

   "*"

   Returns: ""

6. "*"

   "*RIGHT"

   Returns: "RIGHT"

7. "*"

   "LEFT*"

   Returns: "LEFT"

8. "*"

   "BO*TH"

   Returns: "BOTH"

9. "TOBE*"

   "*"

   Returns: "TOBE"

10. "*ORNOTTOBE"

    "*"

    Returns: "ORNOTTOBE"

11. "*"

    "THATIS*THEQUESTION"

    Returns: "THATISTHEQUESTION"

12. "THISISATESTTHATCHECKSAVERYWEIRDSPECIFIC*SITUTATION"

    "THISIS*ON"

    Returns: "THISISATESTTHATCHECKSAVERYWEIRDSPECIFICSITUTATION"

13. "DARNLEYWASHERE*HEMADETHISTESTCASEFORTHETOPCODERSRM"

    "DARNLEYWASHERE*FORTHETOPCODERSRM"

    Returns: "DARNLEYWASHEREHEMADETHISTESTCASEFORTHETOPCODERSRM"

14. "ROTIJWEROITERIWEOIUCROIWRUCPOWQEIJVT*IJRSLKDHFRTIY"

    "ROTIJWEROITERIWEOIUCROIWRUCPOW*IJRSLKDHFRTIY"

    Returns: "ROTIJWEROITERIWEOIUCROIWRUCPOWQEIJVTIJRSLKDHFRTIY"

15. "THISISALARGEBUTAREALLYEA*SYTOPASSTESTCASEFORTHESRM"

    "THISISALARGEBUTAREALLYEA*SYTOPASSTESTCASEFORTHESRM"

    Returns: "THISISALARGEBUTAREALLYEASYTOPASSTESTCASEFORTHESRM"

16. "THISISALARGEBUTAREALLYEA*SYSRM"

    "THISISALARGEBUTAREALLYEA*SYTOPASSTESTCASEFORTHESRM"

    Returns: "impossible"

17. "*SYTOPASSTESTCASEFORTHESRM"

    "THISISALARGEBUTAREALLYEA*SYTOPASSTESTCASEFORTHESRM"

    Returns: "THISISALARGEBUTAREALLYEASYTOPASSTESTCASEFORTHESRM"

18. "*ODDTESTCASE"

    "ROBINHOOD*"

    Returns: "ROBINHOODDTESTCASE"

19. "RED*YELLOWGREENBLUEPURPLE"

    "REDORANGEYELLOWGREEN*PURPLE"

    Returns: "REDORANGEYELLOWGREENBLUEPURPLE"

20. "TEST*ABACABADABACABAEND"

    "TESTABACABAEABACABA*END"

    Returns: "TESTABACABAEABACABADABACABAEND"

21. "ONETWOTHREEFOURFIVESIXSEVENEIGHTNINETENELEVEN*ELVE"

    "ON*ENELEVENTWELVE"

    Returns: "ONETWOTHREEFOURFIVESIXSEVENEIGHTNINETENELEVENTWELVE"

22. "*EGORERYXGAWRYYUHCHANDREWZTAKRIJGERTJEVASYLBURUNDU"

    "PETRACRUSHTOMEKBMERRYSNAPDRAGONMAREKCYGANOPENGLEG*"

    Returns: "PETRACRUSHTOMEKBMERRYSNAPDRAGONMAREKCYGANOPENGLEGORERYXGAWRYYUHCHANDREWZTAKRIJGERTJEVASYLBURUNDU"

23. "PETRACRUSHTOMEKBMERRY*OPENGLEG"

    "PETRACRUSH*MAREKCYGANOPENGLEG"

    Returns: "PETRACRUSHTOMEKBMERRYMAREKCYGANOPENGLEG"

24. "AAAABBBBAAAABBBBAAAABBBBAAAAAAACCCAAACCCAAACCCAAA*"

    "*AAACCCAAACCCAAACCCAAAAAAAADDDDDAAAAADDDDDAAAAADAA"

    Returns: "AAAABBBBAAAABBBBAAAABBBBAAAAAAACCCAAACCCAAACCCAAAAAAAADDDDDAAAAADDDDDAAAAADAA"

25. "*ZZZYYYZZZYYYZZZYYYZZZZZZZZYYYYYZZZZZYYYYYZZZZZDZZ"

    "ZZZZYYYYZZZZYYYYZZZZYYYYZZZZZZZYYYZZZYYYZZZYYYZZZ*"

    Returns: "ZZZZYYYYZZZZYYYYZZZZYYYYZZZZZZZYYYZZZYYYZZZYYYZZZZZZZZYYYYYZZZZZYYYYYZZZZZDZZ"

26. "HOWMUCHWOODWOULDAWOODCHUCKIFAWOODCHUCKWOULDCHUCKW*"

    "*HOWMUCHWOODWOULDAWOODCHUCKIFAWOODCHUCKWOULDCHUCKW"

    Returns: "HOWMUCHWOODWOULDAWOODCHUCKIFAWOODCHUCKWOULDCHUCKW"

27. "HOWMUCHWOODWOULDAWOODCHUCKIFAWOODCHUCKWOULDCHUCKW*"

    "*NOWMUCHWOODWOULDAWOODCHUCKIFAWOODCHUCKWOULDCHUCKW"

    Returns: "HOWMUCHWOODWOULDAWOODCHUCKIFAWOODCHUCKWOULDCHUCKWNOWMUCHWOODWOULDAWOODCHUCKIFAWOODCHUCKWOULDCHUCKW"

28. "*LETAMANDRINKTENBARRELSOFRUMADAYHESNOTADRUNKENSKIP"

    "LETAMANDRINKTENBARRELSOFRUMADAYHESNOTADRUNKENSKIP*"

    Returns: "LETAMANDRINKTENBARRELSOFRUMADAYHESNOTADRUNKENSKIP"

29. "*LETAMANDRINKTENBARRELSOFRUMADAYHESNOTADRUNKENSKIP"

    "SETAMANDRINKTENBARRELSOFRUMADAYHESNOTADRUNKENSKIP*"

    Returns: "SETAMANDRINKTENBARRELSOFRUMADAYHESNOTADRUNKENSKIPLETAMANDRINKTENBARRELSOFRUMADAYHESNOTADRUNKENSKIP"

30. "GUITARPIANOCELLOSAXOPHONEDRUMSVIOLINFLUTE*TROMBONE"

    "GUITAR*FLUTECELLOVIOLINPIANOSAXOPHONEDRUMSTROMBONE"

    Returns: "GUITARPIANOCELLOSAXOPHONEDRUMSVIOLINFLUTECELLOVIOLINPIANOSAXOPHONEDRUMSTROMBONE"

31. "HOHOOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOOHOHHOOHHOOHOOHOHOHOHOOH*OHOH"

    "HOHO*OHHOHOHOOHOHOOHOOHOHOHOOOOHOOHOHOHHHOHOOHOHOH"

    Returns: "HOHOOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOOHOHHOOHHOOHOOHOHOHOHOOHHOHOHOOHOHOOHOOHOHOHOOOOHOOHOHOHHHOHOOHOHOH"

32. "DO*GOODTHINGS"

    "DOINTERESTING*THINGS"

    Returns: "DOINTERESTINGOODTHINGS"

33. "FORWHOMTHEBEL*RINGS"

    "FORWHOMTHEBE*LRINGS"

    Returns: "FORWHOMTHEBELRINGS"

34. "HUMAN*"

    "*MANBEING"

    Returns: "HUMANBEING"

35. "WELL*"

    "TELL*"

    Returns: "impossible"

36. "STOP*IT"

    "STOP*BEINGABRAT"

    Returns: "impossible"

37. "FEEL*LUCKY"

    "FOOLSARELUCKY*"

    Returns: "impossible"

38. "*TEST"

    "*TESTING"

    Returns: "impossible"

39. "*TESTTEST"

    "*TEST"

    Returns: "TESTTEST"

40. "THEREIS*DEMOCRACYINRUSSIA"

    "THEREISNO*"

    Returns: "THEREISNODEMOCRACYINRUSSIA"

41. "HEY*SUPPER"

    "HEYWHATSUP*"

    Returns: "HEYWHATSUPPER"

42. "*ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ"

    "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA*"

    Returns: "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ"

43. "*YES"

    "IMFEELINGLUCKY*"

    Returns: "IMFEELINGLUCKYES"

44. "*TOP"

    "*CODER"

    Returns: "impossible"

45. "*"

    "A*"

    Returns: "A"

46. "*A"

    "B*"

    Returns: "BA"

47. "LASTCASE*"

    "*LASTCASE"

    Returns: "LASTCASE"

48. "TOPC*DER"

    "*COOOODER"

    Returns: "TOPCOOOODER"

49. "P*RTY"

    "PKWER*Y"

    Returns: "PKWERTY"

50. "ABC*ABC"

    "*BC"

    Returns: "ABCABC"

51. "AA*A"

    "A*A"

    Returns: "AAA"

52. "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA*A"

    "A*A"

    Returns: "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA"

53. "TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTAAA*"

    "*TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT"

    Returns: "TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTAAATTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT"

54. "MALA*KAZAM"

    "*LAEASDFKSKAZAM"

    Returns: "MALAEASDFKSKAZAM"

55. "TOP*CODER"

    "T*PCOCODER"

    Returns: "TOPCOCODER"

56. "A*"

    "A*"

    Returns: "A"

57. "*SAMPLETESTTESTTESTTESTTESTTESTTESTTESTTESTTESTTT"

    "ABCDEFGHIJKLMNAMCDEFGEGEDKMEDFDFAEIBTHIRDSAMPLE*T"

    Returns: "ABCDEFGHIJKLMNAMCDEFGEGEDKMEDFDFAEIBTHIRDSAMPLETESTTESTTESTTESTTESTTESTTESTTESTTESTTESTTT"

58. "HELLO*"

    "H*"

    Returns: "HELLO"

59. "A*"

    "B*"

    Returns: "impossible"

60. "*AB"

    "*AB"

    Returns: "AB"

61. "ADFSD*DFGDFF"

    "ADF*DFF"

    Returns: "ADFSDDFGDFF"

62. "ABC*BCA"

    "*"

    Returns: "ABCBCA"

63. "ABCC*F"

    "ABCC*CF"

    Returns: "ABCCCF"

64. "*TESTTEST"

    "TESTMIN*TEST"

    Returns: "TESTMINTESTTEST"

65. "AAA*AAA"

    "AAA*AAA"

    Returns: "AAAAAA"

66. "TOZOOATZOO*"

    "TOZ*O"

    Returns: "TOZOOATZOO"

67. "GOT*YOU"

    "G*"

    Returns: "GOTYOU"

68. "A*B"

    "AA*BB"

    Returns: "AABB"

69. "TOP*CODER"

    "TOPCODECODECO*ER"

    Returns: "TOPCODECODECODER"

70. "*ABC"

    "CBAB*"

    Returns: "CBABC"

71. "ABCD*"

    "*BCD"

    Returns: "ABCD"

72. "ABCDB*XY"

    "ABC*AXY"

    Returns: "ABCDBAXY"

73. "TOPOOO*OOOP"

    "TOP*OOOP"

    Returns: "TOPOOOOOOP"

74. "AB*ASD"

    "AB*"

    Returns: "ABASD"

75. "A*A"

    "AB*BA"

    Returns: "ABBA"

76. "ANK*VIJAY"

    "ANKPSQVIJP*AY"

    Returns: "ANKPSQVIJPVIJAY"

77. "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAABAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA*A"

    "A*AAAAABAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA"

    Returns: "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAABAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA"

78. "A*B"

    "AC*DB"

    Returns: "ACDB"

79. "T*R"

    "TOP*DER"

    Returns: "TOPDER"

80. "*ABAC"

    "ACAB*"

    Returns: "ACABAC"

81. "A*A"

    "*"

    Returns: "AA"

82. "LOLV*"

    "*LOL"

    Returns: "LOLVLOL"

83. "ABC*"

    "A*"

    Returns: "ABC"

84. "C*COCA"

    "C*OCA"

    Returns: "CCOCA"

85. "LEVSKISKI*KISKIKIALEVSKIIA"

    "LEVSKISKISKISKIALEV*A"

    Returns: "LEVSKISKISKISKIALEVKISKIKIALEVSKIIA"

86. "DABC*DEF"

    "ABC*DEF"

    Returns: "impossible"

87. "ABA*BA"

    "A*ABA"

    Returns: "ABABA"

88. "A*B"

    "C*D"

    Returns: "impossible"

89. "*AAAAAAAAAX"

    "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA*X"

    Returns: "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAX"

90. "ABCDE*FGH"

    "ABC*XXXAFGH"

    Returns: "ABCDEXXXAFGH"

91. "*A"

    "*AAAAAA"

    Returns: "AAAAAA"

92. "ASDFASDFAS*ADFASDFAS"

    "A*"

    Returns: "ASDFASDFASADFASDFAS"

93. "TOPOP*CODER"

    "TOP*COCODER"

    Returns: "TOPOPCOCODER"

94. "A*B"

    "AB*AB"

    Returns: "ABAB"

95. "TH*SASATESTTEST"

    "THTHIRDSASA*TEST"

    Returns: "THTHIRDSASATESTTEST"

96. "*AB"

    "*A"

    Returns: "impossible"

97. "ASDFAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA*BBBBBBBBBB"

    "*ABBBBBBBBBBBBB"

    Returns: "ASDFAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABBBBBBBBBBBBB"

98. "ACBC*DE"

    "ACBC*CDE"

    Returns: "ACBCCDE"

99. "*ABC"

    "*XABC"

    Returns: "XABC"

100. "ABCXYZ*XYZABC"

     "ABC*ABC"

     Returns: "ABCXYZXYZABC"

101. "AAAA*AAAA"

     "A*A"

     Returns: "AAAAAAAA"

102. "N*WMBQEIPF"

     "*WMBQEIPF"

     Returns: "NWMBQEIPF"

103. "ABCDEFGH*"

     "A*"

     Returns: "ABCDEFGH"

104. "ERYXAWASATHERE*ATODAY"

     "ERYXAWAS*AHEREATODAY"

     Returns: "ERYXAWASATHEREAHEREATODAY"

105. "ABC*ABCD"

     "ABC*CD"

     Returns: "ABCABCD"

106. "*TOP"

     "*TOP"

     Returns: "TOP"

107. "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA*"

     "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA*"

     Returns: "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA"

108. "AAAAA*AAAAA"

     "AA*AA"

     Returns: "AAAAAAAAAA"

109. "ABCC*CC"

     "*BCCC"

     Returns: "ABCCBCCC"

110. "A*AA"

     "A*AAAAAAAAAA"

     Returns: "AAAAAAAAAAA"

111. "*AAA"

     "MISIOAA*A"

     Returns: "MISIOAAA"

112. "*A"

     "AB*"

     Returns: "ABA"

113. "ABCDEF*ABC"

     "ABCDEFA*"

     Returns: "ABCDEFABC"

114. "ABB*B"

     "A*BB"

     Returns: "ABBB"

115. "AAAA*AAAAAAAA"

     "AAA*AAAAAAAAA"

     Returns: "AAAAAAAAAAAA"

116. "*"

     "DDFRYUSRRBNI*I"

     Returns: "DDFRYUSRRBNII"

117. "*H"

     "H*"

     Returns: "H"

118. "A*AAA"

     "*AAA"

     Returns: "AAAA"

119. "*AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA"

     "A*"

     Returns: "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA"

120. "HHK*"

     "*H"

     Returns: "HHKH"

121. "*ABCDEF"

     "DEF*"

     Returns: "DEFABCDEF"

122. "AAAA*AAAA"

     "*"

     Returns: "AAAAAAAA"

123. "ABORT*"

     "*BED"

     Returns: "ABORTBED"

124. "*APQ"

     "PQA*"

     Returns: "PQAPQ"

125. "*"

     "ABCD*EFGH"

     Returns: "ABCDEFGH"

126. "TOPCO*LAMBDA"

     "TO*BDA"

     Returns: "TOPCOLAMBDA"

127. "TCOCO*COCO"

     "*CO"

     Returns: "TCOCOCOCO"

128. "A*X"

     "AB*CX"

     Returns: "ABCX"

129. "ABC*D"

     "AB*DCF"

     Returns: "impossible"

130. "C*XAXC"

     "CXXX*C"

     Returns: "CXXXAXC"

131. "A*A"

     "A*A"

     Returns: "AA"

132. "*TOP"

     "*TOPPP"

     Returns: "impossible"

133. "ABC*C"

     "A*ABC"

     Returns: "ABCABC"

134. "AB*CD"

     "ABAA*AACD"

     Returns: "ABAAAACD"

135. "EZ*DA"

     "EZDUN*VODA"

     Returns: "EZDUNVODA"