What to Do After Finishing Grind 75 Problems: Your Next-Level Interview Prep Plan

You just solved the last problem in Grind 75. You click "Submit." It's accepted.

You're done.

For a moment, you feel accomplished. Seventy-five problems completed. Weeks or months of consistent practice.

Then a new feeling creeps in: "What now?"

You're past the structured guidance. There's no "Grind 76." No clear next milestone.

You search online:

• "Do more Hard problems!" (vague)
• "Practice company-specific questions!" (which company?)
• "Start building projects!" (wait, I thought I was prepping for interviews?)

You've graduated from Grind 75, but you don't have a graduation plan.

This guide will give you a complete, systematic roadmap for what to do after Grind 75—whether your interview is in 2 weeks or 6 months.

No more wandering. Just a clear path forward.

TL;DR

• The Core Challenge: Grind 75 provides structure; post-completion requires self-directed learning without clear milestones, causing many to either plateau or practice inefficiently
• Why Next Steps Matter: The gap between "completed Grind 75" and "ready to ace FAANG interviews" is real; you've built foundation (patterns) but need depth (variations, speed, company-specific problems, system design basics)
• The Framework: Three-phase progression: (1) Consolidate (2-4 weeks reviewing Grind 75 with spaced repetition + speed drills), (2) Expand (4-8 weeks adding Hard problems, company-specific lists, pattern variations), (3) Simulate (2-4 weeks doing mock interviews and timed contests)
• Common Beginner Mistake: Jumping straight to Hard problems without consolidating Grind 75 mastery, leading to frustration and forgetting earlier patterns
• What You'll Learn: Specific problem sets for each phase, week-by-week schedules, company-specific prep strategies, and how mock interview simulator helps transition from practice mode to performance mode

Why "What's Next?" Matters More Than You Think

The Post-List Plateau

Common pattern:

• Week 1 after Grind 75: Feel great, motivated
• Week 2: Start random Hard problems, get stuck repeatedly
• Week 3: Frustration builds ("Why is this so hard? I just finished 75 problems!")
• Week 4: Either burn out or switch to aimless Medium grinding

The problem: You've built a foundation, but foundations aren't finished buildings.

The Three Gaps Post-Grind 75

Gap 1: Pattern Depth

Grind 75 teaches patterns. But it covers each pattern 2-4 times. You need 8-10 exposures for mastery.

Example: You solved 3 sliding window problems in Grind 75. But there are 15+ variations (fixed window, variable window, multiple constraints, etc.).

Gap 2: Speed

Grind 75 focused on correctness. Interviews focus on speed + correctness.

Reality check: Can you solve "Two Sum" in 5 minutes? "Longest Substring Without Repeating Characters" in 15 minutes?

Gap 3: Interview Performance

Solving a problem alone at home ≠ solving while explaining your thinking to an interviewer in 45 minutes.

You need to practice the performance skill, not just the solving skill.

The Three-Phase Post-Grind 75 Plan

Here's the systematic progression.

Phase 1: Consolidate (2-4 Weeks)

Goal: Turn "I finished 75 problems" into "I mastered 75 problems"

Week 1-2: Spaced Repetition Review

Strategy: Re-solve ALL 75 problems from memory

Rules:

• No looking at old solutions first
• Time yourself (aim for 50% faster than first attempt)
• If you can't solve after 20 minutes, flag for deeper review

Success metric: Solve 90% of Easy problems in < 15 min, 70% of Medium in < 30 min

Week 3-4: Speed Drills

Strategy: Pick 20 Medium problems you've solved, do them under timed pressure

Practice format:

• Set timer for 25 minutes
• Solve problem
• If you finish early, optimize
• If you don't finish, note what slowed you down

Target: Get your Medium problem average time under 30 minutes

Why Consolidate First?

Skipping this phase = forgetting Grind 75 patterns while learning new ones.

Consolidation ensures the 75 problems become permanent knowledge before adding more.

Phase 2: Expand (4-8 Weeks)

Goal: Add depth to patterns and increase problem-solving range

Strategy 1: Pattern Variations (Weeks 5-6)

For each major pattern in Grind 75, solve 3-5 MORE problems of that pattern.

Example: Sliding Window

Grind 75 covered:

• Longest Substring Without Repeating Characters
• Minimum Window Substring

Add these variations:

• Longest Repeating Character Replacement
• Permutation in String
• Sliding Window Maximum
• Subarrays with K Different Integers

Why: Mastery comes from seeing pattern variations, not repetitions of same problem type.

Strategy 2: Introduce Hard Problems (Weeks 7-8)

Pick 10-15 Hard problems that are extensions of Grind 75 patterns.

Don't do random Hard problems. Do Hard that builds on what you know.

Example:

You know: Binary tree traversal (Grind 75 has several)

Hard extension: "Binary Tree Maximum Path Sum"

You know: Sliding window (Grind 75)

Hard extension: "Sliding Window Median"

Strategy 3: Company-Specific Lists (Weeks 9-12)

If you're targeting specific companies, add their top problems.

How to find:

• Search "Google interview questions LeetCode"
• Use LeetCode's company filter (Premium feature)
• Join company-specific prep groups

Recommended targets:

Don't do hundreds. Pick 15-30 highest-frequency for your target company.

Phase 3: Simulate (2-4 Weeks)

Goal: Practice interview performance, not just problem-solving

Timed Mock Interviews (3-4 per week)

Format:

• Pick 2 problems (1 Medium, 1 Medium-Hard)
• Set timer for 45 minutes total
• Solve while talking out loud (simulate explaining)
• Stop at 45 minutes even if incomplete

Why this works: Interviews are time-boxed. You need to practice decision-making under pressure:

• "Do I optimize now or move to problem 2?"
• "Do I explain brute force first or jump to optimal?"

LeetCode Contests (Weekly)

Why: Contests simulate interview time pressure better than solo practice.

Strategy:

• Do the Weekly Contest (90 minutes, 4 problems)
• Goal: Solve at least 2-3 problems within time limit
• Review editorial for ones you missed

Benefit: You'll discover time management weaknesses you don't notice in untimed practice.

Behavioral + System Design Basics

Reality: Most FAANG interviews aren't just DSA.

Allocate 30% of Phase 3 time to:

• Behavioral interview prep (STAR method stories)
• System design basics (even for new grad roles, know fundamentals)
• Company research and culture fit prep

Don't skip this. Many candidates fail interviews despite perfect code because they can't explain their thinking or describe past projects.

Week-by-Week Schedule Example

Here's a 12-week post-Grind 75 plan:

Weeks 1-2 (Consolidate - Review):

• Re-solve all 75 Grind 75 problems from memory
• Track time for each
• Flag problems you struggle with

Weeks 3-4 (Consolidate - Speed):

• Speed drills on 20 Medium Grind 75 problems
• Target: < 30 min per problem

Weeks 5-6 (Expand - Variations):

• 5 variations per major pattern (sliding window, two pointers, DP, etc.)
• ~25-30 new problems total

Weeks 7-8 (Expand - Hard Problems):

• 10-15 Hard problems that extend Grind 75 patterns
• Focus on depth, not speed

Weeks 9-10 (Expand - Company-Specific):

• 20-30 problems tagged for your target company
• Emphasize company's known preferences (e.g., Google loves DP)

Weeks 11-12 (Simulate):

• 3 mock interviews per week
• 1 LeetCode contest per week
• Behavioral + system design basics

Total new problems solved: 55-75 beyond Grind 75

Total time investment: 10-15 hours/week

Advanced Strategies for Specific Goals

Goal: FAANG Interview in 1 Month

Compressed timeline. Skip Phase 1 (Consolidate) if you finished Grind 75 recently.

Week 1-2:

• 20-30 company-specific problems for your target company
• Focus on highest-frequency tags

Week 3:

• 5-10 Hard problems
• 2 mock interviews

Week 4:

• Daily mock interviews
• Review weak patterns
• Behavioral prep

Don't add breadth. Focus on likely patterns for your target company.

Goal: General Mastery (No Specific Interview Date)

Full 12-16 week expansion plan.

Weeks 1-4: Consolidate Grind 75

Weeks 5-12: Expand with pattern variations + Hard problems (aim for 100-150 total problems solved beyond Grind 75)

Weeks 13-16: Simulations + company-specific

By end: You'll have solved 175-225 problems total, mastered all major patterns, and be ready for any FAANG interview.

Goal: Transition to Competitive Programming

If you enjoyed Grind 75 and want to go deeper:

Post Grind 75:

• Join Codeforces or AtCoder
• Start with Div 3/4 contests
• Focus on speed + advanced algorithms (segment trees, tries, advanced DP)

This path diverges from interview prep — competitive programming is harder and broader than interview questions.

How to Avoid Common Post-Grind 75 Mistakes

Mistake 1: Jumping Straight to All Hard Problems

Why it fails: Hard problems without pattern mastery = frustration and guessing.

Fix: Only do Hard that extends patterns you know. Not random Hard.

Mistake 2: Solving Random Problems Without Strategy

Why it fails: No structure = inefficient learning. You might solve 50 problems that don't fill your gaps.

Fix: Use the three-phase plan. Consolidate → Expand → Simulate.

Mistake 3: Forgetting Grind 75 Patterns

Why it fails: If you don't review, you'll forget the patterns you spent weeks learning.

Fix: Spaced repetition. Review Grind 75 problems at 1 week, 2 weeks, 1 month after completion.

Mistake 4: Only Practicing Solo

Why it fails: Interviews involve communication. Solo practice doesn't train this.

Fix: Do mock interviews with peers or use mock interview simulator to practice thinking out loud.

Using Tools for Post-Grind 75 Practice

After Grind 75, you're in self-directed mode. Tools can help maintain structure.

Challenge: No more "do these 75 problems" checklist. You need to create your own path.

Solution:

• Track which patterns you've mastered vs. which need more variations
• Get hints on Hard problems without full spoilers
• Practice mock interviews to simulate real performance pressure

AI-guided practice can help by suggesting next problems based on your weak patterns (not random problems), providing graduated hints for Hard problems you're stuck on, and facilitating mock interview scenarios with real-time feedback.

This bridges the gap between "finished Grind 75 structure" and "creating your own learning path."

FAQ

Should I do Blind 75 after Grind 75?

Only if you want variety. ~60% overlap between the lists. Do the 25-30 Blind 75 problems NOT in Grind 75 if you want more pattern exposure.

How many problems should I solve total before interviews?

150-250 for FAANG readiness. You're at 75. Add 75-175 more through Phases 1-3.

What if I forgot most of Grind 75?

Start Phase 1 immediately. Re-solve all 75 from memory. This is why consolidation matters.

Should I do Grind 75 again or new problems?

New problems with spaced review of Grind 75. Don't re-do the entire list. Add variations while reviewing old problems periodically.

When should I stop practicing and just interview?

When you hit these markers:

• Solve 80%+ of Medium problems independently
• Average time per Medium < 35 minutes
• Can explain solutions clearly while coding
• Completed 3+ realistic mock interviews successfully

Conclusion

Finishing Grind 75 is a milestone, not a finish line.

You've built the foundation. Now you need to:

1. Consolidate — Master the 75 through review and speed drills (2-4 weeks)
2. Expand — Add pattern variations, Hard problems, company-specific (4-8 weeks)
3. Simulate — Practice interview performance through mocks and contests (2-4 weeks)

The path forward:

If your interview is in 1 month: Skip consolidation, focus on company-specific + mocks

If you have 3+ months: Full three-phase plan, aim for 150-225 total problems solved

If you have no specific date: Deep mastery mode—expand to 200+ problems, add competitive programming

Don't wander aimlessly after Grind 75. You've proven you can complete structured prep.

Now structure your own next phase. Choose your timeline. Follow the framework. And you'll be FAANG-ready.

The work doesn't stop at 75 problems. But now you know exactly what work comes next.