Weekly MUST Budget
Golden Window
30.0h / 36.0h cap
Hour Calibration
actual hours logged
Rule: slippage > 1.25x triggers Scope-Cut Rung 2
Week Execution
0%
0/ 21 tasks
0.0h
target
Target Output
Week Objective & Target Output
DECEMBER BREAK GOLDEN WINDOW — December 28, 2026 – January 3, 2027. Focus: Backtracking II: Sudoku Solver & Word Search; Linked Lists Foundations & Medium FAQs; Binary Trees Basics; NeetCode Pass 1: Linked List & Trees; LeetCode SQL 50 (Part 3: Questions 35–50) — SQL 100% MILESTONE.
MUST — Critical Path
12 Tasks • ~30.0h
DSA (Java)
6 tasks
DSA
Backtracking II: Sudoku Solver & Word Search
4 problems
Sudoku Solver, Word Search on 2D grid, Palindrome Partitioning, Rat in a Maze. TUF+ A2Z Step 7.3
3.5h
DSA
Linked Lists Foundations & Medium FAQs
6 problems
Singly Linked List, Doubly Linked List, Reverse LL (iterative & recursive), Middle of LL, Detect a loop and find starting point (Floyd's), Palindrome LL. TUF+ A2Z Step 6.1-6.3
4.0h
DSA
DSA Transfer: No-Hint Timed Backtracking & LL Set
2 problems
LC #
Sit 2 unseen Backtracking & LL problems you have never attempted (pick from the LeetCode topic tag, NeetCode “similar questions” or a company list; never a problem named in any learning task), at least 72 h after the learning task — move the set to the first half of next week if needed. Format: 25 min per problem (35 min for a Hard), including 5 min for edge cases and a dry run; no hints, no AI. Pass bar: ≥ 1/2 solved inside the time box; on a miss, log the miss reason in the Journal and re-sit a fresh pair within 7 days. Ledger checkpoint: ≥ 125 unique problems logged in the Journal (cumulative; tracked metric, Architecture §3).
1.5h
DSA
Binary Trees Basics
4 problems
Tree terminology, representation in Java, Preorder, Inorder, Postorder traversals (recursive and iterative), Level Order Traversal (BFS). TUF+ A2Z Step 13.1
3.5h
DSA
NeetCode Pass 1: Linked List & Trees
6 problems
LC #206
Breadth pass — Reverse Linked List (LC #206), Merge Two Sorted Lists (LC #21), Reorder List (LC #143), Remove Nth Node From End (LC #19), Maximum Depth of Binary Tree (LC #104), Invert Binary Tree (LC #226). NeetCode 150
3.0h
DSA
OA Simulation (Week 13)
2 problems
90-minute timed OA in HackerRank / CodeSignal / Codility format: 2–3 unseen coding problems from company OA sets + 10 CS/aptitude MCQs, proctor rules (single tab, no AI). Then a 60-minute post-mortem: score = % of test cases passed; log every miss in the Journal. Target from W28: average ≥ 70% of test cases.
2.5h
Competitive Programming
1 tasks
CP
Contest & Upsolving (Week 13)
LC #
LeetCode Weekly Contest (+ Codeforces Div.2/3 when it fits) and mandatory upsolving within 48 h.
2.5h
SQL Database
1 tasks
SQL
LeetCode SQL 50 (Part 3: Questions 35–50) — SQL 100% MILESTONE
Subqueries, Window Functions (
ROW_NUMBER, RANK, DENSE_RANK, LEAD, LAG), Advanced String/Regex. Complete all 50 questions! Architecture §6.2
3.0h
Core CS (OS)
1 tasks
OS
Process Synchronization & Deadlocks
Critical Section problem, Peterson's solution, Mutex locks, Semaphores (counting vs binary), Classical problems (Producer-Consumer, Dining Philosophers), 4 Deadlock conditions, Banker's Algorithm, Deadlock detection and recovery. TUF+ OS
3.5h
Recruiting Pipeline
2 tasks
PIPELINE
First Open-Source Contribution
Find a good-first-issue in a Java/Spring/Apache project and open a docs or test-fix PR (due by W24). Why: a public merged or open PR is third-party evidence that internships and OAs cannot give.
1.5h
PIPELINE
Recruiting Pipeline Weekly (Week 13)
Calendar check against the Opportunity Calendar (Architecture §16); send ≥ 3 personalised outreach messages (alumni, seniors, recruiters) and log each in the Tracker; follow up open threads; ask for a referral 1–2 days after any OA invite; apply within 72 h of any new posting on the Target-40.
1.0h
Aptitude
1 tasks
APT
Aptitude Timed Drill (Week 13)
25-minute timed mixed set (quant, logical reasoning, data interpretation) from IndiaBix / PrepInsta-style banks; log accuracy and seconds per question in the Tracker. Target: ≥ 70% accuracy by W28.
0.5h
SHOULD — Depth & Mastery
(7 Tasks)
CORE
StatQuest Decision Trees
Watch Josh Starmer's Decision Tree and Regression Tree visual breakdowns.
2.0h
OS
OSTEP Chapter 28–32
Locks, Condition Variables, Semaphores reading.
2.0h
APT
Logical L9
Coding Inequalities & Seating Arrangement.
1.5h
APT
Quant M11–M12
Averages & Mixtures/Alligations (Basic + Advanced).
2.0h
CORE
Decision Trees Theory & Math
Entropy, Information Gain, Gini Impurity, recursive binary splitting, stopping criteria (max_depth, min_samples_split). Architecture §6.2
2.0h
CORE
Decision Tree from Scratch (Python/NumPy)
Implement
Node class and DecisionTreeClassifier: best split search across features, recursive subtree creation, and prediction logic. Train on Iris/Wine dataset. Push to ml-from-scratch. Architecture §6.1
4.0h
DSA
DSA Daily Quota (Week 13)
Solve 4 new problems from NeetCode 150 — Backtracking; time-box each at 25 min before any hint (2.5h includes editorial on misses), then log pattern and miss reason in the Journal. Never repeat a problem already in the ledger. [4 problems]
2.5h
STRETCH — If Ahead
(2 Tasks)
CORE
Decision Tree Regressor from Scratch
Extend your decision tree implementation to handle continuous regression targets by minimizing variance.
2.5h
CORE
Join 1 Live Tabular Competition (MUST)
Accept competition rules on Kaggle (e.g. Kaggle Playground Series Tabular competition). Download dataset, establish baseline environment. (Fixes dependency chain for Week 15 sprint!). Architecture §6.3
1.5h
verified_user
0 / 9 Cleared
Weekly Clearance Gate
[T: Backtracking II: Sudoku Solver & Word Search]
Can you solve Sudoku Solver or Word Search in Java using backtracking?
Evidence: one problem from this task re-solved cold in ≤ 25 min a week later, logged in the Journal.
[T: Linked Lists Foundations & Medium FAQs]
Can you detect and find the starting node of a loop in a Linked List in Java without using extra space?
Evidence: one problem from this task re-solved cold in ≤ 25 min a week later, logged in the Journal.
[T: Binary Trees Basics]
DSA: Have you completed “Binary Trees Basics” (Tree terminology, representation in Java, Preorder, Inorder, Postorder traversals…)?
Evidence: one problem from this task re-solved cold in ≤ 25 min a week later, logged in the Journal.
[T: Process Synchronization & Deadlocks]
OS: Have you completed “Process Synchronization & Deadlocks” (Critical Section problem, Peterson's solution, Mutex locks, Semaphores (counting vs…)?
Evidence: written answers in your notes repo.
[T: First Open-Source Contribution]
Have you completed “First Open-Source Contribution” (Find a good-first-issue in a Java/Spring/Apache project and open a docs or test-fix PR…)?
Evidence: Tracker rows with dates and links.
[T: Recruiting Pipeline Weekly (Week 13)]
Recruiting Pipeline: Have you completed “Recruiting Pipeline Weekly (Week 13)” (Calendar check against the Opportunity Calendar (Architecture §16); send ≥ 3 personalised…)?
Evidence: Tracker log shows ≥ 3 personalised outreach messages this week.
[T: DSA Transfer: No-Hint Timed Backtracking & LL Set]
Ledger: Does your Journal show ≥ 125 unique problems logged (cumulative)?
Evidence: Journal ledger count and LeetCode submission links.
[T: DSA Transfer: No-Hint Timed Backtracking & LL Set]
DSA: Did you pass “DSA Transfer: No-Hint Timed Backtracking & LL Set” — 2 unseen Backtracking & LL problems, 25 min per problem, no hints, pass bar ≥ 1/2 solved?
Evidence: timed result and miss reasons logged in the Journal.
Health & Guardrails: 1 full rest day taken every 2 weeks?
tune
Triage Rule
If Behind / Life Interruption Protocol
When academic exams spike or weekly time slips, execute this contingency plan:
shield Protect (Non-Negotiable)
Backtracking II: Sudoku Solver & Word Search + Recruiting Pipeline Weekly (Week 13)
schedule Defer (Safe to Shift)
StatQuest Decision Trees → weekend; OSTEP Chapter 28–32 → Week 14
edit_note
Week 13 Technical Notes & Journal
#LeetCode
#Java
#DSA
#Week13