Rotting Oranges: coding question

Problem

You get a grid grid with m rows and n columns. Each cell holds one of three values: 0 for an empty cell, 1 for a fresh orange, or 2 for a rotten orange.

Each minute, every fresh orange next to a rotten orange becomes rotten. Two cells are next to each other when one is directly above, below, left or right of the other.

Return the smallest number of minutes until no fresh orange is left. If a fresh orange can never become rotten, return -1.

Example 1

Input:: grid = [[1,1,0],[2,1,1],[0,1,2]]
Output:: 2
Explanation:: The two rotten oranges spread at the same time. After minute 1, only the orange in the top row, middle column is still fresh. It becomes rotten in minute 2.

Example 2

Input:: grid = [[2,0,1]]
Output:: -1
Explanation:: The empty cell separates the fresh orange from the rotten orange.

Example 3

Input:: grid = [[0,2]]
Output:: 0
Explanation:: No fresh orange is in the grid at the start.

Constraints

m == grid.length
n == grid[i].length
1 <= m, n <= 10
grid[i][j] is 0, 1 or 2

SysRound wrote this statement. A reference solution checks every example.

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Amazon
Leetcode 994. Rotting Oranges
Reported Aug 1, 2026 · 4 source reports
JUNIOR, SENIOR
Source snapshot: Nov 12, 2026
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Anduril
Leetcode 994. Rotting Oranges
Reported Aug 5, 2026 · 1 source report
STAFF
Source snapshot: Nov 12, 2026
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OpenAI
Leetcode 994. Rotting Oranges
Reported Jun 1, 2026 · 2 source reports
SENIOR
Source snapshot: Nov 12, 2026
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Roblox
Leetcode 994. Rotting Oranges
Reported May 24, 2026 · 1 source report
SENIOR
Source snapshot: Nov 12, 2026
View source

Problem

You get a grid grid with m rows and n columns. Each cell holds one of three values: 0 for an empty cell, 1 for a fresh orange, or 2 for a rotten orange.

Each minute, every fresh orange next to a rotten orange becomes rotten. Two cells are next to each other when one is directly above, below, left or right of the other.

Return the smallest number of minutes until no fresh orange is left. If a fresh orange can never become rotten, return -1.

Example 1

Input:: grid = [[1,1,0],[2,1,1],[0,1,2]]
Output:: 2
Explanation:: The two rotten oranges spread at the same time. After minute 1, only the orange in the top row, middle column is still fresh. It becomes rotten in minute 2.

Example 2

Input:: grid = [[2,0,1]]
Output:: -1
Explanation:: The empty cell separates the fresh orange from the rotten orange.

Example 3

Input:: grid = [[0,2]]
Output:: 0
Explanation:: No fresh orange is in the grid at the start.

Constraints

m == grid.length
n == grid[i].length
1 <= m, n <= 10
grid[i][j] is 0, 1 or 2

SysRound wrote this statement. A reference solution checks every example.

Rotting Oranges

Problem

Example 1

Example 2

Example 3

Constraints

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Rotting Oranges

Problem

Example 1

Example 2

Example 3

Constraints

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