I am new to python and coding in general and I recently found HackerRank. I have been mostly doing easy problems until now. Today, I saw the problem "Queen's Attack II" (https://www.hackerrank.com/challenges/queens-attack-2/problem), wrote my code, and it didn't execute in time for some of the testcases. I optimized it best to what I could and then I went in the discussions, where I found a code from u/Arviy which follows basically the same algorithm as mine but the implementation was a bit different. But it ran just fine comparing all the test cases.

I also compared them to best of my knowledge, and tried to time different portions of code using time.time() from import time. In the end, I got my code to pass the test cases but it still runs about 2x slower than the other code.

Problem Summary -
A queen is standing on an n times n chessboard. The chess board's rows are numbered from 1 to n, going from bottom to top. Its columns are numbered from 1 to n, going from left to right. Each square is referenced by a tuple, (r,c), describing the row r, and column c, , where the square is located.
The queen is standing at position (r_q, c_q). In a single move, she can attack any square in any of the eight directions (left, right, up, down, and the four diagonals). There are obstacles on the chessboard, each preventing the queen from attacking any square beyond it on that path. Given the queen's position and the locations of all the obstacles, find and print the number of squares the queen can attack from her position.

Variables setup -

n, k = 100000, 100000
r_q, c_q = 1, 1
obstacles = [[1000, 1000], [714, 169], [619, 264], [609, 274], [809, 74], [819, 64], [714, 264], [714, 74], [952, 569], [623, 471], [256, 985], [934, 419], [745, 280], [926, 189], [159, 859], [106, 912], [509, 894], [170, 402], [476, 238], [173, 546], [674, 438], [539, 597], [215, 724], [675, 975], [128, 814], [789, 162], [492, 142], [694, 384], [206, 253], [347, 625], [491, 147], [243, 639], [408, 401], [850, 293], [310, 901], [925, 147], [138, 471], [610, 203], [571, 658], [724, 762], [456, 908], [710, 842], [203, 321], [972, 254], [527, 214], [945, 750], [103, 561], [374, 947], [439, 716], [958, 504], [830, 182], [902, 635], [901, 158], [804, 532], [903, 957], [126, 916], [418, 485], [493, 385], [410, 247], [217, 712], [936, 340], [805, 645], [940, 430], [194, 148], [719, 247], [872, 928], [251, 231], [136, 240], [609, 860], [401, 230], [168, 759], [531, 907], [546, 927], [729, 590], [648, 912], [407, 793], [917, 256], [671, 489], [926, 874], [438, 467], [602, 462], [239, 328], [104, 510], [260, 739], [864, 741], [837, 493], [418, 345], [798, 754], [841, 710], [169, 365], [954, 389], [160, 496], [183, 108], [741, 796], [753, 682], [159, 324], [417, 306], [261, 509], [587, 194], [805, 907], [218, 204], [591, 389], [916, 894], [963, 103], [461, 689], [937, 520], [350, 730], [436, 208], [381, 617], [546, 361], [719, 512], [305, 794], [509, 820], [915, 570], [408, 420], [609, 973], [872, 710], [465, 409], [459, 427], [918, 847], [142, 943], [457, 364], [360, 273], [276, 289], [427, 537], [317, 475], [864, 832], [845, 639], [463, 520], [741, 617], [762, 734], [160, 804], [192, 739], [289, 715], [340, 826], [827, 872], [186, 836], [967, 639], [145, 137], [581, 147], [479, 897], [203, 960], [967, 691], [891, 680], [593, 651], [172, 257], [258, 325], [351, 859], [153, 801], [705, 589], [832, 832], [718, 864], [971, 652], [567, 561], [715, 729], [689, 821], [178, 891], [962, 408], [829, 639], [561, 413], [401, 261], [491, 952], [831, 741], [271, 471], [826, 312], [482, 317], [413, 769], [231, 561], [579, 735], [769, 916], [184, 586], [820, 208], [476, 298], [587, 157], [194, 642], [341, 647], [478, 731], [951, 620], [401, 912], [837, 358], [249, 349], [158, 201], [195, 968], [294, 132], [291, 193], [158, 480], [849, 761], [832, 157], [364, 809], [293, 526], [164, 865], [193, 429], [158, 520], [342, 574], [409, 815], [627, 765], [413, 316], [426, 508], [902, 620], [278, 385], [587, 342], [982, 812], [753, 721], [176, 192], [289, 729], [845, 729], [698, 205], [597, 378], [570, 251], [853, 742], [903, 126], [546, 172], [792, 491], [160, 926], [321, 597], [835, 356], [894, 207], [153, 807], [106, 372], [716, 105], [638, 281], [814, 597], [970, 926], [175, 943], [135, 642], [372, 142], [701, 980], [720, 184], [695, 491], [682, 354], [371, 246], [421, 574], [803, 108], [429, 687], [465, 953], [157, 385], [624, 893], [201, 896], [975, 295], [635, 348], [351, 659], [127, 109], [705, 852], [471, 327], [915, 750], [720, 637], [126, 358], [506, 690], [317, 923], [285, 725], [957, 406], [372, 810], [971, 170], [920, 452], [756, 743], [791, 158], [698, 835], [576, 470], [209, 329], [902, 948], [854, 249], [347, 780], [386, 215], [713, 130], [516, 760], [964, 374], [781, 340], [763, 402], [408, 824], [476, 642], [752, 320], [605, 185], [231, 745], [941, 962], [354, 760], [927, 426], [340, 164], [809, 720], [465, 152], [487, 280], [386, 690], [401, 605], [351, 517], [421, 120], [571, 870], [409, 581], [647, 268], [254, 168], [290, 687], [982, 452], [184, 813], [942, 726], [829, 856], [305, 874], [759, 456], [623, 930], [813, 984], [297, 432], [609, 397], [257, 921], [320, 375], [109, 570], [126, 210], [763, 189], [798, 708], [803, 368], [971, 631], [967, 791], [962, 850], [906, 201], [849, 403], [905, 389], [284, 231], [726, 275], [742, 562], [754, 948], [724, 481], [903, 168], [523, 231], [735, 452], [930, 149], [503, 950], [572, 473], [561, 967], [296, 281], [352, 283], [638, 856], [760, 602], [801, 170], [598, 417], [841, 965], [479, 485], [859, 916], [293, 248], [457, 791], [238, 462], [725, 943], [821, 372], [543, 901], [473, 507], [982, 723], [726, 394], [418, 350], [834, 150], [218, 437], [584, 290], [934, 271], [294, 895], [543, 671], [623, 784], [485, 478], [276, 643], [513, 136], [957, 407], [621, 340], [972, 817], [971, 291], [950, 315], [674, 315], [451, 982], [327, 829], [294, 154], [732, 601], [739, 352], [529, 495], [240, 720], [918, 387], [597, 715], [186, 716], [824, 875], [190, 852], [524, 328], [531, 753], [392, 985], [164, 849], [715, 864], [438, 935], [591, 946], [528, 690], [296, 560], [210, 102], [458, 148], [513, 615], [561, 324], [594, 451], [546, 159], [506, 473], [367, 107], [172, 230], [651, 629], [345, 628], [627, 425], [973, 940], [923, 914], [603, 437], [986, 684], [679, 230], [560, 204], [102, 578], [154, 863], [241, 153], [107, 152], [109, 530], [154, 849], [610, 175], [753, 213], [852, 279], [328, 287], [952, 832], [487, 904], [869, 519], [915, 809], [704, 657], [843, 871], [371, 351], [645, 963], [925, 638], [692, 623], [492, 786], [692, 708], [945, 658], [176, 736], [369, 547], [578, 812], [873, 763], [620, 418], [589, 209], [906, 418], [426, 976], [120, 451], [475, 735], [831, 746], [908, 270], [246, 721], [541, 120], [352, 286], [128, 826], [210, 431], [865, 687], [817, 576], [139, 907], [674, 491], [671, 396], [536, 604], [809, 396], [284, 817], [941, 841], [712, 370], [649, 931], [395, 689], [429, 249], [869, 218], [370, 730], [570, 140], [475, 136], [408, 509], [958, 294], [874, 847], [362, 807], [401, 301], [892, 204], [874, 365], [549, 780], [487, 146], [432, 293], [270, 901], [968, 891], [386, 642], [812, 801], [834, 860], [987, 237], [568, 894], [562, 271], [189, 704], [230, 928], [501, 905], [870, 189], [980, 421], [258, 126], [960, 402], [531, 852], [450, 374], [327, 840], [172, 405], [960, 680], [279, 532], [284, 829], [230, 701], [289, 218], [423, 580], [865, 895], [635, 129], [831, 809], [934, 568], [234, 901], [639, 976], [265, 256], [347, 194], [204, 863], [275, 748], [274, 973], [653, 793], [854, 873], [741, 917], [981, 653], [194, 642], [897, 538], [542, 914], [579, 701], [983, 459], [342, 857], [398, 650], [139, 973], [214, 216], [240, 684], [135, 529], [128, 780], [638, 493], [513, 240], [428, 168], [615, 423], [317, 560], [821, 791], [973, 724], [431, 729], [521, 267], [740, 231], [519, 706], [273, 897], [269, 902], [284, 362], [859, 912], [178, 352], [432, 513], [250, 248], [368, 614], [527, 319], [341, 125], [481, 543], [932, 412], [398, 428], [237, 648], [698, 870], [760, 352], [279, 749], [194, 607], [972, 973], [865, 136], [198, 750], [312, 871], [793, 159], [985, 923], [913, 635], [726, 813], [940, 948], [294, 364], [913, 482], [239, 127], [457, 390], [407, 679], [820, 327], [372, 867], [238, 794], [637, 546], [374, 857], [416, 130], [650, 650], [306, 926], [810, 823], [431, 378], [562, 593], [931, 715], [925, 256], [831, 718], [132, 837], [153, 571], [613, 436], [712, 817], [819, 527], [497, 947], [917, 629], [648, 548], [835, 164], [854, 324], [829, 859], [970, 694], [478, 860], [528, 204], [397, 925], [126, 457], [735, 593], [910, 532], [967, 930], [462, 718], [932, 867], [712, 827], [794, 534], [546, 162], [213, 941], [750, 980], [487, 761], [219, 263], [139, 870], [573, 932], [194, 609], [278, 839], [201, 305], [159, 576], [250, 857], [350, 607], [350, 674], [386, 702], [835, 561], [361, 817], [974, 187], [194, 984], [257, 201], [846, 973], [597, 361], [745, 658], [192, 397], [463, 738], [935, 913], [167, 572], [324, 210], [178, 641], [436, 890], [705, 795], [548, 721], [745, 104], [450, 612], [106, 613], [796, 908], [586, 374], [410, 827], [348, 561], [867, 573], [371, 493], [951, 438], [130, 302], [367, 156], [635, 926], [912, 346], [596, 732], [163, 850], [495, 725], [935, 849], [617, 789], [254, 952], [592, 748], [598, 514], [869, 215], [503, 906], [856, 865], [671, 893], [203, 298], [618, 168], [610, 207], [150, 634], [159, 906], [318, 867], [413, 412], [985, 134], [180, 280], [403, 781], [462, 370], [895, 567], [431, 876], [702, 583], [536, 514], [518, 364], [467, 697], [872, 853], [435, 245], [420, 134], [746, 109], [329, 278], [432, 389], [156, 875], [981, 312], [876, 361], [417, 269], [670, 762], [180, 405], [270, 319], [846, 345], [839, 863], [524, 418], [923, 704], [523, 489], [561, 913], [723, 369], [156, 620], [519, 164], [689, 354], [754, 324], [795, 459], [531, 931], [761, 187], [280, 289], [130, 907], [340, 173], [174, 846], [307, 456], [409, 729], [129, 418], [925, 465], [684, 563], [932, 582], [350, 471], [496, 547], [825, 875], [306, 245], [130, 678], [932, 264], [180, 109], [140, 520], [937, 247], [648, 954], [423, 957], [578, 254], [917, 514], [382, 539], [406, 405], [354, 486], [182, 392], [547, 124], [245, 760], [574, 187], [413, 618], [906, 976], [709, 931], [637, 891], [759, 253], [307, 684], [215, 168], [427, 683], [751, 132], [924, 182], [149, 528], [794, 564], [305, 386], [350, 497], [215, 963], [841, 102], [829, 130], [641, 149], [185, 527], [402, 804], [840, 740], [635, 641], [896, 573], [916, 987], [149, 209], [408, 904], [379, 528], [243, 863], [319, 721], [923, 942], [285, 523], [746, 429], [609, 645], [538, 528], [265, 321], [502, 615], [314, 432], [316, 349], [312, 493], [694, 260], [908, 541], [950, 630], [482, 234], [760, 548], [963, 345], [675, 569], [628, 591], [509, 485], [832, 610], [761, 480], [486, 841], [153, 841], [902, 750], [204, 905], [894, 539], [608, 137], [156, 721], [146, 435], [345, 647], [736, 239], [987, 346], [247, 319], [752, 568], [597, 796], [378, 180], [872, 601], [816, 853], [489, 583], [591, 506], [764, 603], [963, 261], [964, 702], [569, 910], [817, 649], [841, 487], [146, 609], [453, 468], [914, 684], [721, 216], [261, 703], [736, 687], [369, 927], [720, 640], [829, 741], [671, 987], [934, 248], [105, 368], [987, 714], [973, 672], [890, 840], [906, 786], [134, 351], [250, 394], [457, 540], [289, 237], [537, 104], [837, 437], [148, 504], [409, 654], [485, 895], [804, 706], [816, 943], [234, 156], [
149, 206], [340, 542], [840, 691], [652, 514], [526, 942], [732, 347], [280, 541], [806, 521], [523, 629], [835, 359], [176, 702], [370, 732], [975, 586], [674, 857], [852, 364], [869, 376], [719, 591], [182, 469], [175, 132], [691, 417], [124, 294], [103, 809], [912, 214], [597, 203], [549, 385], [896, 970], [463, 691], [508, 701], [360, 183], [650, 471], [169, 249], [824, 198], [734, 312], [679, 308], [927, 513], [261, 384], [873, 451], [876, 972], [265, 604], [746, 594], [652, 863], [127, 608], [692, 493], [675, 958], [564, 584], [742, 206], [816, 563], [906, 209], [931, 694], [608, 203], [580, 405], [631, 315], [129, 950], [596, 496], [826, 583], [365, 928], [842, 902], [508, 497], [903, 127], [381, 916], [458, 721], [685, 469], [720, 875], [351, 319], [178, 296], [830, 740], [547, 365], [823, 679], [507, 950], [297, 395], [217, 460], [186, 354], [405, 402], [245, 641], [975, 153], [758, 604], [390, 172], [936, 672], [823, 271], [590, 462], [470, 302], [680, 837], [371, 463], [605, 560], [248, 172], [856, 813], [152, 795], [254, 739], [705, 285], [576, 968], [270, 214], [539, 793], [376, 560], [175, 843], [341, 148], [423, 458], [631, 659], [428, 640], [935, 649], [946, 105], [950, 103], [807, 964], [976, 456], [230, 607], [460, 829], [915, 489], [164, 761], [815, 395], [784, 385], [417, 412], [708, 124], [247, 716], [869, 695], [179, 795], [504, 982], [175, 497], [215, 467], [284, 638], [638, 295], [248, 510], [481, 895], [715, 528], [527, 549], [478, 875], [716, 764], [327, 168], [456, 526], [170, 356], [249, 219], [602, 850], [142, 194], [821, 609], [104, 564], [948, 842], [851, 537], [375, 823], [408, 792], [195, 465], [490, 241], [981, 235], [175, 265], [679, 347], [293, 473], [406, 259], [156, 397], [784, 360], [306, 139], [258, 689], [369, 964], [386, 172], [971, 475], [893, 286], [438, 842], [690, 249], [183, 643], [374, 150], [256, 147], [432, 346], [508, 465], [324, 546], [584, 985], [164, 160], [395, 865], [381, 971], [928, 742], [862, 715], [850, 296], [491, 214], [753, 650], [814, 256]]

My first approach -

def queensAttack(n, k, r_q, c_q, obstacles):
    direction_vectors = ((1,0), (1,1), (0,1), (-1,1), (-1,0), (-1,-1), (0,-1), (1,-1))
    count = 0
    for i in range(8):
        r_q_temp, c_q_temp = r_q, c_q
        while True:
            r_q_temp += direction_vectors[i][0]
            c_q_temp += direction_vectors[i][1]
            if [r_q_temp,c_q_temp] in obstacles or not(0<r_q_temp<n+1) or not(0<c_q_temp<n+1):
                break
            count += 1
    return count
print(queensAttack(n, k, r_q, c_q, obstacles))

Now in u/Arviy 's code -

def move_queen(n, updated_row, updated_col, r , c, obs):
    p = 0
    while True:
        r = updated_row(r)
        c = updated_col(c)
        key = (r - 1) * n + c
        if (c < 1 or c > n or r < 1 or r > n) or (key in obstacles):
            return p
        p += 1
    return p


def queensAttack(n, k, r_q, c_q, obstacles):
    obs = {}
    for b in obstacles:
        obs[(b[0] - 1) * n + b[1]] = None

    p = 0
    dr = [-1, -1, -1, 0, 0 , 1 , 1,1]
    dc = [0, -1, 1, 1, -1 , 0 , 1,-1]
    
    for i in range(8):
        p += move_queen(n, (lambda r: r + dr[i]), (lambda c: c + dc[i] ), r_q, c_q, obs)

    return p
    
print(queensAttack(n, k, r_q, c_q, obstacles))

This code ran significantly faster than mine and I investigated and found that it was how he checked for obstacles, so I did the same it my code and it was immediate 10x speedup. But still my code runs about 2x slower than u/Alviy 's code. **And I am unable to figure out

1. why there was a huge speedup the first time and
2. why my code is still slower?**

My updated code -

def queensAttack(n, k, r_q, c_q, obstacles):
    direction_vectors = ((1,0), (1,1), (0,1), (-1,1), (-1,0), (-1,-1), (0,-1), (1,-1))
    count = 0
    obstacle_dir = {}
    for obstacle in obstacles:
        obstacle_dir[(obstacle[0] - 1) * n + obstacle[1]] = None
    for i in range(8):
        r_q_temp, c_q_temp = r_q, c_q
        while True:
            r_q_temp += direction_vectors[i][0]
            c_q_temp += direction_vectors[i][1]
            key = (r_q_temp - 1) * n + c_q_temp
            if key in obstacle_dir or not(0<r_q_temp<n+1) or not(0<c_q_temp<n+1):
                break
            count += 1
    return count