Support Engineer interview question for a software company. I have no interest in applying but did it for fun in a language that I haven't touched in years.

fg_problem.py

'''
Sort the characters in the following string:

abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz_

by the number of times the character appears in the following text (descending):

Note: the text scrolls.

ftns_znzsaeeau_wr_zqxsseitsaaaxcezxhvh_jevbjvrdpfsrul_tyqaqjwuokvdjhmuayzqfcnkqlpdwaemheqekvwtzvmmexwssveifagkxvotgdqcifsbkbmipqivazbrnpltwlgquvzvgjrmytvof_xvkhddtxkvrrhhsunn_cpybhlkvktkwiqpogbzuemtowaoshyxhukbfnrrtdnijtgindrcwkdvjywnyxbylyzpomoskdhfntfcvdlacupmptpaziqhpajqnxyxcmbaloxsthybnqsmd_uwuomtlj_b_iyyywmyvpj__lvcbiklrlapbrfnzivlhgupvrgarfcmmbpomjxekaybkpmwyozkcldxymbuwooyyspp_ikhj_de_pcb_tsesbe_cont__ovyowernxwqcybrsnwb_onopgmnfhezfofjpadinufpfprnnbbr_ufkcenovnpkhbzgiihqsonfxkp_pdrvmf_bauuu_ioaidomgkprbzzfkidxmhevtwfnavxbxiukcsnqhoarejjgfygxxyuvcefgtwzbfecnmlwjnnjxkmajhakvhuayizvcshgaywmifoynzzienttuuwmdd_iqymyqsriefickvzvikelvckeuuokfhaeseqmrm_cpkmdthu_mnbu_way_tlrjnkytoextsvlfe_wcgzgwvkoqvnwcmxjtyjfpdpsdodpjhyhnjuzdmwsmiv_carq_kzglyepepkiseamadwnzfutojjpmlafouorbptamlcjuodlthimmssmzjznaecbypaumdwuetbv_dpjdhdqhclmiswusbibptnvn_zyuutgdtcwchb_erwwmdy_xxpdvtxrwotnsaigpp_uiyixorledeylbivfbstdhzzweqimcbtnnbyyypwaiaeehungak_mdjrfoppvovrlyui_rlibyxvgusfpurnffxmnudppgchhjmivgi_p_evmflkwc_jstxwxtcclvqyposfxoxhhb_zyfyxivpyhnzqidrubzh_dlfrrghayokgyotimnszgczpusrffayyrzsfn_owqmundgsfrxbglqvtgcjmoywhbwnxlbdqkbgvrwpsvvilqgkufu_meururrobq_zrrsbmioozqftbviljplkzhtsw_pkcgfjmixjiethrxfdxws_zurjayvyugzrl_rqixknlcclxhaqdljuypryubbu_yfyrbwtsyjbviusdxmuaeujvxcrqfaopyijeix_mkzsithazmvklvablhxzacfoqlgauqgbpxhldcmkcekdfbwobmuneaaikr_ocntplwnrjoyucowcekhpvkzjoqv_qvhjtf__rnjypnirmerhaojnuq_jbsndjsastgxhizgjgazabxqydjnlnn__vmtvsqxmbbuyglwioavonfztxtwipcfmgejxiuslamjqqbhjkgwmf_tfg_hxarnrcxtvqgkndcofxtdixthixkqvbrnnzwesnwwjyeebkrfjckbud_wqkyuqaauatacnujtelf_djhzcxqspadscfccmanzuocv_avmatigvioxenmjlvqyzgcrftkpfeviuripvlbpdatckiiwdbugibuttwglriwcgpbfcmz_vrdjaihkuibmqfisqsanbhjsmgtiudljhsnywcepmydhqbzelaotsfcbhaccrctmzinsmxd_mjtkfvs_vjjeyiygshmxgzskszhljm_vmwrpizgvslzkq_ccskqhbdxhypojjasycyvxwigklhwrrugzsmlotgzsztxloenoexulsighjlictnpemgeqzke_snpucycr_nqmfasp_ngfkelagipmg_ftglzolcnsdnwqctaclvxoynrranmrazoijagkepsdmccyroqlhrz_bqpirmwgkkgtjqscdqdcualohhdpkdmaoym_gpxqsu_vqeaggopucauptebrjvddnoarfwosak_fpqspfepsuifdkxkemhsrachirpuzddugugjukqwzfdmmhuratcgtgfkhnndkxbnkda_wlfdrqkquosd_pvhyjwysamnrwt_apzocrjatfsrwqchupjwpcwwgrlogyalotwntnz_f_xlnhkacsia_ndedhuemacxgmkqwgxlqudyfteufxsrfjmy_zuvbnprogxhqrnozvvmtsizsn_schptotqovvmkkrfatsssuwhcevoinortrbagzj_ufgddpiufqyqmohshgshmntcrtgtfgkzvjwgxbhzcipmz_twsfcl_uagaleivwjs_ngez_ccgmfzurlyqbibxcpg
                
Now take the sorted string, and drop all the characters after (and including) the _. The remaining word is the answer.
'''

keys = {'a':0,'b':0,'c':0,'d':0,'e':0,'f':0,'g':0,'h':0,'i':0,'j':0,'k':0,'l':0,'m':0,'n':0,'o':0,'p':0,'q':0,'r':0,'s':0,'t':0,'u':0,'v':0,'w':0,'x':0,'y':0,'z':0,'_':0}

string = 'ftns_znzsaeeau_wr_zqxsseitsaaaxcezxhvh_jevbjvrdpfsrul_tyqaqjwuokvdjhmuayzqfcnkqlpdwaemheqekvwtzvmmexwssveifagkxvotgdqcifsbkbmipqivazbrnpltwlgquvzvgjrmytvof_xvkhddtxkvrrhhsunn_cpybhlkvktkwiqpogbzuemtowaoshyxhukbfnrrtdnijtgindrcwkdvjywnyxbylyzpomoskdhfntfcvdlacupmptpaziqhpajqnxyxcmbaloxsthybnqsmd_uwuomtlj_b_iyyywmyvpj__lvcbiklrlapbrfnzivlhgupvrgarfcmmbpomjxekaybkpmwyozkcldxymbuwooyyspp_ikhj_de_pcb_tsesbe_cont__ovyowernxwqcybrsnwb_onopgmnfhezfofjpadinufpfprnnbbr_ufkcenovnpkhbzgiihqsonfxkp_pdrvmf_bauuu_ioaidomgkprbzzfkidxmhevtwfnavxbxiukcsnqhoarejjgfygxxyuvcefgtwzbfecnmlwjnnjxkmajhakvhuayizvcshgaywmifoynzzienttuuwmdd_iqymyqsriefickvzvikelvckeuuokfhaeseqmrm_cpkmdthu_mnbu_way_tlrjnkytoextsvlfe_wcgzgwvkoqvnwcmxjtyjfpdpsdodpjhyhnjuzdmwsmiv_carq_kzglyepepkiseamadwnzfutojjpmlafouorbptamlcjuodlthimmssmzjznaecbypaumdwuetbv_dpjdhdqhclmiswusbibptnvn_zyuutgdtcwchb_erwwmdy_xxpdvtxrwotnsaigpp_uiyixorledeylbivfbstdhzzweqimcbtnnbyyypwaiaeehungak_mdjrfoppvovrlyui_rlibyxvgusfpurnffxmnudppgchhjmivgi_p_evmflkwc_jstxwxtcclvqyposfxoxhhb_zyfyxivpyhnzqidrubzh_dlfrrghayokgyotimnszgczpusrffayyrzsfn_owqmundgsfrxbglqvtgcjmoywhbwnxlbdqkbgvrwpsvvilqgkufu_meururrobq_zrrsbmioozqftbviljplkzhtsw_pkcgfjmixjiethrxfdxws_zurjayvyugzrl_rqixknlcclxhaqdljuypryubbu_yfyrbwtsyjbviusdxmuaeujvxcrqfaopyijeix_mkzsithazmvklvablhxzacfoqlgauqgbpxhldcmkcekdfbwobmuneaaikr_ocntplwnrjoyucowcekhpvkzjoqv_qvhjtf__rnjypnirmerhaojnuq_jbsndjsastgxhizgjgazabxqydjnlnn__vmtvsqxmbbuyglwioavonfztxtwipcfmgejxiuslamjqqbhjkgwmf_tfg_hxarnrcxtvqgkndcofxtdixthixkqvbrnnzwesnwwjyeebkrfjckbud_wqkyuqaauatacnujtelf_djhzcxqspadscfccmanzuocv_avmatigvioxenmjlvqyzgcrftkpfeviuripvlbpdatckiiwdbugibuttwglriwcgpbfcmz_vrdjaihkuibmqfisqsanbhjsmgtiudljhsnywcepmydhqbzelaotsfcbhaccrctmzinsmxd_mjtkfvs_vjjeyiygshmxgzskszhljm_vmwrpizgvslzkq_ccskqhbdxhypojjasycyvxwigklhwrrugzsmlotgzsztxloenoexulsighjlictnpemgeqzke_snpucycr_nqmfasp_ngfkelagipmg_ftglzolcnsdnwqctaclvxoynrranmrazoijagkepsdmccyroqlhrz_bqpirmwgkkgtjqscdqdcualohhdpkdmaoym_gpxqsu_vqeaggopucauptebrjvddnoarfwosak_fpqspfepsuifdkxkemhsrachirpuzddugugjukqwzfdmmhuratcgtgfkhnndkxbnkda_wlfdrqkquosd_pvhyjwysamnrwt_apzocrjatfsrwqchupjwpcwwgrlogyalotwntnz_f_xlnhkacsia_ndedhuemacxgmkqwgxlqudyfteufxsrfjmy_zuvbnprogxhqrnozvvmtsizsn_schptotqovvmkkrfatsssuwhcevoinortrbagzj_ufgddpiufqyqmohshgshmntcrtgtfgkzvjwgxbhzcipmz_twsfcl_uagaleivwjs_ngez_ccgmfzurlyqbibxcpg'

# Iterate though each character in the string and count each occurence
for i in range(0, len(string)):
    keys[string[i]] = keys[string[i]]+1
    
# Sort the characters by decreasing order of occurence    
keys = sorted(keys, key=keys.__getitem__, reverse=True)
#print(keys)

# Print each character from the start to the occurence of '-'. The result is the word.
print("".join(keys[0:keys.index('_')]))