<p>You are given a string <code>s</code> and an integer <code>k</code>, a <code>k</code> <strong>duplicate removal</strong> consists of choosing <code>k</code> adjacent and equal letters from <code>s</code> and removing them, causing the left and the right side of the deleted substring to concatenate together.</p>

<p>We repeatedly make <code>k</code> <strong>duplicate removals</strong> on <code>s</code> until we no longer can.</p>

<p>Return <em>the final string after all such duplicate removals have been made</em>. It is guaranteed that the answer is <strong>unique</strong>.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong class="example">Example 1:</strong></p>

<pre>
<strong>Input:</strong> s = &quot;abcd&quot;, k = 2
<strong>Output:</strong> &quot;abcd&quot;
<strong>Explanation: </strong>There&#39;s nothing to delete.</pre>

<p><strong class="example">Example 2:</strong></p>

<pre>
<strong>Input:</strong> s = &quot;deeedbbcccbdaa&quot;, k = 3
<strong>Output:</strong> &quot;aa&quot;
<strong>Explanation: 
</strong>First delete &quot;eee&quot; and &quot;ccc&quot;, get &quot;ddbbbdaa&quot;
Then delete &quot;bbb&quot;, get &quot;dddaa&quot;
Finally delete &quot;ddd&quot;, get &quot;aa&quot;</pre>

<p><strong class="example">Example 3:</strong></p>

<pre>
<strong>Input:</strong> s = &quot;pbbcggttciiippooaais&quot;, k = 2
<strong>Output:</strong> &quot;ps&quot;
</pre>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>Constraints:</strong></p>

<ul>
	<li><code>1 &lt;= s.length &lt;= 10<sup>5</sup></code></li>
	<li><code>2 &lt;= k &lt;= 10<sup>4</sup></code></li>
	<li><code>s</code> only contains lowercase English letters.</li>
</ul>

'''
O(nlogn) 10^5
brute force


baaaaa, k = 3

startdup =0, currch = a

'''
class Solution:
    def removeDuplicates(self, s: str, k: int) -> str:
        s += "*"
        startDup = 0
        currCh = s[0]
        i = 1
        while i < len(s):
            if i - startDup >= k:
                s = s[:startDup] + s[i:]
                currCh = s[startDup]
                i -= k
                while startDup >= 1 and s[startDup-1] == s[startDup]:
                    startDup -= 1
                continue
            elif s[i] != currCh:
                currCh = s[i]
                startDup = i
            i += 1
        return s[:-1]
17400