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    Best you can do with map-based is O((n+q)*logN). Think about HashMap performance when all strings have same hashcodes, your solution is O(n*q) as well. Only in java8 they introduced "treemap inside hashmap" for equi-hash comparable objects.

    Here is reference to a 3-liner for hashmap solution in java8, maybe you'll like it https://www.hackerrank.com/challenges/sparse-arrays/forum/comments/304466