Letter Combinations of a Phone Number

KEYPAD = {"2": "abc", "3": "def", "4": "ghi", "5": "jkl",
          "6": "mno", "7": "pqrs", "8": "tuv", "9": "wxyz"}


def letterCombinations(digits):
    combos = [""]  # every prefix built so far; one empty prefix to start
    for digit in digits:
        # Each old prefix grows by each letter of this digit, in order.
        combos = [prefix + letter for prefix in combos for letter in KEYPAD[digit]]
    return combos

KEYPAD = {"2": "abc", "3": "def", "4": "ghi", "5": "jkl",
          "6": "mno", "7": "pqrs", "8": "tuv", "9": "wxyz"}


def letterCombinations(digits):
    result = []
    path = []  # the letters chosen so far, one per digit

    def backtrack(i):
        if i == len(digits):
            # Every digit has a letter: this leaf is one finished string.
            result.append("".join(path))
            return
        for letter in KEYPAD[digits[i]]:
            path.append(letter)   # choose
            backtrack(i + 1)      # explore the digits after this one
            path.pop()            # undo, so the next letter can take its place

    backtrack(0)
    return result