Re:Google's top boss is stumped by one of his own firm's int...
by kafkaesq on Sunday December 11, 2016 @09:39PM
(#13155098)
Except the Pirate Game isn't a work sample -- it's a brain teaser.
And even though brain teasers are now considered passé, for a long time many companies, including quite famously, Google, did ask them (in many cases very proudly) -- just like they continue to ask their modern-day equivalent: "recite a moderately, or in some cases, insanely complex algorithm for me which I just looked up, but I bet you haven't!" -- as an expedient alternative to an actual, realistic work sample.
Re:Google's top boss is stumped by one of his own firm's int...
by cperciva on Sunday December 11, 2016 @09:51PM
(#13155135)
This isn't a brain teaser; it's a logic problem. Someone who has never seen the problem before should be able to logically work through it to find the solution.
And even though brain teasers are now considered passé, for a long time many companies, including quite famously, Google, did ask them (in many cases very proudly) -- just like they continue to ask their modern-day equivalent: "recite a moderately, or in some cases, insanely complex algorithm for me which I just looked up, but I bet you haven't!" -- as an expedient alternative to an actual, realistic work sample.