> i wouldn't sweat it. people design those interviews to make them feel better about themselves rather than as an effective way to gauge someone's aptitude to work there.

Same reason I dislike that sort of interview. Of course the thing to do is to throw in a spanner.

"Hmm, so I guess you didn't read about the Modified Banach-Wiles-Kolmogorov algorithm? I thought that was where we were going. Ok let's do it your way."

Throw this bomb on the way out, of course.

I don't think I've ever had an interview where it would have been okay to quiz the interviewer on technical topics...could you explain a little better?

there's a couple things. why is it not okay? as a potential employee, you want to be sure that they have an inkling as to what they are doing and aren't just asking questions out of the "interviewing at google" book. i am not actually arguing that interviewees ask these questions (see below), but it is something to think about. i usually try to ask some questions that give me a sense of how big of a mess their software is. at one of the places i failed the final interview, i wasn't ever shown any code or product that they were working on but had a sense it was a bit of a mess with a bunch of smart people writing code with no hands at the wheel.

i have the perspective that these types of puzzle questions by the interviewer are pointless. and i was getting at the point that the interviewee asking similar pointed questions would be similarly useless. because it's easy to take that high and mighty stance instead of having a conversation. it creates an artificial environment that doesn't really exist in actual working environments.

and i generally feel that companies are far too arrogant in their hiring process. they very much create a one way dialog as if you should be thanking them for even interviewing you. they act like "we don't need you, you need us". it creates a very bad taste in my mouth, and even if i was to be offered employement by such companies, it is possible i would turn them down unless i am convinced that their work environment is distinctly different from their interviewing process.

Presumably they wouldn't be employed there if they couldn't pass the interview though?