[void_mint]

So let's be clear. You're honing in on this block:

> "It's applicable if you're building an extraordinary team at a hard technology startup."

And you're accepting that a timed question about tic tac toe is enough to prove you're capable of being on an "extraordinary team" at a "hard technology startup"?

Really?

[qPM9l3XJrF]

Yes, I think to a large degree being able to build hard technology is a matter of being extremely fluent with writing code and reasoning about data structures and algorithms, as I stated. Being able to solve this problem in 10 minutes seems like a hard-to-fake demonstration of such fluency. When I think about CS open problems and when I solve leetcode problems with algorithmic content to them like this one, it feels like I'm using the same part of my brain (or at least there is significant overlap).

If you don't agree with me that the fluency I described is a significant asset to advancing the state of the art in CS, what do you think a significant asset is?

[void_mint]

> Yes, I think to a large degree being able to build hard technology is a matter of being extremely fluent with writing code and reasoning about data structures and algorithms

Sure. Again. I don't really think an algorithm that shows up as an introduction to algorithm proves much more than a person read "Intro to Algorithms". So again, a timed introductory problem proves some elite technical skill?

> If you don't agree with me that the fluency I described is a significant asset to advancing the state of the art in CS

You're building a cute lil strawman. I think the question is totally out of line with the stated goal. If a college sophomore can answer a question, you're not really assessing much of anything. Also, working at a "hard startup" has nothing to do with "advancing the state of the art in CS".

> what do you think a significant asset is?

If I'm handling hiring for a "hard startup" and am in search of engineers fit for an "extraordinary team", I'm probably going to spend more time finding applicable skills than opening up to Chapter 1 in the closest algorithms book.