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, incl

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.