2 ms·

I would have given a +1 for creativity. If the interviewer didn't say that standard libraries were off bounds that's fair game IMO. I've asked similar question

I would have given a +1 for creativity. If the interviewer didn't say that standard libraries were off bounds that's fair game IMO. I've asked similar questions and if I forget all the constraints just a simple, hah that's clever + reframe the problem is a reasonable approach and doesn't come off as being a jerk(keep in mind the candidate is interviewing you/company as well).

err0ne 8y ago
"Implement a method that shuffles a list" vs. "Shuffle a list" I would want the candidate to ask me whether they can use their language's standard library. I would say no/yes depending on how the question is framed. The absolute worst is when question is framed like 1) - the candidate just makes an unwanted assumption, and then acts outraged or smug when I tell them I expect them to demonstrate that they aren't oblivious to the underlying implementation. Then we venture off whether they can make improvements/trade-offs if the list becomes 10K, 1MM, 1B, etc. records of N bytes etc.