They're just using them as "how bad you want it" + IQ filters. The interviews end up testing for some combination of that—want very very badly + good but not am

They're just using them as "how bad you want it" + IQ filters. The interviews end up testing for some combination of that—want very very badly + good but not amazing IQ, or want somewhat + very high IQ, that sort of thing. That one cannot be prepared for these interviews with the work one does 40 hours a week is by design.