This is really interesting, thanks for the submission. It also highlights just what you need to compete in these contests - raw programming skill, plenty of al

This is really interesting, thanks for the submission. It also highlights just what you need to compete in these contests - raw programming skill, plenty of algorithmic knowledge, the ability to come up with clever heuristics and the desire to try absolutely anything to improve the quality of those heuristics. Seeing the process behind that was very enlightening.