In no circumstances did I ever make algorithmic decisions in an informational vacuum and then cowboy code my way forward, or rather, one seeks to avoid the mist

In no circumstances did I ever make algorithmic decisions in an informational vacuum and then cowboy code my way forward, or rather, one seeks to avoid the mistakes of one’s youth. Search engine: read material about the heart of the problem from domain experts, try different approaches and then decide. Leet Code exercises are a blight on our industry. If you want a shibboleth just say so.