For the perfect candidate, it is probably an hour's work. [1] For a suitable candidate, it is three hours or less. If it isn't three hours or less, then it is

For the perfect candidate, it is probably an hour's work. [1] For a suitable candidate, it is three hours or less. If it isn't three hours or less, then it is reasonable to assume that you are not what they are looking for. That is useful information even if potentially disappointing. It doesn't mean you aren't a good developer. It just means your experience doesn't fit with their expectations. There are benefits to working at the pace where the task takes two days...like thinking the problem through. In some shops that matters a lot. In others it doesn't matter as much. Good luck. [1] I mean two things. I can read the description and imagine a person having the knowledge and experience that makes the problem trivial. The other thing I mean is that I am not such a person. I figure it would take me about a month - if I was getting paid.