I think this is the opposite reason to do them. I don't know anyone looking for developers who really needs a gatekeeper. "I get lots of great candidates but it

I think this is the opposite reason to do them. I don't know anyone looking for developers who really needs a gatekeeper. "I get lots of great candidates but it's so hard to find their resumes in this pile of recruiter emails!" .. is not the problem. The upside to the puzzles as I can see it is that it may signal that the company is development focused, or even run by developers (attractive to developers), and that it might actually sort of trick people into applying who wouldn't have otherwise. There are legions of folks that are 'comfortable' where they're at but might be enticed into solving a puzzle, and might further take a meeting and see if there's something to this new opportunity. That's the value I see, anyways. That said, I've not gone this route.