No way. In most cases, the company would much prefer to have the candidate work on technical problems that the company actually has, but that almost always req

No way. In most cases, the company would much prefer to have the candidate work on technical problems that the company actually has, but that almost always requires significant background context and disclosure of not-so-public info. The riddle should be a stand-in for a collaborative, thought-provoking problem, not a general intelligence test. To the original author: if the hiring manager or interviewer doesn't see it that way, then fine, write off that company, but don't write off riddles!