I wouldn't say you can't learn about them but it makes it more difficult. Some people are really good at memorizing and when you ask them a common problem it's

I wouldn't say you can't learn about them but it makes it more difficult. Some people are really good at memorizing and when you ask them a common problem it's not useful -- they will just regurgitate the answer and reasoning without thinking about it. Some people are bad at memorizing and asking them the problem can be useful, since they have to work through it again, and fundamentally you want someone who can take a problem and work their way through it. Really you should just create simple, unique, problems and ask those problems to candidates. It's not as easy as just asking the question you were asked, that you know the answer to, but it will force people to actually show if they're capable of solving problems and explaining their thought process. >I have most of the solutions to common problems memorized in a few languages and can complete them on a board or a txt doc. Does that make me less of a good candidate? Or more? I would say this probably makes you good at interviewing but has no impact on whether I think you would be a good candidate.