Are you smart enough to work at Microsoft?

http://www.alleyinsider.com/2008/11/are-you-smart-enough-to-work-at-microsoft-msft-

by fromedome • 18 years ago

13 21 18 years ago

josefresco• 18 years ago

No, but like most netizens I feel qualified to criticize the company and talk about how almost every other tech is superior.

Dilpil• 18 years ago

I asked my friend if he could solve this, he had no idea. Guess where he works.

fromedome• 18 years ago

Ha, nice.

utx00• 18 years ago

sown• 18 years ago

At the bottom I'd scratch out the story of how I helped reverse engineer a major enterprise software suite made by MS. Would that help?

icey2• 18 years ago

I don't know if this is an accurate representation of Microsoft hiring practices or not. If it is, then it's very telling since the "question" doesn't make any sense.

To paraphrase: Look at this word jumble and reorganize it arbitrarily until you can make words out of it somehow.

If there were suitable anagrams that made another phrase, would that be accepted by MSFT? It really seems like a bunch of "bible code (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bible_code)" sort of nonsense to me.

Darmani• 18 years ago

This question is similar to many seen in puzzlehunts: it has no instructions, but enough information to arrive at a definite answer.

Actually, it does have instructions, but they're veiled:

"determine which order we should go after these companies. After finding the appropriate order, we’ll read down the list "

That's code for "Find a permutation so that reading down columns gives you the answer."

Also, often the way puzzlehunts work is that, when you send in the answer, you'll be told if it's right. Even if another permutation exists that produces a reasonable answer, if you hear it's wrong, you'll eventually realize you should look for another one.

icey2• 18 years ago

I guess I just don't understand how this helps identify talent.

huhtenberg• 18 years ago

http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=358505

hugh• 18 years ago

Yep! In fact, I'd like to apply for the job of writing their recruitment puzzles. Maybe I could help them by writing some that actually make some sense.

run4yourlives• 18 years ago

I wouldn't want to work anywhere where they value my ability to solve obtuse, poorly worded problems over my ability to get the job done and ship quality code on time.

redrobot5050• 18 years ago

Yeah, their real job interviews stopped asking "how would move move mt. fuji" questions in the early to mid-90s. They now ask programming questions. It turns out the people that are really good at solving those brainteasers are also really good at climbing into upper management and b.s.ing about their performance/impact.

shadytrees• 18 years ago

The other acceptable rearrangement is: PLEASE HELP US UNDO VISTA.

justindz• 18 years ago

I just had a funny daydream of me installing the Vista upgrade on to an XP laptop, getting it all set up and finally to the desktop, then panicking and hitting Ctrl+Z frantically and repeatedly.

bayareaguy• 18 years ago

Perhaps they need people with good puzzle solving / reverse engineering skills to help them figure out how Windows actually works?

sabat• 18 years ago

Who cares?

scott_s• 18 years ago

Reminds me of the obscure puzzles in adventure games.

biohacker42• 18 years ago

http://thedailywtf.com/Articles/Classic-WTF-Job-Interview-20...

known• 18 years ago

Interview != Quiz

Are you smart enough to work at Microsoft?

Related Stories