Russell McMahon wrote:

> All the above circuits bend the brain - the more so if you'e never met
> them before. Driving nodes negative and having them recover with RC time
> constant makes operation 'interesting'..

I think there are two types of tests. One is with very simple questions
that have a clear (and usually simple) answer with little space for
ambiguities (and if someone starts to nitpick awfully off-topic, you also
know who not to hire -- after all, that doesn't fit into the 'gets the job
done' category you need, which often requires just the 'right' feel to
understand the /purpose/ behind the requirements document rather than the
unusual meanings in the words in that document :) Here the purpose is
simple: got it, you're in the next step, didn't get it, you're out. Save
time.

The other is with questions that are sort of open-ended and leave space for
going into various directions. Here the focus is not on the result, but on
the way the candidate elaborates, to get to know how she thinks. Spend
(some) time. 

IMO brain benders go into the second category :)

Gerhard

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