Puzzles and brainteasers seem rather off-putting to me in an interview environment. It's like the interviewer is saying, "I can solve this, are you as smart as I am?", which isn't the type of relationship I want with coworkers. I prefer to steer interviews into a more collaborative conversation, to see if I would like working with the person.
Anyone who expects me to spend 3 or more hours or so on some take home test just to interview with them, or thinks that the only people worth hiring are those that "the first thing you want to do when you wake up in the morning is code something" aren't people I want to work for. I love programming, but at the end of the work day I'm going to go home and engage in other aspects of life. I wouldn't want a boss that had different expectations.
Anyone who expects me to spend 3 or more hours or so on some take home test just to interview with them, or thinks that the only people worth hiring are those that "the first thing you want to do when you wake up in the morning is code something" aren't people I want to work for. I love programming, but at the end of the work day I'm going to go home and engage in other aspects of life. I wouldn't want a boss that had different expectations.