SMRTR ProgrammingDec 17, 2025Hacker News

Here is the 15 sec coding test I used to instantly filter out most applicants

SMRTR summary

A CTO shares a clever recruitment technique for remote positions: adding a simple programming question with a hidden Unicode character that trips up copy-paste attempts. The question appears straightforward but contains a disguised equal sign in 'if x > 3' that changes the result when copied. Testing showed 50% got the AI/interpreter answer, 47% solved correctly, demonstrating an effective filter for serious candidates.

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