[inverse_pi]

I think the point of the take home code example is just filtering out candidates who don't really know how to code. So, I personally think it's ok if you don't pass ALL the tests. An experienced candidate when presented with a DP problem should at least be able to code up a recursive solution, maybe with memoization. They may not get the DP solution correct but at least have an idea of how it should work roughly. You SHOULD NOT have to be intimately familiar with competitive programming to be able to do those things.