[anthony_d]

I think you’re missing half the argument.

If I was given that question it would be a red flag.

1) it’s a stupid algorithm question similar to what I saw in high school, 2) it’s poorly worded and nonsensical.

Depending on what I know about the company I may or may not give them the benefit of the doubt. In most cases it’s safer to assume the interviewer (and by extension the team) is just not competent.

[EForEndeavour]

Maybe it's different for you and your specific career path, but coders can expect to face a lot of "stupid algorithm questions similar to what they saw in high school" throughout the course of their jobs. (And if you delve into management roles, you are practically guaranteed to find interpersonal problems similar to what you saw in high school.)

It stands to reason that if you rejected this question in an interview with the complaint that it was "poorly worded and nonsensical" (I put it to you that it's a perfectly meaningful question), instead of taking the constructive route by asking clarifying questions, this would probably count as a red flag to the employer about you. So again, the question would effectively inform both parties in this case that they are not mutually compatible.