[dominicjj]

>And if you need more than an hour to solve a couple of those simple problems (let's say, find duplicates between two lists), you'll definitely have a problem fitting in with the rest of the team

result = set(l1) - set(l2)

Time taken: 20 seconds. I take your point that you need people with at least a certain level of competence. I found I saved those who were hiring an awful lot of time by sending them example code or asking them to give me a challenging weekend project as a test, perhaps even something they needed doing for real. But I dread these exam-like online tests where I have to have a right answer in 20 minutes. I don't work like that. Few people over 40 do any more.

[recursive]

If you're talking about python, I believe you - where you should have &.

And there are many developer position applicants that wouldn't be able to do it. If you actually solve it in 20 seconds, I presume you passed the test.

[dominicjj]

Oops - set intersection not difference.