[zmmmmm]

He's not wrong and it still marks why he probably comes across poorly and fails those interviews

People in hiring positions basically want productivity. That largely means they want people who will slot into whatever problem is at hand and tackle it effectively. The minute you approach the situation with "this is a stupid pointless problem you have asked me to solve" you failed the test. Even if it's only implicit and through subtle use of language, this will come across.