[j_baker]

> A good interviewer wants to get a look into how you think and how you approach a problem.

I consider that a red flag. In this case, the interviewer is almost certainly less concerned with whether or not you can do the job than they are concerned with whether you think like them.

Though I do like your suggestion to try offering a terrible solution to get the conversation started. Usually it's breaking the ice that's difficult.

[yeukhon]

I don't know who downvoted you, but I don't quite get what you are saying (why is that a red flag and what exactly do you mean that's a red flag?) Red flag as in it is theoretical (like "of course that would be nice.....but that's usually not true)? or red flag as in interviewer is tricking the interviewee to do bad job? (making bad impression to interviewer)?

[patrickyeon]

I've been in interviews where the interviewer had me play the guess-what-answer-I'm-thinking-of game, and that may be what j_baker is afraid of. I don't want to do that either when I say "get a look at how you think"; I want to see that you can attack a problem, not necessarily that you'll try the same things I would.

[yeukhon]

Absolutely. I rather have an interviewer questions me why I think my solution is a solution (even if it is a terrible n^3 solution).