[eshvk]

> Are algorithm questions really that useful when looking for a candidate?

I go back and forth on this. I do machine learning/backend large scale engineering stuff. I have typically found that very rarely do companies actually really grill me on these things. It is mostly computer science theory (a.k.a algorithms/data structures). It used to annoy me a bit especially many questions have embedded tricks that make them dramatically easier. E.g. checking the validity of a BST is as simple as checking that the invariant left subtree is smaller than the root and right subtree is larger than the root is maintained. How you choose to implement that might trip you up, even if you stumble upon the fact that recursion is necessary and key.

On the other hand, once you intensively go through the process of studying these problems. You become aware of how incredibly rich the field of practical usage is. For example, order statistics can be efficiently organized using a rank tree. These are clever tricks that it is nice to have floating about in memory. Because they help you know what to google for.

[millerm]

I like your statement. Especially "Because they help you know what to google for." That's been my thought pattern in general.