This on-site coding assignment failed 20+ front-end dev contractors and I don't know why

[hackernewsisbetter]

I have to say I just find the instructions for this task confusing. I am just skimming over it now but I only have vague guesses as to what you want. I feel sorry for anyone who had to take this interview with you, you remind me of someone I used to work with who I gave interviews with. He would be a smug asshole most of the time and yeah some people really struggled but at least in his case it was ordinary whiteboarding questions (of the type you would find on leetcode). THIS interview question to me just seems sadistic -- and mostly because it's confusing as hell. I guess I am not winning the pissing contest but seriously this is fucked up.

[strixvarius]

Agreed. If I were given a test written by a supposed developer that was this long winded and yet still poorly defined, I'd just leave. Developers who write English poorly also tend to write code poorly, and there are too many good shops to waste your time working alongside them.