Table of Contents How to Ace the Brainteaser Interviewer Praise for How to Ace the Brainteaser Job Interview Why Brainteasers?—What Interviewers are Looking For Brainteasers Appropriate for Job Interviews Brainteasers Inappropriate for Job Interviews The Obvious Answer is Always Wrong: Strategies for Success Help! What Do I do When I’m Totally Stumped Prisoner and Cigarette Brainteaser Contest Winners New Challenging Brainteasers

Help! What to do When You’re Totally Stumped

The human brain is a marvelous organ. It starts working the minute you are born and doesn’t stop until you are hit with one of these logic puzzles. When that happens, don’t worry. The way you handle a puzzle you can’t solve is almost as important as the way you handle a puzzle you can.

The biggest mistake is to get all flummoxed and react like a deer in headlights—too stunned to respond or survive. Worse is to act like a drowning swimmer, lash out at the interviewer, and take him or her down with you. A good response does not always mean coming up with the right answer, but it does mean showing good approaches to an unfamiliar problem.

The best thing is to keep your sense of humor. One very people-smart candidate responded to a very difficult puzzle this way: “Hmmm . . . one of us doesn’t know the answer.” Another, referring to the popular TV quiz show Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? in which contestants get to make one phone call for help, asked: “How many lifelines do I have?”

When you feel stuck, the first thing to do is to take a deep breath and ask for the puzzle to be repeated. Now listen. Sometimes the interviewer will sense something and provide a missing emphasis or detail. Then repeat the puzzle to the interviewer. “Let me see if I have this right . . .” Then repeat it again. Sometimes saying a puzzle aloud to yourself once or twice reveals some opportunity for taking it to the next level. Some candidates take time to write the problem down. Don’t let yourself be rushed.

Then ask questions. If there’s a detail you don’t understand, let the interviewer know. Own the difficulty. “I’m having trouble with this problem. Can you help me understand . . .?” If none of this helps, ask for a hint. “I’m sorry. I seem to be stuck. Can you give me a hint?”

Don’t let interviewers see you sweat, but let them see you think out loud. “You have to show them that your mind is cycling,” says former Microsoft developer Adam Barr. “Have your internal dialogue out loud. Show them that you’re curious. Let them see the avenues you explore and the dead ends you’re considering; invite them to go with you down the blind alleys. Even if you never get right to the answer, they might be impressed by your strategy.”

Finally, if you really are at a dead end and have nowhere to go, just admit that you’ll need more time than you feel comfortable taking in a job interview. Don’t admit you can’t do the problem; just suggest you can’t do it in the time frame of the interview. Barr suggests wording like, “I’m sorry. I can’t work out the problem right here, but given time I’m sure I can do it. May I get back to you?” Even if you don’t get it, make sure the interviewer sees your curiosity and unflagging spirit. “I know I didn’t get it, but I’m really curious. Can you tell me what the solution is?” This kind of closure replaces the sting of failure with a sense of optimism about the next puzzle.

Some candidates feel insulted by puzzles and brainteasers and treat them like “illegal” questions. Some simply say, “My policy is not to respond to questions like that.” Others respond with a challenge of their own. “What does that puzzle have to do with my ability to perform on this job?” Most interviewers will respect your position. They won’t hire you, but they will respect your position. If it’s respect you want, then by all means pursue this course. If it’s a job offer you want, then accept that for a candidate to engage in conflict on a job interview is counterproductive. You may not like puzzles—you may find them insulting—but if you want to be considered for the job, there’s no alternative but to take your best shot.