We leaked the story onto the Internet, where it got picked up by Michael Arrington's influential technology blog TechCrunch, which gleefully reported that MIT students were not able to crack Google's code. The story spread like malaria, and quickly became one of their most-commented, most-shared, and most-Tweeted articles of all time.
Nerds from around the globe rushed to solve the puzzle, while MIT students explained to TechCrunch why they weren't able to crack the code:
Enough people from around here get jobs (at Google too) without the need for riddles like this.
Putting this through our new "MIT Student Babelfish Engine," we come up with the following translation:
Here's another unasked-for explanation on why the prank wasn't worth his time:
As an MIT student in EECS, I found the sign/flier annoying. Why would I waste my time? ... Even though it was intended as a kind of "challenge," I found it to be pretentious, and hard to respect the lack of effort than went into it.
And again, a translation:
Meanwhile, other "beautiful minds" were working diligently on the problem -- not on explanations for why they couldn't solve it -- and quickly cracked the code.
The very first person to call into the line was a computer programmer from Japan who wished to remain anonymous. People used various methods to solve the puzzles -- the second puzzle was actually cracked first -- but the first ones to post the intended solution to TechCrunch were users Scott Kyle and Hakan, who worked together to provide the correct answer.
The voicemail message asked people to describe their most difficult challenge, and the answers were varied and interesting:
- Rendering a custom animation across 80 workstations
- Algorithm for controlling congestion in wireless networks
- Fixing a CD-ROM deck via a network
- Writing a program to solve a Rubik's cube
- "I can't tell you, it's confidential"
Occasionally people would call the number, then forget they were being recorded. One person just asked for free stuff. And one person said his most difficult challenge was coming home after graduation being absolutely drunk. (Maybe not the best response for a job interview, but bonus points for honesty.)
Within 24 hours, people had posted elaborate explanations (or conspiracy theories) about the puzzle, and -- proving the power of Google -- you could get your choice of answers just by Googling the message on the sign.
We were thrilled with the response, but now it was time to reward the winners and punish the losers.
Please continue on to Part 4!
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