Modern coding interview techniques were pioneered by Microsoft during the 1990s[1] and adopted by other large technology companies including Amazon, Facebook, and Google.
A coding interview is intended to seek out creative thinkers and those who can adapt their solutions to rapidly changing and dynamic scenarios.
By 2012, the practice of asking lateral thinking questions had declined at companies including Microsoft and Google.
A study by San Francisco State University associate professor of psychology Chris Wright found that puzzle interview questions annoyed job applicants.
"Methods that had a transparent relationship between test content and job duties, such as interviews, work samples, and reference checks were perceived more favorably," Wright wrote in a research paper entitled "Why Are Manhole Covers Round?