This difficulty working on the site is the biggest issue in my opinion. Weak test cases and good use of libraries are just life (although I confess to being surprised that numpy is allowed, as it’s not in the Standard Library).
I agree with @aneesh2312, the travel reimbursement can also be given in October CookOff and I think it’s better to make the contest unrated else that would be unfair to many of us. Above all there were many issues with the contest, like there were all kinds of 405 errror and I remember the page started loading properly after 11:20 or around that…
Good research, but I don’t really understand complaining about a problem you didn’t solve. The people who have perhaps been hard done by are those who genuinely did solve it. The people who “got lucky” will be unlucky another time.
The solution is actually quick and pretty, with one aha! moment to get there.
LOL, its true that I could not solve the problem, but no one can hide the fact that there were a dozens of weak test cases in the problem…
I agree with you partially. I don’t agree that weak test cases should be just ignored, especially not when there are some extra prizes.
Tbh I don’t think codechef will do anything.
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Reader warning - My views are biased by the fact that yesterday I was in good mood and left contest after 20 min. And hence didn’t allow CC to spoil it further. And I don’t know how I will react after online regionals.
Msg for @admin -
Thank you. You made me realize that this forum is not that bad, by showing me how much the worst situation can be. @admin be like - “We are stopping that bad situation. So Its ok to see occasional 504, 503, 502, 500, 404, etc. What more you want.”
Msg for all those who are unhappy with unpleasant experience -
If you are demanding an unrated contest due to all sort of server errors -
The way they are silent and no announcement, rating updated. It is least likely to happen. If this demand is also accepted then in that case also damage is already done.
If you want an apology statement from @admin, then read this blog after Sept., Oct. Cook-Off and online regionals. Still not satisfied read 2nd point here.
If you are demanding an unrated contest because of proving that you are not a bot again and again -
Sadly this is the best option they have found due to API hackathon else situation will be worst.
If you are demanding the prize for Top 75 in Oct. Cook-Off -
I started codechef after last years ACM ICPC regionals online round. But as told but my seniors and CF comments. What happened yesterday is just a trailer of what will happen in regionals which are scheduled after a month. Maybe more worst can happen in Oct. Cook-Off, so they are ignoring these comments.
If this does not happens again, then you should be surprised and appreciate codechef. Don’t blame them for this. They have already achieved a reputation for Sept, Oct. Cook-Off, Regionals online round. And If they can come above those things, then they deserve appreciation.
If you are demanding an unrated contest due to weak test cases -
Surely its an issue they will try that this does not happen in future. I don’t think that test cases were made weak intentionally.
I forgive them for weak test cases. I will be surprised and will appreciate them if glitches do not happen in Oct. Cook-Off and online regionals.
Let us accept the fact - “CodeChef has limited resources, and they are working hard to give us best out of what they have.”
So let us stop blaming them and focus for a contest which is scheduled after a month. And participate again in Oct. Cook-Off so that you have two unpleasant experiences and you don’t get annoyed due to servers in the online round. Hence the name Mega Cook-Off - “Experience server glitches before facing them in the Online round.”
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Even I support u.I have seen that, how hard codechef team works in limited resources. Upvote from me
I didn’t participate in many CodeChef events recently. Is that “Hold right there Sparky!!” something that has been added short time ago? It basically killed half of the contest functionality for me, because the captcha to pass was quickly getting more and more challenging and time-consuming.
It was also horribly annoying and upsetting experience.
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The fact that solutions like https://www.codechef.com/viewsolution/20308915 pass says a lot about how well the problem has been prepared 
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Now I can say that it was my huge mistake to decide about taking part in the contest yesterday.
It wasn’t great experience
But while for me it was just about not having fun when I expected to have a lot of fun, and it didn’t matter for anything except of my mood for the evening - I feel really sorry for people who’ll have to take part in official ICPC competitions under such conditions.
I know all those stories about Indian preliminaries - but I was hoping that it is more about ancient times… And it is frustrating to see that contest platform still can’t be made to work properly even in 2018.
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Its really ubfair to make it unrated too…there are people who tried their best tocome in top 50…
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And just becaz test cases are weak,doesnt mean that contest should be unrated.90% of people who solved 2nd solved using optimal approach…
Yeah i agree that server issue were there,bt it wasnt that extreme,atleast people could submit…(atleast many of my friends didnt face thar problem too severe…if any1 did then could make the contest unrated for them…its just that people have worked hard to solve sums they have(i gave contest despite having exam today)
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I too support u
Can u tell how many in top 50 had wrong solutions?
I hardly can find 1 …
I am so done with CodeChef. I won’t comment much about the platform conditions during the contest as many people have elaborately explained the situation but the thing is after you have realized that the contest was nothing more than a disaster, Why make it rated just because you have to award reimbursements ? Either make a separate contest to reward the reimbursements in a fair contest and just pretend as if this contest never happened or just give the 50 lucky people their reimbursements and make the contest unrated. I see no reason why this contest was made rated. I am already worried about what’s going to happen in the Online ICPC Qualifiers as the number of participants then would be nowhere close to what was yesterday.
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That’s true, what CodeChef has been able to achieve with such limited resources is appreciable. Besides the fact that they are currently one of the best CP sites alongside Codeforces and TopCoder is worth acknowledging. Besides blaming them in this situation ain’t gonna do any good. Point out the flaws and appreciate them for their hard work and effort. Running a CP site isn’t easy, sure they are gonna improve with time