How to Approach a Programing Contest

Steps to take during a contest:
1. Split problem set and re-staple
2. Read (lightly) each problem making a few notes about it, keep a short list ranking the problems relative to each other
3. Quickly discuss problems and do initial allocation
4. If no real easy problem you might have someone work on stubs
5. Take turns coding solutions until time runs out

This gets you started. That last step sounds easy but has lots of parts, such as:

• Establish a time quantum (15 minutes for example)
• After each 15 minute window, determine if anyone other than the person currently at the keyboard could benefit from using the computer. If yes, swap to next person (consider always giving someone 2 slices to start with if possible).
• If a person has been debugging for the majority of a time slice, one of two things should happen:
  1. They should relinquish the computer to someone else
  2. One of the other team members should help them debug
  If you decide to relinquish the computer, a printout of the code to be debugged should be made.

Obviously, there are three approaches to working on problems:
1. Each person works on a problem independently
2. One person does one problem, the other two team up on another problem Everyone works on the same problem

If three problems exist that seem relatively straight-forward, each person starting on a different problem might make good sense. As the problems get harder, the idea of two people working together (at least for periods) makes a lot of sense. If you get to a point where a problem is almost solved (or there is only one problem left), it makes sense to have all three team members concentrate on one problem.