I wonder if this is an interesting data point for this : an example where the multiplier for Python actually ends up acting in Python’s favour?
A Python solution for this Problem will have 5 seconds to run, and if string comparision in Python is roughly as fast as it is in C or C++ (seems like a fairly reasonable hypothesis: there’ll probably be a bit of constant overhead for the comparison call, but the raw comparison of strings of characters is probably performed by something written in C), then Python users might have an advantage for this particular Problem.
Dunno though - all speculation 