Codemate 2021 Doubts

Hi,
I participated in Codemate 2021 (Link) and faced issues with multiple problems.

1. Protect Computers (Problem).
At first, I was thinking I am doing something wrong, but the problem was too simple to do anything wrong. Python is my primary programming language and an NZEC was something i could not comprehend at all. At last moment, I submitted the same in c++ and got an AC. After the contest, I checked all python submissions. No single one of them got an AC. My question is, is it possible that the evaluation script has some issue that comes up in Python for potential correct answers? I know it’s a very weird question and I thought 5 times before posting it, but I am still searching for an explanation to what is going wrong and haven’t found any.

2. Win the battle(Problem)
Did nobody test this problem? @rajan0909 It would be nice if such things don’t happen, and would love to know why it could not be fixed in the duration of the contest. Will all solutions be re-evaluated after the contest with correct test case? Or does everyone have a wrong solution to what seems to be a trivial problem?

Thank You

3 Likes

Protect computers problem had no sample test cases. How is this possible?

2 Likes

I guess it’s a way to protect Codechef’s computers :joy:

2 Likes

I have the same experience with the “Protect computers” problem. It should be a very straightforward DFS problem, and indeed inspecting e.g. the C++ solutions, it is. However all my Python attempts were rejected, see e.g. https://www.codechef.com/viewsolution/41699972 that got NZEC. I would be grateful for an extra pair of eyes looking at it and telling me where it can possibly crash.

I have had problems with Python NZEC in Codechef before, and have asked for site admins’ support, but all I have got are some generic and totally irrelevant recommendations for testing. I do not understand why in the practice mode the solver can’t be given access to a test case that produces the NZEC result. With access to a specific failing test we could conclusively settle such cases, whether it was a fault of the solver of whether Codechef testing environment is somewhat buggy when it comes to Python.

2 Likes