Oh no! March 1 is Friday. So March long contest will start as usual. I was hoping that I will have more time on testing it, especially considering that February is a short month 
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1 and 2 are perfect 
Good work Admins!
Note that âCodeChef uses SPOJ © by Sphere Research Labsâ.
It seems like SPOJ donât have such convenient possibility to see on what test case you solution is wrong. So the only possible way would be to release the test data after the contest. So that user could figure it out his mistake by comparison of outputs on his local machine. But AFAIK admins several times reject such request of contestants. So unlikely this time someone decide to agree with this point.
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I see one of the reasons to not release the test data is to avoid copying of codechef problems to other online judges and also not let someone else use problems in some prohibited way.
So from this point of view it seems reasonable to not release the test data.
I understand your point that as CodeChef uses SPOJ for running its system tests its not feasible to release the Run Log but I feel that some alternative way should be developed to provide the user with the test cases due to which the userâs solution failed the system tests. Many a times the user is unable to figure out the bug in his code even after looking at other personâs accepted solution, which sometimes leads to leaving the problem unsolved.
Websites like Topcoder and Codeforces also provide the user with the System Run Log. So I donât get your point that the problems being copied or used in some prohibited way. Besides that, many of the problem statements in the CodeChef practice problem set have been copied from spoj.pl, so it should not be an issue when some other online judge copies CodeChef problems.
Let admins answer this. I actually donât remember what is the reason for not publishing test cases. I now see that my reason with copying problems does not make any sense.
AFAIR it is opposite to your logic. Having test data it is too easy to find the bug and this will make worse ability of the contestant to find bugs by themselves.
Note that when you work at some company nobody will provide you with test cases where your program fails. So providing test data here could be disservice.
If you have correct solution you could always try to run stress-test to find the test where your solution gives wrong result. If running this on random tests does not help then you should come up with better test generation plan. This is very helpful ability.
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I am saying to provide with the test cases after the contest gets over. During the contest, the participant always tries his level best to find the bug in his code and after the contest he expects that he will come to know about his mistake.
I understand in a company environment nobody will provide me with the test cases, but the contest getting over is similar to exceeding the time limit of finding the bug in my code, while someone else has already checked-in a bug free code. So, before moving to his solution I would like to find the bug in my solution, here the test data would help me.
We will have a separate discussion on virtual contests.
@anton_lunyov When you work at some company, you wonât even know whether your solution is correct, so perhaps CodeChef should not tell contestants the result until after the contest. On the other hand, when you work at some company, you can discuss the problem with your peers, ask on forums etc.
My point is that coding competitions donât (and shouldnât) simulate a work environment, and therefore such an argument is inapplicable to them. What should be considered is whether a particular aspect encourages or discourages learning and improvement.
âWhat should be considered is whether a particular aspect encourages or discourages learning and improvement.â
If this is the point to adress, then the answer is simple:
Showing test cases to the contestant can make his/her job easier, as by not showing wrong test cases, it forces the contestant to think on corner cases and analyzing code which is a great skill to have either as a recreative coder or working for a company.
Specifically about releasing test data, I think there are cases both ways. For weaker coders, perhaps, having to think carefully about their code, come up with their own tests, could be beneficial. For stronger coders, who already do this as a matter of habit, I think itâs not very productive.
I consider myself to be a relatively good coder (nowhere near the top, though). Having spent several hours debugging DIVPRO because I consider 0 to be a 1-digit number definitely did not help me become better at anything. That is probably a case where having access to the data would have been better.
@archie004 I feel like it is better to convert your answer to question and all our comments as answers so that this discussion could be continued having more space for answers and probably it will involve more people
@kuruma @msasha @archie004 If you give go ahead I can do this.
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Sure, you have green light here 
I find great we are improving CodeChefâs functionality as a community!! This is another important discussion topic!
There have been discussions on this previously and I feel test cases should not be revealed. An old thread where this was discussed.
http://discuss.codechef.com/questions/491/will-codechef-provide-test-cases
Hm⊠It seems that the best way would be to move this answer and comments to the thread mentioned by @mukulgupta. But it seems we have no such functionality. So I left all as it is.
There is missing one possibility in âHow many days should a Long contest run?â 
My opinion is the better format would be start on Saturday and end next Sunday (9 days are ok, but Iâd like to have two weekends).