AnthropicVerified interview challenge
Profiler trace bug hunt
Find the bugs in a profiler that identifies which function consumed the most execution time.
Unlock with Full AccessThe challenge
A function processes start and end events from a single thread and calculates time spent inside each function. Inspect how it handles nested calls, recursion and incomplete or invalid traces. Explain the faults and how you would correct them without rewriting the implementation.
What you'll practise
Nested execution
Reason about time spent in a function and in the calls it makes.
Trace validation
Check that event sequences follow the required call structure.
Boundary cases
Follow the behaviour when calls repeat or remain open.
Profiler implementationCode included in the full challenge
Your diagnosis
Explain the timing and trace-validation faults.
The code, instructions and feedback are included with Full Access.