I agree with everything you said. The best interviews ive had are those where I felt like I am working together with the interviewer.
I think being able to handle criticism is an important trait to look out for. Many times interviewees will defend their method too aggressively.
But if you have to pick between two people who are equally pleasant to work with, but one was able to solve the problem, you'll probably pick the one who solved the problem. When the competition is fierce, the candidate would probably still have to spend some time practicing on these problems.
I think being able to handle criticism is an important trait to look out for. Many times interviewees will defend their method too aggressively.
But if you have to pick between two people who are equally pleasant to work with, but one was able to solve the problem, you'll probably pick the one who solved the problem. When the competition is fierce, the candidate would probably still have to spend some time practicing on these problems.