But in my view there is no battle of wills. If the question is an algorithms type question, then there is no ambiguity, and either the interviewee answers it or they don't.
Now if I had asked for a good way to construct a map, and the answer had been that hash maps are good on paper but have high overhead, then I would have to consider their answer carefully. But if I ask how an AVL tree works and the answer is "why do you want to know that" then they have just avoided the question, and I have to insist they answer it.
Now if I had asked for a good way to construct a map, and the answer had been that hash maps are good on paper but have high overhead, then I would have to consider their answer carefully. But if I ask how an AVL tree works and the answer is "why do you want to know that" then they have just avoided the question, and I have to insist they answer it.