Hello, Codeforces! Codeforces #765 (Div. 2) took place not so long ago, and one of its authors was me. When an hour had passed since the contest started, I decided to remember the old days and start making fun of the cheaters.
To that end, I decided to take a look at the old cheater groups and see how they were doing.
The first group I looked into — is the group where the admin is actively fighting against cheaters. So, there really weren't any cheaters on the round. I think that's a success.
The second group I checked out — it's a group with 2.5k users. I decided that just going in there would be too boring, so I decided to write there that I was a contest author. Here's the reaction of the users:
Can you imagine?! I write that I am the author of the contest, and I am offered to leak the solution to problem C.
As in the last blog, I wrote a completely wrong solution to Problem C so that cheaters would send it and get WA, and then they would get banned by the anti-plagiarism system.
That's the solution:
I just dropped this code into the general group:
There are two interesting things here. First — some cheater wrote that "this code takes TL because it has two nested loops". Apparently cheaters don't know how to measure a time limit of a solution, and just think that two nested loops is bad. They probably just learned that it doesn't work in many problems, so they don't even think about writing it. By the way, that problem was $$$n \le 500$$$.
The second — I was banned from this group. Whatever.
But before that, a man wrote to me... You can read our correspondence yourself.
Then I decided to find a new group. And I found a group with... 7.5k people! I was so surprised! I decided to write there that I had the solution to Problem C.
I've had a lot more cheaters writing to me than I ever expected! By my calculations, I had about 20 people write to me, though usually not more than ten.
At first, I was just sending out solutions via private messages. From time to time people would asked me how much it costs, but I told them that I was giving them away for free.
But then a man wrote to me and asked me what my nickname on CF. I told him honestly that I am Wind_Eagle. And he asked me... what's the best way to train. I told him honestly. You can read what I advised him.
But I stopped communicating when I realized what he was really into sports programming for.
Then an apologetic cheater texted me... He apologized for cheating and promised not to do it again.
Then, of course, they started writing about how my solution was wrong. I, of course, replied that it was their problem.
Now I show you the funniest screenshots that I was able to make:
And the conclusion, as usual, is the same: cheating — this is a much bigger problem than it seems.
P.S. By the way, we got a couple of personal messages on Codeforces during the round:
P.P.S. Cheaters, be afraid — maybe I'll come to your groups again!
Can you please reveal the user id of the guy from the 2nd picture(from the codeforces message section part)
To be honest, that was somewhat entertaining.
Can this be made to be a regular thing? Like one of the contest authors/testers goes undercover and reveals these details.
It's always such a fun read.
Maybe I can replicate it in the next round.(cuz I am a tester in the next round)
Yeah it would be nice if you could :D but it's just a fun request.
But soon the cheaters will start to be more careful and groups will start to take precautions. The authors/testers will realize that in order to face the cheaters now, they will have to join together and form the.......... Codeforce
One can always assume a fake name to enter such groups.
A slightly related observation.
pofagolo
The submissions in this contest by this user are suspicious or maybe just a new found interest of programmers in literature. However, I don't think the comments he has written to avoid plagiarism are even legit literature.
Problem A 142474173
Problem B 142478475
Problem C 142484320
I like how, at times, you were providing legit resources to these low lives to learn from :prayge:
In I don't have a right solution, only a left solution:
when he say ye to galat h mean it's wrong I feel it brother when you replay him :D he is Indian just like me
I Don't understand why Indians(Some not all) Cheat so much they will never improve like that.
Like every time, this time also you came in my telegram group. Last time you told about my group in your blog too. Last Blog
And literary, I was waiting for you, I knew this time also you are checking groups and cheaters.
Btw, contest and problems were awesome!!
The first group I looked into — is the group where the admin is actively fighting against cheaters. So, there really weren't any cheaters on the round. I think that's a success.
Wind_Eagle are you talking about my group??
All Rounder Setter ;)
Let me get my tea
[Deleted!]
Now we have only Russian editorial. It should be translated into English.
I would like to express my thanks to you. My gratitude for your indisputably magnificent assistance is almost infinite. Your efforts have not gone unnoticed. I really like your contribution that you have in our society, you really make a difference and help others out, the world could always use more people like you. Gosh, what a polite and humble fellow. It is such a kind honour for someone as low as me to be in contact with someone of a level such as yours. I thank you once again my good friend. A world without you, would be a world I would not be able to live in, and I believe I share that opinion with most people. I can rest easy tonight knowing you helped. I appreciate you and everything you stand for and on behalf of everyone on planet earth, thanks.
very cunning and smart. Thank you for your contribution to the fight with evil. )) The world has not yet managed to get rid of two things. it's, 1. COVID-19. 2. Cheaters in CF. I hope both will end soon.
One of them is my senior who "encouraged" us juniors to do CP (to get placed) xD