Advent of Code 2020: Intro

Part of the series Advent of Code 2020 (0 posts total).

See the repository here..

Every Christmas a capture-the-flag (CTF) style programming challenge is posted as an advent calendar called Advent of Code. From the 1st to the 25th of December inclusive, a programming challenge is released. The challenge consists of two parts and in both parts, the programmer uses the input they are given to obtain the correct result any way the programmer pleases. The correct input is known by the website, so it may check if it is correct. The CTF has many participants and 2020 was no deviation.

I theorise that the decrease in correct answers as Christmas nears is that people give up, as it becomes too much work or more difficult. I find that the challenges ramp up in difficulty quite fast, but beyond day 7 or so the difficult remains the same. The hardest challenges are usually presented in the 20’s. To unlock and attempt part 2 of the challenge, part 1 must be answered correctly. It’s interesting to see that some days have part 2 that are clearly more difficult than others.

According to this graph, the hardest part 2’s are day 20 and day 25. Coincidentally, these are the only parts I have not completed. To unlock day 25 part 2 you must have answered part 1 & 2 correctly for every other day, that is 1 to 24th of December. Naturally, this means that day 25 part 2 is likely to be the least solved part 2, which it is.

I’ve completed many of the challenges, mostly using Python. On this page, you will find some of the notes I’ve made for each day. Some of the days are not that interesting, as the challenges were easy or trivial. You can find the complete repository on GitHub. The repository consists of a python file for each day, which provides an answer for each part based on the corresponding input located in the /input/ folder. The only exception to the input is during day 23, where the input is merely a single number which is inputted in code.

I usually never complete the Advent of Code during Christmas, as it right around the date of project hand-in at my university, which entails stress and lack of time. Therefore I just complete the CTF in a slow tempo on the side.