Form IF-2026 · Office of Recreational Computation

The Inefficient Fibonacci Challenge

Filed under: deliberate, elaborate, unapologetic underperformance.

CERTIFIED INEFFICIENT · O(??) · FIB(n) APPROVED FOR WASTE

Art. INotice of Competition

This is an open call for the worst possible correct implementation of the nth Fibonacci number. Cleverness is discouraged. Waste is the point — provided the waste is entirely algorithmic, with no artificial stalling. The prevailing entrant receives a £5 Amazon gift card and the right to be smug about it.

Filing closes —

Art. IIStatutes Governing Entry

  • Submissions must be written in Python.
  • Submissions must define a function named fib(n).
  • fib(n) must return the exact value of Fib(n), where n is a non-negative integer.
  • The sequence is defined as Fib(n) = Fib(n−1) + Fib(n−2) for n ≥ 2, with Fib(0) = 0 and Fib(1) = 1.
  • No sleeps, waits, spin-loops, or other timing tricks. Inefficiency must be algorithmic, not theatrical.
  • No memoization or caching of any kind.
  • The program must terminate and be correct for the evaluated n.
  • No external network requests. Code is executed with networking disabled during evaluation.
  • Evaluation uses a single integer n, drawn uniformly at random from 10 to 50 inclusive, applied to every entry.
  • Total runtime is capped at the Judges' discretion; entries that exceed it are disqualified rather than crowned.
  • Entries the Judges deem merely slow rather than inventively slow may be disqualified as boring.

Art. IIIApproved Techniques (Non-Exhaustive)

Suggestions for the aspiring underachiever:

  • Redundant recomputation
  • Deliberately catastrophic asymptotic complexity
  • Re-deriving constants like φ and √5 from scratch
  • Random search that eventually stumbles onto the answer
  • Homemade virtual machines, interpreters, or simulators
  • Mathematical overkill of any denomination

Art. IVSubmission Intake

Complete the fields below. All fields marked required are, in fact, required.

Must define fib(n). No caching, no sleeps.
Explain what makes this abomination special.

Art. VScoring

Primary Slowest correct runtime on the randomly chosen n.
Tiebreak Judges' Choice for overall stupidity, decided by vibes.

Art. VIEvaluation Procedure & Prize

A single integer n is drawn at random from 10 to 50 inclusive and applied to every submission. The correct entry with the slowest runtime for that n wins. Ties are broken with a second random draw.

Each entry runs twice: an untimed warm-up pass, then a timed pass used for ranking. Both runs happen in an isolated sandbox with networking disabled.

By submitting, you consent to your code being published on YouTube and other social media. Prize: one £5 Amazon gift card.

Filing closes —