Shouldn't you have ended this with an urgent plea for money to help bribe the guards and set him free?

Iran is pursuing the same approach as China. Rather than block social media sites, leverage their citizen's desire for them by replacing them with similar state-approved (sic - controlled) duplicates. Nothing new. I would be more interested in what Western technologies are making this possible, a more interesting discussion for Slashdot.

Brain teasers are just another fad. In fact, if the interviewer is asking you about your resume/experience then there's another HR fail. The interview is the corporation's one chance to judge your character and personality, e.g., chemistry. Your resume and references show you're a hot shot programmer. Are you also a psychopath who will reek havoc and destruction through the organization? Most HR organizations and hiring managers don't get that and simply spend the interview rehashing your resume. When they do that, the candidate is in control.

In what other profession could you take a professional from 100 years ago and put them in today's work environment and with a few minor adjustments find that they could perform their job? Teaching/education system is about the only one I can think of quickly. That in itself doesn't mean there's a problem but it certainly stands out as something worth reviewing.