In this paper we present several examples of solving algorithmic problems from the Google Code Jam programming contest with Picat programming language using declarative techniques: constraint logic programming and tabled logic programming. In some ca
ses the use of Picat simplifies the implementation compared to conventional imperative programming languages, while in others it allows to directly convert the problem statement into an efficiently solvable declarative problem specification without inventing an imperative algorithm.
In this paper we demonstrate several examples of solving challenging algorithmic problems from the Google Code Jam programming contest with the Prolog-based ECLiPSe system using declarative techniques like constraint logic programming and linear (int
eger) programming. These problems were designed to be solved by inventing clever algorithms and efficiently implementing them in a conventional imperative programming language, but we present relatively simple declarative programs in ECLiPSe that are fast enough to find answers within the time limit imposed by the contest rules. We claim that declarative programming with ECLiPSe is better suited for solving certain common kinds of programming problems offered in Google Code Jam than imperative programming. We show this by comparing the mental steps required to come up with both kinds of solutions.
