Personally, I'd prefer an actual small contract gig. Most companies have something tangential that they'd like to have but may not be worth dedicating their full-timers to, or isn't directly in line with their main focus. Some small tool, bit of automation that would help, or minor project.
It gives us an actual chance to work together professionally on a real thing. I get actual pay. The company gets something actually useful (not just a puzzle solution). The team can keep their focus on the bigger stuff. It's kind of a win-win.
It does need to be something rather small and non-critical, yet relevant enough, which might be a little more difficult than just picking a generic puzzle. And requires a little extra setup for the contracting and pay. So I can see why many don't bother.
It gives us an actual chance to work together professionally on a real thing. I get actual pay. The company gets something actually useful (not just a puzzle solution). The team can keep their focus on the bigger stuff. It's kind of a win-win.
It does need to be something rather small and non-critical, yet relevant enough, which might be a little more difficult than just picking a generic puzzle. And requires a little extra setup for the contracting and pay. So I can see why many don't bother.