Project Ramen Bachi

The Idea

Codeforces Analytics has a graph showing how many problems you’ve solved at each rating, from 800 all the way to 3500. Most people use it to figure out which ratings they practice the most or where they should improve next. I had a different idea. What if that histogram wasn’t just a record of practice? What if it was something I could intentionally design? Instead of letting the bars grow naturally, I want them to slowly form the silhouette of a traditional Japanese ramen bowl, or ramen bachi (ラーメン鉢). It doesn’t make my practice more efficient, but it definitely makes it more fun.

The Blueprint

Before solving anything, I designed the shape I want the graph to become. Every solved problem changes the height of exactly one bar, which means every accepted solution is another small step toward revealing the bowl. Some rating ranges will need more problems, while others will need fewer, simply because that’s what the final shape requires. Over time, an ordinary histogram should slowly transform into something much more recognizable.

This isn’t my current graph. It’s the shape I’m trying to recreate, one solved problem at a time.

The Challenge

Unlike a normal practice plan, this one isn’t optimized for improving as quickly as possible. There will be days when I solve problems from a rating range simply because the graph needs another bar there. Sometimes the practice will line up perfectly with the design, and sometimes it won’t. I’ll adjust along the way, but the goal stays the same: treat every solved problem as another brush stroke instead of just another statistic.

Why?

Competitive programming already gives us plenty of numbers, charts, and graphs. I thought it would be fun to treat one of those graphs as a creative canvas instead. Everyone has a solved-problem histogram, but very few people intentionally shape it into something recognizable. It doesn’t increase my rating or make me a stronger programmer overnight, but it makes the journey a lot more memorable.

The Journey

As I solve more problems, the graph will slowly begin to curve into the outline of the bowl. At first it will probably look like a random collection of bars, but with enough time the shape should become clear. Whether it turns out exactly as planned or ends up slightly imperfect, I’ll have a graph that tells a story instead of simply counting solved problems.

Started in 2026. Still cooking.