Simplify, always simplify

Today I learned:

Never overcomplicate your optimization techniques.

Today's code optimization challenge was to find the 30x30 Topelitz matrix with the largest determinant. I was silly, and implemented a genetic algorithm, then a breeding genetic algorithm, which gave me 6.1*10^13. Then, I used simple hill climbing, I got 6.5*10^13 on the first try, which I now believe is maximal. Simpler is better because you can try more simple thigns in the time it takes to try something complicated, and it's hard to guess which will be effective.

The resulting best matrix:

[[0 0 1 0 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 1 0]
 [0 0 0 1 0 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 1]
 [1 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 1 0 0]
 [0 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 1 0]
 [0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 1]
 [1 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 0]
 [0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 1]
 [1 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 1]
 [1 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 0]
 [0 1 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 1]
 [1 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 0]
 [0 1 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 0]
 [0 0 1 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 0 0 1 1 1 0 0]
 [0 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 0 0 1 1 1 0]
 [0 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 0 0 1 1 1]
 [1 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 0 0 1 1]
 [1 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 0 0 1]
 [1 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 0 0]
 [0 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 0]
 [0 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 1 0 1 1 1]
 [1 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 1 0 1 1]
 [1 1 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 1 0 1]
 [1 1 1 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 1 0]
 [0 1 1 1 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 1]
 [1 0 1 1 1 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 1]
 [1 1 0 1 1 1 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 1]
 [1 1 1 0 1 1 1 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0]
 [0 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 1]
 [1 0 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0]
 [0 1 0 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 0]]