EuroPython 2019 - Gamify challenge

def funky_max(a, start, end):
    if end - start <= 1:
        return max(a[start], a[end])
    mid = (start + end) // 2
    first_side = sum(a[start:mid])
    second_side = sum(a[mid:end])
    if first_side > second_side:
        return funky_max(a, start, mid)
    else:
        return funky_max(a, mid, end)

"""
1) What's the time complexity? # HELPER QUESTION
2) This code doesn't always provide the max, provide a counter example.
"""

answer = [...]
assert max(answer) != funky_max(answer, 0, len(answer) - 1)