abstract:In optimization (a branch of mathematics) and search algorithms (a topic in computer science), a candidate solution is a member of a set of possible solutions to a given problem. A candidate solution does not have to be a likely or reasonable solution to the problem—it is simply in the set that satisfies all constraints; that is, it is in the set of feasible solutions.
And in our eagerness to appear responsive to this acute public concern, every candidate will feel compelled to offer his or her "solution" to the problem.