This makes me think and speculate if the solution comprises of a "solver" trying semi-random or more targeted things and a "checker" checking these? Usually checking a solution is cognitively (and computationally) easier than coming up with it. Else I cannot think what sort of compute would burn 6000$ per task, unless you are going through a lot of loops and you have somehow solved the part of the problem that can figure out if a solution is correct or not, while coming up with the actual correct solution is not as solved yet to the same degree. Or maybe I am just naive and these prices are just like breakfast for companies like that.