SPOJ PALIN

#include <iostream>
#include <vector>
using namespace std;

bool compare(vector<int> n1,vector<int> n2,int half){
 // if n1>n2 for problem size(n1) == size(n2)
 for (int i=n1.size()-1;i>=half;i--){
  if (n1[i]!=n2[i])
   return n1[i]>n2[i];
 }
 return false;
}

void work(vector<int>& num, int pos1, int pos2) {
 if (pos1 < 0) {
  num[num.size()-1] = 1;
  num.insert(num.begin(), 1);
  return;
  } else 
 if (num[pos1] < 9) {
        num[pos1] = num[pos2] = num[pos1] + 1;
        return;
    } else {
       num[pos1] = num[pos2] = 0;
        work(num, pos1-1, pos2+1);
        return;
   }
}

main (){
 char n;
 vector<int> num,old;
 int half,ssize;
 
 n=getc(stdin);
 while (n!='\n'){
  num.push_back(n-'0');
  n=getc(stdin);
 }
 while (num.size()>=1 && num[0]!=0){
  old = num;
  ssize=num.size();
  if (ssize%2==0){
   //even
   half=ssize/2;
   //mirror into vector
   for (int i=0;i<half;i++){
    num[ssize-1-i]=num[i];
   }
   if (compare(num,old,half)){
    for (int i=0;i<ssize;i++){
     printf ("%d",num[i]);
    }
    printf ("\n");
   } else {
    work (num,half-1,half);
    ssize=num.size();
    for (int i=0;i<ssize;i++){
     printf ("%d",num[i]);
    }
    printf ("\n");
   }
  } else {
   //odd
   half=ssize/2 ;
   //mirror into vector
   for (int i=0;i<half;i++){
    num[ssize-1-i]=num[i];
   }
   if (compare(num,old,half)){
    for (int i=0;i<ssize;i++){
     printf ("%d",num[i]);
    }
    printf ("\n");
   } else {
    work (num,half,half);
    ssize=num.size();
    for (int i=0;i<ssize;i++){
     printf ("%d",num[i]);
    }
    printf ("\n");
   }
  }
  num.clear();
  n=getc(stdin);
  while (n!='\n'){
   num.push_back(n-'0');
   n=getc(stdin);
  }
 }
}

Don't start smiling at the code above, thinking that you've got the solution!
The problem with the above is that its a TLE for SPOJ. If you can spot or fix the problem with the code, the points are free for you to grab. And if you are a little benevolent then do consider hinting me too on the shortcomings of this problem.
Adios