You are the Guesser being evaluated in a Twenty Questions benchmark. One subject is hidden. The initial BEGIN message provides its broad category as trusted game metadata. Identify the subject using as few counted questions as possible. ASK is only for learning a property that helps distinguish possible candidates. Never use ASK to confirm a named candidate or ask whether the subject is a specific identity. When you are ready to name a candidate, use GUESS immediately. A correct GUESS costs zero counted questions; an incorrect GUESS costs exactly one, the same as ASK. A GUESS must provide both a name and a short identifying description. The engine replies only YES, NO, or UNKNOWN; UNKNOWN is a valid answer meaning the factual adjudication system could not determine the proposition under its evidence policy. Questions requiring proof of absence, exclusivity, completeness, exact counts, or subjective classification are more likely to return UNKNOWN. Prefer direct, positively verifiable properties when possible. The initial BEGIN event includes an opaque variation_token that contains no information about the hidden subject. Do not interpret, repeat, mention, or derive meaning from it. After BEGIN, each user reply is either one adjudicated YES, NO, or UNKNOWN token or a fixed FORMAT_ERROR event. FORMAT_ERROR means your immediately preceding response did not match the required structured-action contract, was not semantically adjudicated, and consumed one counted turn. Use the formats in that event and try again. Never infer that the attempted question or guess was right or wrong. At most 50 questions or rejected guesses are counted. After that limit you receive one final guess-only opportunity. Format errors also consume counted turns. The provider wire response is an object with exactly one `result` action. On the final opportunity ASK is forbidden. Return only the required structured response. Do not include analysis, hidden reasoning, or additional fields.
- Questions
- 13
- Outcome
- Solved
- Format errors
- No errors
- Duration
- 3m 39s
- Round cost
- $0.1171 All 14 turns
Transcript
Questions and answers.
Turns are shown in the order they happened. Each shows the Guesser's question or guess, then the final checked answer.
Exact Guesser setupSystem message and BEGIN event
The Guesser received these messages at the start of the round. The BEGIN message holds the broad category and a code made from the base seed and round number, which reveals nothing about the subject.
{"category":"video_game_character","event":"BEGIN","variation_token":"BYOMPCJW"}Valid replies are shown in the required format. Rejected replies are shown separately, without provider or call IDs.
Is the character human or human-like?
Recorded Guesser outputRequired JSON format
{"result":{"action":"ASK","description":null,"name":null,"question":"Is the character human or human-like?"}}Oracle evidence1 model-reported source
The Oracle reported these excerpts and URLs. They are not independently checked.
Motokura confirms that Mario is human.Open vice.com (opens in a new tab)
Did the character originate in a video game developed primarily in Japan?
Recorded Guesser outputRequired JSON format
{"result":{"action":"ASK","description":null,"name":null,"question":"Did the character originate in a video game developed primarily in Japan?"}}Oracle evidence2 model-reported sources
The Oracle reported these excerpts and URLs. They are not independently checked.
Mario debuted as Jumpman in Donkey Kong (1981).Open britannica.com (opens in a new tab)
Developer - Publisher: Nintendo Co., Ltd. - Kyoto, JapanOpen firstversions.com (opens in a new tab)
Is the character male?
Recorded Guesser outputRequired JSON format
{"result":{"action":"ASK","description":null,"name":null,"question":"Is the character male?"}}Oracle evidence1 model-reported source
The Oracle reported these excerpts and URLs. They are not independently checked.
Mario — Gender: MaleOpen 1980sgamer.fandom.com (opens in a new tab)
Is the character the primary protagonist of the game or series in which he appears?
Recorded Guesser outputRequired JSON format
{"result":{"action":"ASK","description":null,"name":null,"question":"Is the character the primary protagonist of the game or series in which he appears?"}}Oracle evidence2 model-reported sources
The Oracle reported these excerpts and URLs. They are not independently checked.
Miyamoto actually first created the Mario character to be the protagonist of "Donkey Kong," the 1981 arcade game.Open cnbc.com (opens in a new tab)
Mario ... is ... the protagonist of the world-renowned Mario franchise.Open guinnessworldrecords.com (opens in a new tab)
Did the character first appear in a game released for a Nintendo console or handheld?
Recorded Guesser outputRequired JSON format
{"result":{"action":"ASK","description":null,"name":null,"question":"Did the character first appear in a game released for a Nintendo console or handheld?"}}Oracle evidence2 model-reported sources
The Oracle reported these excerpts and URLs. They are not independently checked.
Miyamoto first created the Mario character to be the protagonist of Donkey Kong, the 1981 arcade game.Open cnbc.com (opens in a new tab)
Donkey Kong was released for the arcade on July 9, 1981; its Nintendo Entertainment System release came later, in 1983.Open ssbwiki.com (opens in a new tab)
Did the character first appear on a PlayStation console?
Recorded Guesser outputRequired JSON format
{"result":{"action":"ASK","description":null,"name":null,"question":"Did the character first appear on a PlayStation console?"}}Oracle evidence2 model-reported sources
The Oracle reported these excerpts and URLs. They are not independently checked.
This title marks the very first appearance of Mario ... Donkey Kong ... was an arcade game that was released by Nintendo in 1981.Open mario.fandom.com (opens in a new tab)
Released: July 9, 1981 ... Platform: Arcade ... Mario (original name Jumpman).Open firstversions.com (opens in a new tab)
Did the character first appear in a game released for a Sega console or arcade system?
Recorded Guesser outputRequired JSON format
{"result":{"action":"ASK","description":null,"name":null,"question":"Did the character first appear in a game released for a Sega console or arcade system?"}}Oracle evidence2 model-reported sources
The Oracle reported these excerpts and URLs. They are not independently checked.
This title marks the very first appearance of Mario ... is an arcade game that was released by Nintendo in 1981.Open mario.fandom.com (opens in a new tab)
Miyamoto actually first created the Mario character to be the protagonist of Donkey Kong, the 1981 arcade game.Open cnbc.com (opens in a new tab)
Is the character primarily associated with stealth-action games?
Recorded Guesser outputRequired JSON format
{"result":{"action":"ASK","description":null,"name":null,"question":"Is the character primarily associated with stealth-action games?"}}Oracle evidence2 model-reported sources
The Oracle reported these excerpts and URLs. They are not independently checked.
Mario games have traditionally been platformers, where the character has to run and jump, collect items and fight enemies.Open merriam-webster.com (opens in a new tab)
Mario stars in a variety of spin-off games outside of his mainline series of platform games.Open nintendolife.com (opens in a new tab)
Did the character first appear in a game released for a Microsoft Xbox console?
Recorded Guesser outputRequired JSON format
{"result":{"action":"ASK","description":null,"name":null,"question":"Did the character first appear in a game released for a Microsoft Xbox console?"}}Oracle evidence2 model-reported sources
The Oracle reported these excerpts and URLs. They are not independently checked.
Shigeru Miyamoto actually first created the Mario character to be the protagonist of Donkey Kong, the 1981 arcade game.Open cnbc.com (opens in a new tab)
When Americans first encountered him in arcades ... in 1981, Jumpman’s best friend ... had turned on his owner.Open time.com (opens in a new tab)
Is the character primarily associated with fighting games?
Recorded Guesser outputRequired JSON format
{"result":{"action":"ASK","description":null,"name":null,"question":"Is the character primarily associated with fighting games?"}}Oracle evidence3 model-reported sources
The Oracle reported these excerpts and URLs. They are not independently checked.
Nintendo continued with its official mascot, Mario, in Super Mario World (1990).Open britannica.com (opens in a new tab)
Super Mario Bros. (1985), a platform game, made Mario the star of the best-selling video game.Open britannica.com (opens in a new tab)
The first Super Mario games were platformers, but the series has since spun off into various other genres.Open mariowiki.com (opens in a new tab)
Did the character first appear in a role-playing game?
Recorded Guesser outputRequired JSON format
{"result":{"action":"ASK","description":null,"name":null,"question":"Did the character first appear in a role-playing game?"}}Oracle evidence2 model-reported sources
The Oracle reported these excerpts and URLs. They are not independently checked.
Miyamoto first created the Mario character to be the protagonist of Donkey Kong, the 1981 arcade game.Open cnbc.com (opens in a new tab)
The arcade machine marked the first appearance of ... Jumpman, better known as Mario.Open britannica.com (opens in a new tab)
Did the character first appear in an arcade video game?
Recorded Guesser outputRequired JSON format
{"result":{"action":"ASK","description":null,"name":null,"question":"Did the character first appear in an arcade video game?"}}Oracle evidence2 model-reported sources
The Oracle reported these excerpts and URLs. They are not independently checked.
Miyamoto first created the Mario character to be the protagonist of Donkey Kong, the 1981 arcade game.Open cnbc.com (opens in a new tab)
When Americans first encountered him in arcades on this day, June 2, in 1981, Jumpman’s best friend ... had turned on his owner.Open time.com (opens in a new tab)
Is the character primarily associated with platform games?
Recorded Guesser outputRequired JSON format
{"result":{"action":"ASK","description":null,"name":null,"question":"Is the character primarily associated with platform games?"}}Oracle evidence2 model-reported sources
The Oracle reported these excerpts and URLs. They are not independently checked.
Mario has mostly been about platforming his way to rescue Princess Peach from Bowser.Open shacknews.com (opens in a new tab)
Super Mario Bros. (1985) ... [was] a vastly improved version ... [and] the best-selling video game.Open britannica.com (opens in a new tab)
Mario
Nintendo's iconic mustachioed human plumber and platform-game protagonist, who first appeared in the arcade game Donkey Kong.
Validator rationale The proposal identifies Mario, the same Nintendo video-game character described in the trusted subject.
Recorded Guesser outputRequired JSON format
{"result":{"action":"GUESS","description":"Nintendo's iconic mustachioed human plumber and platform-game protagonist, who first appeared in the arcade game Donkey Kong.","name":"Mario","question":null}}