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
- 11
- Outcome
- Solved
- Format errors
- No errors
- Duration
- 5m 28s
- Round cost
- $0.0911 All 12 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":"person","event":"BEGIN","variation_token":"XSZW5TRZ"}Valid replies are shown in the required format. Rejected replies are shown separately, without provider or call IDs.
Is the person living?
Recorded Guesser outputRequired JSON format
{"result":{"action":"ASK","description":null,"name":null,"question":"Is the person living?"}}Oracle evidence2 model-reported sources
The Oracle reported these excerpts and URLs. They are not independently checked.
The Institute Season Two — Posted: February 4th, 2026Open stephenking.com (opens in a new tab)
Please be assured that this is just a hoax and Stephen is very much alive and well.Open stephenking.com (opens in a new tab)
Is the person primarily known for entertainment (movies, music, television, or theater)?
Recorded Guesser outputRequired JSON format
{"result":{"action":"ASK","description":null,"name":null,"question":"Is the person primarily known for entertainment (movies, music, television, or theater)?"}}Oracle evidence2 model-reported sources
The Oracle reported these excerpts and URLs. They are not independently checked.
Stephen King is a 'New York Times'-bestselling novelist who made his name in the horror and fantasy genres with books like 'Carrie,' 'The Shining' and 'IT.'Open biography.com (opens in a new tab)
U.S. writer of horror stories... one of the world’s best-selling writers.Open britannica.com (opens in a new tab)
Is the person primarily known for politics or government service?
Recorded Guesser outputRequired JSON format
{"result":{"action":"ASK","description":null,"name":null,"question":"Is the person primarily known for politics or government service?"}}Oracle evidence1 model-reported source
The Oracle reported these excerpts and URLs. They are not independently checked.
Stephen (Edwin) King ... U.S. writer of horror stories ... one of the world’s best-selling writers.Open britannica.com (opens in a new tab)
Is the person primarily known for sports?
Recorded Guesser outputRequired JSON format
{"result":{"action":"ASK","description":null,"name":null,"question":"Is the person primarily known for sports?"}}Oracle evidence2 model-reported sources
The Oracle reported these excerpts and URLs. They are not independently checked.
Here’s a look at the life of best-selling author Stephen King... He is best known for his works in the horror and fantasy genres.Open cnn.com (opens in a new tab)
Stephen King is a 'New York Times'-bestselling novelist who made his name in the horror and fantasy genres.Open biography.com (opens in a new tab)
Is the person primarily known for science or technology?
Recorded Guesser outputRequired JSON format
{"result":{"action":"ASK","description":null,"name":null,"question":"Is the person primarily known for science or technology?"}}Oracle evidence2 model-reported sources
The Oracle reported these excerpts and URLs. They are not independently checked.
He is best known for his works in the horror and fantasy genres.Open cnn.com (opens in a new tab)
U.S. writer of horror stories.Open britannica.com (opens in a new tab)
Is the person primarily known for business or entrepreneurship?
Recorded Guesser outputRequired JSON format
{"result":{"action":"ASK","description":null,"name":null,"question":"Is the person primarily known for business or entrepreneurship?"}}Oracle evidence1 model-reported source
The Oracle reported these excerpts and URLs. They are not independently checked.
Stephen King is a 'New York Times'-bestselling novelist who made his name in the horror and fantasy genres.Open biography.com (opens in a new tab)
Is the person primarily known for literature or writing (authors, poets, journalists)?
Recorded Guesser outputRequired JSON format
{"result":{"action":"ASK","description":null,"name":null,"question":"Is the person primarily known for literature or writing (authors, poets, journalists)?"}}Oracle evidence2 model-reported sources
The Oracle reported these excerpts and URLs. They are not independently checked.
U.S. writer of horror stories... one of the world’s best-selling writers.Open britannica.com (opens in a new tab)
His acclaimed novels and short story collections include Carrie, The Shining, The Stand, Misery and 11.22.63.Open stephenkingbooks.co.uk (opens in a new tab)
Is the person primarily known as a novelist?
Recorded Guesser outputRequired JSON format
{"result":{"action":"ASK","description":null,"name":null,"question":"Is the person primarily known as a novelist?"}}Oracle evidence1 model-reported source
The Oracle reported these excerpts and URLs. They are not independently checked.
Stephen King ... is an American novelist and short-story writer whose books are credited with reviving the genre of horror fiction in the late 20th century.Open britannica.com (opens in a new tab)
Has the person won the Nobel Prize in Literature?
Recorded Guesser outputRequired JSON format
{"result":{"action":"ASK","description":null,"name":null,"question":"Has the person won the Nobel Prize in Literature?"}}Oracle evidence1 model-reported source
The Oracle reported these excerpts and URLs. They are not independently checked.
Why Stephen King will never win a Nobel PrizeOpen dw.com (opens in a new tab)
Is the person American?
Recorded Guesser outputRequired JSON format
{"result":{"action":"ASK","description":null,"name":null,"question":"Is the person American?"}}Oracle evidence1 model-reported source
The Oracle reported these excerpts and URLs. They are not independently checked.
Stephen (Edwin) King ... (born Sept. 21, 1947, Portland, Maine, U.S.), U.S. writer of horror stories.Open britannica.com (opens in a new tab)
Is the person primarily known for horror or suspense novels?
Recorded Guesser outputRequired JSON format
{"result":{"action":"ASK","description":null,"name":null,"question":"Is the person primarily known for horror or suspense novels?"}}Oracle evidence2 model-reported sources
The Oracle reported these excerpts and URLs. They are not independently checked.
Stephen King is a bestselling novelist who made his name in the horror and fantasy genres with books like Carrie, The Shining and IT.Open biography.com (opens in a new tab)
Stephen King, U.S. writer of horror stories; his books blend horror, the macabre, fantasy, and science fiction.Open britannica.com (opens in a new tab)
Stephen King
American horror novelist known for It, The Shining, and The Dark Tower series.
Validator rationale The proposed identity matches Stephen King, the American author associated with It, The Shining, and The Dark Tower.
Recorded Guesser outputRequired JSON format
{"result":{"action":"GUESS","description":"American horror novelist known for It, The Shining, and The Dark Tower series.","name":"Stephen King","question":null}}