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
- 15
- Outcome
- Solved
- Format errors
- No errors
- Duration
- 3m 18s
- Round cost
- $0.1795 All 16 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":"BYOMPCJW"}Valid replies are shown in the required format. Rejected replies are shown separately, without provider or call IDs.
Is this person currently alive?
Recorded Guesser outputRequired JSON format
{"result":{"action":"ASK","description":null,"name":null,"question":"Is this person currently alive?"}}Oracle evidence2 model-reported sources
The Oracle reported these excerpts and URLs. They are not independently checked.
Stephen King reflects on his iconic career and latest release 'You Like It Darker.'Open pbs.org (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 this person a citizen of the United States?
Recorded Guesser outputRequired JSON format
{"result":{"action":"ASK","description":null,"name":null,"question":"Is this person a citizen of the United States?"}}Oracle evidence2 model-reported sources
The Oracle reported these excerpts and URLs. They are not independently checked.
Stephen King ... Nationality: United StatesOpen nndb.com (opens in a new tab)
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 this person primarily known for a career in politics or government?
Recorded Guesser outputRequired JSON format
{"result":{"action":"ASK","description":null,"name":null,"question":"Is this person primarily known for a career in politics or government?"}}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 this person primarily known for a career in the entertainment industry, such as acting, directing, or music?
Recorded Guesser outputRequired JSON format
{"result":{"action":"ASK","description":null,"name":null,"question":"Is this person primarily known for a career in the entertainment industry, such as acting, directing, or music?"}}Oracle evidence2 model-reported sources
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)
The success of “Carrie” allows King to start writing full-time.Open edition.cnn.com (opens in a new tab)
Is this person primarily known for their career in sports or athletics?
Recorded Guesser outputRequired JSON format
{"result":{"action":"ASK","description":null,"name":null,"question":"Is this person primarily known for their career in sports or athletics?"}}Oracle evidence2 model-reported sources
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)
best-selling author Stephen King ... best known for his works in the horror and fantasy genresOpen cnn.com (opens in a new tab)
Is this person primarily known for their involvement in business, technology, or finance?
Recorded Guesser outputRequired JSON format
{"result":{"action":"ASK","description":null,"name":null,"question":"Is this person primarily known for their involvement in business, technology, or finance?"}}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)
best-selling author Stephen King... best known for his works in the horror and fantasy genres.Open cnn.com (opens in a new tab)
Is this person primarily known for their work in literature, writing, or journalism?
Recorded Guesser outputRequired JSON format
{"result":{"action":"ASK","description":null,"name":null,"question":"Is this person primarily known for their work in literature, writing, or journalism?"}}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)
Stephen King... helped to establish King’s reputation as a master of horror literature.Open kids.britannica.com (opens in a new tab)
Is this person primarily known as a writer of fiction?
Recorded Guesser outputRequired JSON format
{"result":{"action":"ASK","description":null,"name":null,"question":"Is this person primarily known as a writer of fiction?"}}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)
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 this person female?
Recorded Guesser outputRequired JSON format
{"result":{"action":"ASK","description":null,"name":null,"question":"Is this person female?"}}Oracle evidence1 model-reported source
The Oracle reported these excerpts and URLs. They are not independently checked.
Gender: MaleOpen biography.com (opens in a new tab)
Has any work by this person been adapted into a feature film or television series?
Recorded Guesser outputRequired JSON format
{"result":{"action":"ASK","description":null,"name":null,"question":"Has any work by this person been adapted into a feature film or television series?"}}Oracle evidence2 model-reported sources
The Oracle reported these excerpts and URLs. They are not independently checked.
Many of his works were adapted for TV and film.Open britannica.com (opens in a new tab)
King’s novels have even been adapted more than once, like the 2017 version of “It,” which succeeded the 1990 miniseries of the same name.Open thecrimson.com (opens in a new tab)
Is this person primarily known for writing science fiction, fantasy, or horror?
Recorded Guesser outputRequired JSON format
{"result":{"action":"ASK","description":null,"name":null,"question":"Is this person primarily known for writing science fiction, fantasy, or horror?"}}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.Open britannica.com (opens in a new tab)
Is this person primarily known for writing horror fiction?
Recorded Guesser outputRequired JSON format
{"result":{"action":"ASK","description":null,"name":null,"question":"Is this person primarily known for writing horror fiction?"}}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 this person primarily known for writing horror fiction aimed at children or young adults?
Recorded Guesser outputRequired JSON format
{"result":{"action":"ASK","description":null,"name":null,"question":"Is this person primarily known for writing horror fiction aimed at children or young adults?"}}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... His books blend horror, the macabre, fantasy, and science fiction.Open britannica.com (opens in a new tab)
Was this person born before 1960?
Recorded Guesser outputRequired JSON format
{"result":{"action":"ASK","description":null,"name":null,"question":"Was this person born before 1960?"}}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.)Open britannica.com (opens in a new tab)
Was this person born in the state of Maine?
Recorded Guesser outputRequired JSON format
{"result":{"action":"ASK","description":null,"name":null,"question":"Was this person born in the state of Maine?"}}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.)Open britannica.com (opens in a new tab)
Stephen King
American horror and suspense author born in Maine
Validator rationale The proposed identity names Stephen King and matches the trusted subject’s person and description.
Recorded Guesser outputRequired JSON format
{"result":{"action":"GUESS","description":"American horror and suspense author born in Maine","name":"Stephen King","question":null}}